IF YOU WATCH ENOUGH DAY-TIME TELEVISION, YOU’LL SOON CONCLUDE BY ALL THE “COURT-STYLED” PROGRAMMING THAT AMERICANS HAVE A LOVE AFFAIR WITH SEEKING JUSTICE.
HUMAN NATURE DESIRES TO FAVOR ITSELF. HUNAN NATURE WILL INSTINCTIVELY ENTICE US TO GO THROUGH A LOT OF EFFORT AND TROUBLE TO ENSURE THAT WE NOT ONLY GET WHAT WE ARE SUPPOSED TO, BUT TO SELFISHLY HORD ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING THAT IS OFFERED TO US FOR “FREE.”
WE MAKE CERTAIN THAT EVERY DEDUCTION IS ITEMIZED ON OUR TAX FORMS SO WE WILL GET THE BIGGEST TAX RETURN. WE MAKE SURE THAT WE HOLD ON TO EVERY RECEIT, ANNOTATE EVERY EXPENDITURE, AND CONCULATE EVERY COST SO THAT WE ARE REIMBURSED FOR EVERY SINGLE OUT-OF-POCKET EXPENSE.
IT DOESN’T MATTER IF IT INVOLVES MONEY, A TRAVEL VOUCHER, AN APOLOGY, OR PERSONAL PROPERTY, WE WILL PUT A LOT OF EFFORT INTO GETTING THOSE THINGS WE DEEM VALUABLE TO US OR FEEL THAT WE RIGHTFULLY DESERVE OR HAVE EARNED. SIMPLY PUT: WE WANT WHAT WE FEEL IS RIGHTFULLY OURS!
AMONGST THE REBATES, TAX REFUNDS, REIMBURSEMENTS AND FREE STUFF THAT WE CAN GAIN FOR OURSELVES, WE HAVE THE GREATEST OFFER, FREE OF CHARGE, IN WHICH TO CONTEND.
THIS OFFER GIVEN TO US IS ONE THAT OFFERS PARDON AND FORGIVENESS OF ALL OUR SINS. THIS OFFER CAN BE FOR US A DECLARATION OF BEING MADE RIGHTEOUS IN GOD’S SIGHT.
THIS OFFER THAT WE CAN ACCEPT IS CALLED JUSTIFICATION.
THE IMAGE GIVEN HERE IS DRAWN FROM THE COURT OF LAW. TO BE “JUSTIFIED” IS TO BE DECLARED “INNOCENT” BY THE PRESIDING JUDGE. THE JUDGE ISSUES YOU AN ACQUITTAL.
WHAT PAUL IS REFERRING TO IN THIS PASSAGE IN ACTS IS YOUR ETERNAL SALVATION. THIS IS ABOUT YOUR AQUITTAL AND YOUR RELEASE FROM THE BONDAGE OF SIN AND DEATH.
THE MESSAGE IS ABOUT RECEIVING YOUR SPIRITUAL EXONERATION FROM HAVING TO SPEND YOUR ETERNITY TOTALLY SEPARATED FROM GOD IN THE LAKE OF FIRE KNOWN AS HELL.
WHO IS IT THAT “EXONERATES” US? WHO CAN STEP FORWARD ON OUR BEHALF THAT CAN AQUIT US? WHO HAS THE POWER AND AUTHORITY TO RENDER SUCH JUSTICE? THE ONE WHO HOLDS THIS CAPACITY IS OUR “JUDGE.” THIS JUDGE IS, OF COURSE, JESUS CHRIST.
JESUS IS THE ONE WHO FORGIVES, REDEEMS AND SAVES US FROM ALL OF OUR SINS. IT IS HE WHO JUSTIFIES US BY DECLARING US “INNOCENT” FROM ALL OUR PAST CONFESSED SINS. ISAIAH 43:25, “I, EVEN I, AM HE WHO BLOTS OUT YOUR TRANSGRESSIONS, FOR MY OWN SAKE, AND REMEMBERS YOUR SINS NO MORE.”
