Justified in Christ

What is your view of being justified? Are you thinking of someone whose actions were justified? By what reason were they justified? Was it by human reasoning? Do you know what it means to be justified before God?

How many times have we heard that someone’s actions were justified? If you are a mother or father and someone hurts your child, you probably think your actions of revenge are justified. You may feel justified for defending a friend.

We all have our trigger points that will incite us to do things we would not normally do to obtain revenge or justice and we will believe we are justified. We have our human way of looking at justification. We may even feel we are justified to take a piece of property from a company who has fired us.

But when we come before a Holy God, the Creator of the entire universe, the One who is truly righteous, how are we justified? We are only justified in our faith in Jesus Christ. All our blustering, excuse making, or even logical arguments will do no good. It is our faith in Jesus that will justify us.

When Jesus went to the cross willingly as a perfect sacrifice for our sins, He set the stage for our justification. Our part is to put our faith in Him and His sacrifice. We trust that His sacrifice justifies us in the eyes of Almighty God. We no longer trust that our works nor the work of law justifies us.

I pray we all put our faith in Jesus. I pray we know we are justified before God by our faith. I pray each one of us gives up trying to earn our way into God’s favor and trust in Jesus. Give up human justification. Trust you are justified by faith. Put your faith in Jesus. Your justification comes through Jesus.

Galatians 2:15-16 “We who are Jews by birth and not sinful Gentiles know that a person is not justified by the works of the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law, because by the works of the law no one will be justified.”

Reconciliation Through Christ

At this time of year, we may be longing to reconcile ourselves to an estranged relative. It is a time for reconciliation for many. But how do you go about reconciliation? Are you reconciled with Almighty God, the God who created you?

Reconciliation is no easy feat for us when it comes to one person being reconciled to another. It requires both parties to be willing. One must be willing to ask for forgiveness. The other must be willing to forgive. Or both parties must be willing to compromise.

Reconciliation works the same way with God, with one distinct difference—God is willing to forgive. We do not need to convince God to forgive us. There is no need to lay your reasoning or excuses before God. He knows every reason and excuse for why we have sinned in the past—even if the past is just one moment ago.

Jesus came to provide the perfect pathway to reconciliation with God. His sacrifice set God’s forgiveness in motion for all. The requirement for one party to be willing to forgive has been completed. There merely remains a willingness for us to ask for forgiveness.

Asking for forgiveness may sound simple. Yet, it can be more difficult for some. Our pride gets in the way. We may not be educated well enough in God’s Word to recognize our sin. We must be willing to admit we have done wrong and must know God’s Word well enough to know we have done wrong. Quite honestly, it is a life-long pursuit. As we learn and grow in experience in this life, we see our sin in a more mature and deeper way. We see just how much we need to be reconciled to God and how lost we would be without Jesus Christ.

I pray we all long to be reconciled to God. I pray we know that God is willing to forgive us. I pray each one of us ask for forgiveness and grow in our knowledge of God’s Word. Seek reconciliation. Ask for forgiveness. Be willing to forgive. Know God’s Word. Admit when you are wrong. Be reconciled to God.

2 Corinthians 5:17-19 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation.

Jesus, Our Intercessor

What does it mean to have an intercessor? Is an intercessor needed? What can you gain by having an intercessor? How do you go about acquiring an intercessor? Do you know you already have one?

An intercessor, in the simplest terms, is someone to intercedes on your behalf. In other words, they stand in the gap between you and someone else. They may pay the fine, negotiate the differences, or be a mediator during negotiations.

Jesus is our intercessor with God. He has paid the price for our sin. Because of His sacrifice, we may come before God without going through a human intercessor. We stand in the grace of God because of Jesus’ sacrifice. We have hope thanks to Him.

It is our faith in Jesus that gives us access to all God has to offer, and God has more to offer us than we can imagine. Our faith in Jesus grants us peace with God. Those without faith are without peace, and many are at war with God, even if they do not acknowledge it themselves. Having peace with God brings peace into our lives.

