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God is Righteous in Making the Sinner Righteous

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Years ago I heard Joseph Prince say, “God is righteous in making the sinner righteous.” When I heard this, my spirit responded with a hearty “Amen!”

But this was one of those times when my spirit grasped a truth faster than my brain. As they say, it was truth that was better “felt than telt.”

What does it mean to say, “God is righteous in making the sinner righteous”? I believed it with all my heart, but I couldn’t explain it.

Can you?

The puzzle God had to solve

When Adam sinned, he put his entire family – including you and me – on death row (Rom. 5:17). By walking away from God, he put all of us under the law of sin and death.

What could God do in this situation?

A just God could not say, “I will turn a blind eye to their rebellion and pretend it never happened.”

A merciful God could not say, “I will slay the lot of them and start afresh.”

A loving God could not say, “I will let them go their own way and do nothing.”

Do you see the difficulty? God could be just or merciful, but not both. To act justly, was to act unmercifully, and vice versa.

What could God do?

Thankfully, our wise and wonderful Father had a brilliant solution: the cross. Through his Son, he clothed himself in humanity, bore our sins, and redeemed us with his blood. He gave himself as a ransom for all (1 Tim. 2:6).

With this in mind, we can unpack the statement, “God is righteous in making the sinner righteous.” There are two parts:

1. God is righteous

The righteousness of God is revealed in the cross (Rom. 3:25–26). God did not cheat or cut corners when he kept his promise to save us. In sending his Son, he was fully loving (John 3:16, Rom. 5:8), fully merciful (Rom. 11:32, Eph. 2:4), and fully just (Rom. 3:25, 1 John 4:10).

In the Old Testament, God told us what he was going to do (save us), and in the New Testament, he did it. He was faithful to his word and true to his character.

But that is only half of the story.

2. God makes sinners righteous

God does not merely leave sinners unpunished; he justifies them (“You are innocent”) and makes them righteous (“You are mine”). This is the surprising announcement of the gospel.

We were lost, but God found us. We were dead in our sins, but God made us alive in Christ Jesus. We were part of Adam’s family, but when we turned to God in faith, he adopted us into his family.

It’s as though a king had torn down all the prisons, and adopted the prisoners as his royal heirs.

What does it mean to say “God is righteous in making the sinner righteous?”

To say, “God is righteous” is to say, “God is faithful to himself (he is just and merciful) and he is faithful to his creation (he has not abandoned us, but he is for us and with us).”

To say, “God makes sinners righteous” is to say, “God justifies the ungodly” (Rom. 4:5). He who knew no sin became sin that we might become righteous with his righteousness (John 1:29, 2 Cor. 5:21).

These are two sides of the same coin: Because God is righteous, he makes sinners righteous. And in making sinners righteous, God reveals his righteousness.

Do you see what this means?

  • You don’t need to make yourself righteous because God has redeemed and accepted you
  • You don’t need to make yourself righteous and holy because God has changed you and made you new
  • You don’t need to maintain your salvation because God can be trusted to keep you and finish the good work he began in you

Your part is to quit trying to do God’s job. Your part is to rest in the One who is our righteousness, holiness, and salvation from God.

Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and unfathomable his ways! (Romans 11:33)

—

Righteousness is a gift from God, but what is the righteousness of God? And how does it relate to the wrath of God? The righteousness of God is probably the least understood part of the new covenant. My new ebook exploring The Righteousness of God is available now on Patreon.

God is Righteous in Making the Sinner Righteous

by

Years ago I heard Joseph Prince say, “God is righteous in making the sinner righteous.” When I heard this, my spirit responded with a hearty “Amen!”

But this was one of those times when my spirit grasped a truth faster than my brain. As they say, it was truth that was better “felt than telt.”

What does it mean to say, “God is righteous in making the sinner righteous”? I believed it with all my heart, but I couldn’t explain it.

Can you?

The puzzle God had to solve

When Adam sinned, he put his entire family – including you and me – on death row (Rom. 5:17). By walking away from God, he put all of us under the law of sin and death.

What could God do in this situation?

A just God could not say, “I will turn a blind eye to their rebellion and pretend it never happened.”

A merciful God could not say, “I will slay the lot of them and start afresh.”

A loving God could not say, “I will let them go their own way and do nothing.”

Do you see the difficulty? God could be just or merciful, but not both. To act justly, was to act unmercifully, and vice versa.

What could God do?

Thankfully, our wise and wonderful Father had a brilliant solution: the cross. Through his Son, he clothed himself in humanity, bore our sins, and redeemed us with his blood. He gave himself as a ransom for all (1 Tim. 2:6).

