Charlie’s White Paper

I wanted to write to remind myself of the truth of Gospel, that I might not live under the shadow of guilt and ignorance, but might find joy in experiencing peace with God. I’m writing after listening once again to some great recordings of Terry Virgo from Forum 2005.

Romans 5:1,

Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ…

[ Justification is a legal of forensic terms belonging to the law courts. It means the opposite of condemnation, and they are both declarations of the judge. ]

Imagine, you come to the end of your life and you face the judge of all. What will the verdict be?

The wonder and joy of the Christian life is that we already know what the verdict will be. This knowledge doesn’t come from confidence in our own performance or achievement. Neither is it founded on the hope that God will let us off. The future verdict is not dependant on anything we do, because it has already been declared.

Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ…

Justification has been declared, we have peace with God now.

We don’t have to labour to be justified.

Paul writes in Romans 4:5

However, to the man who does not work but trusts God who justifies the wicked, his faith is credited as righteousness.

It’s outrageous that this is so. It’s a scandal. That God justified the wicked. He declares the wicked, righteous.
But this is not some trick, neither is it wishful thinking. We can have confidence in the future verdict because of the verdict that Jesus received.

Our confidence is founded on the death of Jesus as a gift. It is not what we have done, or what we will ever do, but what Christ has done.

It’s not even about what God has done in us, but the gift of righteousness – not to the one who has laboured, but to the one who believes.

The joy of the believer is rooted in this righteousness from God. And so now we reign in life, always being led in victory, more than conquerors. Romans 5:17,

For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ.

What Jesus did has not just created a legal reality, but a daily reality. We must grasp the truths of the Gospel, so that we can experience God’s peace.

But that is so often not my daily experience.

Normally I don’t jump out of bed in the morning singing about my justification. But I should. I would love to do better than I am. I’d love to feel victorious as I approach life.

Instead, often I feel a sense of condemnation. I feel weighed down by my failure. Time after time I try to start again. Each new year I get a new diary and I say to myself ‘this time I’ll do better.’ This time I will enjoy peace with God.

But this is a major error and in making it I fall into a snare. Peace with God is a result of the justification that comes by trusting, not doing.
Romans 5:17,

For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ.

It’s about receiving God’s abundant provision of grace through the Lord Jesus. It’s not my performance, but my position ‘in christ’

I seek to earn some brownie points, but in doing so I let go of the truth that I have been justified freely. It’s not through my endeavour that I have peace with God, but by the blood of Jesus. And if I want a clear conscience I shouldn’t try to cover myself with good deeds, but by his blood.
Hebrews 9:14

How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!

I must hold onto these truths:

• This morning I woke up justified.
• Jesus Christ is my righteousness.
• I am thoroughly accepted, delighted in, loved.
• I have peace with God.

This is my status before God, and before men. I am ‘in Christ’. I cannot improve upon his righteousness by good behaviour, nor spoil it by disobedience.

Finally…

There is a connection between understanding of justification and experiencing peace and joy. If you want to be happy and content, then put your trust in Jesus “the author and perfector of your faith”. As we grow in faith we hope to come to realise the reality more and more.

Romans 5:1,

Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ…

[Here too, you'll find a good talk by Mike Reeves talking about how telling ourselves the Gospel is the answer to depression. I'd love to know what you think!]