“Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:1).
The Bible lets us know that Jesus wasn’t only delivered on account of our sins, He was also raised for our justification: “Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification” (Romans 4:25). What does it mean to be justified?
Firstly, you need to understand that there’s a difference between justification and forgiveness. The Apostle Paul, in the opening scripture, wasn’t talking about forgiveness, nor was he talking about remission. He was talking about justification. To be justified means “to be declared not guilty.” It means to be declared righteous. Thus, in the eyes of God, you never sinned because God Himself who should judge you for your wrongdoing, is saying, “No, you didn’t do wrong; you’re clean.” That’s what it means to be justified.
The Bible says, “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new” (2 Corinthians 5:17). The new creation is a new being; he’s a brand new species of being that never existed before. For him, old things are passed away and all things are become new. He has a clean slate as it were, for he’s without a past. That’s why God can declare him “not guilty” because there’s nothing to judge since he now has a brand new life!
The Bible says when Jesus died, you died with Him; when He was buried, you were buried with Him; and when God raised Him from the dead, you were raised together with Him in newness of life! That means all your sins are gone! You’ve been washed by the blood of the lamb and presented holy and guiltless before the Father.
Prayer
Dear Father, I thank you for the new life of glory and righteousness that I now have in Christ; I walk in the light of my justification today, for the precious blood of Jesus Christ that was shed for me on the cross of Calvary has washed me white as snow! Amen.
Further Study
Romans 5:16-18: “But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many. And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift: for the judgment was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offences unto justification. For if by one man’s offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.) Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.”
(Taken by permission from Christ Embassy Church , aka Believer’s LoveWorld Ministries , Lagos, Nigeria. www.ChristEmbassy.org )
