Justification (Romans 5)

This morning I was reading in romans 5 and was struck about the whole concept of "justification".....

"But the free gift is not like the trespass. For if many died through one man's trespass,
much more have the grace of God and the free gift by the grace of that one man Jesus Christ abounded for many. And the free gift is not like the result of that one man's sin. For the judgment following one trespass brought condemnation, but the free gift following many trespasses brought justification. For if, because of one man's trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ. Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men. For as by the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man's obedience the many will be made righteous." -Romans 5:15-19

I may be imagining this but I feel like I've heard of a lot of debate about what it means exactly to be 'justified'. I know John Piper and N.T. Wright have seemed to go at each other about this topic....but i've not kept up at all with what they are discussing.

But obviously it is an important concept because if Paul teaches that our faith (and faith alone) is what justifies a person (which i believe he does) then its important to be clear about what justification means. I feel like that is what the debates are about between certain people. Is justification merely a "better standing with God"...or is it literally a term used for complete, and eternally secure salvation? I believe the latter, and I think Romans 5:15-19 gives evidence to that. Mainly because Paul is continually contrasting "justification" with "condemnation". He makes of point of saying "Look...through Adam, condemnation came....but through Christ, justification came."

What struck me is that if you were to try to suggest that "Justification" means something else other than being eternally right with God....then you would equally have to come up with another definition for 'Condemnation'...but I don't think you can. And I think this verse makes a strong point of that. Condemnation is Death......Justification is Righteousness.

With that though, I feel i can rejoice that much more in what Paul says in Romans 3:28....

"For we hold that one is JUSTIFIED BY FAITH apart from the works of the law."

-michael
(pic above taken of my parents backyard in Arrington)

Psalm 33 (The Word)

"The Word"

I've always been interested in the subject of Christ being refereed to as "The Word" in John 1.

This morning I was reading Psalm 33 and it got me thinking about it again. Mainly verse 6 that says...
"By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, and by the breath of his mouth all their host." (esv)

This is interesting because also in John 1 it brings up the image how the heavens were made "through Christ". At other places in the new testament it uses the language of "by him" to create.

So is this an element of the mystery of God's nature (3 in one)? Is there a connection between God's 'word' when he created the world.....and the use of the word 'WORD' being used in John 1? Also, most all of the "books of prophets" of the old testament that begin with "The Word of the Lord came to so and so..". Is this 'word' the same as Christ. Ultimately I believe it is. Christ is not simply a "spokesman" for God....He IS God. He IS His 'Word', as it says "the word was with God and the word WAS God". (john 1:1) He IS the word that came to all the prophets. He IS the word that was with the Father in the beginning hovering over the waters saying 'let there be light'....but now in these last days, He became flesh.

Also, off the subject, Psalm 33 is really great in humbling us to seek God alone for our purpose and not anything that makes up who we are. Verse 16 - 17 says...
"The king is not saved by his great army; a warrior is not delivered by his great strength. The war horse is a false hope for salvation, and by it's great might it cannot rescue."

Also, I think it's beautiful to note the connection between verse 19 that says "..that he may deliver their soul from death and keep them alive in famine" with Colossians 1:13 that talks about God delivering us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son.

-michael
(Picture above was taken in Gulf Shores, Alabama)