For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved. – Romans 10:10
Two people went through school and university together. Life went on and they went their different ways and lost contact. One went on to become a judge, while the other went down and down and ended up a criminal. One day the criminal appeared before the judge. He had committed a crime to which he had pleaded guilty. The judge recognized his old friend, and face a dilemma. He was a judge so he had to be just; he couldn’t let the man off. On the other hand, he did not want to punish the man, because he loved him. So he told his friend that he would fine him the correct penalty for the offence… Then he came down from his position as a judge and… [paid] the penalty for him. 35
When Christians respond to God’s grace with repentance and faith, we are made right with God; justified, literally “declared to be blameless.”36 This justifying grace was personified when on the cross, Jesus gave himself to be “a propitiationd for the sin of the whole world.”37 Consequently, we are liberated from the power of guilt and sin and restored to a right relationship as children of God. This is possible only because God has imputed (implanted) the righteousness of Christ in us!38
因为，人心里相信就可以称义，口里承认就可以得救。 《罗马书》10：10
两个人是同学直到一起上大学。生活继续，他们走了不同的路，失去了联系。一个人成为法官，另一个则每况愈下，最终成为一个罪犯。一天，罪犯出现在法官面前，他承认所犯罪行。法官认出了他的老朋友，但面临两难局面。一方面，他是一名法官，所以他必须是公正的，他不能让这个人无事一样离开。另一方面，他不想惩罚那个人，因为他爱他。所以他告诉他的朋友，他会判他交付罚金。。然后他从法官的席位走下来，替他支付了罚金。
当基督徒以悔改和信心回应上帝的恩典时，我们就与上帝和好。称义，字面意义为“被宣判无罪”。这种称义的恩典是以耶稣在十字架上以完全的人的形象，亲自为全世界的人做了挽回祭。因此，我们从罪恶的权势中解脱出来，并恢复上帝儿女的正确关系。这样的可能性，仅仅因为上帝已经把基督的义归到（或植入）在我们里面了！
怎能如此，像我这样罪人，也能蒙主宝血救赎？
因我罪过使祂受苦，因我罪过使祂受死；
奇异的爱！何能如此，我主我神竟为我死？
奇異的爱！ 何能如此，我主，我神，竟為我死。
反思
仔细思想因着基督的牺牲而让我们领受称义的恩典。写一句话来形容耶稣的爱。
Reflection
Consider Christ’s sacrifice that led to you receiving justifying grace. Pen a short sentence to Jesus in response to His love.
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