Justified By Faith Alone

(Galatians 2:16) "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." (ESV)

The average person believes he is good enough to go to heaven.  He thinks he can earn favor with God.  It seems that all false religions also teach that you can earn your salvation.  But this is not the case as a look at Galatians 2:16 will show us.  

This verse is a good summary of the entire book of Galatians so lets take a look at it. The word justified means to be declared righteous by God.  In order for someone to be justified by works of the law he would have to be sinless, having perfect righteousness (See Romans 3:10,23).  Works of the law includes any human effort to be justified by God by keeping the law.  But no one is righteous and no one is capable of living up to God's perfect standard of holiness.  Justification comes through faith alone in Christ alone.  No one will be justified by works of the law. Christ and his work on the cross is totally sufficient for salvation.  Jesus takes our sin and gives us his perfect righteousness (See 2 Corinthians 5:21).  This is the only way we can be justified, declared righteous by God.  

This verse was used in the Protestant Reformation in the 1500's.  Martin Luther and other Reformers used it to defend the doctrine of justification by faith alone.  In fact Galatians was sometimes referred to as Luther's book.  The Roman Catholic Church held to justification by faith plus works as seen in their sacramental system which included things like the Mass and penance.  Galatians 2:16 clearly shows no one can be justified by works of the law.  Works cannot be added to faith in order to receive salvation.  Saving faith produces works but the works do not contribute to our salvation. The Roman Catholic Church even declared that if anyone holds to justification by faith alone let him be anathema (that is cursed or condemned).  Catholicism set itself up against the Word of God.  The Bible clearly teaches that we are justified by grace alone through faith alone because of Christ alone.