Justified by Faith Alone

The word justified means “declared righteous.” It’s a courtroom term: guilty sinners standing before a holy God, yet through Christ, the verdict changes to innocent. Paul fought fiercely for this truth in Galatians, because if we miss it, we miss the heart of the gospel.

The early church wrestled with whether Gentiles needed to obey Jewish laws to belong to God’s family. Paul’s answer was clear: no one is justified by works of the law, only by faith in Jesus. This same struggle appears today, not through ancient laws, but through unspoken expectations: “I’ll be okay with God when I pray more, read more, serve more.” But justification isn’t about what we do; it’s about what Jesus has done.

This grace doesn’t lead to laziness; it leads to gratitude. When you know you’re fully accepted, good works naturally flow, not to earn love, but because you’re already loved.

Reflection Question:
How does understanding salvation as a gift (rather than something to earn) change how you relate to God?