God also grants us His grace when we put our faith in Jesus. It is through His grace and mercy that we are forgiven for sinning against God. Being forgiven does not mean there are not consequences. It does mean we can be assured of forgiveness and our sins will not keep us from spending eternity with God.

Spending eternity with God is our hope and our hope is not a mere wish, but a guarantee made by God. We can be assured our hope will be fulfilled. Jesus, through His life, death, and resurrection, has secured and assured our hope.

I pray we all put our faith in Jesus Christ. I pray we accept Jesus as our intercessor. I pray each of us accept God’s peace, grace, mercy, and realize our hope through Jesus. Put your faith in Jesus. Accept God’s peace. Accept God’s grace. Know that your hope is secure. Know that Jesus has and does intercede for you.

Romans 5:1-2 Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God.

Choose Love

Do you love? I mean, really love? There are several groups and churches that practice various forms of Advent traditions. One of them is lighting 5 different candles to represent 5 different topics. Today we light the 4th candle, which represents love.

So many of us will say we love. We will say “I love you” to our loved ones. We will say “I love that” concerning a food or clothing item or vehicle or decoration or any number of things. But the question comes back to me, “do you really love?”

Love puts others needs and wants ahead of your own. Love forgives. Love is action, not just words. Having the love of God in you is a joy and is unconditional. You don’t have to earn it, but you do have to accept it. You must open your heart to it for it to have its full effect. You see, we have a choice. We can choose to accept God’s love and worship Him for that, receiving untold blessings. Or we can choose to chase after this world with a hardened heart, having no or very little joy, continuing to feel empty in a crowded world.

So, do you really love? Do you feel loved? If your answer is no or you are not sure or you only feel that way sometimes, you might consider committing more of your time to God. You may think you will miss out on what’s happening around you and you may be right. But you will gain so much more than the temporary gratification of knowing what’s happening in the latest TV show or who is dating who or what the latest sale is or when an actor is getting married or any number of other things that won’t matter a few days, weeks, or years down the road.

I pray each of us will commit more time to God during this season and each of us is filled with His love, then show it to everyone around us. God knows this world needs love. Do you? Will you be the one to show it?

John 15:9-17 “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. This is my command: Love each other.”

Reward of Love

We often look for rewards. We look for rewards for doing something good. We look for rewards for achievements. We look for rewards for going above and beyond. We look for rewards for pleasing someone else. We look for rewards in love.

When we have the love of Christ, we are changed. When we love Christ and allow him to change us, we receive a reward, even one we perhaps had not initially sought. The question we must ask ourselves is, “Do we really, really want to change for the better?”

We hear people say, “I wish my life was better.” Our lives can be better. In today’s passage, Peter gives us a simple recipe for making our lives better. He quotes from Psalm 34, so it is not a new recipe. It is a recipe that has been handed down through the ages—one that God gave His people long ago.

God’s plan for a better life for each of us starts with love. God loves us. He desires us to love Him. When we love Him, we follow His plan, His recipe for life. Our lives are far better. As with everything else in life, it boils down to our commitment. Are we committed to God? Or are we committed to ourselves? Here’s the thing, when we are committed to God, we reap the reward of a better life than we ever would if we are committed to ourselves.

I pray we all commit to loving God. I pray we follow God’s recipe for a good life. I pray each one of us experience the love of God and reciprocate His love. Follow God’s plan. Follow the age-old recipe. Receive the reward God has for you. Live your best life. Love God. Love one another.

1 Peter 3:8-12 Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble. Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing. For, “Whoever would love life and see good days must keep their tongue from evil and their lips from deceitful speech. They must turn from evil and do good; they must seek peace and pursue it. For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”

Legalism Versus Love

How do you live? What is your approach to life? Do you live by rules? Are you a stickler for following the law, policy, and implied direction from leaders? Or do you live by grace? Do you forgive both yourself and others?