WHEN WE CONFESS THAT WE ARE SINNERS AND ASK GOD TO FORGIVE ALL OUR SINS, AND THEN ASK JESUS CHRIST TO BECOME OUR LORD AND PERSONAL SAVIOR, WE IMMEDIATELY RECEIVE OUR “JUSTIFICATION” OR WHAT WE CAN KNOW AS OUR FORMAL PARDON FROM ALL THE SINS WE HAVE EVER COMMITTED.
THERE’S NOTHING WE CAN DO TO SAVE OURSELVES. THIS PROVISION HAS BEEN MADE FOR US THROUGH THE SACRIFICIAL DEATH OF JESUS CHRIST ON THE CROSS.
ONLY BY SHEDDING HIS OWN BLOOD FOR US COULD WE TRULY BE JUSTIFIED. ROMANS 5:9, “SINCE WE HAVE NOW BEEN JUSTIFIED BY HIS BLOOD, HOW MUCH MORE SHALL WE BE SAVED FROM GOD’S WRATH THROUGH HIM!”
BECAUSE GOD IS HOLY, HE CANNOT ACCEPT US BY SIMPLY IGNORING OUR SINS OR DISREGARDING OUR SINFULNESS. BECAUSE GOD IS HOLY, HE CANNOT ACCEPT US BY DEFAULT SAYING, “WELL, AT LEAST YOU TRIED AND AFTER ALL YOU DID THE BEST YOU COULD.”
OUR SINFUL HUMAN NATURE HAD TO BE DEALT WITH AND GOD TOOK CARE OF THIS BY OFFERING TO US OUR SALVATION AND JUSTIFICATION THROUGH THE SACRIFICIAL DEATH OF HIS SON. THIS JUSTIFICATION IS GIVEN ONLY ON THE BASIS OF WHAT CHRIST DID AND NOTHING THAT WE COULD EVER SAY OR DO.
THIS IS OUR EMANCIPATION, OUR DELIVERANCE THAT SETS US FREE FROM BEING HOPELESS PRISONERS OF SIN. ROMANS 6:23, “FOR THE WAGES OF SIN IS DEATH, BUT THE FREE GIFT OF GOD IS ETERNAL LIFE THROUGH CHRIST JESUS OUR LORD.
BECAUSE OF CHRIST’S SHED BLOOD ON THE CROSS, PEOPLE NO LONGER HAVE TO BEAR THE PENALTY FOR THEIR SIN WHICH IS DEATH. JESUS PAID IT ALL.
I THINK WILL WILLIMON SAID IT BEST: “IF WE OR THE WORLD COULD BE SAVED THROUGH HUMAN KINDNESS OR CLEAR THNKING, JESUS EITHER WOULD HAVE FORMED A SINSITIVITY GROUP AND URGED US TO SHARE OUR FEELINGS OR WOULD HAVE FOUNDED A SCHOOL AND ASKED US TO HAVE DISCUSSIONS. BUT KNOWING THE WAYS OF GOD, THE WAY OF THE WORLD, AND THE PERSISTNECE OF HUMAN SIN, HE TOOK UP THE CROSS, CALLED DISCIPLES, GATHERED THE CHURCH, AND BADE US TO FOLLOW HIM DOWN A DIFFERENT PATH OF FREEDOM."
THE BIBLE IS VERY CLEAR THAT GOD WILL FREELY FORGIVE AND JUSTIFY THOSE WHO CONFESS AND REPENT OF THEIR SINS. GOD, WHO IS RICH IN MERCY, WILL CLEAR OUR DEBTS AND FREELY GRANT TO US ETERNAL LIFE IN CHRIST JESUS.
YOU CAN RECEIVE THIS ETERNAL LIFE TODAY IF YOU WILL HAVE THE FAITH. SALVATION COMES BY OUR FAITH AND NOT BY ANY ONE PARTICULAR DEED OR PRAYER.
