April 14 – Justified by Faith

“Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: by whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.” – Romans 5:1-2, KJV

When God forgives the sinner, He cancels the penalty they deserve and treats them as though they had never sinned. He welcomes them into His divine favor and justifies them solely through the merits of Christ’s righteousness. This justification cannot be earned by any human effort. It is only through faith in the atoning sacrifice of the beloved Son of God—who became the offering for a guilty world—that the sinner is made right with God. No one is justified by their own works. Deliverance from guilt, the condemnation of the law, and the penalty of sin comes only through the suffering, death, and resurrection of Christ.

Faith is the only condition for receiving justification. But it is not a mere intellectual agreement—it is deep trust, anchored in the heart. True faith not only believes in Christ but fully embraces Him as a personal Savior.

The sinner is like a lost sheep, unable to return to the fold without the Good Shepherd. No one can repent on their own or make themselves worthy of justification. It is Christ who continually seeks to impress the heart and draw the sinner to Himself. He is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. We can take no step in the spiritual journey unless Jesus first draws us and strengthens us to experience a repentance that leads to life.

Saving faith is not shallow or passive. It is not an occasional feeling or a surface-level belief. It is a living trust that clings to Christ with certainty, confident that He is able to save completely those who come to God through Him. Genuine faith leads the soul to surrender all affections to Christ. The mind comes under the influence of the Holy Spirit, and the character is transformed to reflect the image of the Divine.

This is not a dead faith, but one that works by love. It draws the believer to contemplate the beauty of Christ and to be shaped by His perfect character. As we gaze upon Him, we are changed. Justified by faith, we find peace with God—and a life that bears the fruit of heaven.