Morning & Evening Devotional Reading–

May 15– Morning

 by C. H. Spurgeon, revised and edited by W. C. Neff

“All who believe are justified.” 

—Acts 13:39

 

The believer in Christ has already been “declared righteous” in God’s sight. It is a present reality. Faith does not produce this fruit far down the road but right now. One is declared righteous at the very moment the sinner’s heart comes alive to embrace Christ, accepting him as Lord and Master. Those who stand before the throne of God have been declared righteous in his sight, and so we are.

The thief upon the cross was justified the moment that he turned the eye of faith to Jesus. The Apostle Paul, even after years of service, was not more justified than was the thief with no service at all. We are today accepted in Jesus, the One we love. Today we are absolved from sin. Today we are acquitted at the bar of God’s justice.

To be sure, there are certain clusters of grapes that we will not be able to fully gather until we enter heaven, but already there is a vine that runs over the wall. It is like the manna in the wilderness– a portion of our daily sustenance that God supplies to us as we complete the journey.

But right now we are pardoned from sin and guilt; even now are our sins put away; even now we stand in the sight of God accepted. “There is, therefore, now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus.” There is neither speck, nor spot, nor wrinkle, nor any such thing remaining upon any believer who has been declared righteous by the Judge of all the earth.

Our present privilege should then awaken us to our present duty. And now, while life lasts, let us spend and be spent in every way that our sweet Lord Jesus desires. [M&E]