THERE ISN’T ANY ONE PRAYER THAT IS "THE BEST" OR "THE ONE" THAT SAYS ALL THE RIGHT WORDS TO MAKE IT AN "OFFICIAL" PRAYER OF SALVATION.
IN FACT, THERE ISN’T ANY PARTICULAR LOCATION OR POSTURE REQUIRED. THAT MEANS, WE DON’T HAVE TO BE IN A CHURCH SERVICE OR COME DOWN THE AISLE IN ORDER TO HAVE A "REAL" SALVATION EXPERIENCE.
YOU CAN MEET JESUS ANYWHERE! RIGHT THERE IN YOUR PEW! RIGHT THERE IN THE HOTEL ROOM! RIGHT THERE PULLED OFF ON THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD! RIGHT THERE AT THE SINK WHILE DOING DISHES! RIGHT THERE AT YOUR DESK OR IN THE BREAK ROOM AT WORK! ANYWHERE!
NOT ONLY CAN IT BE ANYWHERE, BUT IT CAN BE RIGHT NOW! AT THIS POINT OF OUR LIVES, THERE IS NOTHING THAT CANNOT BE FORGIVEN. GOD IS WILLING TO FORGIVE YOUR SINS AND MAKE YOUR LIFE BRAND NEW.
HE WANTS TO AQUIT YOU, FREE YOU, AND CLEAN YOUR LIFE AND MAKE IT RIGHT AGAIN. THAT IS, HE WANTS TO “JUSTIFY” YOUR HEART AND SOUL. HE WANTS TO BRING YOU BACK INTO A PROPER RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM. A RELATIONSHIP THAT IS PERSONAL, LOVING, AND INTIMATE
THAT IS WHY THIS MESSAGE IS ENTITLED “JUST IF I’D” BECAUSE WHEN GOD FORGIVES MY SINS, WASHES THEM AWAY AND JUSTIFIES ME, IT IS “JUST IF I’D” NEVER SINNED BEFORE.
MY RECORD IS CLEAN. I STAND BEFORE MY RIGHTEOUS JUDGE DECLARED “NOT GUILTY” WITH THE LOVING SHOUT OF “PARDONED AND EXONERATE” BECAUSE ALL IS FORGIVEN, ALL IS FORGOTTEN.
NOTHING I’VE EVER DONE WILL EVER BE BROUGHT BACK UP AGAIN. I AM SET FREE FROM MY SINS AND SET FREE FROM MY PAST. I AM RESTORED BACK INTO A PROPER STANDING WITH GOD AND RENEWED IN MY PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM.
IF YOU WISH TO BE PARDONED, FORGIVEN, AND JUSTIFIED, SO THAT YOU CAN BEGIN A PERSONAL, INTIMATE, LOVING, AND ETERNAL RELATIONSHIP WITH CHRIST RIGHT NOW, LET US PRAY BY REPEATING THIS PRAYER IN YOUR HEART AFTER ME:
"LORD JESUS CHRIST, I NEED YOU. THANK YOU FOR DYING ON THE CROSS FOR MY SINS. I OPEN THE DOOR OF MY LIFE AND RECEIVE YOU AS MY SAVIOR AND LORD. THANK YOU FOR FORGIVING MY SINS AND GIVING ME ETERNAL LIFE. TAKE CONTROL OF THE THRONE OF MY LIFE. MAKE ME THE KIND OF PERSON YOU WANT ME TO BE. IN JESUS HOLY NAME, I PRAY. AMEN."
I HOPE THAT SOMEONE HERE TODAY PRAYED THAT PRAYER. I HOPE THAT ALL OF US HERE TODAY HAVE PRAYED THAT PRAYER AT SOME TIME IN THEIR LIFE. I HOPE THAT ALL OF US WILL LEAVE HERE TODAY KNOWING THAT HAVING ETERNAL LIFE IS A PRECIOUS GIFT BIDDING OUR ACCEPTANCE.
