Advent is a season of waiting and wonder. It is a time when the Church remembers the long expectation of Israel and rejoices in the fulfillment of God’s promise in Christ. Each candle, each carol, and each Scripture reading points us to the miracle that the eternal Son of God took on flesh and entered our world to redeem sinners.

But Advent is not only about the birth of Christ; it is about the purpose of His coming. The manger leads to the cross, and the cross reveals the heart of God’s gift to us: justification by faith alone. Faith is not something we produce; it is something we receive. It is the gracious gift by which we embrace the greatest gift of all—Jesus Christ, our righteousness.

The Promise of Faith: God’s Grace Foretold

The story of faith begins long before Bethlehem. In Genesis 15:6, we read that Abraham “believed the Lord, and He counted it to him as righteousness.” From the beginning, salvation has been by faith in the promises of God. Abraham trusted that God would provide a Redeemer, and in that trust, he was justified. Advent reminds us that the promised Redeemer has come—the Word made flesh, full of grace and truth (John 1:14).

Every prophecy, every covenant, and every promise of the Old Testament finds its “Yes and Amen” in Christ (2 Corinthians 1:20). Advent is the celebration of divine faithfulness and the invitation to rest in His faithfulness by faith. When God gave Abraham faith, He gave him more than belief in a promise; He gave him confidence in a Person. The same is true for us today.

The Birth of the Justifier

The angel told Joseph, “You shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21). That declaration reveals the very reason for the incarnation: the Son of God became man to accomplish what no man could—perfect righteousness and full redemption. In the cradle, we see humility; in the cross, we see justification.

The child in the manger was born under the law (Galatians 4:4), to fulfill the law perfectly for us. Every moment of His obedient life was a step toward the righteousness that would be credited to all who believe. The wonder of Advent, then, is not simply that Christ came, but that He came to be our righteousness. As the carol says:

“Mild He lays His glory by,
Born that man no more may die,
Born to raise the sons of earth,
Born to give them second birth.”

Justification is the reason behind the Incarnation. The baby who slept in Bethlehem’s straw came to secure the peace that only His blood could bring.

The Gift of Faith: Grace Given, Not Earned

In a season filled with giving, it’s easy to miss the greatest gift of all: the gift of faith itself. Ephesians 2:8–9 reminds us, “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.”

Faith is not the wrapping paper around our salvation; it is part of the gift. The same grace that sent Christ into the world also opens our hearts to believe in Him. This means that assurance does not depend on the strength of our faith, but on the object of our faith.

Even the smallest seed of faith, when planted in Christ, receives the full blessing of justification. At Christmas, we celebrate a faith that is not self-generated but Spirit-born; a faith that opens blind eyes to see the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 4:6).

Peace with God: The Fruit of Justifying Faith

When the angels proclaimed, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom He is pleased” (Luke 2:14), they announced more than temporary goodwill; they declared the result of justification.

Romans 5:1 says, “Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” That peace is not merely emotional calm; it is the end of hostility between God and sinners. The war is over because the Judge has declared the believing sinner to be righteous in Christ.

This is the peace that Advent celebrates: not the absence of trouble, but the presence of reconciliation. It is the joy of knowing that the child born in Bethlehem has secured eternal favor for His people. No wonder the carols speak of “tidings of comfort and joy.” Justification is the comfort of the forgiven, the joy of the redeemed.

Faith and the Incarnation: Trusting a Personal Savior

Advent teaches us that faith has an object, and that object is personal. Our faith is not in principles or moral improvement, but in the Person of Jesus Christ, truly God and truly man. Only the God-Man could stand in our place. As man, He represents us; as God, He redeems us. The Incarnation is the guarantee that God’s promises are not abstract truths, but embodied grace.

When we trust in Christ, we are trusting the One who entered our weakness, bore our sorrow, and conquered our sin. Faith unites us to this living Savior, who still intercedes for us at the Father’s right hand. The manger leads to the cross, but the cross leads to the throne. And the One who came in humility now reigns in glory, securing for His people a righteousness that can never fade.

Faith in the Waiting

Advent is a season of waiting, and so is the Christian life. We live between two Advents: the first, when Christ came to justify sinners, and the second, when He will return to glorify the justified.

Until that Day, faith sustains us. It teaches us to trust when we cannot see, to rest when we cannot control, and to hope when the world grows dark. As Hebrews 11 reminds us, the saints of old “died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar.” We, too, live by faith, looking to the One who has come and who will come again.

Advent faith is patient faith, faith that remembers God’s past faithfulness and anticipates His future fulfillment. It is faith that clings to Christ in the quiet and the chaos alike.

The Joy of the Justified

When Mary sang her Magnificat, she rejoiced that God “has looked on the humble estate of His servant” (Luke 1:48). That same grace that lifted Mary in praise is the grace that justifies sinners today.

Joy is the natural fruit of justification. To be declared righteous by God is to be set free from the endless cycle of fear, guilt, and striving. It means we can rejoice, even in suffering, because our standing with God is secure.

Christmas joy is not sentimental; it is theological. It flows from the reality that the One born in Bethlehem’s stable is the Lord of glory, who has given His righteousness to us. As Paul writes, “Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift” (2 Corinthians 9:15).

Faith’s Response: Worship and Wonder

The shepherds came in haste. The Magi traveled far. Simeon and Anna waited long. Each of them responded to the gift of Christ with faith-filled worship. And so should we.

Faith does not merely agree with gospel facts; it adores the gospel’s Author. It bows before the manger and beholds the glory of grace. Justification by faith alone is not an abstract doctrine to debate; it is a melody to sing. It turns fear into freedom and doctrine into doxology.

This Advent, let your heart echo the angels: “Glory to God in the highest.”

Conclusion: The Gift That Keeps Giving

The gift of faith leads us to the gift of justification, which leads us to the Giver Himself. When you unwrap the gospel this Advent, remember what it cost: the infinite Son of God took on human flesh, lived the life we could not live, died the death we deserved, and rose to give us life eternal.

He came not to offer a better religion, but to bring a perfect redemption. And to all who receive Him by faith, He gives the right to become children of God (John 1:12).

That is the heart of Christmas. That is the song of justification.

As you reflect this Advent, may your faith, whether strong or small, rest fully in the Christ who came to save, justify, and keep you forever.

“For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:11).

Thanks be to God for the unspeakable gift of His Son and the faith to believe in Him.