“We are Jews by nature and not sinners from among the Gentiles; nevertheless knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the Law but through faith in Christ Jesus, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the Law; since by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified.” – Gal 2:15-16

Paul explains a key concept of the gospel, justification. There is so much to unpack here, and before I get into what Paul was trying to explain to Peter. Let’s look into what justification means.

Please read till the end.

What is Justification?

Justification is a theological term that generally refers to the act of being declared righteous or “made right” before God. It is closely related to righteousness. “The Greek word for ‘justification’ (dikaiosyne) is built on the word for ‘right’ or ‘righteousness’ (dikaios)” 

“Justified freely by his grace” (Romans 3:24) describes what God does forall who believe in Jesus Christ as Savior (3:22). The word justify means “to pronounce, accept, and treat as just, i.e., as on the one hand, not penally liable, and on the other, entitled to all the privileges due to those who have kept the law” 

One good way to remember this is just-as-if-i-had-not-sinned. Yes, when you are justified you are seen perfect in the eyes of God.

Now, flashback time.

You were guilty

You might wonder, Wait what did I do? We were all born under sin through Adam, and we were guilty of sin. Jews had the Law to guide them, which were rules and principles to live a holy life, and the Gentiles did not have any. This is why Paul made that comment “We are Jews by nature and not sinners from among the Gentiles;” (Gal 2:15). Because the Jews had the Law, and the Gentiles didn’t. But it didn’t matter.

For all who have sinned without the Law will also perish without the Law, and all who have sinned under the Law will be judged by the Law; (Rom 2:13-14)

So Gentiles are done for, because they didnt even have the law, but what about the Jews? There were so many powerful people in the Old Testament who lived so perfectly and was all in for God. How about them?

God says his verdict in Rom 3:9-11

What then? Are we better than they? Not at all; for we have already charged that both Jews and Greeks are all under sin; as it is written, “There is none righteous, not even one; There is none who understands, There is none who seeks for God;”

Stunning verdict, right? We are all guilty! What’s in store for us, everyone of us, Jews and Gentiles alike, was wrath and eternal damnation. Even if we try our very best like the Essenes who tried to keep the law perfectly, still they would be guilty. Why?

because by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified in His sight; for through the Law comes the knowledge of sin. (Rom 3:20)

Justified by Faith

But then, (drumrolls).

But now apart from the Law the righteousness of God has been manifested, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all those who believe; for there is no distinction; for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus; whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith. This was to demonstrate His righteousness, because in the forbearance of God He passed over the sins previously committed; (Rom 3:21-25).

So, there is a righteousness apart from the law, not on the basis of what we do, but on the basis of faith, and that too we get the righteousness of Christ as a free gift. By faith. This is huge. Remember, everyone tried and tried, and yet failed to be righteousness even by their best performance, because by the works of the flesh no one will be justified.

When you read the gospels, you see Jesus giving the Pharisees a hard time. He was soft on the sinners. Why is that so? It was not because he was endorsing a sinful lifestyle, but because the Pharisees were trying to be righteous by keeping the law, and the sinful folks had given up. Remember the rich young ruler. Jesus wasn’t asking for his perfect obedience to the law, but rather was trying to point out that he simply cannot keep the law. It is only when we quit focussing on our righteousness and performance, that we open our arms to receive what God has freely provided for us.

Verdict Not guilty

Justification is a legal term used in a court of law. Imagine you standing before God in a court of law. The judge hears the charges, weighs the evidence, and there are tons of evidences of our violation of law and us sinning, and finally there is a document that says “Justified by faith”. Then, just on the basis of that, you are declared “Not guilty”.

Have you believed? Fill the blanks with the worst sin you have done, and still the statement will be true.

I did ________, and I believed Jesus, and hence I am justified.

Two Facets of Benefits

The word justify, then, has both a positive and a negative meaning. In a negative sense, God declares the believer in Christ “not guilty.” In other words, he or she is no longer liable to punishment. The person’s sins are forgiven. Paul and Barnabas preached this to the Galatians in Pisidian Antioch: “I want you to know that through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you. Through him everyone who believes is justified from everything you could not be justified from by the law of Moses” (Acts 13:38–39). In a positive sense, justify means that God declares the believer righteous: “His faith is credited as righteousness” (Romans 4:5–6).

Before and After

But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known… (Romans 3:21–26) 

But now (Romans 3:21) we have moved from wrath (Rom 1:18) to righteousness (Rom 3:21)—that is, from judgment to justification.

Before, Paul says, we were under “the wrath of God” (Romans 1:18). But now we have access to “a righteousness from God” (Romans 3:21). Before, we were under condemnation. But now there is “no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1). Before, sin enslaved us. But now “you have been set free from sin” (Romans 6:22). Before, Law bound us. But now, “by dying to what once bound us, we have been released from the law so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit” (Romans 7:6). Before, Gentiles were separate from Christ, without hope and without God. But now “in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ” (Ephesians 2:13). 

Conclusion

Those who believe are “justified freely by his grace” (Romans 3:24). Everyone is guilty of sin and deserves judgment. Nevertheless, God graciously extends
His favor and mercy to all through His Son. Paul says that God does this in several ways. He justifies us by grace: “For it is by grace you have been saved” (Ephesians 2:8). He justifies us freely. “And this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast” (2:8–9). He justifies us through faith (Romans 3:22)—a faith centered on Jesus Christ. And justifies us “through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus” (3:24). “He has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins” (Colossians 1:13–14).