Faith: The Instrument, Not the Grounds of Justification by Pastor Ellery Sembrano

Have you ever asked yourself: Why does God declare a sinner righteous? Is it because of the strength of our faith, or is it because of Christ’s finished work? This is where many get tangled up. Some think faith itself is the reason God accepts us. But Scripture makes it crystal clear:

Faith is the instrument by which we are justified, not the grounds.

Let’s unpack that with Scripture, history, and a little reflection.

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What is Justification?

Justification is a legal declaration. God, the Judge of all, looks at the sinner who trusts in Christ and says, “Righteous!”

Notice: justification doesn’t mean you suddenly become flawless in behavior. Rather, God counts you righteous because of Christ.

Romans 3:28 — “For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law.”

Historically, the Reformers fought tooth and nail for this truth against the errors of Rome. The Roman Catholic Church taught that justification was a process of becoming righteous through sacraments, works, and infused grace. But Paul, read in his first-century context, makes the radical claim: it’s apart from works of the law. Not circumcision, not dietary laws, not Sabbath-keeping, not even good works only through Christ.

Reflection Question: If God were to measure you by your own works, how long would you last under His holy standard?

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The Grounds of Justification

Here’s the foundation: justification is grounded not in us, not in our faith, but in Christ’s obedience and sacrifice.

• His active obedience: Christ perfectly fulfilled God’s law.

• His passive obedience: Christ died in our place, taking the penalty of sin.

2 Corinthians 5:21 — “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”

This is the great exchange: our sin on Christ, His righteousness on us.

Rhetorical check: If faith were the ground, wouldn’t that mean God accepts us because we “believed well enough”? Isn’t that just another kind of works-righteousness?

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The Instrument of Justification

Now here’s where faith comes in. Faith is not the reason God accepts you. Faith is the instrument—the empty hand stretched out to receive Christ.

Think of faith like a cup.

• The water = Christ’s work (the grounds).

• The cup = faith (the instrument).

The cup doesn’t quench thirst; the water does. Faith doesn’t save by itself; Christ saves, and faith simply receives Him.

Romans 5:1 — “Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

The historico-grammatical context matters: Paul wrote to Roman believers caught between Jewish law-keepers and Gentile Christians. His argument? Justification never came from works of the law, but through faith in Christ.

Reflection Question: Is your faith resting in itself (“I think I believed enough”), or in Christ (“He is enough”)?

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Why This Distinction Matters

1. Keeps salvation Christ-centered
   
   
   Even a weak faith saves—if it clings to Jesus. It’s not the strength of faith but the strength of the Savior.

2. Guards against works-righteousness
   
   
   If faith were the ground, believing would become a work. But Paul says plainly: “not of works, lest any man should boast” (Eph. 2:9).

3. Gives assurance
   
   
   Your standing before God doesn’t rise and fall with the quality of your faith. It rests securely on Christ’s unshakable work.

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Closing Meditation

Faith is the hand that takes hold of Christ, but Christ Himself is the foundation of our salvation.

The 16th-century Reformers summed it up well:

• Sola Fide (Faith Alone) — the instrument.

• Solus Christus (Christ Alone) — the ground.

Ask yourself: Am I trusting in my own faith, or in Christ alone?

Because on the last day, the Judge won’t ask, “How strong was your believing?” but rather, “Were you found in Christ?”

Philippians 3:9 — “…not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith.”

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So here’s the gospel truth: Faith saves, not because it is strong, but because Christ is strong.

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Pastor Ellery Sembrano currently serves as the Treasurer for Former Adventists Philippines.

 Former Adventists Philippines

“Freed by the Gospel. Firm in the Word.”

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