Pastor Barry's  "Chapter & Verse"  Day 318

November 14;      Galatians 2:16;       164/260(III);        ‘Faith Not Works’

Galatians 2:16 knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified.

Three times in this one verse, Paul lets us know that we are not justified or made right with God by our works, but by faith in Jesus.  The works of the Law is religion.  Faith in Jesus’ finished work is Christianity.  The sin of Adam comes into play here.  Adam had the nature of the Lord before he sinned.  Once he sinned, he lost his godly nature and it was replaced by pride.  The nature of pride was then transferred to humanity and that is why religion is so appealing.  Religion is what you do to earn heaven.  This appeals to the nature of pride and keeps our eyes off of Jesus and on ourselves.  The devil has used religion over the centuries to curse people and cause their immortal spirit to be eternally separated from the Lord.  The Gospel is Good News, teaching us that Jesus Christ died for our sins.  He never sinned, yet in love, He took our sins upon Himself and justified us to the Father, when we put our faith in Him and become born again.  The Law’s purpose was to reveal clearly that we are sinners and needed Jesus to free us from the condemnation of sin.  Those who teach religion, are deceived and use it as a ‘club’ to require people to keep the Law, that we were never intended to keep and do not keep.  Religion becomes a means for the devil to ‘keep us busy going nowhere.’ Jesus Christ, left heaven, came to earth as a Man, led a sinless, exemplary life and willingly died an excruciating death for us.  Heaven is ours by faith in what Jesus did.