Jesus and Justification
Today’s message begins the seventh chapter of Mark and another confrontation between Jesus and the Jewish leaders from Jerusalem. In our text, Jesus was still in Galilee but apparently, He proved too much for the local scribes, Pharisees, and rabbis to contend with. Since Jesus’ popularity extended across the entire land of Israel, everyone was aware of His activities and defiance of their customs and laws. It is important for us to note Jesus never opposed God’s laws but most certainly resisted the gross misinterpretations of it by these self-righteous leaders.
As I surveyed our text, I thought of the cardinal doctrine of the Christian faith. You have heard me speak of cardinal doctrines and I may announce different doctrines as cardinal doctrines. If I settle on one, I must say in the context today, it is the doctrine of justification by faith. The battle over law and gospel between Jesus and these people was the method by which God accounts us just and free from the condemnation of the law. One of the clearest, easiest definitions that underlines the various aspects of justification is this quote from a systematic theology: “Justification is that instantaneous, everlasting, gracious, free, judicial act of God, whereby, on account of the merit of Christ’s blood and righteousness, a repentant, believing sinner is freed from the penalty of the law, restored to God’s favor, and considered as possessing the imputed righteousness of Jesus Christ; by virtue of all of which he receives adoption as a son.”
Most would call this the Reformed perspective of justification linking it to the Protestant Reformation. The Reformation was far too late to be the source of this doctrine. This is Jesus’ doctrine, His disciples’ doctrine, Paul’s doctrine, and the doctrine of the true New Testament church. Comparing this definition to Mark 7 and this encounter with the Jews, we can see there is no room to fit the Jewish interpretation of justification. And what the Jews believed was not unique to them. It is the natural default interpretation of all other faiths contrary to the faith of Christ. To receive justification from God, requires human effort, good works, trying to be a good person, following the rules, and on it goes. For many, simply dying is enough to account oneself right with God. The fundamental difference is reliance on self-generated righteousness not the righteousness of Christ.
Paul often contended with the same thinking of Jewish leaders after Christ called him to the ministry. There were many called Judaizers who followed him to Gentile preaching posts with attempts to destroy the faith by restoring at least some of the old Jewish traditions. Though it seemed a compromise might be possible, Paul steadfastly rejected their attempts knowing that any compromise on justification renders Christianity, the cross, and Jesus Himself null and void. He termed the Jews doctrine another gospel, a perverted gospel, an accursed gospel (Galatians 1:6-9).
The Protestant Reformation accentuated the differences between Roman Catholic teachings of justification and the correct scriptural presentation at a time when Catholicism persecuted true believers and distorted the gospel of Christ. The same sham gospel taught by Roman Catholics in the 16th century still goes on today. It is fraught with more compromises as Catholicism learned to embrace the heresies of all religions to make them comfortable if they would come under the umbrella of their universal church.
The cardinal doctrine of justification is still the barrier between Christ, the Jews, Roman Catholics, and all the rest who do not accept the correct definition. If there had been a sign of Roman Catholicism in the days of Jesus, He would say to them, “Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition.”
Pastor V. Mark Smith