Though guilty sinners, believers in Jesus Christ have been declared righteous; though rightly condemned to an eternity in hell, we have been freed from guilt and given an eternal inheritance in the presence of the Holy God; though rightly deserving to fall under the wrath and judgment of God, we have been made His children receiving the fullness of His blessings; though rightly deserving to be separated for all time from His presence, we have been brought near to him through the shed blood of Jesus Christ; though having no desire for the Lord, no desire for salvation, no desire for anything of righteousness, we have been given a new heart, and now a burning desire to know Him better; though having been lost in sin, incapable of doing anything for ourselves, we have been redeemed through Christ’s sacrifice; though living without hope and bound by sin, we have been set free through the powerful work of Christ and the truth of the resurrection; though not believing, not trusting, not accepting His gift of redemptive grace, we have been given the gift of faith and are now justified, completely accepted and established totally righteous in Christ. The Lord has changed us fully, and someday this will be fully realized; seen by the Lord we are now completely cleansed, totally pure, absolutely holy through Jesus Christ. Who we were is past; who we are in Christ is secure for eternity. “Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 5.1).
No longer are we enemies of the Cross of Christ, no longer separated, no longer fighting His work of mercy within us, no longer battling within of the purpose of life. We have peace with God, with the Eternal, Holy, Creator, Almighty, True, One and Only God. We can therefore rest in Him, delight in Him, take joy in Him, and live in the fullest of confidence that He will keep us, provide absolute care for us, and faithfully fulfill all of His promises to us, now and forever.
Justified eternally – we have much to be thankful for –
Terry Burlingame
My Morning Desk 