I have to have faith in God and that is what justifies me in spite of my sin. I will continue to sin as I am a sinner and thanks to the salvation that was given by Christ, I have been forgiven. But, where did that salvation come from. What was done to allow for me to believe and have salvation. Christ shed His blood on my behalf.
“6For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. 7For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— 8but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God.” — Romans 5:6-9 (ESV)
I was born a sinner. I am a sinner. I will always be a sinner. Yet, Christ died for me. He shed His blood to atone for my sin. Yes, Jesus walked this world over 2000 years ago, and yet He accounted for me and all that I am. Christ took on all of my sin and washed it away when He shed His blood of the cross. That is what was done to allow for me to believe and have salvation.
Yes, I did not need for Christ to shed His blood and my faith in Him is certainly enough. Look at those of the Old Testament that believed and had faith in God even before Jesus came. Abraham, Moses, Noah, Solomon, David. All of them put their faith in God and all came before Jesus walked this world. Jesus came and died so, as noted in verse nine above, “much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God”. Jesus is better and made it better for me.
I owe a debt of thanks to Jesus. He provided me a way to be made whole in the eyes of God and then made it even better with the shedding of His blood on my behalf. I have been justified by the blood of Jesus and my sins have been washed away.
Having faith true to be justified, what is/was done to take it up a notch? Are you still living your life like a sinner thinking, “I believe and have faith so I am good”? What if you took a step back and understood that you have faith thanks to God and it is better thanks to the shed blood of Christ?
Trevor's Thoughts 