There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.
Romans 8:1
Foundational to our walk with Christ is our identity in Christ. Understanding who you are as a Christian will go a long way in helping you grow as a Christian.
In my previous post I wrote about being hidden in Christ. Today I want to write about one of the key benefits of being hidden in Christ and that is justification. This is an incredible blessing.
Justification is a legal term normally found in the courtroom. As a Biblical doctrine it means that you and I have broken the law of God and should be punished. When we are finally punished there is “justification” i.e. we have justly been punished for our crimes. Every time you sin, you are breaking the law of the God who created you to live in perfect harmony with him and with everyone else he created. Since we have failed to do this we are deserving of punishment.
Here’s some great news: as a Christian you can be confident that you will NOT be punished. Here’s why …. you have been justified! You have been declared innocent of your crimes. The only way this can take places is that justice is still satisfied, but satisfied in someone else. Someone else willingly takes the punishment for my sins and transfers their innocence to me. JESUS DID THIS and now God thinks of your sin as belonging to Jesus, and His innocence as belonging to you. It is as if you never sinned at all. That’s what Paul is saying in the text above. “Therefore”, because Jesus has done that, “there is no condemnation” – no one can point the finger at you – “for those that are in Christ”.
When you are hidden in Christ you are made right with God. There is no sin debt left to pay. There is no sentence hanging over your head. You are innocent and right in God’s eyes and free to walk in a beautiful, wonderful relationship with Him.
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