Ongoing Transformation and Justification by Faith in Christ!

Good morning to you. Thank you for coming to study the Word of God with us today.

In our last post we learned that God initiated a process of sanctifying our body, soul and spirit. His goal is to set all believers apart for Himself, as a peculiar people loving and serving the One, True God of Creation. Only those who are born again receive this gracious working of God.

Ongoing Transformation

Philippians 1:6  Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ: 

The word "gospel" means "good news" and all good news begins with God. The work of sanctification and holiness that is being worked into us, begins with God.

Romans 5:8-11  But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. 9) Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. 10) For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. 11) And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement. 

In demonstration of His great love, God saved us by commending His love toward us even while we were still sinners and dead in our trespasses. The word "commendeth" means God set forth His love for us through the preaching of the gospel of Jesus Christ. He makes His love known and conspicuous to all who will hear and heed the gospel (John 3:14-18). 

Therefore, since the truth of all these things is clear to all, how does it impact the born again believer? God made us to live in dependency upon our Father in heaven. He loves to sustain and provide for each of His children. His abundant love is displayed all around us if we just take time to look for it. 

The impact of God commending His love toward us is that we begin to live responsively to His love. By that I mean, Salvation brings a radical change of life that we cannot do for ourselves. As we grow in our faith and study His word, we learn more about His love, grace, and saving power. A strong desire to love God and serve Him should rise up in us. We will want to live a God pleasing life because of all that He has done, is doing and promised to do for us. 

All that the Father does for us and His heart of unwavering love for us, is rooted in the work and person of His Son, Jesus Christ. At the core of His love, grace and mercy is the legal justification that God has given to each person who is in Christ.

What is justification?

Justification. Justification means to be legally declared innocent of the charges of breaking the law. It is an act of God to forgive the believer’s sins while imputing to him the righteousness of Christ. Justification is a completed work of God, and it is instantaneous, as opposed to sanctification, which is an ongoing process of growth by which we become more Christlike. 

It is important that each believer understands justification because knowing this truth leads to grace that motivates us to good works and brings spiritual growth in us. Thus, justification leads to sanctification. Also, the fact that justification is a finished work of God means that Christians have assurance of their salvation. In God’s eyes, believers have the righteousness necessary to gain eternal life.

No man is justified by his works. 

Romans 3:19-20  Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. 20) Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin. 

Paul probably knew the law of God better than most Jews because he was trained by a well known teacher named Gamaliel. In addition, Paul belonged to the strict, religious conservatives known as the Pharisees. He believed that his own works gained favor with God and that he was "right" with God. In his own words, He was blameless under the law (Philippians 3:6) yet he was not born again. Paul's conversion is told in Acts 9 and is worth reading what Christ did to bring the church's chief persecutor to Himself. 

Thus, Paul was eminently qualified to speak about the subject of man's justification before God. The law of God is holy and we are not. Therefore, it can only condemn us by showing us our sin. This is why Paul and the prophets plainly state no man can be righteous because of anything he or she did in their flesh. 

Justification comes through faith in Jesus Christ.

Acts 13:37-39  But he, whom God raised again, saw no corruption. 38) Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins: 39) And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses. 

Through the gospel of Jesus Christ the forgiveness of sins is granted to all who turn to Christ in repentant faith. Now, comes a powerful truth! All who believe are justified from all sin through faith in Christ! 

Romans 3:24  Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:

Remember Ephesians 2:8-10? Paul told us that we are saved by grace and not by works. Once we are born again we are freely justified. It is something that God does for us when we put our faith in His Son, Jesus Christ. God justifies the believer through their faith in the work of Christ to redeem us from our sin debt.

Romans 5:1  Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:

Justification brings peace with God. Before God saved me, I was one of His enemies but the regenerating work of God's Spirit changed that relationship. I am adopted into His family and God is my Father instead of my Judge. All born again believers are children of God, the sheep of His pasture. 

Romans 5:9  Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.

Justification is paid for and secured by the blood that Jesus shed while dying on His cross. When God justifies us, we also receive a future benefit. Paul tells us we will be saved from the wrath of God through Christ. This wrath refers not only to the fact that the sinner is an enemy of God, subject to His wrath and judgment. It also looks forward to the End Times and the wrath of God that will be poured out during the great tribulation. The Church of Christ composed of all born again Christians is taken home to heaven to be with the Lord at the rapture. This happens prior to the seven years of tribulation as we studied. 

Titus 3:4-7  But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, 5) Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; 6) Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; 7) That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. 

Paul brings all of the aspects of salvation by grace, the regenerating work of God's Spirit and the justifying work of the Father together in this text. God's love was motivation for all that He did to provide eternal salvation to all who hear the gospel and believe. 

Our own works cannot save us no matter how "good" and "morally upright" we may be. The love and mercy of God moved Him to bring the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost upon those who turn in repentant faith to Christ. 

Justification also makes us joint heirs with Christ, giving us eternal life and a home in heaven with God.

Thoughts to Ponder...

Justification by faith is a tremendous work of God that accompanies salvation. The very moment we are born again, God the Father justifies all who believe in His Son, Jesus Christ. The blood of Christ provides perfect atonement and satisfaction for our sins. 

Think of heaven as a court of law. Each person is guilty of breaking or violating the holy law of God (Romans 3:19-20). We have memories and we all remember our sins. We are definitely guilty of doing the things that the holy law of God accuses us of doing. 

Yet, being born again causes God to forgive our sins and the Father declares that we are forever innocent in His court of law. He removed our sins as far as the east is removed from the west when He justified us. He imputes or credits the righteousness of His Son, Jesus Christ, to our account. Jesus paid for all of our sins and took them away forever, nailing them to His cross (Colossians 2:11-15).

This truth should cause each born again Christian to humbly love and serve God without hesitation. He has done all for us!

Bob