Saved, Justified, And Declared Righteous, And Our Response To It

It is hard to wrap my mind around the spiritual truth that, despite the fact that I am a sinner who falls far short of God’s righteousness, I am saved, justified, and declared righteous by God. This is true of anyone who has accepted Jesus as his or her personal Savior. Ephesians 2:8-9 tells us, “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not of your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.”  Doing good works will not save you. Neither will keeping religious laws or regulations. Galatians 2:21 says, “…if righteousness were through the law, then Christ died for no purpose.”  Did you catch that? If righteousness comes from our own efforts then there is no reason for Jesus to die on a cross of crucifixion! Through God’s grace and justification by faith in what Jesus has already done, a declaration of righteousness has been made. We are free from the guilt and penalty of sin.

Since a person who has put their faith and trust in the finished work of Christ has been declared righteous by God, what should be the response? It does not mean that Christians can live any way they want to. God still has standards! We are accountable to him. One who is truly born again will have a desire (even though it can be a spiritual battle at times), to live by faith in obedience to God’s commands and teachings, striving to live a life of moral purity, persevering in remaining faithful to the faith, and living with purpose and meaning. Let’s break this down in smaller chunks.

Living by faith. 2  Corinthians 5:7 says to “walk by faith, not by sight.” Galatians 2:20 adds, “…the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me,” and “faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen”(Hebrews 11:1).

Living in obedience. James 1:22 tells us to “be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.”  This is followed up with words of John 15:10, “if you keep my commandments you will abide in my love…”

Living in moral purity under the power of the Holy Spirit. 1 Corinthians 6:18-19 says to ”flee from sexual immorality…Do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.” This includes what a person ingests or injects into their body with a knowledge, or especially without a knowledge, of what a substance or vaccine will do to one’s body or mind. Colossians 3:5 says to “Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.”  Hebrews 13:4 further adds: “Let marriage be held in honor by all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous.”  I will let this verse speak for itself but think about its implications. 1 Thessalonians 4:3 succinctly wraps up this discussion: “For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality; that each of you knows how to control your own body in holiness and honor…”  This verse makes it clear that if one is not seeking to live a morally pure life, they are out of the will of God!

Living with perseverance. James 1:12 says, “Blessed is the person who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.”  “Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith…”(Hebrews 12:1-2a). 

Living with God’s intended purpose for you. “Don’t settle for less than fulfilling completely the potential that God has in mind for you when He brought you into existence, then brought you to Himself in a personal relationship. Yield your life to God’s purpose even when it may seem the very opposite of anything you may have thought you had wanted. While God’s purpose may be radically different than the plan you had laid out for your life, make no mistake about it, His plan is much greater and broader…it’s more lasting and impactful…than any plan you could come up with for yourself” (The Daniel Prayer, by Anne Graham Lotz, Zondervan, 2016, pg. 42).

In light of the spiritual truth that we, as Christians, are sinners who are saved, justified, and declared righteous by God, we should strive through God’s power to live a life pleasing to Him in all the areas listed above. We owe it to God, in return for what He has done for us!