THE JUSTIFIER

THE JUSTIFIER!

Rom 3:21-26

21 But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;

22 Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:

23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

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

25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;

26 To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.

           Apart from God’s intervention, we are hopelessly and helplessly lost! One can’t say to the other “I am better than you” because verse 22 tells us that there is no difference. There may be some differences in WHAT we have done but clearly we are all sinners.

           Moreover, we have no resources to correct the problem of sin. We are not righteous. We have no store of righteousness from which to draw. We are bankrupt and there is a great debt owed.

           The word “freely” in verse 24, is the Greek word dorean and it means “gratuitously; without cause.” God in us no cause to warrant forgiveness or the gift of mercy. Salvation is drawn from the deep well of God’s own storehouse.

           God is just in declaring us righteous who believe in Jesus. Justice has been served and the debt has been cancelled because Jesus took the punishment and paid the debt. The guilty are set free to sin no more.

           Guilt remains in our mind until we are able to believe and receive the righteousness of God by faith in Jesus. It continues until we are able to set ourselves free. Too many times we sit in the cell with the door wide open. Let us walk out into the sunshine of God’s love and mercy.

Lord, today my guilt is gone through your righteousness which is by faith in Jesus Christ. All I can say now is thank you. AMEN