Alike

"We have believed in Christ Jesus to be justified," Galatians 2:16.

We, who? Jews. We, Jews from birth. We, Jews (not ethnic sinners). Wait a minute! Who's talking, here? Paul. Paul, a Jew. Who's he talking to? To Peter, a Jew. And to Barnabas, a Jew. And to other believers, Jews. Who do these Jews believe in? In Jesus Christ, a Jew. Why do they believe in Jesus? In order to be justified. To be made right with God. Justified by faith. By trusting in Christ. Compared to what? to working the Law's demands. Neither righteous Jew nor ethnic sinner (i.e., Gentile) gets right with God by the Law's good work. Jew and ethnic alike get right with God through faith in (and of) Christ.

Whether Jew or Gentile, today we meet with a brother or sister, all of us made right with God by faith in Christ Jesus. And we give humble thanks to God for welcoming us, justified together.