With this in mind, we can unpack the statement, “God is righteous in making the sinner righteous.” There are two parts:

1. God is righteous

The righteousness of God is revealed in the cross (Rom. 3:25–26). God did not cheat or cut corners when he kept his promise to save us. In sending his Son, he was fully loving (John 3:16, Rom. 5:8), fully merciful (Rom. 11:32, Eph. 2:4), and fully just (Rom. 3:25, 1 John 4:10).

In the Old Testament, God told us what he was going to do (save us), and in the New Testament, he did it. He was faithful to his word and true to his character.

But that is only half of the story.

2. God makes sinners righteous

God does not merely leave sinners unpunished; he justifies them (“You are innocent”) and makes them righteous (“You are mine”). This is the surprising announcement of the gospel.

We were lost, but God found us. We were dead in our sins, but God made us alive in Christ Jesus. We were part of Adam’s family, but when we turned to God in faith, he adopted us into his family.

It’s as though a king had torn down all the prisons, and adopted the prisoners as his royal heirs.

What does it mean to say “God is righteous in making the sinner righteous?”

To say, “God is righteous” is to say, “God is faithful to himself (he is just and merciful) and he is faithful to his creation (he has not abandoned us, but he is for us and with us).”

To say, “God makes sinners righteous” is to say, “God justifies the ungodly” (Rom. 4:5). He who knew no sin became sin that we might become righteous with his righteousness (John 1:29, 2 Cor. 5:21).

These are two sides of the same coin: Because God is righteous, he makes sinners righteous. And in making sinners righteous, God reveals his righteousness.

Do you see what this means?

  • You don’t need to make yourself righteous because God has redeemed and accepted you
  • You don’t need to make yourself righteous and holy because God has changed you and made you new
  • You don’t need to maintain your salvation because God can be trusted to keep you and finish the good work he began in you

Your part is to quit trying to do God’s job. Your part is to rest in the One who is our righteousness, holiness, and salvation from God.

Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and unfathomable his ways! (Romans 11:33)

—

Righteousness is a gift from God, but what is the righteousness of God? And how does it relate to the wrath of God? The righteousness of God is probably the least understood part of the new covenant. My new ebook exploring The Righteousness of God is available now on Patreon.

God is Righteous in Making the Sinner Righteous

by

Years ago I heard Joseph Prince say, “God is righteous in making the sinner righteous.” When I heard this, my spirit responded with a hearty “Amen!”

But this was one of those times when my spirit grasped a truth faster than my brain. As they say, it was truth that was better “felt than telt.”

What does it mean to say, “God is righteous in making the sinner righteous”? I believed it with all my heart, but I couldn’t explain it.

Can you?

The puzzle God had to solve

When Adam sinned, he put his entire family – including you and me – on death row (Rom. 5:17). By walking away from God, he put all of us under the law of sin and death.

What could God do in this situation?

A just God could not say, “I will turn a blind eye to their rebellion and pretend it never happened.”

A merciful God could not say, “I will slay the lot of them and start afresh.”

A loving God could not say, “I will let them go their own way and do nothing.”

Do you see the difficulty? God could be just or merciful, but not both. To act justly, was to act unmercifully, and vice versa.

What could God do?

Thankfully, our wise and wonderful Father had a brilliant solution: the cross. Through his Son, he clothed himself in humanity, bore our sins, and redeemed us with his blood. He gave himself as a ransom for all (1 Tim. 2:6).

With this in mind, we can unpack the statement, “God is righteous in making the sinner righteous.” There are two parts:

1. God is righteous

The righteousness of God is revealed in the cross (Rom. 3:25–26). God did not cheat or cut corners when he kept his promise to save us. In sending his Son, he was fully loving (John 3:16, Rom. 5:8), fully merciful (Rom. 11:32, Eph. 2:4), and fully just (Rom. 3:25, 1 John 4:10).

In the Old Testament, God told us what he was going to do (save us), and in the New Testament, he did it. He was faithful to his word and true to his character.

But that is only half of the story.

2. God makes sinners righteous

God does not merely leave sinners unpunished; he justifies them (“You are innocent”) and makes them righteous (“You are mine”). This is the surprising announcement of the gospel.

We were lost, but God found us. We were dead in our sins, but God made us alive in Christ Jesus. We were part of Adam’s family, but when we turned to God in faith, he adopted us into his family.

It’s as though a king had torn down all the prisons, and adopted the prisoners as his royal heirs.

What does it mean to say “God is righteous in making the sinner righteous?”

To say, “God is righteous” is to say, “God is faithful to himself (he is just and merciful) and he is faithful to his creation (he has not abandoned us, but he is for us and with us).”

To say, “God makes sinners righteous” is to say, “God justifies the ungodly” (Rom. 4:5). He who knew no sin became sin that we might become righteous with his righteousness (John 1:29, 2 Cor. 5:21).

