Just as if I- cation

I'm sure you have heard that little play on words before. It really DOES proclaim a wonderful reality, that God, and God only, has reached out to cleanse each of us destined to be a part of His church. (We have been healed, justified, made alive in the life of Christ, righteous blood covers every sin... Lyrics from: 'We Have Been Healed' from Risen by Sovereign Grace Music) At some wonderful moment in time, an instant that remains forever, we suddenly have faith, belief, in the Lord Jesus Christ. Through this faith, God looks upon us as righteous because He sees the righteousness of His Son. We, it turns out, really had no chance to make atonement for the sins that divided us from a God who cannot forgive any sin. None of us, not one, is righteous on our own. We, therefore, cannot earn God's grace; He has to provide it for us. We can only be righteous when God substitutes the righteousness of Christ. (All our Sins, for His grace, What a glorious exchange!) The faith that brings on justification can only be given by God. We are saved, then, because He allows us to believe, and it is on the basis of this belief that we are made clean. At this glorious moment, the process turns to the life-long journey to sanctification, led by the Holy Spirit of God within us. What a wonderful, unearned gift! By faith alone, through grace alone. Did you notice that God did it all because He gave it all. He IS a wonderful, loving awesome God and we are His children Praise our God!!!