[Revelation: The Comeback] Victorious预览

A Righteous Life

The president of a republic can exercise regulatory authority to grant a condemned prisoner a pardon. A king can offer a guilty man the privilege of absolution from his debts to society. Neither can declare a prisoner free of guilt: they are only able to pardon. Human authorities cannot take away the crimes that make a person guilty.  

The pardon that God has granted believers in Christ is completely different. Even though a person is guilty of sin, he or she is declared guiltless and righteous, despite his or her sin. The divine act of righteousness declares a man or woman of faith innocent as if he or she had never committed any faults. We see God go far when it comes to His forgiveness of our sins. It is as if He cleared the evidence and files that prove our guilt. Indeed, He did! He cleared the record of our sins by nailing it to the cross. This is what Colossians 2:14 states, as we read that God canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness. We have been, therefore, justified through faith. The word justify means to be declared innocent. We know God can forgive us, but that does not mean we are innocent. Nevertheless, the Bible tells us God decided to not only forgive us but declare us innocent. His forgiveness goes beyond a pardon; it exceeds our comprehension that He decided to declare us free of guilt and free of charges. 

No human authority, if it wants to proceed in all justice, can absolve anyone who is guilty. God, in divine authority, decided that those in Christ, those cleansed through the blood of His Son, will be declared innocent, yet we know no human person is free of sin or guilt. The Bible declares that there is no one who does good, not even one (Romans 3:13).

God made known his righteousness apart from the law and decided to justify those who have faith in Jesus. This was accomplished by His grace because Christ atoned for our sins through His sacrifice on the cross. As a result, our justification was paid, but it did not come free. We were declared approved by God, which is another way to understand the word justification because Christ took our place in punishment and in condemnation. 

Delight in the fact that you have been approved by God. Rejoice that the only One who is worthy to approve you has already approved you. You can walk with your head up, not in pride, but in thankfulness.