These are two sides of the same coin: Because God is righteous, he makes sinners righteous. And in making sinners righteous, God reveals his righteousness.

Do you see what this means?

  • You don’t need to make yourself righteous because God has redeemed and accepted you
  • You don’t need to make yourself righteous and holy because God has changed you and made you new
  • You don’t need to maintain your salvation because God can be trusted to keep you and finish the good work he began in you

Your part is to quit trying to do God’s job. Your part is to rest in the One who is our righteousness, holiness, and salvation from God.

Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and unfathomable his ways! (Romans 11:33)

—

Righteousness is a gift from God, but what is the righteousness of God? And how does it relate to the wrath of God? The righteousness of God is probably the least understood part of the new covenant. My new ebook exploring The Righteousness of God is available now on Patreon.

God is Righteous in Making the Sinner Righteous

by

Years ago I heard Joseph Prince say, “God is righteous in making the sinner righteous.” When I heard this, my spirit responded with a hearty “Amen!”

But this was one of those times when my spirit grasped a truth faster than my brain. As they say, it was truth that was better “felt than telt.”

What does it mean to say, “God is righteous in making the sinner righteous”? I believed it with all my heart, but I couldn’t explain it.

Can you?

The puzzle God had to solve

When Adam sinned, he put his entire family – including you and me – on death row (Rom. 5:17). By walking away from God, he put all of us under the law of sin and death.

What could God do in this situation?

A just God could not say, “I will turn a blind eye to their rebellion and pretend it never happened.”

A merciful God could not say, “I will slay the lot of them and start afresh.”

A loving God could not say, “I will let them go their own way and do nothing.”

Do you see the difficulty? God could be just or merciful, but not both. To act justly, was to act unmercifully, and vice versa.

What could God do?

Thankfully, our wise and wonderful Father had a brilliant solution: the cross. Through his Son, he clothed himself in humanity, bore our sins, and redeemed us with his blood. He gave himself as a ransom for all (1 Tim. 2:6).

With this in mind, we can unpack the statement, “God is righteous in making the sinner righteous.” There are two parts:

1. God is righteous

The righteousness of God is revealed in the cross (Rom. 3:25–26). God did not cheat or cut corners when he kept his promise to save us. In sending his Son, he was fully loving (John 3:16, Rom. 5:8), fully merciful (Rom. 11:32, Eph. 2:4), and fully just (Rom. 3:25, 1 John 4:10).

In the Old Testament, God told us what he was going to do (save us), and in the New Testament, he did it. He was faithful to his word and true to his character.

But that is only half of the story.

2. God makes sinners righteous

God does not merely leave sinners unpunished; he justifies them (“You are innocent”) and makes them righteous (“You are mine”). This is the surprising announcement of the gospel.

We were lost, but God found us. We were dead in our sins, but God made us alive in Christ Jesus. We were part of Adam’s family, but when we turned to God in faith, he adopted us into his family.

It’s as though a king had torn down all the prisons, and adopted the prisoners as his royal heirs.

What does it mean to say “God is righteous in making the sinner righteous?”

To say, “God is righteous” is to say, “God is faithful to himself (he is just and merciful) and he is faithful to his creation (he has not abandoned us, but he is for us and with us).”

To say, “God makes sinners righteous” is to say, “God justifies the ungodly” (Rom. 4:5). He who knew no sin became sin that we might become righteous with his righteousness (John 1:29, 2 Cor. 5:21).

These are two sides of the same coin: Because God is righteous, he makes sinners righteous. And in making sinners righteous, God reveals his righteousness.

Do you see what this means?

  • You don’t need to make yourself righteous because God has redeemed and accepted you
  • You don’t need to make yourself righteous and holy because God has changed you and made you new
  • You don’t need to maintain your salvation because God can be trusted to keep you and finish the good work he began in you

Your part is to quit trying to do God’s job. Your part is to rest in the One who is our righteousness, holiness, and salvation from God.

Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and unfathomable his ways! (Romans 11:33)

—

Righteousness is a gift from God, but what is the righteousness of God? And how does it relate to the wrath of God? The righteousness of God is probably the least understood part of the new covenant. My new ebook exploring The Righteousness of God is available now on Patreon.

God is Righteous in Making the Sinner Righteous

by

Years ago I heard Joseph Prince say, “God is righteous in making the sinner righteous.” When I heard this, my spirit responded with a hearty “Amen!”

But this was one of those times when my spirit grasped a truth faster than my brain. As they say, it was truth that was better “felt than telt.”

What does it mean to say, “God is righteous in making the sinner righteous”? I believed it with all my heart, but I couldn’t explain it.

Can you?

The puzzle God had to solve

When Adam sinned, he put his entire family – including you and me – on death row (Rom. 5:17). By walking away from God, he put all of us under the law of sin and death.

