Justification by faith

I believe that for many Christians, the term 'justification by faith' isn't new at all. It is one of the core doctrines of the Christian faith. However, as with other pillars of our faith, it is often overlooked and taken for granted.

We are counted righteous through faith in Jesus Christ alone, and are justified by our faith. Justification is the declaration of righteousness, or being right with God. Jesus Christ is enough and more than sufficient. Often, self-righteousness creeps into our lives and take over. It's persistence and subtleness makes it ever so dangerous for Christians. Some of us turn out to become like the Pharisees, pagans, prosecutors, or even performers. We think that we are right with God because we do certain things, or because we are better than other people in some ways. But the bible says that that isn't the case.

Works alone cannot bring about righteousness or justification. Works, or deeds, are responses to our faith in the sufficiency of Jesus Christ and the cross, and it comes together with faith, for faith without works is dead. It is not by keeping laws that we are saved, or by the circumcision of the flesh. Only through the death and resurrection of Jesus, and putting trust in that, can we be made righteous before God, for the righteousness of Jesus has been imputed on to us.

There is nothing that we do that can make us right with God. All things amount to nothing. Turn to Jesus, for he is all that we need.