31 Days of Promise and Hope…..Day 31: Promise and Hope

That is what we seek. That is what we need. Today, I want to end our 31-day journey by sharing that promise and hope. We know our problem is sin, and sin causes us separation with God. We also know that we have inherited sin and imputed sin. This means that we have an inherited sin nature and we are also guilty before God because of that sin. That guilt is the reason for eternal punishment. So, what do we need? We need reconciliation between God and us. How can we wipe clean our guilt? Let’s check it out. 

It is clear that we “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). This is probably one of the most quoted verses in Scripture when talking about a person’s sin. However, the next verses give us promise and hope.

…(sinners) are “justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his forbearance he had passed over former sins. It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus” (Romans 3:24-26).

First, we need to understand justification. Justification is a legal term that actually declares us righteous before God. Wayne Grudem describes it this way; “While regeneration is an act of God in us, justification is a judgment of God with respect to us such as a judge would do in declaring someone not guilty.”[1] This is promise and hope. How does justification work? It works by faith.

“Yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified” (Galatians 2:16).

This means that there are no works of the law that we can do that will cause us to be just. We also know that justification is a gift of grace as seen in Romans 3:24. …(sinners) are “justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.” This gift of grace is undeserved but given because God loves us so much.

Here’s what we know: there is nothing in us that is good because we have inherited and imputed sin. Hence, Christ enters the picture.

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God” (John 3:16-18).

The importance of Christ can never be overstated. Christ came to “seek and save” those who are lost (Luke 19:10). That was Christ’s goal. That was Christ’s purpose. And that is our greatest need. That is why justification is so important to us. We need to be declared righteous before God. That declared righteousness is justification.

Christ was our once and for all sacrifice. It’s great to know that we do not have to suffer sacrifice for every sin we ever committed or ever will commit? This is not to say that we will not suffer consequences for or sin, but we will not have to offer sacrifice for our sin. The physical and spiritual consequences of sin are huge, but the sacrifice for those sins has been made and the sacrifice is complete.

“For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit” (1 Peter 3:18). What great news! We have been made alive in Christ because of His once and for all sacrifice.

So, what is our responsibility? How do we attain this promise and hope? It’s not just automatic. Just because Christ suffered once for sins doesn’t mean that everyone will benefit from His death. Jesus said, “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 7:21).

What do we do to receive the grace gift of justification and salvation in our lives?

Repent – This is a term that means we should turn from sin and our own selfishness. This is a cognitive response to Jesus. Jesus said, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish” (Luke 13:3b).

Trust – We need to trust Christ. Paul says, “that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures” (1 Corinthians 15:3b-4). We trust that Christ died for our sins. We trust that he was buried and was raised on the third day. We trust Christ.

Confess – Confession is necessary. “If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved” (Romans 10:9).

If you’ve never confessed Christ as your Savior and Lord, I want to encourage you to take some time today and allow the Lord to work in your heart through the Scriptures shared in this day’s thoughts. Will you repent? Will you trust? Will you confess? You can do it in the solitude of your own room, den, porch, or even in your car. If it were me, I would find a very quiet place and just lift my voice to the Lord and verbally repent, verbally trust, and verbally confess Christ as your Savior and Lord.

May the Lord bless your new year!