[Papercut Press] 2000-12-19 - Justification

Part 12 - What Actually Happened? The Moment I Trusted Christ

2 Corinthians 5:21 He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

We come to the 12th thing which occurs the moment we trust in Christ for salvation.

  1. I was Justified in His sight (Romans 5:1)

    God is holy, we are polluted. Sin, and the effects of sin upon our relationship with God, results in separation between us and God. There is also no reason why God should save anyone. He is independent, and has no need to save. Even God's infinite love did not stop angels from perishing with no hope of salvation.

    But in salvation we, the sinners, do become justified in His sight. This is an amazing thing. God receives the guilty with a pardon and with mercy. The reason we are justified is because of the sacrifice of Christ and its application to us. Christ died in the place of those who come to Him in repentance and faith seeking forgiveness. That sacrifice is accepted and we, in turn, are viewed as having the righteousness of Christ and not the pollution of our sin.

    There are five aspects of Justification:

    1. Peace with God and peace of conscience.
    2. Freedom and communion with God.
    3. God's favor toward us and the gift of the Holy Spirit.
    4. Security from the power of satan and the curse of evil.
    5. Fellowship with Christ as heirs to the promise of redemption.

    That is quite a list. The advantages granted to us in salvation are so amazing. Some have called Justification by faith alone the "cornerstone" of the Christian faith. Justification is a legal term, as if we stood before a judge. Being declared justified, through the salvation of Christ, is similar to a judge saying to us, "not guilty," for the sin that we really did indulge in. James 4:12 tells us, "There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the One who is able to save and destroy..." This judge, through Christ, declares sinners righteous and holy in his sight. This is the heart of justification.

    Some verses that help us in understanding that justification is an act of God that has nothing to do with our works or with any perceived righteousness in us are: Psalm 143:2, Romans 3:20, 28, 4:6, Galatians 2:16, Ephesians 2:8-10. Justification brings peace with God, Romans 5:1, "Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ." Justification is the binding that holds the book of the Christian life together. We ought to thank God for His wonderful mercy toward us in justifying us, through Christ, when we had no hope.

"He hideth our unrighteousness with His righteousness, He covereth our disobedience with His obedience, He shadoweth our death with His death, that the wrath of God cannot find us." Henry Smith, England's Silver tongued Preacher.

Soli Deo Gloria,
T-

[email tim] tim@cfdevotionals.org
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