Justified To Live Free Series

JUSTIFIED TO LIVE FREE

Dr. Leslie C. Chaney

THE PROCESS OF HIS PRESENCE

I WANT YOU TO THINK OF THE MOST DEDICATED CHRISTIAN THAT YOU KNOW. WHAT MAKES THEM COME TO MIND?

1. THEY PRAY

2. THEY DILIGENTLY STUDY THE BIBLE

3. THEY TITHE THEIR MONEY

4. THEY ARE LEADERS IN CHURCH

5. OR BECAUSE THEY LIVE THEIR LIFE IN STRICT ADHERENCE TO THE WORD OF GOD?

ALL OF THESE ITEMS THE WORLD THINKS MAKE CHRISTIANS HOLY ARE EXACTLY HOW THE BIBLICAL PHARISEES LIVED.

YET, IN THE SCRIPTURES, JESUS ENCOUNTERS A PHARISEE NAMED NICODEMUS, WHO LIVED THIS PERFECT RELIGIOUS LIFE. JESUS TOLD NICODEMUS IT WASN'T ENOUGH JUST TO LIVE A RELIGIOUS LIFE, HE HAD TO BE BORN-AGAIN.

1. YOU ARE NOT A CHRISTIAN BECAUSE YOU KNOW A LOT ABOUT JESUS.

2. YOU ARE NOT A CHRISTIAN BECAUSE YOU GO TO CHURCH EVERY SUNDAY.

3. YOU ARE NOT A CHRISTIAN BECAUSE YOU READ YOUR BIBLE EVERY DAY.

4. YOU ARE NOT A CHRISTIAN BECAUSE YOU PRAY.

5. AND YOU ARE NOT EVEN A CHRISTIAN BECAUSE YOU ARE A MEMBER OF A CHURCH AND HAVE BEEN BAPTIZED.

SALVATION IS NOT ABOUT TRYING TO LIVE A RIGHTEOUS LIFE BY DOING WHAT IS GOOD AND AVOIDING WHAT IS EVIL.

HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF CHURCH GOING PEOPLE ARE BEING DECEIVED. THEY THINK THEY ARE SAVED BECAUSE ONE DAY THEY WALKED THE CHURCH AISLE AND TOOK THE PREACHER’S HAND AND DID ALL THE THINGS THEY WERE TOLD TO DO.

TODAY THEY HAVE AN EMPTY SHELL OF THE CHRISTIAN LIFE BECAUSE THEY MISSED WHAT SALVATION IS ALL ABOUT.

ALL THEY EXPERIENCED WERE THE PHYSICAL THINGS THEY DID, (WALKING THE AISLE, PUBLIC PROFESSION OF FAITH, BAPTISM, ETC.)

SO MANY PEOPLE HAVE NEVER LEARNED ABOUT THE SPIRITUAL EXPERIENCE THAT HAPPENS WHEN WE COME TO CHRIST.

AS WE LEARN ABOUT THE SPIRITUAL ASPECTS OF OUR SALVATION EXPERIENCE AND ACCEPT THEM BY OUR FAITH, THEN WE CAN BEGIN TO LIVE THE VICTORIOUS CHRISTIAN LIFE.

GALATIANS 3:11 TELLS US:

11 But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, the just shall live by faith.

AS WE BEGIN TO UNDERSTAND WHAT HAPPENED TO US SPIRITUALLY; AND BEGIN TO BELIEVE IT & APPLY IT TO OUR LIVES THEN WE BEGIN TO FIND FULFILLMENT IN OUR CHRISTIAN WALK.

TURN IN YOUR BIBLE TO:

Titus 3:3-8 (NIV)

3 At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. (WE WERE LOST AND SEPARATED FROM GOD)

4 But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared,

5 he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. (OUR SALVATION HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH OUR RIGHTEOUS ATTEMPTS TO PLEASE GOD, BUT RATHER IT HAS EVERYTHING TO DO WITH GOD’S AWARENESS THAT WE WERE HOPELESS IN OUR ATTEMPTS TO LIVE A RIGHTEOUS LIFE. WE CANNOT DO IT)

He saved us through the washing of rebirth (JUSTIFICATION) and renewal by the Holy Spirit, (ETERNAL LIFE) 6 whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life.

THIS DESCRIBES THE SPIRITUAL ACTIONS OF BEING BORN AGAIN

NICHODEMUS WAS TOLD HE HAD TO BE “BORN-AGAIN.” THE “BORN AGAIN” EXPERIENCE HAS TWO PARTS:

1. OUR JUSTIFICATION BY GOD.

2. AND GOD GIVING US A NEW WAY TO LIVE OUR LIFE IN HOLINESS IN CHRIST. THIS COMES WHEN HE IMPLANTS WITHIN US HIS HOLY SPIRIT IN ORDER THAT WE MIGHT LIVE OUR ETERNAL LIFE.

LET’S LOOK AT ANOTHER PASSAGE THAT DEALS WITH THE SPIRITUAL ACTS OF OUR RECEIVING CHRIST.

ROMANS 5:8-10, 19

8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

9 Since we have now been justified by His blood, how much more shall we be saved from God's wrath through Him!

10 For if, when we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to Him through the death of His Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through His life!

TODAY, LET’S LOOK AT THE FIRST PART OF THE BORN AGAIN EXPERIENCE – OUR JUSTIFICATION BY GOD.

JUSTIFICATION COMES FROM THE GREEK WORD, DIKAIÔSIS (dee-KAH’-yo-sis) AND IS DEFINED IN SEVERAL BIBLICAL DICTIONARIES:

EASTON'S ILLUSTRATED DICTIONARY

AS REGARDS ITS NATURE, IT IS THE JUDICIAL ACT OF GOD, BY WHICH HE PARDONS ALL THE SINS OF THOSE WHO BELIEVE IN CHRIST, AND ACCOUNTS, ACCEPTS, AND TREATS THEM AS RIGHTEOUS IN THE EYE OF THE LAW

NELSON’S ILLUSTRATED BIBLE DICTIONARY

JUSTIFICATION IS GOD’S DECLARATION THAT THE DEMANDS OF HIS LAW HAVE BEEN FULFILLED IN THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF HIS SON. THE BASIS FOR THIS JUSTIFICATION IS THE DEATH OF CHRIST. PAUL TELLS US THAT “GOD WAS IN CHRIST RECONCILING THE WORLD TO HIMSELF, NOT IMPUTING THEIR TRESPASSES TO THEM” (2 COR. 5:19). THIS RECONCILIATION COVERS ALL SIN: “FOR BY ONE OFFERING HE HAS PERFECTED FOREVER THOSE WHO ARE BEING SANCTIFIED” (HEB. 10:14). JUSTIFICATION, THEN, IS BASED ON THE WORK OF CHRIST, ACCOMPLISHED THROUGH HIS BLOOD (ROM. 5:9), AND BROUGHT TO HIS PEOPLE THROUGH HIS RESURRECTION (ROM. 4:25). WHEN GOD JUSTIFIES, HE CHARGES THE SIN OF MAN TO CHRIST AND CREDITS THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF CHRIST TO THE BELIEVER (2 COR. 5:21).