Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.
Romans 3:24-26
The greatest need of every person who has ever lived is a way to be right with God. The sin we both inherited and chose for ourselves creates a gulf we cannot span. Jesus is the only path across that divide. When He justifies those who come to Him in faith, there is no longer anyone who has the standing to accuse them. “Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us” (Romans 8:33-34).
In 1779 John Newton wrote a hymn which highlights this wonderful truth called “Pleading His Gracious Name” which says:
Approach, my soul, the mercy seat
Where Jesus answers pray’r;
There humbly fall before His feet,
For none can perish there.
Thus be my shield and hiding place!
That sheltered near Your side,
I may my fierce accuser face,
And say the Lamb has died.
Oh, wondrous love! To bleed and die,
To bear the cross and shame,
That guilty sinners, such as I,
Might plead Your gracious name.
The only plea we will ever need is the salvation Jesus purchased for us with His precious blood and His perfect righteousness which He credited to our account. This is the measure of God’s grace toward us. Jesus did not die for us because we loved Him. He died for us when were His enemies because He loved us. He never turns away anyone who comes to Him in faith, claiming the promise of the gift of eternal life.
