He who believes into Christ is not condemned.
— John 3:18
Being justified freely by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus.
—Romans 3:24
In our new position we are no longer condemned. Our old position was one of being condemned. However, according to John 3:18 we who believe are not condemned. And Romans 8:1 tells us, “There is now then no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus.” The very first item in our new position is that we are no longer condemned.
After being born again, we are justified. To be justified means that God approves us according to the standard of His righteousness. Formerly we were in sin and therefore under God’s righteous judgment. Now we are acceptable to God, because we have believed in Christ and therefore, based on His redemption, are justified. The Bible makes this clear (Rom. 3:24). “Therefore having been justified out of faith, we have peace toward God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Rom. 5:1). “Who shall bring a charge against God’s chosen ones? It is God who justifies” (Rom. 8:33). Because we are born again, God has declared that we are righteous. This is based entirely on the death of Christ. By believing in the Lord Jesus, we are justified.
Adapted from Born Again, pages 33-34.
Monday: “Saved from Darkness and Joined to the Lord”