What could God do in this situation?

A just God could not say, “I will turn a blind eye to their rebellion and pretend it never happened.”

A merciful God could not say, “I will slay the lot of them and start afresh.”

A loving God could not say, “I will let them go their own way and do nothing.”

Do you see the difficulty? God could be just or merciful, but not both. To act justly, was to act unmercifully, and vice versa.

What could God do?

Thankfully, our wise and wonderful Father had a brilliant solution: the cross. Through his Son, he clothed himself in humanity, bore our sins, and redeemed us with his blood. He gave himself as a ransom for all (1 Tim. 2:6).

With this in mind, we can unpack the statement, “God is righteous in making the sinner righteous.” There are two parts:

1. God is righteous

The righteousness of God is revealed in the cross (Rom. 3:25–26). God did not cheat or cut corners when he kept his promise to save us. In sending his Son, he was fully loving (John 3:16, Rom. 5:8), fully merciful (Rom. 11:32, Eph. 2:4), and fully just (Rom. 3:25, 1 John 4:10).

In the Old Testament, God told us what he was going to do (save us), and in the New Testament, he did it. He was faithful to his word and true to his character.

But that is only half of the story.

2. God makes sinners righteous

God does not merely leave sinners unpunished; he justifies them (“You are innocent”) and makes them righteous (“You are mine”). This is the surprising announcement of the gospel.

We were lost, but God found us. We were dead in our sins, but God made us alive in Christ Jesus. We were part of Adam’s family, but when we turned to God in faith, he adopted us into his family.

It’s as though a king had torn down all the prisons, and adopted the prisoners as his royal heirs.

What does it mean to say “God is righteous in making the sinner righteous?”

To say, “God is righteous” is to say, “God is faithful to himself (he is just and merciful) and he is faithful to his creation (he has not abandoned us, but he is for us and with us).”

To say, “God makes sinners righteous” is to say, “God justifies the ungodly” (Rom. 4:5). He who knew no sin became sin that we might become righteous with his righteousness (John 1:29, 2 Cor. 5:21).

These are two sides of the same coin: Because God is righteous, he makes sinners righteous. And in making sinners righteous, God reveals his righteousness.

Do you see what this means?

  • You don’t need to make yourself righteous because God has redeemed and accepted you
  • You don’t need to make yourself righteous and holy because God has changed you and made you new
  • You don’t need to maintain your salvation because God can be trusted to keep you and finish the good work he began in you

Your part is to quit trying to do God’s job. Your part is to rest in the One who is our righteousness, holiness, and salvation from God.

Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and unfathomable his ways! (Romans 11:33)

—

Righteousness is a gift from God, but what is the righteousness of God? And how does it relate to the wrath of God? The righteousness of God is probably the least understood part of the new covenant. My new ebook exploring The Righteousness of God is available now on Patreon.

God is Righteous in Making the Sinner Righteous

by

Years ago I heard Joseph Prince say, “God is righteous in making the sinner righteous.” When I heard this, my spirit responded with a hearty “Amen!”

But this was one of those times when my spirit grasped a truth faster than my brain. As they say, it was truth that was better “felt than telt.”

What does it mean to say, “God is righteous in making the sinner righteous”? I believed it with all my heart, but I couldn’t explain it.

Can you?

The puzzle God had to solve

When Adam sinned, he put his entire family – including you and me – on death row (Rom. 5:17). By walking away from God, he put all of us under the law of sin and death.

What could God do in this situation?

A just God could not say, “I will turn a blind eye to their rebellion and pretend it never happened.”

A merciful God could not say, “I will slay the lot of them and start afresh.”

A loving God could not say, “I will let them go their own way and do nothing.”

Do you see the difficulty? God could be just or merciful, but not both. To act justly, was to act unmercifully, and vice versa.

What could God do?

Thankfully, our wise and wonderful Father had a brilliant solution: the cross. Through his Son, he clothed himself in humanity, bore our sins, and redeemed us with his blood. He gave himself as a ransom for all (1 Tim. 2:6).

With this in mind, we can unpack the statement, “God is righteous in making the sinner righteous.” There are two parts:

1. God is righteous

The righteousness of God is revealed in the cross (Rom. 3:25–26). God did not cheat or cut corners when he kept his promise to save us. In sending his Son, he was fully loving (John 3:16, Rom. 5:8), fully merciful (Rom. 11:32, Eph. 2:4), and fully just (Rom. 3:25, 1 John 4:10).

In the Old Testament, God told us what he was going to do (save us), and in the New Testament, he did it. He was faithful to his word and true to his character.

But that is only half of the story.

2. God makes sinners righteous

God does not merely leave sinners unpunished; he justifies them (“You are innocent”) and makes them righteous (“You are mine”). This is the surprising announcement of the gospel.

