Skip to main content

Just-ification

Do you understand what “justification” means?  I understand what it means when you are typing a paper or letter – the right margin is even – like I typed this post here.  But as far as God goes – as far as our being justified – do you understand the concept?  I’m not sure I do.

I was thinking about this and decided to look into it – the dictionary says that “justification” means “to show or prove to be valid – to declare free of blame – absolved.  To free a person of the penalty attached to a grievous sin – used only of God.”  Webster’s II New College Dictionary. 

My Bible dictionary had a great definition (I thought):

“. . . . . for one to meet the state of justification meant not to be perfect  but to have received mercy from the Lord after having submitted to His will.  This same idea pervades the New Testament.  For one to be just in God’s sight is not living to perfection (which no man can do), but receiving mercy and forgiveness of sins by having faith in Christ.  This faith, however, is not merely mental acceptance that there is a God but the complete submission, reliance and commitment
to the will of God.”

God is NOT just when He justifies – right?!?  I don’t know about you, but I deserve eternal damnation.  I just can’t seem to get it right, and by “it” I mean this living righteous, sin-free, doing ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHING PERFECT stuff.  Daily, I am being convicted by the Holy Spirit and when I own up (confess), by mercy and grace, God “makes even” or frees me (us) from the penalty we deserve.  By forgiving us, He ABSOLVES our sin – or erases it.  Gone forever.

There are some great verses in Galatians 3:

“a man is not justified by observing the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ.  So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not be observing the law, because by observing the law, no one will be justified.” 
 WHEW !!!  That’s a load off!

It goes on to say:

“I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.  The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave Himself up for me.  I do not set aside the grace of God for if righteousness could be gained through the law, CHRIST DIED FOR NOTHING.”

This just-ification stuff is hard to comprehend (for me) because there is no “just” in justification.  There is nothing I can do for it and I certainly don’t deserve it. 
It’s a gift.

I can live by faith, however, and NOT “set aside the grace” God has given me.  As defined in the Bible dictionary, complete submission, reliance and commitment, come to mind. 

 
Lord Jesus, live in us as we rely, submit and commit ourselves to You.

  And all God’s people said:  AMEN!

 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

ctrl-Z

Happy New Year!   It’s a new year, a new beginning – the old is gone, the new has come!   YIPEE!   Not that 2012 was so awful – but it’s good to start afresh, don’t you think?   Get rid of some old “bad” habits, put on some new “good” ones.   My husband and I have promised each other we are not going to be “crabby” with each other anymore.   I am horrible!   We will try and talk nicely to each other - that alone will be a miraculous feat!! Sometimes, I just want to take back immediately what I just said – ever want to do that?   At my office, my new cubby partner taught me a wonderful keystroke last year that I told her has “spiritual” meaning.   Seriously! ctrl-Z.   Ever use it?   It un-do’s.   Yep – whatever you type wrong or don’t mean to do – it undoes it.   Ingenuous!   I use it all the time now.    (I know – I’m slow!) What on earth could be the spiritual meaning of ctrl-Z?   Hmmm...
3 comments
Read more

Victory - a habit.

My heart is heavy today – full of despair.   A beautiful woman, I love and thank God for, with an abuse problem, is in ICU.     While high on heroin, she drove her car into a parked semi. What???????????!!!!   Let’s just sit on that for a while.   My despair is NOTHING compared to her despair – her children’s despair.   Her parents’ despair.   This abuse problem has been around for years.   That’s who she is . . . “an addict” (her words). Really?   I have never been addicted to drugs so I don’t understand this addiction, but I have known other “addictions” – I have felt helpless – I have labeled myself  “defeated”.   Hopeless.   I am so sick and tired of Satan and his destruction.   I have had it.     Why do we give him so much power?   He delights in this . . . . this darkness.   No more. I claim in the Mighty Name of Jesus Christ – LEAVE THIS WOMAN ALONE! I found a great quo...
3 comments
Read more

ALL

God is above all.    Above the heavens and the earth.   Above all powers, dominions, and kingdoms.   The beginning and the end.   He is all-knowing, all-encompassing.   He is everything – ALL.   PERIOD. 2 Cor 8:9:   And “God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. Ephesians 1: 22-23:     And God placed all things under His feet and appointed Him to be head over every thing for the church, which is His body, the full ness of Him, who fills every thing in every way. All I need.   No matter if I am at the lowest point in my life or at the top of the world, He (Jesus) is ALL.   I think by now you get my drift – but the real question is, how?   Not how can God be all but how can I believe it, know it in my heart and live by it?   St. Patrick said , “ Christ beside me, Christ before me, Christ...
3 comments
Read more