122. Justify Many
Isaiah 53:11 He shall see the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities..
We are justified by grace, through faith, for the sake of Christ. This is he core truth of all Scripture, of our faith, and of our life. Everything comes out of and leads to Justification by Faith. If this is not the source then there is no other place to turn; if this is not the end and purpose of every article of faith then there is no purpose to the thought or to life; if this is not the center then our life will be out of whack.
In this “Gospel of the Old Testament, Isaiah 53” is the center of the Word of God. The prophecy came true in the New Testament. God’s righteous servant, Jesus the Messiah, did indeed justify many. When His soul suffered He was satisfied with the result of His travail and the benefits of His suffering and death. We are the beneficiaries. He did bear our sins and our iniquities in His own body on the cross. Because He was willing out of love He was able to take our sin upon Himself and suffer the eternal death that we deserved.
Justification by Faith is not only the central doctrine of philosophical and theoretical theology, but it also the central factor in our regular earthly life. Everything for our life and joy and blessing and peace and hope flows from this Eternal Truth. And it applies to everything in our life every day. We need this promise to apply it to the needs and problems we face daily. We must not put it on the shelf, leave it in a book, or let it remain in the church; we must use it and apply it to ourselves for practical living. Justification sounds like theological jargon, but it has very practical applications to regular life. It is not old, tired, boring or clichéd; it is fresh and new and immediately useful. Try applying this doctrine to anything and see how it works out all things for good. Meditate on the Meaning: “Jesus justifies me.”