We were lost, but God found us. We were dead in our sins, but God made us alive in Christ Jesus. We were part of Adam’s family, but when we turned to God in faith, he adopted us into his family.

It’s as though a king had torn down all the prisons, and adopted the prisoners as his royal heirs.

What does it mean to say “God is righteous in making the sinner righteous?”

To say, “God is righteous” is to say, “God is faithful to himself (he is just and merciful) and he is faithful to his creation (he has not abandoned us, but he is for us and with us).”

To say, “God makes sinners righteous” is to say, “God justifies the ungodly” (Rom. 4:5). He who knew no sin became sin that we might become righteous with his righteousness (John 1:29, 2 Cor. 5:21).

These are two sides of the same coin: Because God is righteous, he makes sinners righteous. And in making sinners righteous, God reveals his righteousness.

Do you see what this means?

  • You don’t need to make yourself righteous because God has redeemed and accepted you
  • You don’t need to make yourself righteous and holy because God has changed you and made you new
  • You don’t need to maintain your salvation because God can be trusted to keep you and finish the good work he began in you

Your part is to quit trying to do God’s job. Your part is to rest in the One who is our righteousness, holiness, and salvation from God.

Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and unfathomable his ways! (Romans 11:33)

—

Righteousness is a gift from God, but what is the righteousness of God? And how does it relate to the wrath of God? The righteousness of God is probably the least understood part of the new covenant. My new ebook exploring The Righteousness of God is available now on Patreon.

What Verse Should they Display in Churches?

by

Imagine you have been asked to pick a verse to display in your church sanctuary. What verse would you pick?

Some churches display the Ten Commandments, which is not a good choice. The law is holy, righteous, and good, but it has no power to make you holy, righteous, and good. Displaying the Law of Moses will only stir up sin and agitate your flesh.

I would prefer to display the Law of Christ or the Law of Liberty. Since these are new covenant laws, there is no danger of them inflaming sin. But there is a danger that some will read them through the wrong lens, so maybe not.

Some churches put this psalm above their entryways:

Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. (Psalm 100:4)

Other good psalms include Psalm 46:10 (“Be still, and know that I am God”) and Psalm 150:6 (“Let everything that has breath praise the Lord”).

Some display verses about the love of God, such as John 3:16 (“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life”) or Romans 5:8 (“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us”).

You might prefer a verse about Christian unity, such as Matthew 18:20 (“For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them”), or a verse that encourages faith, such as Proverbs 3:5 (“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding”).

But I have a verse that I think trumps all these choices. (If you have a better verse, let me know in the comments.) This is the verse I would pick:

For I am confident of this very thing, that he who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus. (Philippians 1:6)

Now, here is a verse to live by. It’s a verse that inspires trust in the Lord and keeps us from self-righteousness. This verse has three key phrases:

1. I am confident

What wonderful news for anxious believers. “I am confident” means “I am fully convinced” that what God has begun in you, he will see through to completion. You are not perfected by your good works but by his good work. You can count on it.

2. Good work

The great and glorious work that God is doing in your life is this: he is bringing forth your eternal identity. This is not a repair job, but a new work of creation.

In Christ, you are already new. What remains to be done is for you to grow into the person you are in him. This growth is brought about through the supernatural power of God (see Col. 2:19).

3. Will perfect it

“He will perfect it” means “he will complete it.” Your salvation and security rest on God’s faithfulness, not yours. You can trust him to finish what he began.

Saint, you do not need to worry about being half-finished or half-saved when the Lord returns. What God has begun in you, he will finish. He will bring you safely to his heavenly kingdom (1 Cor. 1:8, 2 Tim. 4:18).

He will never give up on you or write you off as a lost cause.

Isn’t that the best news ever? Isn’t this something we need to be reminded of regularly? Come on, now. Can I get an Amen?

If the church had a full revelation of what God is doing and has promised to do, we would never be tempted into dead works or law. We would quit striving and struggling and allow the Lord to shine through us.

A church that believed the words of Philippians 1:6 would be restful and fruitful. It would bear the sweet fragrance of Jesus and reveal the power of God to the lost and hurting.

—

If you liked this, you will love my latest Bible commentary, The Grace Bible: Philippians, Colossians & Philemon. It’s available now.

What readers are saying about the Grace Bible: “A tool I wish I had 25 years ago.” “A verse-by-verse wonder.” “A breath of fresh air.”

What Verse Should they Display in Churches?

by

Imagine you have been asked to pick a verse to display in your church sanctuary. What verse would you pick?

Some churches display the Ten Commandments, which is not a good choice. The law is holy, righteous, and good, but it has no power to make you holy, righteous, and good. Displaying the Law of Moses will only stir up sin and agitate your flesh.

