I've been reading through Galatians in my devotional times over the last few weeks.
I love Galatians! Paul is at his very sharpest when he's defending the gospel, and there are few blunter statements than his opening one:
'I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel - which is really no gospel at all.' (1:6)
The Galatians were being led astray by false teachers who were insisting that in order to be fully accepted by God they had to trust Jesus PLUS be good Jews by keeping Jewish food laws and being circumcised. It seems that even the great Apostle Peter had been intimidated by this influential group and had withdrawn from Gentile believers at meal times (2:12).
Paul's response is robust: he confronts Peter and asserts in the strongest possible terms that salvation is by faith alone:
'a man is not justified by observing the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by observing the law, because by observing the law no-one will be justified.' (Gal 2:16)
Justification by faith is a wonderful Christian doctrine.
It means that God accepts me SOLEY on the basis of Jesus finished work on the cross. Because he has paid for my sin in full, I am welcomed by God. I cannot do anything to make God love me more and I cannot do anything to make God love me less. I am totally secure in Christ, because my salvation is by faith in Jesus, not my own good works.
However... there is a problem with justification by faith.
I keep on sinning!
I want to please and honour God and live a life of purity and holiness, but I keep messing up.
Every Christian knows the sense of failure and shame that comes from screwing up - often in the same areas time after time. We are creatures of habit and so often the habits we fall into are sinful ones.
And so while it is comforting to know that we are saved by faith alone, there is a tension in our experience of salvation. On the one hand I know my sin does not make me any less a child of God or change his acceptance and love for me. However, when I let him down, I FEEL like he is further away and that the barriers have come up.
But justification by faith shows us that the reality is quite the opposite!
The parable Jesus told in Luke 15 that we know as 'The Prodigal Son' illustrates this perfectly.
When the prodigal son comes to his senses and heads home he isn't met with cold forgiveness but a warm embrace. He isn't greeted by a father who holds him at arms length, until he becomes perfect, but by one who draws him close. He isn't just given his old room back, he's given a welcome home party.
And that is what it's like every day for a Christian.
God's grace isn't just given when we're saved - it's poured out day after day!
Paul told the Ephesians that God had lavished his grace on them! (Eph 1:7-8)
Justification by faith means that we are constantly drenched in the grace of God.
And the great news is that his water hose is so long, that no matter how far away from him we run, we can never get dry!
So when you next feel like you've screwed up (yet again!) remember Galatians 1:6.
God doesn't accept you because you're great - he accepts you because he is gracious.
We've been called BY THE GRACE OF CHRIST, so don't be tempted to turn to a different gospel - 'which is really no gospel at all.'
It's Jesus... FULL STOP.
