Wednesday, January 8, 2025

January 8th - Justified Gratuitously

“Being justified gratuitously in His grace, through the deliverance which is in Christ Jesus…” (Romans 3:24)

"Are we privileged? Undoubtedly not!, for we previously charge both Jews and Greeks to be all under sin, according as it is written, that not one is just, not even one." (Romans 3:9-11)

Jesus died for sinners, and we are "justified in His blood”...

“...Christ died for our sakes…being now justified in His blood, we shall be saved from indignation...being reconciled, we shall be saved in His life.” (Romans 5:8-11)

The proof will come at our resurrection at which time death will be swallowed up in Victory.

"...whenever this corruptible should be putting on incorruption, and this mortal should be putting on immortality, then shall come to pass the word which is written, Swallowed up was Death by Victory." (1 Corinthians 15:54-55)

Believers in this age are not the ONLY sinners “justified in His blood”. We have "come to the knowledge of the truth" of our justification, salvation and reconciliation before others, but we came to this knowledge as a gift from God through "faith". The rest of humanity will come by "sight" in the following ages.

“This is good and pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who wills that all humanity be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth"... "Being justified by faith, we may be having peace toward God…” (1 Timothy 2:3-4; Romans 5:1)

The phrase “justified by faith” refers to those who hear about salvation from death, and believe it will happen which gives them "peace" with God. For all others, belief will come after they have been resurrected to appear before the Great White Throne. There they will see Jesus and realize that they too have been “justified in His blood” and every knee will bow to him, and every tongue confess that Jesus is Lord.

"God highly exalts Him, and graces Him with the name that is above every name, that in the name of Jesus every knee should be bowing, celestial and terrestrial and subterranean, and every tongue should be acclaiming that Jesus Christ is Lord, for the glory of God, the Father." (Philippians 2:9-11)

Every "flesh and blood" body will return to dust.

"All go to one place; all come from dust, and all return to dust." (Ecclesiastes 3:20)

"Now this I am averring, brethren, that flesh and blood is not able to enjoy an allotment in the Kingdom of God." (1 Corinthians 15:50)

Believers in this age dieonce and are "vivified" (made immortal) at the second coming of Jesus when He raises them out of death. Everyone else dies a second time after being raised to appear before the Great White Throne and will be made alive ("vivified") when death is finally "abolished".

“For even as, in Adam, all are dying, thus also, in Christ, shall all be vivified. Yet each in his own class: The Firstfruit, Christ; thereupon those who are Christ’s in His presence; thereafter the consummation…the last enemy is being abolished: death…that God may be All in all.” (1 Corinthians 15:22-28)

In His great love and grace, God has predetermined the victory of every sinner over the consequence of sin, which is death.

"So now, little children, remain in Him, so that when He appears we may have boldness and not be ashamed before Him at His coming." (1 John 2:28)

"Beloved, we are now children of God, and what we will be has not yet been revealed. We know that when Christ appears, we will be like Him, for we will see Him as He is." (1 John 3:2)

January 12th - The Roman Road of Salvation

"Yet now, apart from law, a righteousness of God is manifest (being attested by the law and the prophets), yet a righteousness of God ...