Today’s passage is an interesting one. Paul is refuting Peter. In some respects, he is chastising Peter for continuing to live by the law. It is the final statement in a discourse in which Paul is effectually stating the Jewish law is no longer the governing source.

Now, we must not throw the baby out with the bath water. Paul is not stating the law is no longer good and should be completely ignored. He is making the point that the love of Christ is all encompassing. It not just includes the law but includes a new attitude that surpasses the law. In other words, to follow Christ is to hold yourself to a higher standard.

The higher standard means we must think through every situation. It means not being so rigid there is no room for grace, mercy, and forgiveness. It means we must allow for mistakes made by both others and ourselves. That is the love Christ has for us and calls us to live by.

In effect, Paul is saying we cannot just follow a set of rules. We cannot simply go through the motions as dictated by guidelines and traditions. We must go beyond and live with love. It is the same love Jesus stated in His two greatest commands—love God and love neighbor.

I pray we all live in the grace of God. I pray we set aside our legalistic views. I pray each one of us choose to love others and ourselves as Christ loves us. Live by a higher standard. Love with the love of Christ. Love others. Love yourself. Show grace, mercy, and forgiveness.

Galatians 2:19-21 “For through the law I died to the law so that I might live for God. I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!”

Making God Smile

Many of us have seen people holding signs at sporting events with John 3:16 written on them. We may be able to quote that passage. But how many of us fully appreciate not just the words, but the meaning of that passage?

We know intellectually Jesus gave himself up for us. We know God sent Him to be the perfect sacrifice for sin. We understand because of His sacrifice our sins are forgiven, we are given hope, we are saved, and we are promised to spend eternity with God.

Isn’t that all we need to know? Not quite. As mentioned numerous times in these devotionals, it is not enough to simply know these things intellectually. They must sink into our heart. They must infiltrate the core of our being. We must come to understand the love God showed to us in a much, much deeper way.

Let’s think of it like this. Picture someone you know who is fragile, near helpless. They are in need of someone who will do for them since they cannot do for themselves. It may be a small child, someone with a disability, or someone with a debilitating illness. If you love them, what lengths are you willing to go to as a provider or assistant?

We are the helpless person. We are incapable of living the perfect life Jesus lived. Therefore, we need a perfect sacrifice. God loves us so much that He sent His Son to be our perfect sacrifice. He loves us so much that He provides for our needs, most importantly our need for love.

Paul tells the church in Ephesus to follow God’s example. We are to love one another as God has loved us. Notice it is a fragrant offering to God when we sacrifice ourselves for others out of love. I suggest we think of following Jesus’ example of love like following in the footsteps of a human mentor. The mentor smiles and gives us praise for doing well. God smiles when He sees us doing as Jesus did.

I pray we all know deep in our heart God loves us. I pray we choose to follow Jesus’ example. I pray each of us love one another sacrificially, causing God to smile. Follow Jesus’ example. Love as God loves you. Show God’s love to others. Love sacrificially. Make God smile.

Ephesians 5:1-2 Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

Like-Minded in Love

What does it mean to be like-minded? Who do you want to be like-minded with? Does being like-minded sound like being united? What about being of the same spirit? What does that mean? Do you want to be of the same spirit with someone?

Being of the same mind and same spirit probably makes sense for a spouse. After all, thinking alike, having the same interests, and pursuing the same goal aid in keeping a relationship strong. Otherwise, we are likely to decide to go our separate ways.

Most of us also have similar tendencies, interests, thoughts, and goals as our parents. Over time, as we mature and are exposed to different experiences, those may change. Yet, what we learn from our parents will stick with us, even if we don’t always agree.