I would prefer to display the Law of Christ or the Law of Liberty. Since these are new covenant laws, there is no danger of them inflaming sin. But there is a danger that some will read them through the wrong lens, so maybe not.

Some churches put this psalm above their entryways:

Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. (Psalm 100:4)

Other good psalms include Psalm 46:10 (“Be still, and know that I am God”) and Psalm 150:6 (“Let everything that has breath praise the Lord”).

Some display verses about the love of God, such as John 3:16 (“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life”) or Romans 5:8 (“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us”).

You might prefer a verse about Christian unity, such as Matthew 18:20 (“For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them”), or a verse that encourages faith, such as Proverbs 3:5 (“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding”).

But I have a verse that I think trumps all these choices. (If you have a better verse, let me know in the comments.) This is the verse I would pick:

For I am confident of this very thing, that he who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus. (Philippians 1:6)

Now, here is a verse to live by. It’s a verse that inspires trust in the Lord and keeps us from self-righteousness. This verse has three key phrases:

1. I am confident

What wonderful news for anxious believers. “I am confident” means “I am fully convinced” that what God has begun in you, he will see through to completion. You are not perfected by your good works but by his good work. You can count on it.

2. Good work

The great and glorious work that God is doing in your life is this: he is bringing forth your eternal identity. This is not a repair job, but a new work of creation.

In Christ, you are already new. What remains to be done is for you to grow into the person you are in him. This growth is brought about through the supernatural power of God (see Col. 2:19).

3. Will perfect it

“He will perfect it” means “he will complete it.” Your salvation and security rest on God’s faithfulness, not yours. You can trust him to finish what he began.

Saint, you do not need to worry about being half-finished or half-saved when the Lord returns. What God has begun in you, he will finish. He will bring you safely to his heavenly kingdom (1 Cor. 1:8, 2 Tim. 4:18).

He will never give up on you or write you off as a lost cause.

Isn’t that the best news ever? Isn’t this something we need to be reminded of regularly? Come on, now. Can I get an Amen?

If the church had a full revelation of what God is doing and has promised to do, we would never be tempted into dead works or law. We would quit striving and struggling and allow the Lord to shine through us.

A church that believed the words of Philippians 1:6 would be restful and fruitful. It would bear the sweet fragrance of Jesus and reveal the power of God to the lost and hurting.

—

If you liked this, you will love my latest Bible commentary, The Grace Bible: Philippians, Colossians & Philemon. It’s available now.

What readers are saying about the Grace Bible: “A tool I wish I had 25 years ago.” “A verse-by-verse wonder.” “A breath of fresh air.”

What Verse Should they Display in Churches?

by

Imagine you have been asked to pick a verse to display in your church sanctuary. What verse would you pick?

Some churches display the Ten Commandments, which is not a good choice. The law is holy, righteous, and good, but it has no power to make you holy, righteous, and good. Displaying the Law of Moses will only stir up sin and agitate your flesh.

I would prefer to display the Law of Christ or the Law of Liberty. Since these are new covenant laws, there is no danger of them inflaming sin. But there is a danger that some will read them through the wrong lens, so maybe not.

Some churches put this psalm above their entryways:

Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. (Psalm 100:4)

Other good psalms include Psalm 46:10 (“Be still, and know that I am God”) and Psalm 150:6 (“Let everything that has breath praise the Lord”).

Some display verses about the love of God, such as John 3:16 (“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life”) or Romans 5:8 (“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us”).

You might prefer a verse about Christian unity, such as Matthew 18:20 (“For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them”), or a verse that encourages faith, such as Proverbs 3:5 (“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding”).

But I have a verse that I think trumps all these choices. (If you have a better verse, let me know in the comments.) This is the verse I would pick:

For I am confident of this very thing, that he who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus. (Philippians 1:6)

Now, here is a verse to live by. It’s a verse that inspires trust in the Lord and keeps us from self-righteousness. This verse has three key phrases:

1. I am confident

What wonderful news for anxious believers. “I am confident” means “I am fully convinced” that what God has begun in you, he will see through to completion. You are not perfected by your good works but by his good work. You can count on it.

2. Good work

The great and glorious work that God is doing in your life is this: he is bringing forth your eternal identity. This is not a repair job, but a new work of creation.

In Christ, you are already new. What remains to be done is for you to grow into the person you are in him. This growth is brought about through the supernatural power of God (see Col. 2:19).

3. Will perfect it

“He will perfect it” means “he will complete it.” Your salvation and security rest on God’s faithfulness, not yours. You can trust him to finish what he began.

Saint, you do not need to worry about being half-finished or half-saved when the Lord returns. What God has begun in you, he will finish. He will bring you safely to his heavenly kingdom (1 Cor. 1:8, 2 Tim. 4:18).

