Table Manners, Part II

There are times when Paul uses words and phrases in Scripture that we don’t necessarily use in our everyday vocabulary. One of these phrases is found in Galatians 2:16 when Paul writes that we have been “justified by faith in Jesus Christ.” 

Of course, that then leads us to ask, What exactly does Paul mean by this? What is justification? Well, to put it simply, to be justified means to be declared righteous. But there is also more to it than that. Just as we have been declared righteous, we are also being made righteous. It’s not an either/or scenario, but a both/and.

When we understand what Paul is saying here, we can see the lasting impact it has. We must remember that this conversation about justification is taking place in the conflict over who can sit at the table. There’s the circumcision party, who says that Gentiles must be circumcised (like the Jews) if they want to sit at God’s table, and there’s the freedom party, represented by Paul.

The message of the freedom party (and of Scripture) is this: If you are a follower of Jesus marked by faith, then you have a seat at God’s table. This is true of the heavenly table described in Revelation 19, but it is also true of God’s table here and now in the present. Being justified by faith in Christ has immediate ramifications for our lives. This week, we’ll further explore justification, life in Christ, and what exactly faith is. But let us never forget that when Christ changes our lives, He doesn’t only change our eternal state, but our immediate trajectory as well.

Caleb McCaughan

Dinner Table Conversations: 

Adult & Teen Table Talk: 

• ​​How does understanding justification as both declared righteous and being made righteous help us avoid common misunderstandings?
• If justification is God’s declaration over us, what happens when we act as though someone is not fully welcome?

Little Learners’ Table Talk: 

• How would you feel if someone told you that you couldn’t sit at the table? Who can sit at Jesus’ table?

Sermon Title: Table Manners, Part II

Sermon Series: Set Free

Sermon Passage: Galatians 2:11-21

Closing Scripture: Revelation 19:9