"Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies" (Romans 8:33)

Who can accuse you before God? Who has any right to bring an accusation against you? The Bible tells us that God didn't even spare his own son for us and he is the one who justifies us. God is for us. Many times we do an good of condemning ourselves because we are basing life on how we feel or the circumstances around us. However understanding this truth as written in the Word of God will help you to overcome these emotion, because condemnation is a hazard to Christians.

What an amazing thing to be justified before God. The Greek word used here is dikaioō, which denotes to be just or innocent, to be free and righteous before God. The way it is used is as a verb, which means it's an action, God is showing us to right or righteous before him. The stress of this sentence lays upon the word God, meaning that this action of justifying is based solely upon him, not us. So if God is the one who is justifying us, or declaring us right, innocent, free and righteous, who can say otherwise. Who can condemn us?

The same Greek work is used in Romans 4:5, "However, to the man who does not work but trusts God who justifies the wicked, his faith is credited as righteousness" ( Romans 4:5 ). God justifies the believing sinner on the ground of Christ's death, since the propitiation for sin was perfect and complete, Christ was raised from the dead. His resurrection was the counterpart to the offering for sin and appeasing God's wrath against mankind. Since Christ was raised from the dead, it proves that this sacrifice was more than enough to bring us into right relationship with him. On the bases of this gift in Christ, God justifies the wicked. Which literally means that God was showing those with faith in Christ to be right or righteous before him. What an amazing thing.

In Exodus God told Moses to be careful when judging the people, he wanted them to be proved innocent first because he did not justify or acquit the wicked. "Have nothing to do with a false charge and do not put an innocent or honest person to death, for I will not acquit the guilty" ( Exodus 23:7 ). God only acquits the innocent. Did God change? No, Hebrews tells us that he is the same yesterday, today and forever ( Hebrews 13:8 ). What changed is that by faith in Christ we are guiltless before God. If we are guiltless then He will acquits us. He was our substitution for sin and so by accepting this substitution the payment for sin was provided in Jesus. If sin's taken care of then we are innocent before God. He justifies us on the bases of Christ's death. Which means we are free and innocent before him because Christ was raised from the dead proving that it worked.

What a marvelous thing to know. Understanding this will enable you to live life without condemnation. John reminds us in I John, "whenever our hearts condemn us. For God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything" ( I John 3:20 ). All you have to do is to remind yourselves of this wonderful truth, God is the one who justifies... not even you can condemn. Today, I pray that this revelation of God's intense love towards you sinks in deep. I pray that this changes your heart and any feelings of condemnation you experience will flee in Jesus name, amen!

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"He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all-how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?" (Romans 8:32)

We don't question whether or not God can do things, we question whether or not God will do them for us. However Paul is writing to us to remind us that God is for us. He proved it by sending Jesus as our substitution and propitiation for sin. Jesus died a criminals death so that we could be reconciled to God. Since by faith, we now stand before him righteous, holy and loved, it only proves Paul's point, there is nothing God wouldn't do for us.

What an amazing concept to understand. God loves us so much. Mankind screwed up in the very beginning and yet nothing we did was too great to be undone by Him. Isaiah told us, "And He saw that there was no man and wondered that there was no intercessor [no one to intervene on behalf of truth and right]; therefore His own arm brought Him victory, and His own righteousness [having the Spirit without measure] sustained Him" ( Isaiah 59:16 Amp ). God looked about and saw that in our present condition no one was capable to bridge the gap sin had created. This was unacceptable to him, so the Bible says that His own arm worked salvation for us. Jesus is the one who intervened in our behalf so that we could be restored to him.

This plan was put into effect over 2000 years ago when Jesus was born into a lowly manager. The plan was finished when Jesus arose from the dead conquering sin and death and bridging the gap for us, bringing us peace with God. Understanding the awesomeness of this deed will bring to light the fact that God will not withhold anything from you. He has written extensively in His Word all the sweet and precious promises that are yours by rights as his child. If he has promised it in his word, then you can be confident that it is yours. Peter talks about this when he said, "His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires" ( II Peter 1:3-4 ). Not only are we redeemed but we can also escape the corruption of this world by walking by the Holy Spirit and living his Word. Through Christ we have total victory.

Paul penned in yesterdays passage, "What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us?" ( Romans 8:31 ) and then today, he said, "He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all-how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?" ( Romans 8:32 ). What an amazing thing to ponder and internalize today. Not only have we be fully justified and put into right standing with God through faith in Jesus, but he has given us everything we need to navigate this life right now. And if that wasn't enough, he has promise to back us up in everything he has told us. The proof is written in the love story that unfolded so many years ago. Understanding this will change your heart. It will take you from knowing that God can do anything, to knowing that God will do it for you.

Today, on this Christmas morning, I pray that they eyes of your heart are opened to understanding this wonderful truth. As you celebrate Jesus' birth remember that he came for you. He loves you so much and considers you both friend and family. May the joy of this season overflow from your heart and change the world around you, amen!

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