On Saturday, my younger sister asked a question: "How did I stop coming out for altar call?" She shared that, growing up in our local assembly, she would respond to the altar call every Sunday, saying the sinner's prayer after each sermon. But now, she couldn't remember the last time she did that. As I sought the Lord about what to post today, this story came to mind.
Are you Justified?
Justification is an intentional act of dedicating our lives to Christ and trusting Him with our eternal destiny. It is being in right standing with the Lord, declared righteous—something we cannot achieve on our own, because, as Psalm 51:5 states, we were conceived in sin.
However, justification doesn't stop there. After being justified, we must also be sanctified. Sanctification is a continuous process, and we grow in it through the Word of God.
Romans 3:10 says, "There is none righteous, no, not one." This reminds us that all have sinned and fall short of God's glory. But through the death of Jesus, we are separated from our sin and made righteous. Jesus took our sins upon Himself, bore the consequences, and died for us so that we might be justified.
Self-righteousness is not enough to become a child of God. One must intentionally choose to give their life to Christ. This decision is the first step in the process of justification.
Romans 3:21-26 (RSV):
21 But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the law and the prophets bear witness to it,
22 the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction,
23 since all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
24 they are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption, which is in Christ Jesus,
25 whom God put forward as an expiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins.
26 it was to prove at the present time that he himself is righteous and that he justifies him who has faith in Jesus.
Justification means that the sins we were born with, as well as the sins we committed before giving our lives to Christ, have been forgiven. Through Jesus' sacrifice which we received as a gift and by his blood we are cleansed and justified through our faith, we are declared righteous in God's eyes.
When we give our lives to Christ, we are declared friends of God. However, justification is not possible through the law alone; it requires faith. As Romans 3:28 says, "For we hold that a person is justified by faith apart from works prescribed by the law."
Self-righteousness is not enough to become a child of God. One must intentionally choose to give their life to Christ. Right behavior doesn't produce a right relationship with God—justification through faith produces this relationship. Justification is not by works, but by faith. This decision to follow Christ is the first step in the process of justification.
Being justified, however, doesn’t mean we can continue living in sin. True justification is always followed by sanctification. And it is sanctification that produces spiritual fruit. If you have given your life to Christ, old things have passed away, and behold, all things are new.
As justified believers, we should not just go around telling people, but showing them. "By their fruit, you shall know them." If you are not aware of the power of the Holy Spirit, you will not remain long in justification, because it is the Holy Spirit that empowers us to live a righteous life.
To live a consistent justified life, you must rely on the help of the Holy Spirit and consistently grow in Him. For, as the Bible says, "By strength shall no man prevail." When you are justified, you need to grow in holiness that leads to eventual glorification. I am convinced that the good work which the Lord has started, He shall see it through to the end.
Amen.
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