An Extension of Credit
Beyond Mere Forgiveness
Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God's wrath through him! Romans 5:9 NIV
With forgiveness alone, all Christians would simply be forgiven sinners who still did not possess the absolute righteousness (moral perfection) to enter God's kingdom. Righteousness is something entirely different, it must be given to us via justification.
Forgiveness merely removes something (sin and its penalty), while justification imparts something (a righteous standing before God). This is why forgiveness has often been termed the "negative" side of atonement, while justification is its "positive" side. Of course, the most important aspect of both forgiveness and justification is that we obtain them by grace through faith alone.
Justification is the act whereby God once and for all declares someone "righteous":
However, to the man who does not work but trusts God
who justifies the wicked, his faith is credited as righteousness....
"Blessed are they whose transgressions are forgiven, whose
sins are covered. Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord will
never count against him." (Romans 4:5-8 NIV)
This happens as a direct result of God's grace, or unmerited favor, toward anyone who accepts by faith the saving power of Jesus' work on the cross. Christ's righteousness is credited to us as if we ourselves were righteous. We can actually claim his righteousness as our own. Justification is not only the pinnacle of what Christ did for us, but also the unavoidable prerequisite for entering heaven.
Simply put, without justification we would not be able to stand in God's presence—even though forgiven of our sins.
Excerpted from: He Is Risen: Reflections on Easter and the Forty Days of Lent
by Richard Abanes
Beyond Mere Forgiveness
Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God's wrath through him! Romans 5:9 NIV
With forgiveness alone, all Christians would simply be forgiven sinners who still did not possess the absolute righteousness (moral perfection) to enter God's kingdom. Righteousness is something entirely different, it must be given to us via justification.
Forgiveness merely removes something (sin and its penalty), while justification imparts something (a righteous standing before God). This is why forgiveness has often been termed the "negative" side of atonement, while justification is its "positive" side. Of course, the most important aspect of both forgiveness and justification is that we obtain them by grace through faith alone.
Justification is the act whereby God once and for all declares someone "righteous":
However, to the man who does not work but trusts God
who justifies the wicked, his faith is credited as righteousness....
"Blessed are they whose transgressions are forgiven, whose
sins are covered. Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord will
never count against him." (Romans 4:5-8 NIV)
This happens as a direct result of God's grace, or unmerited favor, toward anyone who accepts by faith the saving power of Jesus' work on the cross. Christ's righteousness is credited to us as if we ourselves were righteous. We can actually claim his righteousness as our own. Justification is not only the pinnacle of what Christ did for us, but also the unavoidable prerequisite for entering heaven.
Simply put, without justification we would not be able to stand in God's presence—even though forgiven of our sins.
Excerpted from: He Is Risen: Reflections on Easter and the Forty Days of Lent
by Richard Abanes
No comments:
Post a Comment