And knowing that a man =
– K=
nowing how=
God
justifies a man (judges a m=
an
as “right” or “righteous”) is arguably the most
important thing in the Bible. If we are right with God, we can receive God,
know God, be involved in God’s purpose, enjoy the riches of God, etc.=
If
we are not justified then we are just a stranger to God, and cannot know God
nor His purpose. In the Apostle Peter’s case, his knowing was very cl=
ear,
but in the midst of a confusing situation he lived contrary to what he knew=
to
be true.
not justified by works of l=
aw - Growing up as Jews, both Peter an=
d Paul
were very familiar with the concept of being justified by works of law. Acc=
ording
to this way of justification, it is the works of an individual that saves an
individual (Lev 18:5). Works just refer to the good things that we do to pl=
ease
God. Furthermore, these works are works of law. This implies that there is a
holy standard that our works must come up to in order to be acceptable to G=
od.
Both Paul and Peter knew both from their experience and from their revelati=
on
that man could not meet this standard, and could not be justified out of wo=
rks
of law. However, Peter began living against this principle by eating with t=
he
Gentiles, therefore Paul brings him back to the truth.
but through faith in Christ=
Jesus =
211;
Because man is unable to meet the standard of God, He found a way for us to=
be
justified apart from man. This was accomplished through God Himself becoming
the man Jesus Christ and living up to the standard. Not only did He live up=
to
the standard, but He died on the cross as a propitiation for our sins (fail=
ure
to live up to the standard) and to get us out of the curse of fulfilling the
law (Gal 3:13). When we receive Christ by faith we participate in all the w=
ork
that was accomplished by Christ, including redemption from our sins and a l=
ife
that fully matches and expresses God. In this way, God’s righteous
standards are met and we are fully justified before God.
we also have believed into =
Christ
Jesus that we might be justified out of faith in Christ and not out of work=
s of
law - When =
Paul
says “we” here, he is referring to the Jews, who previously
practiced the keeping of the law and now have believed into Christ Jesus. P=
aul
seems to be reminding the Jewish brothers that they forsook justification by
the law for Christ, so now they should not attempt to return to the law.
because out of the works of=
law
no flesh will be justified – The reason why man=
will
never be able to keep the law is given here, “no flesh will be
justified”. Trying to keep the law is an exercise of the flesh. Within
the flesh is a “sin nature” which makes it impossible to keep G=
od’s
requirements. As Christians, we should continue our walk the same way we
started, not in the realm of the works of law by the flesh but in the realm=
of
faith in the Spirit.