Freely Justified

"But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known... this righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus." (Romans 3:21-24)

I did not used to think that I was a sinner. I wasn't a murderer, I went to church on Sunday. I was a good person. But this verse tells us that ALL have sinned. The prophet Isaiah tells us "All our righteous acts are like filthy rags." Paul told the Romans that there is no one righteous, not even one. So, what's a person to do?

"When a man works, his wages are not credited to him as a gift, but as an obligation. However, to the man who does not work but trusts God who justifies the wicked, his faith is credited as righteousness." (Romans 4:4-5)"this righteousness comes from God for all who believe through faith in Jesus Christ". Jesus came to earth to die as a sacrifice for our sins. God sent His Son to bear all the sins of humankind - past, present, and future. We are now free from our bondage to sin.

"You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly." (Romans 5:6)

Our sins are forgiven because of what Jesus did. God loves us so much that he took the very life of His Son as a ransom - a payment for the wicked, sinful things we do. We do not deserve it. It is a gift. We have been justified (God's act of mercy in which He declares believing sinners righteous, while they are still in their sinning state) through faith in Jesus. We are saved by Grace, through faith.

Jesus came for the sinners. You and I. 2.000 years ago, He came to earth to reconcile us to God by payment of our sins by His death on the cross. He rose again to life and today He is is still alive and active. He is the way, the truth and the life. He is rest for weary and power for the weak. He is the perfect lamb of God and He came to cleanse us from our sins. We can not "do better". We can only give it to Him and receive His free gift. We are forgiven because of what He did. We are made right with God because of what He did. We are transformed moment by moment into His perfect image as He cleanses us and imputes His righteousness into our souls. It's His work, it's why He came.

What can wash away my sins? NOTHING BUT THE BLOOD OF JESUS.