Source of justification

Our thoughts and works do not and cannot justify us. Otherwise Christ died in vain, Gal. 2:21.

Romans 2:13-16, “For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous in God’s sight, but it is those who obey (through faith and grace, Rom. 1:5) the law who will be declared righteous. (Indeed, when Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature things required by the law, they are a law for themselves, even though they do not have the law, since they show that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts now accusing, now even defending them.

In the above verse, as a Gentile, I see that the old motive and nature attempts to attach to thoughts. Hence the need for transformation by renewal of the mind, Rom. 12:1-3. I believe 2 Cor. 10:5 naturally occurs through the apprehension of truth by grace through faith unto knowledge.  Colossians 3:1-3 and 2 Cor. 5:17 says who we were is dead and in the past including motive and thoughts. In Him, we have the redemption of sins through His blood and cross. Only His righteousness is reckoned to our accounts regardless of what I think or even do. Should I continue in sin that grace may abound? God forbid, because who I was is dead and His grace changes me into a new creature in Christ to do good works because of sincere willingness. And even that willingness to do good is Him in me willing it, Phil. 1:6, 2:13. I believe as my motive and mind is changed and constantly renewed it compels me to act out in faith through love or ‘faithing’ fulfilling the prophecy of Heb. 8:10-13 in the believer. As the Church grows in faithing, Rom. 1:5, Ephesians 4:13 manifests, His Body.

So, I can just think crazy thoughts? Murder, adultery, lying, stealing, etc. I am not saying that, but when thoughts come we have a sure hope, an anchor for the soul, Christ, our righteousness and hope of glory, Rom. 8:2. And this hope is a passive, joyful, eager expectation that predicates on His faith and quickened, rhema word spoken to us in contrast to the expectation based on thoughts of the old nature and motive, Gal. 5:1. This knowledge changes us unto godliness, Titus 1:1.

HE is our justification, 1 Cor. 1:30.

• By believing in the One the Father sent, John 6:29, 11:42, 12:44; 1 John 3:23
  • Acts 13:39, “Through him everyone who believes is justified from everything you could not be justified from by the law of Moses.”
    Rom. 3:24, “justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.”
• By faith
  • Rom. 3:28, “For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from observing the law.”
  • Rom. 5:1, “Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ..”
  • Rom. 10:10, “For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.”
  • Gal. 2:16, “..know that a man is not justified by observing the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by observing the law, because by observing the law no one will be justified.”
• By His holy, pure, sacrificial blood
  • Rom. 5:9, “Since we have now been justified by his blood..”
• By His grace
  • Titus 3:7, “having been justified by his grace”
• “Faithing” – faith as a verb expressed through godly love fulfilling all the law by grace in truth and action
  • James 2:24, “You see that a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone.”
    • 1 John 3:18, “Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth.”
    • Gal. 2:20, “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.”
    • Gal. 5:6, “The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.”

Reference blog: Radical self-blame