When I was in youth group many years ago, we would sing this repetitive single verse song. I don’t remember all of it, but I remember part. It went like this:
“It’s by grace, I have been saved. Through faith, not of myself. It’s a gift, from Almighty God, it’s by grace I’ve been saved.”
The song had a catchy melody and became a great way for us to receive an understanding of the concept of justification by faith. And the words of the song come straight from Paul’s writing in Ephesians 2:8-9, “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” Paul’s words are used almost verbatim.
Paul’s declaration of justification by faith is also found in Galatians 2:20. He says, “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” We see this again in Romans 6, “For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with.”
Paul encourages us to die with Christ and allow Him to live in and through us. Our old self has passed away, and we have been raised to walk in new life with Christ. He puts an emphasis on our faith in Jesus being the only thing that saves us. This is justification by faith—we are declared righteous in the sight of God only because of Jesus.
Receive this gift today.
Blessings
VC Devotionals 