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27 Sept:
Justified:
The word justified means “pronounced or treated as righteous.”
The Christian, being declared righteous, is thus freed from the guilt of sin.
For a Christian, our justification is the ‘gracious’ act of God not only forgiving the believer’s sins but imputing to him the righteousness of Christ.
Our being righteous in God’s eyes is necessary so that our relationship with Him is restored.
Our situation is summarized clearly in Rom 5:1 “Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ”. We should see in this passage that our justification and restored relationship is because of what Jesus has done and not because of our good works. Ephesians 2:8-9: “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.”
This passage in Ephesians tells us that we have been granted salvation because God’s grace has led Him to accept us if we have faith in our Lord Jesus. We are told exactly this in Acts 4:12 “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.” Rom 5:1 went into deeper detail by telling us that the reason we are saved is because God sees our justification as real because of our faith in Christ.
To be justified means to be declared righteous before God. It is a legal term indicating that God forgives our sins and imputes the righteousness of Christ to us. How do we obtain this righteousness? In the same way we obtained ‘justification.’ 2 Cor 5:21 “He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” Romans 3:22 “This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile.” Phil 3:9 “and may be found in Him (Christ), not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which come from God on the basis of faith.”
This means that our justification/righteousness is not based on anything we CAN or SHOULD do. Gal 2:16 “Nevertheless knowing that a man is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ…” This is again restated in Gal 3:24 “Therefore the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, so that we may be justified by faith.” These passages affirm that our salvation and righteousness are granted through faith, not human effort.
An additional result in our receiving salvation through Christ is that it ensures that we are accepted and at peace with God. I am NOT preaching ‘once saved, always saved.’ But our faith in Christ has secured our salvation and this should motivate believers to live in gratitude, pursue good works, and grow spiritually, knowing that their standing before God is secure. 1 Peter 2:24 “and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds, we were healed.” Gal 2:20 “I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.”
Understanding that Jesus died for all encourages Christians to live in gratitude, faith, and obedience. It calls believers to embrace His love, share the message of redemption, and walk in righteousness, knowing that His blood has paid the price for sin and opened the way to eternal life. Gal 3:13 “Christ bought us with His blood and made us free from the Law. In that way, the Law could not punish us. Christ did this by carrying the load and by being punished instead of us.” 1 Cor 6:20 “For you have been bought with a price – therefore glorify God in your body.” Col 3:23,24 “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.” 2 Cor 5:15 “And He died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for Him who died for them and was raised again.” Rom 12:1 ““Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God — this is your true and proper worship.”
Our response to Christ’s sacrifice and God’s gift of forgiveness is to have a faith that enables us to live a life as best we can to bring honor and glory to His name. In summary, Jesus’ death is a universal offer of salvation, available to everyone who believes, demonstrating God’s boundless love and providing the foundation for eternal life and restored fellowship with Him. Our justification brings us a freedom from sin made possible through His sacrifice. Eph 5:8 “For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light.”
We should understand that it isn’t just about being saved from eternal damnation but it’s about the restoration of our relationship with God. Every verse about Jesus dying for us emphasizes that His blood paid for our sins, paving the way for us to walk in the light. This sense of freedom should inspire us to live authentically and embrace our identities as beloved children of God.
13 Sept: How Do We Follow Christ???
Last week we looked at why we have the Bible. Scripture itself tells us that we have these recorded words so that we can believe (and have eternal life) and for our instruction (to live a life which is pleasing to God. We know that in walking like the Lord we are walking in a way pleasing to the Lord. Jesus’ instructions for walking in His path is found in Luke 9:232 “And He was saying to them all, ‘If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me.”
When I read this verse the first piece that catches my attention is the idea of following Jesus. (I think most of us, having a Christian background, would want to say that we do in fact want to follow Jesus. We know that that is the expectation behind saying we are ‘Christians’. What does the word ‘Christian’ mean? It means ‘Christ-like.’ So, what does that mean???) Jesus gives us a hint as to what that means when He says that following Him means taking up our cross. If you remember, Jesus gave us some advance warning: John 16:33 “These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation, but take courage – I have overcome the world.” Considering the word ‘Christian’ which means ‘Christ-like’, if we are taking up a cross in order to follow Jesus that suggests to me that there may very well be some suffering that is going to be in our lives!!! But remember, Christ spoke to this “suffering” issue and offered us the encouragement that He has overcome the world.
So, if we are going to follow Jesus – how might that suffering occur? To get that answer a clue might be in looking at the life of Christ. According to Heb 1:6 God brings Jesus into this world and in Heb 2:7 we are told that the Lord placed Jesus into the womb of a woman (for a little while lower than the angels) to be born as an infant boy. Phil 2:7 “Rather, He made Himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.”
So the first hint regarding our suffering is that we might find ourselves being humbled and be considered less than we might want to be. Isn't that the message in the Sermon on the mount when we are told to go two miles with the soldier’s gear or to sit at a table on the side rather than the head? Isn't that clearly the message when Jesus washes His apostles’ feet and tells them to do likewise. Consider Mtt 23:11 “But the greatest among you shall be your servant.” Lk 9:48 “…. For the one who is least among all of you, this is the one who is great.”
