Formed By Faith

We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ.   Romans 3:22

The only basis for justification is Jesus’ death and resurrection. God will justify those who are connected to him—a connection formed by faith. The moment you put your faith in Christ, God will apply all the benefits of Christ’s death and resurrection to you. If you believe in Christ now, you will be justified—God says so.

That’s how God justified Abraham: “Abraham believed God, and God counted him as righteous because of his faith” (Romans 4:3)—two thousand years before Jesus was born. Abraham believed God’s promise. He trusted God to send a Redeemer (see John 8:56).

God justified Abraham as he looked forward in faith to the coming of Jesus. In the same way, God justifies us when we look backward to Christ in faith. Faith seals a relationship between you and Christ in which the benefits of his death and resurrection flow into your life.

Faith begins by coming to know Jesus—who he is, where he has come from, and what he is about. It begins with discovering that he is the Son of God, that he came from heaven, and that he has come to redeem sinners.

But faith is more than knowledge—the devil knows about Christ. It is possible to learn about Jesus and be no better off than if you had never heard his name. Faith involves a two-way commitment in which Christ receives me and I receive him.

Think of what being joined to you meant for Jesus: the holy Son of God had to take your sin as if it were his own. But now think of what being joined to Jesus means for you: you possess the righteousness of Christ as if it were your own!

Christ has declared his readiness and desire to be your Savior. He is ready to take your sins, and he offers you his righteousness. But the transaction is not made until by faith you take him as your Savior. At that moment the redemption that is possible for everyone becomes an actual fact for you.

For further reading, see Romans 4