“He must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it.” – Titus 1:9
This post is the second half of an earlier post concerning two false doctrines being esoused by a street preacher on the campus of the University of Florida. The first one, which I dealt with last time, is the denial of Original Sin and why the burden is on the denier to give reason for the continuance of a fallen mankind without an inherited first trangression. The second false doctrine which I would like to handle today is the belief in Justification by Works.
Justification, from the Greek word dikaiosis is defined to be the act of God declaring men free from guilt and acceptable to him. The main question then comes, how does God justify us? Is it through something man does or something God does? People who believe in Justification by Works say that man is justified and counted as righteous by God through a repentence from and noncommission of sins. Because of this, they believe, we become unrighteous again if we commit a sin, and because of such must seek further forgiveness and another regeneration of our hearts in order to come back under God’s grace (i.e. a new salvation).
However, when we look at scriptures the Truth is enlightened (as it always is):
“For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin.” – Romans 3:20
So, this passage says, in about the clearest language found in all of scripture, that an adherence and obedience to law cannot serve to make a person be counted as righteous in front of God. So, if not works, then in what manner, if at all, can a man be justified?
“What then shall we say was gained by Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh? For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. For what does the Scripture say? ‘Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness.’ Now to the one who works, his wages are not counted as a gift but as his due. And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness.” – Romans 4:1-5
“For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.” – Romans 10:10
“(Y)et 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
“Now it is evident that no one is justified before God by the law, for ‘The righteous shall live by faith.’ “ – Galatians 3:11
From these passages we get a definate answer to our question of means. How is one justified? By faith! (And this faith, as we see in Philippians 1:29, Ephesians 2:8 and Romans 12:3, was granted to you and is not your own).
So, in conclusion, we see that two doctrines, which some of us may have never heard of, can be the cause of much flailing about in false teachings. Thus, it is all the more important to study the whole word of God and make sure that all of your beliefs are not your own contrivances, but are the conclusions that may clearly be drawn from the inerrant and complete Word of God.
