Day 21: Justified Today's reading is drawn from Romans 5:1. JUSTIFIED ("made right") is one of Paul's favorite words, especially in his letter to the Romans. You might have heard one popular definition, which is certainly memorable: "Justified: Just as if I'd never sinned." That's a pretty good start, but there is actually more to it than that. Let me give you this simple definition: Justification is the sovereign act of God whereby He declares righteous a believing sinner while still in a sinning state. Don't miss any of the words. Justification starts with God. God sovereignly declares believing sinners as righteous. We are declared righteous, but this does not mean we are made righteous. There's a difference. We will be made righteous when we come to see God face to face. Until then, we are declared righteous. We are positionally placed into Christ so that His life and righteousness are transferred to our lives. It is a position we enjoy before God, even though our lives at times don't measure up. Our lives will only catch all the way up to our position at the coming of the Lord Jesus or at our deaths, when we will pass into His presence. Justification happens in a split second of time when you believe in Jesus Christ. In that moment of faith, His cleansing blood washes away your sins as a gift of grace, and you are placed into Christ. The righteousness of God is credited to your account. At that point, you have peace with God. Do you realize what relief that brings to the ungodly? Do you realize what hope that gives to the sinful? By believing in the Lord Jesus Christ, I can find peace with this God I have been afraid of my whole life. I can know peace in place of the fear and the fright and the confusion and the intimidation that I have felt all these years. I have peace with God, and it's through our Lord, Jesus Christ. Justification is an act of pure grace. Many ministers actually stay away from the topic of grace because they are inwardly afraid that congregants might misinterpret the message and cheapen grace by thinking that God somehow justifies sin. But true grace says that God justifies the sinner. Don't be afraid of true grace just because some have cheapened it with a lifestyle where they take their position before God for granted and continue unchanged. Yes, to accept grace for what it truly is and to live grace out mean that some will take advantage of it. You can count on that. But we dare not corrupt the message of grace that permeates the gospel. We are sinners, and true grace is the only possible remedy. It has long been my aim in ministry not to make other people like me but to issue enough truth from the Scriptures to free each believer to bask in the grace of God, discover who they are, and live to the fullest for God's glory. [call out text: We are sinners, and true grace is the only possible remedy.] | 
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