ROMANS 4:25 DELIVERED --- RAISED There is something I understand but must remind myself of from time to time. God does not clean up the old man and declare me righteous. When the Lord Jesus Christ was "delivered for our offenses," those trespasses that condemned me were laid upon Him. He bore my sin with its penalty and the guilt that accompanies sin, both legally and personally. The Righteous, Holy God delivered up our Lord that we might be justified from all things by His blood. Now we are placed by God in the Risen Christ.
In view of our justifying, the Lord Jesus was raised from the dead. It is when we believe on Him, we are justified. His resurrection is not to prove that we have been justified, but to actually justify us in the Risen Christ. The act of resurrection was the fact making possible our justification. We were justified as ungodly sinners and are now a new creation in Christ. We are not righteous because we are new creatures in Christ but because the ungodly are justified in Christ. If our sins had been placed on Christ as my Substitute and He had not been raised from the dead, where would I be? God tells us our sins have been put away by the blood of Christ so we are justified from all things. Christ has been raised and so our standing in Him is our place. We are now in Him and will be with Him forever. Being justified is not being born again; it is not a change of heart; it is not an unjust man being made just; and it is not our sanctification. It is a declaration of God that a person is righteous in God's sight on the basis of redemption in Christ Jesus. God pronounced the whole world guilty before Him. Now He can legally pronounce one who puts his or her faith unreservedly in Christ and His sacrifice - justified. And He connects this believing sinner with the Risen Christ so the believer is made "the righteousness of God in Him" - forever!
Much more than I can grasp, but it is true just the same, Is that I am pronounced righteous by the authority of Jesus' name. He was delivered by God, to on the cross there take my place.
And it is in the sacrifice of Christ alone I have personally put my faith. God is satisfied legally and in every other way, To justify me completely so there is nothing to pay. This ungodly sinner He has justified, and now makes the declaration That I am free from sin's punishment and guilt - there is now no condemnation.
The payment of Christ's blood was the cost of justification. Now the ungodly is cleared of all guilt and granted freely salvation. When Christ rose from among the dead, His resurrection justified. Life is in Christ and I live, because He lives now who for me has died. The resurrection isn't just a proof, but is the transforming act, That makes our justification such a defining fact. Not dead but risen is the Christ who by Himself put away sin - And now I an cleared of all charges and have eternal life in Him.
No charges can be laid by Satan or men That there is something more to be done or to do again. Redemption is complete and now justification is too. There is nothing that can be taken away or even added thereto. My standing in Christ is an eternal position - That does not change depending on my condition. Because of such grace the motivation is strong To please God in whatever way I can and eschew that which is wrong.
"Father in heaven, may I be able in some way tonight in the believers' meeting pass on to Thy people some of what it means to me to be justified. There generally is great appreciation for salvation and its accompanying blessings, but there is a tendency to overlook the importance and impact of being justified. May we all get a good look at that tonight. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, Amen."