Justified!

Justified!

Romans 3:23-24 KJV

[23] for all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; [24] being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:

There's a problem statement defined, as well as the right prescription for the problem that has been identified, in the verses above. We find the status of all men, born of women, laid out above, and when God, who is the Way, the Truth and the Life speaks, you really have to listen to what He says. He is the Creator of the Universe, the Author of all Life and the One who shapes purpose and destinies. I may be able to get away with fooling men like myself but I should never imagine that I will be able to fool the One who defines and impacts life. If He says ALL have sinned, it really means all have sinned. That is the problem itself defined. This is the identity of all men, no matter how rich, influential or connected they are now. It does not matter how hard I try to convince myself that I am not that bad; the conclusion of God as laid out in the verses above is that I am in trouble as a result of my origin. The joy is that Jesus does not just define the problem; He also lays out the solution.

Man could not save himself from the problem and predicament of sin. The world that was the promoter of sin would not also prescribe a way out of the same problem it was already responsible for. Man needed help from someone else; One who was not tainted by the same problem that man was subject to. Man was made in the image and likeness of God, yet because of sin, he was now subject to death and destruction, which was not in the original plan of God for man. This is where Jesus comes in: He needed to restore man to his original position. Man needed restoration to the original purpose and plan of God for him. Let it be clear that no amount of education, enlightenment or earnings can change the conclusions in the verses above, unless God steps in and helps. There is no other prescription that will address the problem of sin except Jesus and His gift. We all have failed God, and only by Jesus can there be a full restoration to who God made us to be. 

The gift is free, even though it cost Jesus a lot. We look at the gift that Jesus gave: his life. He laid it down freely, though it cost Him temporary discomfort as His Father turned away from Him for the first and last time, as He hung on the cross, paying the full sacrifice for our sin. We say it is free, but not from the perspective of the One who gave it. Now, reflect on this: if God could pay such a high price for the salvation of man, what do you think is the price to pay if we reject this gift to the end of our earthly lives? If the sacrifice on the cross is the only guarantee given for the salvation of man, what other way is there for man to get that which Jesus promises, unless you go through Him? He is the ONLY WAY, not one of the ways. Justification is now offered to all of us, which is God's prescription for the problem of sin. He has played His part; the response is now up to me. What is your decision? God's time of favour is here.