A Present Reality

~Romans 6:8~

"Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with Him." 

This morning...early...before I went to work, I read a great devotional that was very challenging and encouraging.  I want to share it with you:

"Unfortunately, many believers do not live as if justification is a permanent state.  They've divorced their hope of eternal life from their relationship with God today.  They expect to "put on" Christ's robe of righteousness only at death.  Meanwhile, in this life they draw their sense of God's acceptance from their most recent performance of Christian duties or their avoidance of certain sins.  Their "robe of righteousness" for daily living isn't from Christ, but one they've stitched together by their own performance.  

By contrast, the apostle Paul lived in a continuous state of conscious justification.  In Galatians 2:20 he wrote, 'The life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.' In the context, Paul was speaking of his faith in Christ for justification.  But this was not simply a past event.  Rather, he was speaking of his present daily experience of living in a state of justification.  As George Smeaton wrote, 'Obviously, this is not the language of faith for attaining justification, but the language of a man already justified, and glorying in a sense of acceptance and the experience of grace.' 

For Paul, justification was not only a point-in-time event that occurred in the past, but a present reality in which he rejoiced every day.  Paul did what we should do.  He renounced any confidence in his own performance or, for that matter, any dismay over his lack of performance.  Instead, by faith he looked to Jesus Christ and His righteousness for his sense of being in right standing with God today, tomorrow, and throughout eternity."  

~Jerry Bridges~ 

This really got me thinking, "do I live as if justification is a present reality and a permanent state for me?" I need to be like Paul in that I should daily renounce any confidence in my own performance and also any dismay over my lack of performance for it is by faith, in Christ alone, that I am justified and saved.

What a glorious reality!!!  In Christ, we are declared righteous.  What grace and mercy! 

Have a good rest of your week...continue to think on the Truth and really ask yourselves the hard questions! 

~Grow in Grace~ 

2 Peter 3:18