…It will be counted to us who believe in him who raised from the dead Jesus our Lord, who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification.
– Romans 4:24b-25
The righteousness that is counted to us by faith is not grounded in vague belief or generic trust in God—it is faith in the God “who raised from the dead Jesus our Lord.” The gospel is not an abstract system but a concrete, historical reality. Jesus was delivered up (handed over to death) for our trespasses, and He was raised for our justification. These twin actions form the foundation of our salvation: His death removed our guilt, and His resurrection secured our right standing with God. Without the cross, there is no payment for sin. Without the resurrection, there is no new life to receive.
Justification by faith is not faith in faith; it is faith in Christ crucified and risen. When we believe, we are not just assenting to a doctrine; we are entrusting ourselves to a person, and to the finished work He accomplished. His death answers for our sins. His resurrection declares us righteous. Faith unites us to Him so that what is true of Christ—His vindication, His acceptance before the Father—becomes true of us as well. The risen Christ stands as proof that the work is done and the way to God is open.
Prayer
Risen Lord Jesus, I believe that You died for my sins and rose for my justification. Help me to rest in Your finished work and to walk in the freedom that Your resurrection gives. Amen.
Meditation
Is my faith centered on the finished work of Christ—His cross and resurrection—or have I let it drift into vague spiritual ideas?