Justification:

            Justified:

Romans 5:18

18     So then as through one transgression there resulted condemnation to all men, even so through one act of righteousness there resulted justification of life to all men.

     

Romans 8:30

30     … and these whom He called, He also justified …

1 Corinthians 6:11

11     Such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God.

            Adam sinned, and that brought condemnation upon all of us … we have all sinned in his likeness. Through the death of Jesus on the cross (not because of anything we’ve done), all those that receive Him have been justified in God’s sight. Not only did He call us, He also justified us. It is more than being pardoned. When you’re pardoned, it says that you were guilty, but you were set free in spite of your guilt. However, it’s still in the records that you were found guilty. With justification, the sins we committed before coming to Jesus are no longer in the record books. We are justified in His sight. Of course you’ve heard the easy way to remember what justified means … just as if I’d never sinned.

If you could hear God speak to you, I believe this is what He would say:

            "When you came to Me, you were unclean and walking in your sins. But now, you have been washed clean. To Me it is like you have never sinned. Do not keep bringing up past sins to Me. They are forgiven and forgotten, for I have cast them into the sea. You have been set apart for Me to walk in My holy ways.”

            10. I have been justified in the sight of God through the death of Jesus Christ. It is just as though I had never sinned, and I have right standing before Him.

            God knew who would receive Jesus long before there even was a world for man to live on. He provided everything necessary for us to come to Him … everything necessary for our salvation. Even though God did all the work, we still must repent, believe in Jesus’ name, and ask Him to come in and take control of our lives. The slate is wiped clean, and we start off brand new in God’s sight. If we fail, we can ask for and receive forgiveness. This salvation is eternal. We are destined to be with Him forever. It is your destiny … live like it.

Enter the Kingdom:

            Born of water and Spirit:

John 3:5

5     Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

     

            When we were born again (or, from above), we were born of the Spirit. We weren’t created like the angels; we were born. We are now in the Kingdom of God. We are no longer in the kingdom of the world system. Therefore, we should act like we’re in God’s Kingdom. We should behave differently than before we made Jesus Lord of our lives. The devil wants us to think and act like we used to. He doesn’t want us to realize how much power we have as members of God’s Kingdom.

If you could hear God speak to you, I believe this is what He would say:

            "You are not just born physically; you are born from above by My Spirit. You are a member of My kingdom and are honored as such. Do not think that you are nothing or nobody. You are special to Me and shall do great exploits.”

            9. I have been born of water and the Spirit, and therefore I have entered the Kingdom of God. I can now partake of the privileges and fulfill the responsibilities of a member of the Kingdom.

He forgives our sins:

1 John 1:9

9     If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

     

            When we come to Jesus, all our past sins are at that moment forgiven. The slate is wiped clean when we come to Jesus. If after that we should sin, all we need to do is confess it. It wasn’t just a one time benefit of forgiveness. It keeps on working in our lives forever. He not only forgives us, but He also cleanses us from all unrighteousness, so that we won’t keep on committing sins. Otherwise, we would have to keep on asking forgiveness for the same things the rest of our lives. I know it seems like we will have to do that for some sins, but that is not what He intends for us.

If you could hear God speak to you, I believe this is what He would say:

            "My children know that My desire is for you to walk in freedom. That freedom comes from knowing that you have right standing with Me. When you do not confess your sins, you walk about in bondage to that sin. Confess it to Me. There is nothing too big for My forgiveness; nothing too hard for you to overcome and walk in My freedom of righteousness.”

            8. If in the future, I ever do anything wrong and confess it, He will forgive me.

Forgiveness:

            Forgave our transgressions:

Colossians 2:13-14

13     When you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions,

     14     having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.

     

            We don’t have to get good enough for God to forgive us. Jesus’ death, long before we came to Him, was all that was needed. And, we don’t have to earn salvation. It is a gift. God not only forgave us, He made us alive together with Jesus when He raised Jesus from the grave. There was a certificate of debt against us. It told of all the laws of God that we had broken. There was no way that we would have ever been able to repay the debt that we owed. When the nails went into Jesus’ hands and feet, that certificate of debt was nailed to the cross with Him. It no longer applies to us. It applies to the “old man” that we were.

If you could hear God speak to you, I believe this is what He would say:

            "I have forgiven you My child. There is nothing that you have done that is so terrible that I would not forgive you. When My Son died on the cross, it was enough to take care of all your sins, not just the ones others would say are little. There is nothing that will be held against you. No one can lay a charge against you, for My salvation is bigger than all things. Trust in Me that I am able to do this and have already accomplished it.”

            7. God has forgiven me all my transgressions that I committed before I came to Him. There is nothing that I have done that He has not forgiven me. My debt which I could not pay has been erased forever.

Believe in the Son:

John 6:40

40     “For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who beholds the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life, and I Myself will raise him up on the last day.”

            Have you beheld the Son and believed in Him? Then you can be certain that you have eternal life. Also, we know that we will not spend eternity in the grave. If we should die, Jesus will raise us from the grave when He returns. This is the great hope that we have. Remember that Paul said we hope for that which we do not yet see. If I have a dollar in my hand, I don’t have to hope that soon I’ll have one. I already have it. Hope in the Bible is not a wishful thinking. It is a confident expectation. One day we will see that hope realized.

If you could hear God speak to you, I believe this is what He would say:

            "You have beheld My Son. It pleases Me that you looked on Him with a favorable eye. That is the way I look upon Him continually and the way I look upon you. Trust in Me and My words. I will raise you up on the last day. There is no doubt that should arise in your heart. I have promised it, and I will do it.”

            6. I have believed in the Son, Jesus. Therefore I have eternal life and will be raised from the dead, if I die before He returns.