Justified

 "Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ."  Rom 5.1

Webster's 1828 defines "justified" in theology as "to pardon and clear from guilt; to absolve or acquit from guilt and merited punishment, and to accept as righteous on account of the merits of the Savior, or by the application of Christ's atonement to the offender."

In the Greek, from Strong's Concordance (1344), "justified" is to "render, show or regard as just or innocent."

The sum of the definition in antiquity and modern day; Even though I was guilty, then pardoned through faith in the Lord Jesus and His blood at Calvary, today, I stand before Him "justified" because of that blood and can know peace through Him.

Another thought has been rattling around as well, "Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin." (Rom 4.8)  "Imputed righteousness," (H 3049) means to take inventory, conclude, reason, reckon, suppose, think on.

Before I could know this "justification" I had to know "imputed righteousness."  Quite simply, when forgiveness is requested, He makes me "justified" in Him.

The gentle nudging of the Holy Ghost causes this believer to "take inventory and conclude" and repent of sins that would break fellowship and attitudes that would separate from His loving hand.  Then and only then, can a believer know "peace WITH God through His Son."

Are you justified, do you know peace?