Daily Bread - 06/20/07

Romans 5:1 - Therefore having been made righteous by faith we have peace with God through Jesus Christ our Lord.

One of the many important concepts that must be grasped with the word 'justified' is given in Proverbs 17:15, "He who justifies (tzadek) the wicked and he who condemns the righteous are both alike: an abomination to the Lord." When God justified the wicked in the New Testament, He did so by removing all of their wickedness (Colossians 2:11; Romans 6:6). The power of the blood of Jesus removed the effects and penalty of sin that had been committed (2 Peter 1:9; Hebrews 8:12; 10:17; Romans 6:22; Revelation 1:5). God also removed the power and dominion of sin that would continue to drive a person to sin against their will (Romans 6:14; 1 John 3:5,8 1 Peter 2:24; Hebrews 2:14; 2 Timothy 1:10; Galatians 1:4).

In the New Testament we may group the concept of being justified into two categories: being self-justified and being justified by God. In the first category, there are examples like a lawyer in Luke 10:29 and the Pharisees in Luke 16:14. The only way to move from being self-justified to being justified by God is to acknowledge being wrong and, thus, leave off self-justification. The act of repentance and faith in Christ Jesus then produces the miracle of salvation which makes one righteous (justified. The ability then to live righteously in Christ Jesus through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit results in one being shown to be righteous (justified) (Romans 6:18,22; 2 Corinthians 5:17-18; Galatians 2:20; Philippians 1:21; 3:20).

The word justified is also used by Jesus of a person being free from all charges of wrong doing such as those whose words are spoken in truth and purity (Matthew 12:37). Another example is the sinner who, unlike the Pharisee, refused to justify himself (Luke 18:14). To be justified one must be forgiven by God. God's forgiveness, provided for us through the blood of Jesus, erases the sin and, as a result, there is a verdict of innocent. However, if a person then sins after being forgiven by God then they are guilty and must seek to be forgiven again (1 John 1:9; 2:1; James 1:14-16; Romans 6:23). God does not justify a sinful life style He justifies the repenting sinner seeking forgiveness.

The concept of being justified includes not only being forgiven of sin but being dead to sin (Romans 6:6-7). When God justifies the wicked man who repents He puts the sin to death by putting the sinner to death in Christ Jesus (Galatians 2:20; Colossians 3:3; Romans 6:4). Thus reconciliation or the exchange of life takes place (2 Corinthians 5:18-19; Romans 5:10). The sinner exchanges his life of unrighteousness for the life of Christ and His righteousness. The miracle of salvation allows us to be crucified with Christ and buried with Him by baptism into His death so that we can also be raised up together with Him (Colossians 3:1-4; 2:12; Romans 6:4). The newness of life that we receive is the life of Christ insomuch that we can say that we no longer live but Christ lives.

Through sharing this life of union with Christ Jesus we are shown to be righteous (justified) (John 14:20; 17:21-22; 6:56; Colossians 1:27; Galatians 2:20; Ephesians 2:10). The life of Christ becomes our life because Christ Jesus is born into our hearts by the Holy Spirit (Colossians 1:27). This life of God imparted to us brings forth a brand new inner person (soul, spirit, heart, mind and conscience) that is ruled and governed by the Holy Spirit (2 Corinthians 5:17; Ephesians 4:24; 1 Thessalonians 5:23; Ezekiel 36:26; Ephesians 6:6; 1 Peter 1:9; John 3:6; Acts 15:9; Hebrews 8:10; 1 Peter 4:2; Hebrews 9:14; 10:22; Philippians 4:7).

Be blessed,

Pastor Mark Spitsbergen
abidingplace.org