What's A Murph?

Week 5 Scripture: Galatians 2:15-21

A few months ago I was telling a story when hanging out with a bunch of young 20 somethings. The punch line of my story had to do with how someone had a murph. To my surprise, nobody laughed—or they gave me confused smirks and half-hearted chuckles. I gave these young guys gold, and they did not get it! This is typical problem with language; it changes and adapts through adding or subtracting meaning. For me as a kid, my parents used the term “murph” to talk describe an accidental, but self-inflicted wedgie. The term was no longer relevant to my younger audience. I had to figure out language that was meaningful to them. This week’s Scriptures are sort of similar in that they include three prominent words that will need some unpacking if we are to get at the core of what Paul meant. The first of these words is “justification.”

            Paul repeatedly affirms that Christians are not “justified” by “works of the law,” but through “faith” in Jesus. When we hear the term “justify,” we often think of a phrase like, “The ends justify the means.” Therefore, the English defines justification as a satisfactory reason for an act being done. This is certainly not what the Apostle Paul meant; this would not make sense of the context. The term then has been given theological definitions to correct this problem. However, Webster’s Dictionary, for example, speaks of theological justification as “acquittal” or “a declaration of innocence or guiltlessness.” These too fall short, for these latter definitions attempt to remove guilt from the guilty party (us). A better English definition is “pardon.” This word, helpfully, contains the dual meaning Paul certainly intends to get across to his readers, namely that (1) the guilty party is pardoned/set free and (2) given a new status. For example, a pardoned prisoner will not only be released, but often their record will also be expunged. They are free not only from a prison cell, but also within society having a new status. This is likewise the case with God. Interestingly, Paul is making the case that God releases guilty people! Romans 5:8 stands as a confirmation of this truth, “while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” God, however, does not merely overlook the offense of a guilty party, but rather he deals with that offense. God sends His Son, Jesus, to take our sin and guilt upon Himself, and exchanges with us His innocence. Our offense and guilt died with Jesus on the cross. How wonderful a truth it is that God has buried our sins of the past, present, and future with Christ. What an even greater truth that three days later Jesus rose from death showing that he has conquered our sins, and the sins of the world! The sins that held us down couldn’t hold Jesus down. Therefore, justification allows us, through the life of Jesus, to stand as holy people able to live in communion with God.

Questions To Ponder:

1.     Who declares us “justified”? Why is this important to remember?

2.     What do you think of God declaring guilty people “justified”? Does it seem fair or unjust? Explain.

3.     How does knowing that, as Christians, we have freedom from sin and a new status before God effect how you live today? Explain.