You could not be justified

Therefore let it be known to you, brethren, that through this Man is preached to you the forgiveness of sins; and by Him everyone who believes is justified from all things from which you could not be justified by the law of Moses. – Acts 13.38-39

I love the study of justification. When I was in theology class I learned a little hint to help remember what justification is. We said it was done so that we are 'just as if' I had never sinned. It must be a pretty good reminder because it still sticks in my head today.

Now though when I think of justification I think of being 'brought into line.' The image in my head is those little justification icons on my words processor. We can justify left, justify centre, justify right, or justify fully. It means that we bring our text in line with certain parameters.

God has a certain standard for mankind. In order to be justified to His standard a man or woman must be perfect and without sin. The lines are clear. It is that simple.

The Jews thought they could meet up to God's standard by perfectly aligned with the Law.

In this passage Paul is preaching to the crowd in Antioch. Several times in the message he referred to the fact that God has raised Jesus from the dead and he compared Jesus to Old Testament characters. They all died, so did Jesus, but Jesus was raised from the dead.

Not only is there that, but only in Jesus there forgiveness of sins.

But there is a disclaimer. There is a ‘must do’ to receive the forgiveness. ‘By Him everyone who believes is justified from all things.’ The Law could not justify, but Jesus can. No man can bring himself into line with God’s standards, but Jesus can.

I praise God for His justifying power. I praise God that it was made efficacious to me throw the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. Nothing else could do – only Jesus.

The first part of the great 19^th century hymn ‘Complete in Thee’ says it so well:

Complete in Thee! no work of mine

May take, dear Lord, the place of Thine;

Thy blood hath pardon bought for me,

And I am now complete in Thee.

Yea, justified! O blessed thought!

And sanctified! Salvation wrought!

Thy blood hath pardon bought for me,

And glorified, I too, shall be!