But is there someone we should be of the same mind with, regardless of who we are? Yes. God wants us to be of the same mind as Christ. He wants us to be of the same spirit. And we can. When we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior, He puts His Spirit in us—the Holy Spirit. As we listen to Him and follow His guidance, we become of the same mind. This is how following Him changes us in a positive way.

The most important way God wants us to be like Christ is in our love. As we love like Christ, we show the world who He is, we draw people to Him, we help increase the kingdom of God here on this earth. By the way, that also is obedience to His calling for each of us.

I pray we all seek to be of the same mind as Jesus. I pray we accept His Spirit and become of the same spirit. I pray each one of us show the same love Christ did to everyone we meet. Be like-minded with Christ. Be of one spirit. Be of one mind. Have the same love. Show Christ’s love to everyone you meet.

Philippians 2:1-4 Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.

Discernment in Love

Have you heard people talk of unity? Do you know what they want to be united in? Is it a favorite cause of theirs? Is it a mere human cause that favors only a few? What if we were united in God’s cause, which favors all?

There are causes everywhere we look. It seems there is a new cause put before us nearly every day. You can find dozens of causes for the poor in your own town. There are causes for every race under the sun. There are causes for every choice people may make.

Each cause wants to have as many people as possible to unify with them. Most of these causes have good intentions, but there are some who do not. How can we know we are supporting the right cause or causes? Perhaps we need the right filter to help us discern the answer.

Paul tells the church in Colossae to be united in love. If we are united in love, the love of Christ, we are for every person. We are looking for what is best for each person as defined by God. God desires that each person be saved through His Son, Jesus Christ. He desires each person to love one another. He desires we all treat one another as a child of His. He desires we take care of one another. He desires we give up hatred and violence. Does that not sound like a filter that can direct our discernment as to which causes we should support?

Unity in love is more than words, though. It requires us to take action. Not necessarily marching in the streets but doing little things every day to show the love of Christ. Be kind to everyone we interact with, whether a stranger on the street or a family member. Speak truth in love to one another tactfully, but clearly. Show love in caring for one another. Mere words are insufficient and may be nothing more than hot air. Action speaks louder than any words we may speak.

I pray we all pursue unity in the love of Christ. I pray we use love to discern the causes we support. I pray each one of us put love into action. Love with the love of Christ. Be kind to one another. Discern causes to support through love. Love one another. Speak through action, not just words.

Colossians 2:2-3 My goal is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

Love Oneself

Have you ever taken time to think about the relationship among the Godhead? Have you wondered how the Godhead interacts and cares for one another? Are you confused when you hear about God being the Trinity and yet One?

I am convinced we, as humans, are not fully capable of understanding everything about God. One characteristic we don’t fully understand is how God is three and yet one. We struggle with the concept and often throw our hands up and give up.

Perhaps I can offer a point of view that will help. I am a father. I have my own children. I am also a son with a mom and dad of my own. I also have my own spirit or mind. Now, this is an imperfect example, but it can provide us a way to better understand God a little better.

So, what does today’s passage point out to us about God? First, it shows us that God is omnipresent—meaning God is always everywhere. The voice of the Father comes from heaven. The Son is standing in the Jordan, having just been baptized. The Spirit has just descended on the Son like a dove. We see all three personalities or viewpoints of God in this passage.

Notice the Father says He loves His Son and is pleased with Him. We can interpret this to mean that God loves Himself. This helps us understand one of the two great commandments Jesus gave, which is to love our neighbor as ourselves. God sets the example of loving oneself by loving Himself.

We must learn to love ourselves. Not in a selfish way, but in a self-confidence and in an introspective way. In order to love others, we must know ourselves, be comfortable with who we are, and care for ourselves. Once we love ourselves, we can show that love to others, just as God has shown His love to us.

I pray we all better understand who God is. I pray we seek to love ourselves as God loves Himself. I pray each one of us loves our neighbor in the same way we love ourselves. Seek to understand God. Love yourself. Love as God loves. Love one another.

Matthew 3:16-17 As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”