“For there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not.”
(Ecclesiastes 7:20)
Biblical justification refers to the act of God pronouncing a sinner to be righteous based on faith in Jesus Christ. It is a legal declaration where God pardons the sinner, crediting the righteousness of Christ to the believer’s account such that our judicial standing and relationship to God is restored.
At the same time, justification does not produce sinless perfection in this life. A man may be just before God and sincerely pursue what is good, yet still be overtaken by sin. The saints in heaven are made perfect, but the saints on earth still require continual pardon, correction, and grace.
For this reason, though justified, as Christians we must watchfully guard our conduct, speech, relationships, and reputation, as our failures may cause others to reproach the ways of God. The fact that we still have a sin nature prone to corruption should encourage us toward a greater dependence on God instead of leaning on our own strength.
This reality should also create more compassion toward others when they stumble. When we rightfully understand how prone we ourselves are to falling, we will not be astonished when a fellow brother or sister in Christ sins, realizing that without the continuing grace of God that could be us.
The fact that sin remains in each of us urges both caution and patience. Caution says, “I too may fall.” Patience says, “Another’s failure must be handled with the love and grace I myself also continually need.” Neither minimizes holiness but rather both arise from a true understanding of sanctification in this life. Believers may truly grow in grace, and certainly should. Yet they also remain dependent on God every hour.[1]
We therefore need grace to resist our own corruption, wisdom to avoid unnecessary opportunities for sin, meekness when others offend, restraint when wounded pride desires to defend itself, and charity toward those who stumble. At the same time, awareness of our own sin should not produce despair, but rather prayerful dependence on the God who alone can preserve, restore, and progressively sanctify His people.
Contemplations:
- Don’t Let Me Depend on My Own Strength. Keep me from thinking that past victories make me less vulnerable to future falls. I still need Your sustaining grace every hour. Give me wisdom to watch for opportunities where temptation commonly enters, and to seek Your help before sin gains advantage. Let the knowledge of remaining corruption make me cautious rather than careless and humble rather than confident.
- Teach Me to Walk Without Giving Occasion. My conduct can either adorn the truth I profess or give others reason to speak against it. Order my words, choices, habits, and dealings so that I do not carelessly bring reproach on Your ways. Let my life reflect the holiness I confess, knowing that every good step depends on Your grace.
- Soften Me Toward the Failures of Others. When another believer stumbles, keep me from reacting as though I am beyond the reach of the same failure. Remind me how often I have needed patience, restoration, and forgiveness. Let another person’s fault move me toward humility, knowing that I need Your grace not only to resist my own sins, but also to respond rightly when the sins of others disappoint or wound me.
- Give Me the Wisdom to Let Some Things Pass. Not every word spoken against me deserves a response. Not every slight must be examined, preserved, and repaid. Give me the quiet strength to overlook what should be overlooked. Keep me from feeding injuries by rehearsing them inwardly. Make meekness stronger in me than the desire to retaliate, and love stronger than wounded self-importance.
Prayer (Supplication):
Merciful God, help me never forget that I am a sinner in need of continual grace. And do not allow my justification to become an excuse for carelessness, nor sanctification to become an occasion for pride.
Guard me from confidence in my own stability. I can fall where I imagine myself to be strong. Sustain me in temptation, restrain my tongue, order my conduct, and keep me from giving unnecessary occasion for Your truth to be reproached.
Grant me wisdom in dealing with the failures of others. Give me courage to address sin where love requires it, but free me from the spirit that delights in exposing faults or standing above those who fall.
When words are spoken against me, give me discernment to know what must be answered and what should simply be allowed to die. Rescue me from the exhausting habit of taking every offense to heart. Quiet the impulse to retaliate, justify myself, or keep an inward record of injuries.
Above all, continue Your sanctifying work within me, and form in me the meekness, patience, wisdom, and charity that reflect the life of Christ.
I cannot keep myself. So hold me by Your grace, restore me when I stumble, and make the knowledge of my remaining sin a continual reason to seek You more earnestly.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Further Scripture References:
1 Kings 8:46; Prov. 20:9; Rom. 3:23; 1 John 1:8
[1] Edward Reynolds, Annotations on the Book of Ecclesiastes, (London: J. Streater, 1669), 234-236.
