Justify

[Peterlag]

Romans 5:1
Therefore being justified by ["by" is the Greek word "ek" meaning "from out of"] faith, we have peace with God through [through is the Greek word "dia" meaning "proceeding from"] our Lord Jesus Christ:

Most of the New Testament deals with the new covenant in this our Grace administration that started on the day of Pentecost. God’s justification and how it cannot be earned is clearly written all throughout the New Testament. And yet most of us believe by way of our actions that we somehow need to find a way within our own thinking on how to justify ourselves.

We put the emphasis on ourselves so we become centered, the subject, and God the object. We become the doer, the giver, and God becomes the one done for, or the receiver. For justification we believe in human nature, believing we are able by our own effort, by our own works, by our own ethical and moral achievements to please God, and attain righteousness. We then try to seek God, attempting to discover God by our unaided intellect.

We need to understand the emphasis is on God, who is central, the subject, and we are the object because of what God made available to Jesus Christ, which allowed him to have the bond that created the relationship between him and God. God becomes the doer, the giver, and we are the one done for, the recipient. Truth is to not have faith in human nature because human nature is basically sinful and helpless to please God. Truth is God seeking us, and this is God’s revelation of Himself to anyone who will let Him be known to them.

We are justified from out of faith, and we already have peace with God, proceeding from our Lord Jesus Christ. We have this justification freely because God’s justification cost Him His only begotten Son, and this is why we cannot earn it from our own achievements. We have it because of God’s grace and because of the redemption that is within the risen and living Christ. It's not what we do, it's what we have—it's who we are.

Justification is the relationship between God and His people because it deals with the covenant of God and how He has taken what was broken by sin and made it right. The word “justify” means literally “to make just” or “to make right” just like if you have never sinned. To enter a covenant with another entailed obligations upon both of the parties. The ones who were faithful to the obligation and maintained the covenant were the ones who were justified.

In the case of the covenant between God and His people is where we see God’s obligation is in the defense of His people. Our obligation is to obey the will of God as disclosed in the “gospel of Jesus Christ” that is written to the “body of Christ” in this time period of the Grace administration. To be justified is an act of God because He has made us justified, and His justification is shown by His saving acts. The results of the resurrection of Christ and God making the new Christ justified had resulted in Christians finding themselves in a right relationship with God, who has established this “new covenant.”

Justification has not come about because of anything believers are capable of achieving on their own. The power and mercy of God alone has established this new relationship, and this is why the believer’s role is simply to believe and accept. Justification deals with the relationship between God and Christ in the bond of the covenant between them, which started when God raised Jesus Christ out from among the dead. Justification is made available to us because it's Christ Jesus, who has this covenant with God and thereby has complete liberation from the nature of sin. We have this changeover from the state of injustice to the state of justice, from being the accused to being declared innocent because of this personal relationship Jesus Christ has with God.

[Who me]

13 hours ago, Peterlag said:

The power and mercy of God alone has established this new relationship, and this is why the believer’s role is simply to believe and accep

Only in so far as Romans 12:1+2 implies acceptance. There is a need for us to learn about God and his will, a willingness to unlearn about the ways of the world and a willingness to do what having learnt about God's will means in terms of good works and love for others.

 

Christianity is never, ever a passive believe. If you are being passive, not active try reading 2cor 13:5+6.

[Peterlag]

51 minutes ago, Who me said:

Only in so far as Romans 12:1+2 implies acceptance. There is a need for us to learn about God and his will, a willingness to unlearn about the ways of the world and a willingness to do what having learnt about God's will means in terms of good works and love for others.

 

Christianity is never, ever a passive believe. If you are being passive, not active try reading 2cor 13:5+6.

I wonder if what is written in Romans goes without saying because the culture of the time just knew that the renewed mind can only be done in the spirit as we see in Ephesians.

Perhaps it's not...
be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind.

But rather...
be renewed in the spirit of your mind.

Most believers have been taught it's them, their mind, and therefore their flesh that should be involved in renewing their mind. I'm thinking it's the spirit of my mind that comes with a bit of an already renewed mind as I just get out of the way. Perhaps this is why a guy like Paul could say...

"I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me:"