Justifying oneself

Luke 10:25-29  Now an expert in religious law stood up to test Jesus, saying, “Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”  (26)  He said to him, “What is written in the law? How do you understand it?”  (27)  The expert answered, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind, and love your neighbor as yourself.”  (28)  Jesus said to him, “You have answered correctly; do this, and you will live.”  (29)  But the expert, wanting to justify himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”

It seems that it is difficult for people to grasp that we have been justified, made righteous and acceptable to God by the faith OF Jesus Christ (Gal 2:16.) Justification by the faith of Christ just doesn't seem to make sense to the human mind. Why would God justify people based on the faith of his Son? Doesn't it rather make sense that ultimately we justify ourselves by our actions? These questions are the reason that most people will not really accept the pure gospel.

The above passage from Luke's gospel is the beginning of a parable that is widely known as the story of the "Good Samaritan." Here are some facts to stick away as we think about self justification. To the Torah observant Jew of the first century, there was nothing lower than a Samaritan. The fact is that Jews, especially Torah observant Jews had absolutely nothing to do with Samaritans. So it is important to realize that Jesus was not just telling about a person who had mercy and did a good deed. He was showing that loving your neighbor meant loving someone you hated, Furthermore, rather than giving an example of a Jew being merciful and doing good for a Samaritan, he reversed it and had the Samaritan doing good to the Jew. This would have been extremely offensive to the expert in the law that was seeking to justify himself.

This brings us to Paul in his letter to the Romans. In chapter ten verses 1-4 he explains the futility of trying to justify oneself. He says that he is concerned for his countrymen. They rejected the idea of being made righteous by the faith of Christ and instead set about to establish their own righteousness by the law. As pointed out in the parable of the "Good Samaritan" it is difficult to establish self righteousness. In fact, due to humanities fall it is impossible to justify oneself or establish ones own righteousness by law observance. It is impossible to truly love God when one is striving to establish their own justification. One can only fear, and fear prevents one from loving God with all ones heart, soul and strength. So it is impossible to justify oneself.

Yet, isn't that what most Christians try to do? They use the gospel as an entry point to being able to end up justifying themselves through their actions. Come on y'all you know I'm right here. Let me explain something in the most simple terms. Saints are NEVER advanced to the point that they do not need to hear the pure gospel over and over again. In fact, the gospel should be treated as the Israelites were instructed to treat the law. It should be written on the door posts, taught to the children, attached to the head and arms. There should be a continual reminder of the gospel of grace. It is truly the only way to love God with all one's heart, soul and strength, and it is the ONLY way one can begin to really truly love their neighbor as oneself!