Not What You Do, But What He Has Done
Jan 14, 2016 1997
To the one who does not work but trusts God who justifies the ungodly, their faith is credited as righteousness (Romans 4:5).
Religion, as with all other good things, is a two-side coin. There are only two religions in the world, and only one of them is pleasing to God.
The popular religion of the world says, “Be good and God will love you.” This religion is human-centred, works-centred, subjective, and vain.
In contrast, the good news religion o the Bible is that Christ came into the world to save sinners. “this man welcomes sinners and eats with them” (Luke 15:2).
He loves and accepts us even while we are sinners. It is this acceptance that changes us. God “justifieth the ungodly” (Romans 4:5 KJV). The glory of the New Testament religion is that we are saved on the basis of what Christ has done, not by what we do; by what he has felt, not by what we feel. Salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone.
The righteousness by which we are justified is 100 percent, but it is imputed rather than imparted. The righteousness of sanctification is imparted by the Holy Spirit, but it is never 100 percent in this life. When Christ returns and glorification of our whole being takes place, then we will have 100 percent righteousness within as well as without.
The believer looks for comfort only to the imputed righteousness of Christ. When a believer accepts what Christ did for him on the cross, he has the verdict of the last judgment already – and for as long as he believes.
The believer has no need to be anxious about what God things of him, but only what God thinks of Christ, his Substitute. The believes is not expected to make his peace with God, for Christ has already done that and Christ is his Peace.
– Des Ford. Rom 8:27–32 (from “True Religion”)
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