He will never give up on you or write you off as a lost cause.

Isn’t that the best news ever? Isn’t this something we need to be reminded of regularly? Come on, now. Can I get an Amen?

If the church had a full revelation of what God is doing and has promised to do, we would never be tempted into dead works or law. We would quit striving and struggling and allow the Lord to shine through us.

A church that believed the words of Philippians 1:6 would be restful and fruitful. It would bear the sweet fragrance of Jesus and reveal the power of God to the lost and hurting.

—

If you liked this, you will love my latest Bible commentary, The Grace Bible: Philippians, Colossians & Philemon. It’s available now.

What readers are saying about the Grace Bible: “A tool I wish I had 25 years ago.” “A verse-by-verse wonder.” “A breath of fresh air.”

What Verse Should they Display in Churches?

by

Imagine you have been asked to pick a verse to display in your church sanctuary. What verse would you pick?

Some churches display the Ten Commandments, which is not a good choice. The law is holy, righteous, and good, but it has no power to make you holy, righteous, and good. Displaying the Law of Moses will only stir up sin and agitate your flesh.

I would prefer to display the Law of Christ or the Law of Liberty. Since these are new covenant laws, there is no danger of them inflaming sin. But there is a danger that some will read them through the wrong lens, so maybe not.

Some churches put this psalm above their entryways:

Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. (Psalm 100:4)

Other good psalms include Psalm 46:10 (“Be still, and know that I am God”) and Psalm 150:6 (“Let everything that has breath praise the Lord”).

Some display verses about the love of God, such as John 3:16 (“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life”) or Romans 5:8 (“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us”).

You might prefer a verse about Christian unity, such as Matthew 18:20 (“For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them”), or a verse that encourages faith, such as Proverbs 3:5 (“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding”).

But I have a verse that I think trumps all these choices. (If you have a better verse, let me know in the comments.) This is the verse I would pick:

For I am confident of this very thing, that he who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus. (Philippians 1:6)

Now, here is a verse to live by. It’s a verse that inspires trust in the Lord and keeps us from self-righteousness. This verse has three key phrases:

1. I am confident

What wonderful news for anxious believers. “I am confident” means “I am fully convinced” that what God has begun in you, he will see through to completion. You are not perfected by your good works but by his good work. You can count on it.

2. Good work

The great and glorious work that God is doing in your life is this: he is bringing forth your eternal identity. This is not a repair job, but a new work of creation.

In Christ, you are already new. What remains to be done is for you to grow into the person you are in him. This growth is brought about through the supernatural power of God (see Col. 2:19).

3. Will perfect it

“He will perfect it” means “he will complete it.” Your salvation and security rest on God’s faithfulness, not yours. You can trust him to finish what he began.

Saint, you do not need to worry about being half-finished or half-saved when the Lord returns. What God has begun in you, he will finish. He will bring you safely to his heavenly kingdom (1 Cor. 1:8, 2 Tim. 4:18).

He will never give up on you or write you off as a lost cause.

Isn’t that the best news ever? Isn’t this something we need to be reminded of regularly? Come on, now. Can I get an Amen?

If the church had a full revelation of what God is doing and has promised to do, we would never be tempted into dead works or law. We would quit striving and struggling and allow the Lord to shine through us.

A church that believed the words of Philippians 1:6 would be restful and fruitful. It would bear the sweet fragrance of Jesus and reveal the power of God to the lost and hurting.

—

If you liked this, you will love my latest Bible commentary, The Grace Bible: Philippians, Colossians & Philemon. It’s available now.

What readers are saying about the Grace Bible: “A tool I wish I had 25 years ago.” “A verse-by-verse wonder.” “A breath of fresh air.”

What Verse Should they Display in Churches?

by

Imagine you have been asked to pick a verse to display in your church sanctuary. What verse would you pick?

Some churches display the Ten Commandments, which is not a good choice. The law is holy, righteous, and good, but it has no power to make you holy, righteous, and good. Displaying the Law of Moses will only stir up sin and agitate your flesh.

I would prefer to display the Law of Christ or the Law of Liberty. Since these are new covenant laws, there is no danger of them inflaming sin. But there is a danger that some will read them through the wrong lens, so maybe not.

Some churches put this psalm above their entryways:

Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. (Psalm 100:4)

Other good psalms include Psalm 46:10 (“Be still, and know that I am God”) and Psalm 150:6 (“Let everything that has breath praise the Lord”).

Some display verses about the love of God, such as John 3:16 (“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life”) or Romans 5:8 (“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us”).

You might prefer a verse about Christian unity, such as Matthew 18:20 (“For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them”), or a verse that encourages faith, such as Proverbs 3:5 (“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding”).