So the first quality we see in a Christian is one of humility and service.
Continuing in our look at Jesus’ life we see His next appearance is when His parents are looking for Him at the age of 12 and finding Him in the temple: Lk 2:46,47 “then, after three days they found Him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, both listening to them and asking them questions. And all who heard Him were amazed at His understanding and His answers.” Answers??? At the age of 12 He was giving answers that amazed those around Him. Isn't that level of understanding something we should all be striving for? Not for the sake of pride but for the sake of knowing God’s will. Luke 2:40–52 records that “Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature,” showing that in His human nature He grew in mind and understanding, including knowledge of God’s Word. We see the fruit of those years when He resists the temptations of the devil by quoting Scripture. We see His knowledge and understanding coming up again in Lk 24:27 “Then beginning with Moses and with all the prophets, He explained to them the things concerning Himself in all the Scriptures.” Peter speaks something about this knowing God’s Word: 1 Peter 2:2 says: “Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation” If you recall Paul chastises both audiences in Heb 5:12,13 and 1 Cor 3:2 because they were not growing up in the knowledge of God’s word but were remaining as infants. And Timothy is instructed by Paul: 2 Tim 2:15 “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth.”
Remember last week, Scripture was written for our instruction – this assumes therefore that we are reading and following said instructions! 1 Peter 3:15 says: “But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect”.
So the second quality we see in a Christian is being a student of the Word.
In continuing the examination of Christ’s life, the next appearance of Jesus is in Mt 3:13ff where Jesus is baptized and filled with the Holy Spirit. To avoid examining a multitude of baptism examples in Acts let’s consider what happens with the Ethiopian eunuch: Acts 8:25ff – 34-37 “then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning from this Scripture he preached Jesus to him. As they went along the road and came to water, the eunuch said, ‘Look! Water! What prevents me from being baptized?” Apparently telling the story of Jesus includes the necessity of being baptized, and as Acts 2:38 includes – being filled with the Holy Spirit. We see the message of the Holy Spirit in a number of passages:
Romans 8:9–11 – If the Spirit of God dwells in you, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit; the Spirit gives life to your mortal body
Ephesians 3:16–19 – God strengthens the inward man with His Spirit so that Christ may dwell in your hearts
John 14:16,17 “I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you.” Rom 8:26 “In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us through wordless groans.”
1 Corinthians 2:12 “What we have received is not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us.”
So a third quality of the followers of Jeus is being baptized followers and receiving the Holy Spirit.
After Jesus’ baptism He then goes out into the wilderness for 40 days and suffered His temptations by Satan. His wandering for these days sets the precedent for His life during the next 3 years. At one point He tells a potential follower: Mtt 8:20 “And Jesus saith unto him, the foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.” Mtt 19:29 “And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life” The rich young ruler is told to sell all that he has and then come follow. Where and why does Jesus have this lifestyle? Consider: Phil 2:5-8 “Have this attitude in yourselves, which was also in Christ Jesus, who, as He already existed in the form of God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but emptied Himself by taking the form of a bondservant and being born in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death: death on a cross.” John 17:4 “I glorified You on the earth, having accomplished the work which You have given Me to do.”
Jesus’ homelessness reveals his sacrificial love and commitment to God’s mission. It set an example for His disciples to follow. He lived without a home base or possessions. This demonstrated his complete commitment to traveling, preaching, teaching, and ministering to people during his earthly ministry. Jesus denied himself and made sacrifices in order to fulfill his purpose. Jesus’ willingness to detach from material possessions reflected His strong faith in his Father. Jesus did not worry about food, clothing, or shelter as he traveled and taught God’s message, because he knew God would provide what He needed. This is seen clearly in passages like Matthew 6:25-34 and Luke 12:22-31, where Jesus teaches his disciples to trust God for their needs too.
Like the rich young ruler, all aspects of this life which infer with our devotion and obedience to the Lord must be removed and forsaken. Mtt 16:25,26 “For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?”
A fourth quality of Christ followers is a willingness to give up any and all things that prevent our completing God’s work given for us to do (“For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. Eph 2:19).
Jesus’ life of ministry comes to a close with His arrest, flogging and crucifixion. So the qualities that followers of Christ have are four-fold:
The first quality we see in a Christian is one of humility and service.
Jesus had to humble Himself to be obedient to His Father, even death on the cross.
The second quality we see in a Christian is being a student of the Word.
Jesus had to know the Word in order to know God’s will in order to do it. (not My will …)
The third quality of following Jesus is to be baptized and receive the Holy Spirit.
It was the Holy Spirit which led Jesus (Rom 8:14 “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.”)
A fourth quality of Christ followers is a willingness to sacrifice to please God.
1 Peter 2:24 explains, “He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness.”)