Therefore being justified

Let’s have a close look at these three words. Therefore pre-supposes that an action of some kind has taken place. As a result of that action the person or persons are in a condition of being justified. These words on their own leave us up in the air. There is not sufficient information for a satisfactory explanation.

The three words come from a verse in Romans in the New Testament Scriptures. Romans 5:1, “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”  (KJV).

Note, we are justified by faith and this brings “peace with God”. The justification and the peace with God come through “our Lord Jesus Christ”.

What are we justified from? Romans 3:21-26 give us a clear answer.

“(21) But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets. (22) Even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference; (23) for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God; (24) being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, (25) whom God has set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith... (26) to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.”

How can a person be justified, that is be righteous, if they have sinned and are therefore a sinner?

The answer is in verse 24, “being justified by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.” So, the sinner becomes justified as a result of the grace of God; shown to him or her in redeeming that sinner, by the shed blood of the Lord Jesus Christ at Calvary.

But, note carefully verse 22 the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ is to all and on all who believe.

It is to all. Everyone can have this righteousness. But the righteousness comes only to those who truly believe God and act upon His word.

It is the redeemed sinner who is justified by faith in the finished work of the Lord Jesus Christ at Calvary.

God is just and the sinner is condemned by his or her sins. But, God is also the justifier (verse 26) of the sinner who receives the Lord Jesus Christ as their Saviour and Redeemer. Why? Because the Lord Jesus died on the cross at Calvary to bring it all about!

Where do you stand – condemned or justified?

Jon Peasey Biblical 

Words of Life blog

[All Scriptures quoted are from the New King James version, except where noted]

[You are welcome to comment on this blog post by clicking on the comment section at the end of the post.]

Which thief will you follow?

This seems to be a strange question to ask. Why would you want to follow any thief?

I want to look at some events in the New Testament Scriptures that lead me to ask the title question. The Gospels give us the account of the crucifixion of Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews. In that account we learn that two thieves were crucified alongside Him.

Matthew 27:44, “Even the robbers who were crucified with Him reviled Him...” 

 Luke 23:32, 33, “(32) There were also two others, criminals, led with Him to be put to death. (33) And when they had come to the place called Calvary, there they crucified Him, and the criminals, one on the right hand and the other on the left.”

From the gospel records we can see that the two thieves had been caught and sentence had been passed on them – death by crucifixion. They were already hanging, crucified on their crosses. There was no possible way of escape for either of them. The end result of crucifixion was a slow, tortuous, agonising death.

The rulers of the Jews and the watching crowd reviled Jesus of Nazareth saying, “He saved others; let Him save Himself if He is the Christ, the chosen of God.” (Luke 23:35). The verse we looked at in Matthew’s gospel reveals that both thieves also reviled Him. But, something happened to one of the thieves because he changed his mind.

Let’s look at Luke 23:39-43, “(39)Then one of the criminals who were hanged blasphemed Him, saying, ‘If you are the Christ, save Yourself and us.’ (40) But the other answering, rebuked him, saying, ‘Do you not even fear God, seeing you are under the same condemnation?’ (41) ‘And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds; but this Man has done nothing wrong.’ (42)Then he said to Jesus, ‘Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.’ (43) And Jesus said to him, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise’.”

One thief, angry and bitter that he had been caught and was now paying the price of his wicked ways, lashes out verbally at Jesus of Nazareth. The other thief has reconsidered his own position and realises that the man on the centre cross is indeed the Christ, the true Messiah, and the rightful King of the Jews.

He rebukes the reviling thief and turns to Jesus and asks Him to remember him when He comes to reign. His reward is, “today, you will be with Me in Paradise.”

One thief went to Hell still in his sins, to await the Great White Throne judgement. The other thief went to Paradise to be with the Lord Jesus Christ forever.

Which thief will you follow?

Jon Peasey

Words of Life blog

[All Scriptures quoted are from the New King James version]

[You are welcome to comment on this blog post by clicking on the comment section at the end of the post.]

No Condemnation

What is condemnation? Condemnation is a state of being condemned.

Collins Concise Dictionary defines the word condemned as:

1.       To express strong disapproval

2.       To pronounce judicial sentence on

3.       To demonstrate the guilt of

4.       To judge or pronounce unfit for use.

We usually think of a condemned person as one who is guilty of a crime and is unfit to be in normal society. A prison sentence is the usual outcome. A condemned building, on the other hand, is unsafe and is unfit for normal use and/or occupancy. A condemned building is usually knocked down and removed.

Let’s take a look at the Scriptures in John 3:16-19.

“(16) For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. (17) For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. (18) He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. (19) And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than the light, because their deeds were evil.”

Does this mean that if I don’t belong to the Lord Jesus Christ, I am condemned? The answer is a simple, Yes!

Romans 8:1 states, “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.”

What is this verse telling us?

1.       Those who are in Christ Jesus are now not in a state of condemnation.

2.       Before they were in Christ Jesus they were condemned.

3.       They no longer walk in former sinful ways.

4.       They now walk according to the directions of the Holy Spirit.

What’s your state, condemnation or no condemnation?

Jon Peasey

Words of Life blog

[All Scriptures quoted are from the New King James version]

[You are welcome to comment on this blog post by clicking on the comment section at the end of the post.]

God was in Christ

Let’s look at these four words. God, the Supreme Being, the Creator of the Universe was in Christ.

So who, or, what was Christ?

 The Scriptures reveal that Jesus of Nazareth is the Christ. So then what is the Christ? The Christ of the New Testament is the Jewish Messiah of the Old Testament.

Crudens Complete Concordance to the Old and New Testaments explains Christ as, “The anointed one. The Greek name Christos from the word anointed. The Hebrew word was Messiah; the expected king and deliverer of the Jews, who expected a strong and glorious earthly king to deliver them from oppressors and form again a great independent kingdom of the Jews. He was to be a descendant of David, and bring the whole world under his sway.”

Matthew 16:13-17 state, “(13) When Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples saying, ‘Who do men say that I, the son of Man, am?’ (14) So they said, ‘Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremias or one of the prophets.’ (15) He said to them, ‘But who do you say that I am?’ (16) Simon Peter answered and said, ‘You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.’ (17) Jesus answered and said to him, ‘Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven’.”

Now let’s look at the verses in Scripture where we find the title of this blog post. 

2 Corinthians 5:18, 19 reveal to us, “(18) Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, (19) that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them...”

God was in Christ, because Jesus Christ is both truly God and truly man. By His sacrificial death on Calvary’s cross, Jesus Christ atoned for our sins and reconciliation and forgiveness are ours as a result.

The Jews expected Jesus to deliver them from Roman bondage and reign gloriously. They forgot that redemption is first by blood and then by power. The sins of the Jewish nation had to be atoned before the Messiah [Christ] could reign. But the nation rejected Him, and had Him crucified on a cross as a failed redeemer. However, that was not the end of the matter.

1 Corinthians 15:3, 4 state, “(3) That Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, (4) and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures...”

Redemption is by blood and by power. The shedding of Christ’s blood for the forgiveness of our sins, and  His resurrection power over death for our eternal salvation, gives us a home in heaven.

Where do you stand? Are you saved?

The mighty reconciling power of God in Christ is useless to you if you are not saved!

Jon Peasey

Words of Life blog

[All Scriptures quoted are from the New King James version]

[You are welcome to comment on this blog post by clicking on the comment section at the end of the post.]