For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are JUSTIFIED by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. Romans 3:23-25 ESV

Justified… just-as-if-I’d….. never sinned. I learned that little breakdown of the word ‘justified’ from a teacher years ago, and it gives a clear understanding of the meaning of the word. This is not implying that we do not or have not sinned. It simply means this is how God views us when we, in faith, believe in the redemptive blood of Jesus Christ and receive the gift of grace. (Ephesians 2:8-9) No one will be justified before God based upon their works. However, our works will give evidence of the fact that we have been redeemed from sin and are justified. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared before hand, THAT WE SHOULD WALK IN THEM. Ephesians 2:10 ESV God redeemed us from our sins on purpose and wants us to work/walk for him on purpose in the works he has prepared for us.

FOR ALL HAVE SINNED:
Most people remember the words of Jesus to the men who had brought a woman caught in the act of adultery to him for judgement. “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.” John 8:7 ESV Many people look at Christianity as a religion of judgement upon others, but for authentic Christianity this is not true. Jesus said, “If anyone hears my words and does not keep them, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world but to save the world.” John 12:47 ESV The Christian work of today is to present the gospel – good news – to the world, which is exactly what Jesus was doing. He went on to say, “The one who rejects me and does not receive my words has a judge.” John 12:48 ESV … God. This doesn’t in any way suggest that sinning was acceptable to Jesus, for it was and is not. When the men had dropped the stones and walked away, Jesus said to the woman, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you; go, AND FROM NOW ON SIN NO MORE.” John 8:10-11 ESV Jesus was telling her to change and not continue in a sinful lifestyle. Every person in this world is a sinner and needs Jesus as savior – for all have sinned. When sharing the gospel to the world, it is not to bring judgement upon anyone but to offer a new life in Christ.

JUSTIFIED BY HIS GRACE AS A GIFT:
I have heard it said concerning a person who has died, “That was a good person and they are in a better place.” That is a true statement only if they have received the gift of grace from God for salvation. To imply a person went to heaven based upon their own goodness is to say that they lived as perfectly as Jesus in this life. This would also imply that Jesus wasn’t necessary and the gospel….good news of salvation in Christ alone…would not be true. This would no longer be a gift, for that person would be receiving the reward of heaven based upon their works. Let me give some verses to make this point. Yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by the works of the law no one will be justified. Galatians 2:16 ESV …. As it is written: None is righteous, no, not one. Romans 3:10 eSV …. For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. Romans 3:23 ESV … Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” John 3:3 ESV

REDEMPTION IN CHRIST JESUS:
We are justified only because we have been redeemed by the blood of the lamb. John the Baptist described Jesus as follows, “Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” John 1:29 ESV…. Every person must accept the truth that ….. there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved. Acts 4:12 ESV The only work that needs to be done by a person is this… Then they said to him, “What must we do, to be doing the works of God? Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.” John 6:28-29 ESV Jesus said to him, “I am THE way, THE truth, and THE life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6 ESV From Genesis to Revelation this is the message of the gospel…. salvation is in Christ alone.

APPLICATION:
To apply all that is written above, one must first BE RECEIVED BY FAITH. Then, as a Christian, live every day in thankfulness for the great gift of salvation that God has given you through his Son Jesus. Echo the words of David, “I will extol you, my God and King and bless your name forever and ever. EVERY DAY I WILL BLESS YOU and PRAISE YOUR NAME forever and ever. Great is the LORD and GREATLY TO BE PRAISED, and his greatness is unsearchable.” Psalm 145:1-3 ESV Being justified by God will make you see things differently, for you will be seeing things through the eyes of the Holy Spirit which lives within you. Always remember…. He saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being JUSTIFIED by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. Titus 3:5-7 ESV Live thankful and on purpose for God.

Because of His Grace ~ Pastor David