Galatians 2:15–21 (ESV)
Justified by Faith
15 We
ourselves are Jews by birth and not Gentile sinners; 16 yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by
faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified.
17 But if, in our endeavor to be justified in Christ, we too were found to be sinners,
is Christ then a servant of sin? Certainly not! 18 For if I rebuild what I tore down, I prove myself to be a transgressor. 19 For through the law I died to the law, so that I might live to God.
20 I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. 21 I
do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness were through the law, then Christ died for no purpose.
Could you imagine being Martin Luther back in the
early 1500’s reading this text and realizing that you justified by faith and not by works? This was a pivotal passage that caused Martin Luther to wake up and challenge the church’s teachings that you are saved by works. It is God’s
Word that challenged and changed Martin Luther and lit a fire under him to push for reform. The more Luther studied, the more he learned that we are justified by faith.
I pray: O Lord, I give thanks for your Word and cling to the faith you have given me. I am justified by faith. Amen.