What Will Be Your Next Step?

“Therefore since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand.”

 

This comes from today’s reading, Romans 5:1-11.

 

What a great privilege it is to be justified, that is, to be right before God. To know that because of Jesus’ death our sins no longer count in God’s eyes. To know that we will spend eternity in heaven. What a blessing it is indeed.

 

Take a second and recall how you came to be justified.

 

Typical of the time, for me it was at my baptism. My parents had me baptized a few weeks after my birth, and my parents also ensured I attended Confirmation classes 12 years later.

 

God justified me through the church my parents attended at the time.

 

The percentage of the population attending church is down compared to a half century ago when I was baptized. Some have opined that with the breakdown of the American family comes a reduction in church attendance. Others have said that there are too many competing activities and many times these activities win out over church attendance.

 

Whatever the reason, the church still has the job of proclaiming the Gospel and finding God’s souls.

 

And since fewer people are coming to church, the church must go where the people are!

 

In the past, we thought of mission as being overseas. Many would give money to fund a missionary’s work in a foreign land. Mission was done by paid professionals. But now, the mission field is also here at home, in our community.

 

The church consists of people, mostly justified people. It is up to these people, including you and I, to find God’s souls. 

 

As justified souls, we know Jesus. We need to go with Jesus and share the Good News in our neighborhoods.

 

You are justified.

 

What will be your next step?