7th May 2020
CARNAL JUSTIFICATION
David Abankwah
READ: Matthew 23
And He said to them, “YOU ARE THOSE WHO JUSTIFY YOURSELVES BEFORE MEN, but God knows your hearts. For what is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God.
-Luke 16:15 | NKJV
To justify yourself is to show somebody that something is right or reasonable. To justify is to judge, regard or treat as righteous or worthy of salvation. Justify also, is to show a sufficient lawful reason for an act done. Carnal justification is trying to show people that you are good or innocent or righteous in all your doings which is the truthful case. Christianity is all about pleasing God and not men. The ministry of Paul was not centred on carnal justification but divine justification; For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ -Galatians 1:10 | NKJV.
It is carnal to justify yourself before God because those who are in the Spirit only seek to please God and not men; So then, THOSE WHO ARE IN THE FLESH CANNOT PLEASE GOD -Romans 8:8 | NKJV.
Carnal justification is also as a result of lack of faith. But WITHOUT FAITH IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO PLEASE HIM, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him -Hebrews 11:6 | NKJV. The parable of the good Samaritan would not have come if a certain lawyer didn’t attempt a carnal justification. First he tested Jesus Christ about what he can do to have eternal life (Luke 10:25).
After he was answered of it, he went on to ask who was his neighbour in an attempt to justify himself before the people (Luke 10:29). Such people like these appeared in the Bible too. The Pharisees justified themselves before the people many times (Matthew 23:27). The scribes also justified themselves before the people and not God (Luke 11:44). Lawyers also justified themselves before the people and not God (Luke 11:46-52). The high priest Ananias also justified himself before the people by trying to shut Paul’s mouth (Acts 23:3). King Saul also wanted to justify himself before Prophet Samuel and not God but he couldn’t (1 Samuel 15:1-35).
No man is going to judge you in the day of judgment. It is Jesus Christ who is going to do so (John 5:22). Remember that Jesus Christ was innocent before Pilate and the Sanhedrin but He didn’t justify Himself before them, because God alone knows the heart. We are only justified in the precious and innocent blood of Jesus Christ (Romans 3:23-24). All men are not going to love you in your church, house, school, work, community, family or ministry (Luke 6:38) even if you justify yourself before them. Live a life of righteousness as a justification to God who knows all secrets.
•| Prayer Diary |•
Lift up prayers for the inner conviction and diligence to be a Godly pleaser and not a man pleaser in all your life, Godliness, and ministry in the name of Jesus Christ.
Quote
The presence of faith leads to divine justification.
|READ| MEDITATE |SHARE|
© 2020 David Abankwah
David Abankwah 