By the blood of Jesus, I am justified, made virtuous, as if I had never sinned.

The term justification is a rather boring theological term whose meaning is often obscure. We will first study the word and then try to explain the meaning. The central theme of Romans is justice. Several centuries before, Job had asked the following question : "How is man right in the sight of God ?" (Job 25: 4). The epistle to the Romans presents the answer of God. If we are interested in justice, the Romans will interest us. Jesus said : "Blessed are those who are hungry and thirsty for righteousness, for they will be satiated" (Matthew 5: 6). We can be hungry and thirsty for healing or prosperity without being fulfilled. But when we are hungry and thirsty for justice, we will be satiated.

"Even more so, now that we are justified by his blood, will we be saved by him from anger." (Romans 5: 9)

Notice that we have been justified by his blood. In both Hebrew and Greek, one word is translated as 'just' or 'virtuous'. In Hebrew, the word is tsadaq, and in Greek, dikaioō. But no matter what it's translated, it's the same word. In French, we tend to refer to just in terms of legality or law and to virtuous rather in terms of character or conduct. Such a distinction does not exist in biblical languages. "To be justified by his blood" means the same thing as being "made virtuous by his blood."

Prayer of the day :

Thank you Lord for the blood of Jesus. I proclaim my desire to be hungry and thirsty for justice and justification by his blood. By the blood of Jesus, I am justified, made virtuous, as if I had never sinned. Amen.

Derek Prince