Were: Justified — Friday
Romans 3:28
For we maintain that a person is justified by faith apart from the works of the law. (NIV)
I’m sure no one reading this is stubborn like me. This is best on display when I try and tough it out and avoid a trip to the doctor. Some things can be toughed out, while others simply can’t. Let’s say you come down with a sore throat. That is very common this time of year. In consulting a doctor, they could give you any number of steps to bring about a cure. You could gargle something, take pills, rest, or avoid certain types of food. In contrast to, say, open heart surgery, you get to participate actively in the cure. If you need open heart surgery, you simply lay there and do nothing. You cannot successfully perform heart surgery on yourself.
Such is the case in how we are justified. The way we receive justification is through faith. The conduit for our justification is simply faith. It’s trusting in the work that Jesus did on the cross to be sufficient to save us. As Paul stated in Romans, it is “apart from the works of the law.”
As we wrap up this week, let’s be mindful not to attempt to undo what is so amazing about justification by faith. If we attempt to try and earn God’s favor through our actions, we are as foolish as a man trying to fix his own heart. Our sin against God is not something we can simply “tough out” and fix on our own. We need help, and that help comes from Jesus. We are justified simply because He paid the penalty for our sins with His death on the cross. We are now righteous in God’s eyes with no more debt to be paid. As stated earlier this week, we stand before God just as though we’ve already paid the penalty for our sins. Amazing.
Friday’s Reflection
Write out a simple prayer to God, thanking Him for the debt that was paid on our behalf and the fact that we don’t have to strive to accomplish what we already couldn’t do.
