Were: Justified — Wednesday
Romans 4:8
”…blessed is the man against whom the Lord will not count his sin.” (ESV)
Not too long ago, I took a trip with my youngest son to visit my family. It’s about ten hours one way to get there by car, and not 45 minutes into the journey, I was pulled over by one of Kentucky’s finest officers. This was a bad start to a long day’s drive.
I was a bit confused because I was in the middle of a sea of cars traveling through a congested construction area. When asked if I knew why he pulled me over, I could have guessed speed, but I really had no clue. He stated I was speeding, and I handed over my license and registration.
In our current series Were, we’ve come to realize that we were sinners, guilty of an eternal debt, but through faith in Jesus Christ, we are now forgiven. We are justified by His grace, and our sins are no longer counted against us. God is essentially saying your status is that of having already paid your penalty. Many have explained justification as, “just as if I’d never sinned,” but I believe it’s more accurate to say it’s “just as if I’d already paid my penalty.”
When the officer returned, he said he wanted me to slow down, issued me a warning, and wished me safe travels. I was so relieved I could have hugged that officer and kissed him right on the lips. That is decidedly NOT what you do in those scenarios, so I simply said “thank you” and got back on the road.
This is a great example of mercy, and there are elements of grace in it, but it is not an example of biblical justification. Perhaps if the officer had given me the ticket and then paid for it himself, that would be justification. Regardless, I am thankful that the officer had mercy on me, and I’m even more grateful that God allowed Jesus to pay my sin penalty so my sins are no longer counted against me.
Wednesday’s Reflection
Memorize Romans 3:28, 4:8, or 2 Corinthians 5:1 to further settle the truth of justification in your mind.
