Dear Loved Ones of the Lord,
As we continue our journey through the Book of Romans Chapters 5-6, please notice the words found in Romans 5:1.
“Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God, through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Justified. What a fascinating word. It is a word that amazingly describes how we stand in the eyes and eternal view of God. To be justified means that you stand without guilt or blame. Someone once stated that being
justified means God sees me ‘just if I’d never sinned”. This is the truth of God’s view and opinion of you. To be justified means that in the eyes of God you are in equal standing with Jesus Christ. Wow.
God sees you as holy, as blameless, as pure, as innocent, as without guilt or blame just like He views His only begotten Son. When God looks at you, He sees the purity and innocence of Jesus Christ. Think of that for a moment and let it sink in. You are justified, not guilty. You are not and will never be condemned. And to be justified goes beyond just being forgiven. It means God sees you as having NEVER done anything which needs to be forgiven. Wow.
How many Christians live their lives in a never ending cycle of repentance and guilt? When you hear the voice of the Holy Spirit speak to your heart that “you are justified”, you know that there is nothing left to repent for (accept the thought that you need to repent)! There is nothing to seek forgiveness for. There is nothing to feel guilt about. God says you are not guilty. God says not only have the charges of the law been dropped against you through the death of Christ, but there is not even a record left that you were ever a transgressor. You are justified. Wow.
Look at the next words, therefore being justified by faith. As we noticed last week, our right standing before God is based wholly and fully on the grace of God through faith. And that faith is the faith OF the Son of God Who loved us and gave Himself for us. So, not only are you pure and innocent in the eyes of God, that fact has nothing to do with your own worked-up faith or belief. It is forever secured, based upon the perfect faith OF the Son of God. Wow.
Christ had/has the faith that when He went to the Cross the demands of the law would be met forever. He had/has the faith that ever charge that could ever be brought against the whole human race was dropped from the Court of Heaven for eternity. The death, burial and resurrection of Christ declare forever to the whole world that you are justified before God. Do you believe that? Even if you don’t, for whatever reason, it is still true! And it’s all because it is based on the faultless faith OF the Son of God. Rejoice and again I say WOW!
So how does it feel to be perfect and without fault in the eyes of God? Get used to it. It is the only way God ever has and ever will view you, justified. Just if I (you had never sinned). Double Wow.
More Good News to Come,
Michael Williams