Monday, 29th April, 2024
By Pastor Chris Oyakhilome
“Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus” (Romans 3:24 KJV).
In Romans 4:24-25, the Bible tells us that the Lord Jesus was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification. Justification means acquittal, to be declared not guilty. How did this happen?
First, when Jesus died and was buried, in the mind of justice, we died and were buried with Him. When He was raised back to life, we were raised together with Him, a new creation. It happened at the same instance that God said of Him, "…Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee" (Psalm 2:7).
Jesus was born again when He was raised from the dead. That’s where we—the Church—came from. We came from the resurrection, not from the Cross. In the mind of God, when Jesus resurrected, you resurrected, you were born a new creature because you were in Him.
2 Corinthians 5:17, says, "...If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature, old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new." Now that you're born again, you’re without a past. The question then is, what happened to your past? It died with Jesus, because when Jesus died, the whole world died in Him. So, by His resurrection, all men should have a new life. Hallelujah!
That’s why when you were born again, you were born justified. The Bible says, “Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus” (Romans 3:24). The word "freely" is translated from the Greek “dorean,” meaning "without cause." To be justified is also to be declared righteous.
This means you were justified, declared righteous without cause; you didn’t have to do something about it to make it happen. It was by His grace; you were born that way. Now He says, “… as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life” (Romans 6:4). Blessed be God!
PRAYER/CONFESSION
"Dear Father, I thank you for the death, burial and resurrection of the Lord Jesus which ushered me into a newness of life. Now I’m a new creature in Christ Jesus, born anew, and justified by your grace, in the Name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of the Lord. Amen."
FURTHER STUDY
Galatians 2:16; Romans 4:23-25; Acts 13:38-39
1-YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN:
Luke 23:26-49; 2 Samuel 4-6
2-YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN:
1 Corinthians 1:10-21; Psalm 139-140