Justifying Faith (The Victor's Mentality 37)

My beloved readers, you’re welcome to today’s article. Since the beginning of this year, we’ve been looking at the victor’s mentality. This subject is very important to understand because the main problem of believers is their mentality and perspectives. The real battle is the battle to see things in the correct light. Because the devil will always try to paint a picture that’s not consistent with Christ. If we go with the picture the devil paints, then we become victims.

But it’s important for you to know that you are a victor… and there is a mentality you’re expected to do life with so as to keep winning in life and ministry. That’s why we’ve been considering Ephesians chapter 6. The Bible has been opening our eyes to the perspective we ought to have and the mentality we ought to carry so we keep winning.

Currently, we’re looking at the shield of faith. Last week, we started examining the different manifestations of faith, beginning with saving faith.

We experience the dimension of faith—saving faith—when we come to see Jesus as the treasure He is. When we see that nothing and no one can save a wretched soul like mine except Jesus and His finished work.

This is the first encounter with faith. This same faith then progresses to what I call justifying faith.

Let me give you a definition I’ve received from the Scriptures:

Justifying faith is that faith that receives Christ and His finished work on the cross as the only basis for acceptance.

Many times, especially for new believers not exposed to the message of grace, their saving faith does not progress to justifying faith.

At salvation, they believe they cannot save themselves and need a Savior who can save them from their sins. But after salvation, they resort to what they can do to earn acceptance before God—and it won’t work!

Colossians 2:6 (NKJV):

“As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him.”

How do we receive Christ? Through faith.

It’s the same faith we must continue our Christian journey with. The saving faith received at salvation must work for our justification. Otherwise, there’ll be a deviation from the path of victory.

Look at Romans 5:1:

“Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

You’ll never see yourself justified and accepted if you don’t continue on the path the Holy Spirit has brought you—the path of faith.

At salvation, you reach the point where there’s nothing you can do to earn it. In a true salvation experience, you’re not thinking of anything you’ve done—all the religious acts and more. You know none of those could measure up to this great salvation.

Do you know we must continue to see our relationship with God the same way? The only reason I’m accepted and declared righteous is because of what Jesus has done. Justifying faith is the believer’s confidence that Christ’s sacrifice has fully satisfied God’s requirement for righteousness, and therefore we’re declared righteous—not by works, but by grace through faith.

I’m saying all this because I know the devil will always come to deceive—he did it to me too. He’ll say, “Now you’re saved, so for God to continue accepting you, you need to work out your salvation.” Then he manipulates beautiful Christian works and service into tools to victimize you and take your confidence away from seeing Christ as the only reason for your acceptance.

Personally, I don’t believe the devil wants you to pray, study the Scriptures, or evangelize in the first place. If he had his way entirely, he wouldn’t want us engaging in any of these.

But as new believers, we have zeal because we’ve seen Jesus, and it’s hard for him to keep us quiet.

What the devil does instead is change your perspective on prayer and other acts of Christian service and devotion. Instead of them being a blessing and a way to draw your heart toward God to see Jesus as the only treasured One, they become a snare.

If we allow the devil to shift our focus from Christ to what we can do, we’ll always have a guilty and condemnatory conscience, saying we can’t measure up.

Truly, no matter how hard you try, you won’t be good enough to earn God’s acceptance.

But when you always see Jesus as the reason for your acceptance, the Holy Spirit will continually bear witness in your heart of your sonship, identity, and acceptance.

He tells you that you are loved.

He tells you that you are the apple of God’s eye.

So don’t allow the devil to shift your focus. You need to always believe that you’re accepted in the Beloved and that God is always at peace with you. You cannot see yourself this way without this dimension of faith—justifying faith.

Brethren, prayerfully meditate on these things.