But I have a verse that I think trumps all these choices. (If you have a better verse, let me know in the comments.) This is the verse I would pick:

For I am confident of this very thing, that he who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus. (Philippians 1:6)

Now, here is a verse to live by. It’s a verse that inspires trust in the Lord and keeps us from self-righteousness. This verse has three key phrases:

1. I am confident

What wonderful news for anxious believers. “I am confident” means “I am fully convinced” that what God has begun in you, he will see through to completion. You are not perfected by your good works but by his good work. You can count on it.

2. Good work

The great and glorious work that God is doing in your life is this: he is bringing forth your eternal identity. This is not a repair job, but a new work of creation.

In Christ, you are already new. What remains to be done is for you to grow into the person you are in him. This growth is brought about through the supernatural power of God (see Col. 2:19).

3. Will perfect it

“He will perfect it” means “he will complete it.” Your salvation and security rest on God’s faithfulness, not yours. You can trust him to finish what he began.

Saint, you do not need to worry about being half-finished or half-saved when the Lord returns. What God has begun in you, he will finish. He will bring you safely to his heavenly kingdom (1 Cor. 1:8, 2 Tim. 4:18).

He will never give up on you or write you off as a lost cause.

Isn’t that the best news ever? Isn’t this something we need to be reminded of regularly? Come on, now. Can I get an Amen?

If the church had a full revelation of what God is doing and has promised to do, we would never be tempted into dead works or law. We would quit striving and struggling and allow the Lord to shine through us.

A church that believed the words of Philippians 1:6 would be restful and fruitful. It would bear the sweet fragrance of Jesus and reveal the power of God to the lost and hurting.

—

If you liked this, you will love my latest Bible commentary, The Grace Bible: Philippians, Colossians & Philemon. It’s available now.

What readers are saying about the Grace Bible: “A tool I wish I had 25 years ago.” “A verse-by-verse wonder.” “A breath of fresh air.”

What Verse Should they Display in Churches?

by

Imagine you have been asked to pick a verse to display in your church sanctuary. What verse would you pick?

Some churches display the Ten Commandments, which is not a good choice. The law is holy, righteous, and good, but it has no power to make you holy, righteous, and good. Displaying the Law of Moses will only stir up sin and agitate your flesh.

I would prefer to display the Law of Christ or the Law of Liberty. Since these are new covenant laws, there is no danger of them inflaming sin. But there is a danger that some will read them through the wrong lens, so maybe not.

Some churches put this psalm above their entryways:

Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. (Psalm 100:4)

Other good psalms include Psalm 46:10 (“Be still, and know that I am God”) and Psalm 150:6 (“Let everything that has breath praise the Lord”).

Some display verses about the love of God, such as John 3:16 (“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life”) or Romans 5:8 (“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us”).

You might prefer a verse about Christian unity, such as Matthew 18:20 (“For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them”), or a verse that encourages faith, such as Proverbs 3:5 (“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding”).

But I have a verse that I think trumps all these choices. (If you have a better verse, let me know in the comments.) This is the verse I would pick:

For I am confident of this very thing, that he who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus. (Philippians 1:6)

Now, here is a verse to live by. It’s a verse that inspires trust in the Lord and keeps us from self-righteousness. This verse has three key phrases:

1. I am confident

What wonderful news for anxious believers. “I am confident” means “I am fully convinced” that what God has begun in you, he will see through to completion. You are not perfected by your good works but by his good work. You can count on it.

2. Good work

The great and glorious work that God is doing in your life is this: he is bringing forth your eternal identity. This is not a repair job, but a new work of creation.

In Christ, you are already new. What remains to be done is for you to grow into the person you are in him. This growth is brought about through the supernatural power of God (see Col. 2:19).

3. Will perfect it

“He will perfect it” means “he will complete it.” Your salvation and security rest on God’s faithfulness, not yours. You can trust him to finish what he began.

Saint, you do not need to worry about being half-finished or half-saved when the Lord returns. What God has begun in you, he will finish. He will bring you safely to his heavenly kingdom (1 Cor. 1:8, 2 Tim. 4:18).

He will never give up on you or write you off as a lost cause.

Isn’t that the best news ever? Isn’t this something we need to be reminded of regularly? Come on, now. Can I get an Amen?

If the church had a full revelation of what God is doing and has promised to do, we would never be tempted into dead works or law. We would quit striving and struggling and allow the Lord to shine through us.

A church that believed the words of Philippians 1:6 would be restful and fruitful. It would bear the sweet fragrance of Jesus and reveal the power of God to the lost and hurting.

—

If you liked this, you will love my latest Bible commentary, The Grace Bible: Philippians, Colossians & Philemon. It’s available now.

What readers are saying about the Grace Bible: “A tool I wish I had 25 years ago.” “A verse-by-verse wonder.” “A breath of fresh air.”

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