JUSTIFIED BY FAITH ALONE

ROMANS 3

“But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed … even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ …

(Rom. 3:21).

Paul emphasizes throughout his epistles that we are saved by the grace of God and not by our works: “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast” (Eph. 2:8–9); “But that no one is justified by the law in the sight of God is evident, for the ‘just shall live by faith’ ” (Gal. 3:11); “For the promise that he would be the heir of the world was not to Abraham or to his seed though the law, but through righteousness of faith” (Rom. 4:13).

As you can see the evidence is overwhelming that we are saved by grace and not by works. The law cannot save because we have no ability in ourselves to keep the law perfectly. We are saved, then, by faith in the only One who could keep the law perfectly—Jesus Christ our Savior. And even our faith is a gift of God. Faith is not a work but a receiving of the righteousness of Christ to cover us so that we might be reconciled to God.

In the most basic sense, our salvation is a legal transaction. The righteousness of Christ is credited to our account, and on the basis of His righteousness we are declared “not guilty” by God: “It shall be imputed to us who believe in Him who raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead, who was delivered up because of our offenses, and was raised because of our justification” (Rom. 4:23–25). This “justification” is not attained by our good works, but by the grace of God; and because it is by God’s grace our salvation is sure: “Therefore it is of faith that it might be according to grace, so that the promise might be sure to all the seed” (Rom. 4:16).

Our assurance is grounded on the promise of God. Those He has called, He will glorify, and those whom He has chosen since the foundation of the world will not be snatched from His hand: “Who shall bring a charge against the elect? It is God who justifies.… Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?… Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us” (Rom. 8:33–37).

CORAM DEO

1 Chronicles 10–12

John 11:37–57

Read through the passages quoted in today’s study. Next read the For further study verses below. Meditate on the promises of security for those whom God has called from the world. Spend some time in prayer today praising God for His steadfast promises and for not letting one of His sheep slip through His fingers.

For further study: John 10:22–30 • Rom. 8 • Gal. 3

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