Justification by faith

CONTENT

• THE MEANING AND NEED FOR JUSTIFICATION
• WORKS AND LAW DO NOT JUSTIFY ANYBODY: ROMAN 4:1-5, GAL. 2: 16-21.

THE MEANING AND NEED FOR JUSTIFICATION   ROM: 3:21-24.

To justify means to prove right or to prove innocent. For example, a person accused of a particular offence is justified by law if at the end of investigation he or she is pronounced innocent.  Therefore, justification is a situation whereby someone is declared innocent or set free through the process of law from a charge laid  against him or her . Due to the love of God for man, He sent his son, Jesus, to the world for the redemption of man.  Therefore any person who believes and has the faith that Jesus died for  his/her sins is justified by God.

Justification by faith is righteousness of God acquired through faith in Jesus Christ. Man cannot attain the righteousness of God by his own effort or by keeping the law,  it is only by His Grace which is the unmerited favor of God. This grace can only be received by having strong faith in Jesus Christ and the redemption He offers to mankind through the blood he shed on the cross.  Therefore, if any man accepts Jesus Christ as his personal Lord and Savior, he is justified by faith and once justified he is equally considered righteous.

EVALUATION

1. What, according to Paul, are the fruits of the justification?
2. What are the conditions of justification?

WORKS AND LAW DO NOT JUSTIFY ANYBOBY

St. Paul made us to see clearly that no one can be righteous before God except those that are justify in the Lord Jesus Christ. Paul disagreed with the religious practices of old about righteousness. People at the time believe so much in the laws of Moses which had become their religious norms. They so much lay emphasis on what they do as dictated by the laws. Paul made us to see that justification is only accessible through Jesus.

EVALUATION

1. What do works and law stand for in the above lesson?
2. How can man achieve justification?

GENERAL EVALUATION

1. Howdid Paul explain justification?
2. What do the laws of Moses stand for to the Hebrew?
3. Compare and contrast the social justice and justification by faith.
4. Highlight common laws that contradict the laws of God.

WEEKEND ASSIGNMENT

1. Whose laws do the Hebrew used as guidelines for Justification?  (a) David  (b) Moses  (c) Abraham (d)  Jacob
2. Justification is achieved through (a) grace of God  (b) service to God  (c) faith in Jesus  (d) praises to God
3. Who among the following brought justification to man? (a) Jesus  (b) Abraham (c)  David  (d) Moses
4. What is the condition for justification?  (a) faith (b) praise  (c) worship  (d) prayer
5. Justification is open to  (a) only the Jews  (b) the Gentiles  (c) all mankind  (d)  only believers

THEORY

1. List five laws of Moses.
2. Explain what faith does to Christians as regards justification.