justification Archives - Marissa Henley

You are Justified by Faith {No Matter What Monday}

February 18, 2019 by Marissa Leave a Comment

I’m really showing off my geek badge here, but it’s true: I love editing. I can’t read anything without wanting to pull out a red pen, eliminate the word clutter, fix the grammatical mistakes, and improve the writing in any way I can. I even self-edit text messages before sending them. (Don’t worry, I don’t edit other people’s texts!) 😉

When I read Galatians 2:16, I want to reach for my red pen. Paul seems to be running around in circles, saying the same thing over and over:

“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.” (Galatians 2:16)

We’re not justified by works but by faith . . . And we have believed, so we are justified . . . Oh, and did I mention that it’s by faith in Christ and not by works? . . . Right, because no one can be justified by the works of the law. Ok, Paul! We get it!

Why isn’t Paul being more concise? Did he forget to run this letter by his editor?

I think Paul is being wordy and repetitive on purpose. He knows we will read this and mentally agree with it, but then an hour later we’ll be out there acting like it’s up to us to earn God’s favor. It’s so ingrained in our human nature to think our value depends on our performance.

This is good news we need to hear over and over and over again: We are justified through faith in Christ and not by works of the law. To be justified means we are declared righteous by God. He looks at Jesus and sees His perfect record of righteousness. Based on His perfection, we are declared righteous. We could never earn this righteousness, but God gives it to us as a free gift of His grace.

If you didn’t earn it, you can’t lose it. Justification by faith is a certainty we can cling to even when we fall short, mess up, or even fail miserably.

No matter what you face this week, you are justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law.

God’s Verdict is Secure {No Matter What Monday}

September 24, 2018 by Marissa Leave a Comment

They are the words every child swears they will never say to their kids, and they are the words most parents have said to their child: “Because I said so.”

When a parent says, “Because I said so,” those words are meant to end the argument. Why? Because the parent has the authority. The parent’s words have power. They ultimately win out over the protests and questions of the child. When spoken in love, these words remind children that their parents care for them, and the children can trust their parents to do what’s best for them.

God also says, “Because I said so.” If you are in Christ, you are forgiven and secure—because God said so. God has justified you because of Christ’s death and resurrection, and no one can argue with His decision.

“Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us.” (Romans 8:33-34)

Paul just finished reminding us in the previous verses that God is for us and has provided His Son as a sacrifice to redeem us. Now he has us in a courtroom. Charges are being brought by an accuser. A judge will decide whether to condemn or acquit.

Your accuser brings a charge against you to the Judge’s bench. Maybe there’s a crowd forming, each person walking down the courtroom aisle with a charge in their hand, as you sit at the defendant’s table. But when your accusers get closer, they see someone sitting next to the judge. Jesus is there, showing His nail-pierced hands and feet.

God has already declared you righteous because of Jesus’s righteousness. The charges evaporate in your accuser’s hand. Not even Satan himself can bring a charge against you. You’ve been declared righteous—you’ve been justified—and when God said, “Because I said so,” no one gets to argue further.

Christ Jesus died for you. He was raised for you. He sits at the Father’s right hand, interceding for you as your advocate. You’re not sinless, and there will be consequences for your choices. But there won’t be condemnation. Your verdict is secure, because the sentence for your sin has already been served by your Savior.

No matter what you face this week, God’s verdict is secure.

Christ Jesus Made You His Own {No Matter What Monday}

February 26, 2018 by Marissa Leave a Comment

This week I’m taking my oldest child, who just turned 14, to test for his driving permit. (Pray for me!) To receive his permit, we need to take my driver’s license, to prove that I’m an Arkansas resident, and my child’s birth certificate, to prove that he belongs to me.

Because he’s my child, my son has certain privileges and also responsibilities. He doesn’t get food, clothing, shelter, and love because he’s earned them, and he doesn’t finish his chores each week to secure his status as our child. But rather, he receives privileges and has responsibilities because he’s our child.

I couldn’t deny my son even if I wanted to—the state of Indiana made it official in 2004 when they put my name on his birth certificate. In the coming years, there might be days when he ignores me, questions my goodness to him, or strays from my instructions. But nothing will change the fact that he belongs to me.

In Philippians 3, Paul makes this beautiful statement as he discusses his striving in the Christian life:

“Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own.” (Philippians 3:12)

The gifts we receive from Christ and our obedience to Christ both flow from what Christ has done for us—He’s made us His own. Paul revels in his status as God’s child, not because of a righteousness of his own, but because of a righteousness from God through faith (Phil. 3:9). He knows he isn’t perfect, but he’s secure in the perfection of Christ.

Because of this solid standing before God, Paul is pressing on in his faith (Phil. 3:13-14). We don’t chase after holiness as a way of proving ourselves to God. We pursue righteousness because the Righteous One has pursued and taken hold of us.

I hope this brings you comfort today, friend. Whether you’re struggling through suffering or wrestling with sin, remember that Christ Jesus died to make you His own. You can rest securely in His love for you.

No matter what you face this week, Christ Jesus has made you His own.

The Work is Finished {No Matter What Monday}

July 31, 2017 by Marissa Leave a Comment

I’m a list-maker. Are you? If not, I’d love to hear how you function – I’d never survive without my lists! I’ve got my daily list, my weekly list, my monthly list, and my “someday” list. (It’s a rare, exciting day when I cross something off the someday list!) Making sharp little checkmarks next to completed tasks makes me smile.

If you find me curled up in bed with a book or plopped down in a recliner in front of the tv around 9pm, it means my list for that day boasts a lot of checkmarks. I don’t sit still unless the day’s essentials have been completed and the non-essentials bumped to the next day’s list.

So I find it fascinating that nine times in the New Testament, we read that Jesus Christ is seated at the Father’s right hand. Jesus lived and died for us. He rose again. Then He ascended to heaven, and when He got there, He sat.

“But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God.” (Hebrews 10:12)

Christ’s sacrifice of Himself on the cross completed the work required by God for our salvation. He fully paid the debt we owed because of sin. Yes, there is work that God asks us to do as His redeemed people. But the work of salvation is finished. The sacrifice offered by the prefect Lamb of God was complete and sufficient.

Jesus Christ completed His mission, returned home to the Father’s side, and sat down. As we go about our tasks this week, whether we’re checking off a list or just doing the next thing, let’s joyfully remember that our Savior completed the most important work for us.

No matter what you face this week, remember that Christ’s work for your salvation is finished.