Ephesians 1:7
7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace.
Reflection: Question #29 (again)
Written By: Pastor Jesse Caro
Question: What is justification?
Answer: Justification is an act of God’s free grace through which he pardons all our sins and accepts us as righteous in his sight, only for the righteousness of Christ imputed to us and received by faith alone.
God has made me righteous! He has exchanged my sin for his righteousness. On the cross he bore my sin and exchanged my sin for his goodness/righteousness. This theological fact is nothing less than earth shattering. The fact that God would so thoroughly save me is profound.
He did so as an act of “free grace,” according to this catechism. That is, we did not need to earn this redemption from God. We did not need to pay for it or do anything to merit it. Grace, as a matter of fact, is free or it is not grace. I appreciate, however, that the addition of the word “free” was added. It emphasizes the fact that salvation must be a gift or it is not salvation. Our sin was too deep for us to undo. Our rebellion had gone too far for us to merely try to “make it up.” God had to offer us the free gift of God, by grace. Unmerited. Undeserved. Unearned. Free. Jesus paid it all. So, all to him I owe. Sin had left a crimson stain. He washed it white as snow!
Prayer
Lord, thank you for your grace, free and undeserved. Today may the goodness of God hit us afresh and may we praise you, with a full measure of joy, for your divine love and grace… the forgiveness of our sin.
