… so that, having been justified by his grace …
Summary: Paul’s description of being saved arrives at the concept of justification. Do we need more than we already have? It turns out we do. We need to be justified before God.
“Ladies and Gentlemen, we have finally arrived!”
One of the summer jobs I had while in college was driving a tour bus in Alaska. It was a summer job that turned into more than a year-long adventure. I drove tours all over the state. Some were two days long and averaged about four hundred miles a day. If you can imagine being stuck in a bus for two days with me and my jokes, then you can probably appreciate the words, “We have finally arrived!”
As you get out of the bus, one of the first questions that comes to mind is, “Where are we?” The driver hopefully knows where he is going, but the passengers generally do not. They are trusting you to take them where they are supposed to be. “Where are we?” is a legitimate question.
So, having arrived at being “justified by his grace,” where are we? What does that mean?
We have been talking about the process of being saved. Paul tells us that it is God who saves us, not ourselves. He makes the point to say we are saved not because of our righteousness, but because of his mercy. God saves us through the work of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit makes it so we can be ‘born again.’ Not only are we are given a fresh start, but the Holy Spirit also renews us. Renewal is a spiritual renovation. You might call it a remodeling of our spiritual house.
Now Paul introduces this idea of justification. Why? Isn’t it enough to be born again and made new?
No.
As long as we are “in the flesh,” we are exposed to evil. Even our very thoughts are evil most of the time. The renewal that the Holy Spirit provides is ongoing and effective. Yet, as Paul bemoans in Romans 7, we are still locked in a “body of death.” (Romans 7:24))
Justification is the antidote for sin. To be justified before God is to have all of our parking tickets paid for by someone else. When we pass from this world of flesh into the world of the spiritual, we stand naked before God. Everything we have ever said, done or thought is exposed to the God of all Creation (Hebrews 4:13). There is no place to hide and nothing that will be hidden.
Every offense against God’s perfect law must be paid for.
The trick is not to offend God in the first place. Adam and Eve were in that sweet spot of not offending God until they touched the tree of death. Then they were dead. Like the prodigal son, they had turned their backs on their Father and left to live on their own.
When we return to God, he forgives us, but he actually does more than that. Through Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross, he undoes the wrongs we have done. Because of what Jesus did on the cross, we are not just forgiven, but we are justified before God. As if we had never sinned.
In a human court of law, if you are found guilty of any crime or misdemeanor, you can pay the fine or do the time. Once the fine is paid, you can go free. But you are never free of the crime. Your sins have been paid for, but the crime is still on your record. When you have been justified, it is as if you had never done the crime.
David, who committed adultery and murder, was forgiven by God, but he was not justified. There were horrible consequences for his wrongdoing for himself and all of Israel. If he had been justified before God, there would be no consequences.
Because of Jesus we are more than forgiven. We are justified before God.
Application: Live as one who has been justified. Show the world what freedom means.
Food for Thought: How does being justified before God change the way Satan sees us?
I am not sure how much it does change the way he sees us due to his own rebellion. Even though God declares us innocent, he still tries to declare us guilty. His very name means adversary or accuser. Revelation 12: 10; Job 1: 9 – 11. He is still accusing those God has declared innocent due to the work of Christ.
If anything, his hatred for us grows as he is an enemy. 1 Peter 5: 8 – 9.
We need to reject Satan’s truth claims and believe God’s truth claims. Romans 3: 21 – 26.
Rich
That is such a good point! Satan will continue to accuse. Maybe even more so.
In addition to being justified we are also credited with the positive righteousness of Christ and given standing with the Father so that He sees us as a joint-heir with Christ.
This certainly does not mean we will ever be a God, or cease to have a sin nature while here on earth.
God sees believers as sons and daughters in His Kingdom. We are accepted in the beloved ❤.
As sons and daughters of a pure, absolutely righteous divine Sovereign, we should strive to become more like our perfect Father and reflect His character and His will and desires.
We will certainly be much happier and fulfilled spiritually, even if we are experiencing the temporary trials, inconveniences, persecutions, failures of our frail imperfect human bodies ect.
In our spirits, minds, 💕 hearts, and with what physical senses and strength we may possess we may still seek to honor, glorify, and praise the Lord, encourage others, and seek to magnify our usefulness for Kingdom purposes.
Satan doesn’t seem interested in being cooperative with the Lord’s agenda, purposes, or plans. He is also the enemy, adversary, accuser, tempter to disobedience, and author of lies, and murder.
This person, and the fallen angels, who support him, along with the world system and values he promotes, as well as the committed unbelievers who blindly follow and are deceived by him are not the friends of God or His children.
In fact our job is to try to see to it that as many people as possible we can pray, influence, persuade, warn, love on, witness ❤ 🙏 😊 💖, to and see believe and trust our Savior Jesus Christ and be transferred out of Satan’s kingdom of darkness and into the Kingdom of Light. May the gates of Hell not prevail against us. We are raiders seeking to see that unbelievers turn traitor to Satan and decide to become God’s children and follow the Lord Jesus instead. It takes the power of the Holy Spirit, a burden, opportunities, and a boldness to share the gospel to see this accomplished.
God and His Word actually do the work, we just pray, love, share and watch Him work. He also decides to reward us for the work He Himself does. Now that’s what I call a great Employer !
Maybe we should have signs which say “Traitors to Satan wanted, Serve, Love, 🎖 Honor the King of Kings, and Lord of Lord’s instead. Be adopted into God’s 👪 family, be treated as a Son or Daughter, exceptional compensation, and retirement 💙 package.
Eternal life, forgiveness 🙏, peace, joy, fulfillment and contentment assured. Destination Heaven- a far better place than the alternative Satan and his followers are destined to eternally experience.
Have a Blessed day and be a blessing to those whom the Lord gives you an opportunity to do so.
Thank you, Jeff!
How does being justified before God change the way Satan sees us?
All believers have come to know the Lord our God by choice. We have chosen to accept Christs sacrifice for the payment of all our sins, rejected our old ways through repentance of all wrongdoing, and have begun to seek to live our new life in humble obedience to Christ.
1 Corinthians 1:30, Hebrews 9:15, Ephesians 4:17-24; 1 John 2:2
Lucifer (satan) was once the most beautiful, powerful angel created and he became puffed up, haughty, filled with himself in pride which the Lord hates because of its contaminating effects of self righteousness, the foundation of all sin. The self righteous become gods to themselves and use all others for their selfish purposes.
Isaiah 14:12-15, Ezekiel 28:12-18, Proverbs 16:16,17, 16:18
All believers have chosen to reject being obedient followers of satan and all he stands for. We have chosen to become followers of one who has humbled Himself, made Himself a little lower than the angels, took on the form of a bond servant and gave His life so that we could have access to LIFE.
Hebrews 2:9, Matthew11:29. 20:28, Mark 10:45
Knowing this, I imagine satan once viewed us with disgust, and indifference, now sees each believer with the deepest anger and hatred he is capable of as he prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. He accuses us of wrongs without stopping, claims our lives are committed to God because of His protective hedge around us. God tells us to armor up, 24-7.
Revelation 12:10, Job 1:8-11, 1 Peter 5:8, Ephesians 6:10-18
Ron,
I believe you are right about Satan’s anger. Your advice to “armor up” is well said!