7. Justified freely
Romans 3:24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.
“Justified freely by his grace” is redundant, like “free gift.” Grace is free; Grace is all; Grace is enough; Grace is alone. Grace is free to me because of the redemption in Christ. Christ paid the extremely expensive price: His own innocent blood. Nothing is creation is more precious and costly than the blood of the Son of God. The exceeding greatness of the riches of Christ is granted to me for free. GRACE = God Riches At Christ’s Expense.
When I meditate on the cross of Christ I am overwhelmed at the cost of redeeming, or paying for, my soul. When I meditate on the freeness of the gift of being justified I am likewise overwhelmed. When I meditate on the Love of God expressed in the cross and I reflect on His Amazing Grace I am overwhelmed. When the Holy Spirit properly and powerfully works His power in me unto repentance and faith to believe His Grace my desire to love, serve and obey Him blazes with renewed zeal.
The Holy Spirit uses the Word of God to teach me what justification really means; then He teaches me that it is all given by grace alone. The redemption in Christ earned this free grace for me, and now by faith in Christ I am justified, righteous, pure, and holy, and without sin, guilt or shame. Believing this Gospel I relish the cleanness and freshness of the liquid love of God washing over me. I remember my Baptism and partake in the Lord’s Supper in remembrance of Jesus: the one is a washing of regeneration, the other is a drinking of the cleansing blood. I praise God with a shout: “I am justified freely by his grace.”