Grace For When We Mess Up

God declares Christians righteous.

A Facebook friend recently posted:

Christianity should feel like "my chains fell off,” not "I better not mess up.”

I love that statement because it perfectly describes salvation and our relationship with God thereafter. We have been declared righteous, and God has graciously removed the sentence of condemnation that stood over us. If you’ve ever felt crushed by the weight of trying to be ‘good enough,’ you’re not alone. But here’s the good news: God isn’t waiting for you to measure up. Through Jesus, He’s already declared you righteous.

It is essential to understand that the forgiveness that accompanies our salvation does not merely cover every sin we’ve committed before our baptism. It actively works in the present and continues with us throughout our lives on earth. It isn't just that we have been forgiven — we are forgiven — even when we make mistakes. This is what it means to be justified. God has removed from us all guilt, penalty, and condemnation. Furthermore, Paul connects this directly to our assurance of salvation: "Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ" (Romans 5:1). If we know we have been justified, we can be assured of our salvation and confident that we are going to heaven. Paul certainly had this confidence, and he wrote in a way that assures us we can know it too.

Understanding the true nature of justification is critical for our faith, as it assures us of our standing before God. However, this understanding hasn’t always been universally embraced. Throughout Christian history, differing interpretations of justification have emerged, often blending grace with human effort. One such example can be seen within the Restoration Movement, which has sometimes emphasized personal obedience and good works as essential to maintaining justification. This perspective raises an important question: does our salvation depend on what we do or solely on what Christ has done for us?

For instance, some believe that when a person is justified, they are made righteous—and thus, their ongoing justification relies on their personal obedience and good works.¹ From this perspective, justification becomes subjective, causing us to question whether we will ever attain the acceptable standard that qualifies us as “good enough” to be saved. There is very little peace and assurance from this viewpoint because any reference to salvation by grace must be tempered by the reminder, “but I have to be faithful.”

Yes, Christ Demands Holy Living

It’s natural to wonder how salvation by grace aligns with the biblical call to holy living. If salvation is entirely a gift, does that mean we can live however we want? Does grace remove the need for effort in our spiritual growth?”

The answer is no.

Salvation is the Foundation, Not the Result of Righteous Living:

Salvation by grace does not eliminate the need for righteous living; it empowers it. Righteous living is not the cause of our salvation but its result, (Ephesians 2:8-10). While our works don’t save us, salvation by grace naturally leads us to a life that reflects God’s holiness.

Grace is a Teacher:

Grace is transformative, teaching us to say no to ungodliness:

For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in this present age.

– Titus 2:11-12

Grace changes not just our status before God but also our hearts and desires.

Relationship Over Legalism:

Living righteously is not about adhering to a checklist of laws to earn favor but about walking in a relationship with God. Jesus Himself said, “If you love me, keep my commands” (John 14:15). Our obedience stems from love and gratitude for what God has done, not fear of condemnation.

Declared Righteous

It would be better if we recognized that justification is not merely about being made righteous; instead, it is about being declared righteous. Our standing before God and His law has changed objectively. We have moved from being under the penalty of sin to enjoying a new status of being in right standing before God, having been granted freedom from the law’s penalty. In other words, justification addresses our guilt by lifting the associated condemnation. This is all by grace. We should be moved by the fact that, in salvation, God justifies the ungodly (Romans 4:5). God affirms that even though we are sinners, we comply with the law. “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus" (Romans 8:1).

How can this be?

Salvation flows from grace, not from adherence to law. This applies to our initial salvation and our ongoing salvation. It is impossible to conform to law (that is, to be justified) regarding its commands because we have transgressed them — even after coming to Christ for salvation. When God justifies us, He is not declaring that we are blameless or have kept the law without sin. Instead, justification is God's announcement that we are in good standing with the law concerning its penalties. This means that God views us not as if we never sin but as if our due penalty has been satisfied—which, indeed, it has.

To make the point, Paul quoted David in Romans 4:

How joyful is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered! How joyful is a person whom the Lord does not charge with iniquity and in whose spirit is no deceit!

– Psalm 32:1-2

God justifies sinners by pardoning them personally and choosing not to attribute their sins to them.

100% Forgiven

Finally, it is essential to understand that this change in our relationship with God does not happen gradually; it does not occur in stages. Justification is a divine act that results in an immediate and complete change in our status before God. In one decisive moment², as proclaimed by God, we go from 0% to 100% forgiven in His eyes. Justification is also a lasting state, beginning with that instantaneous divine action and remaining fully intact (100%) as long as we keep our connection with Christ³. We must not entertain the notion that only part of our sins are forgiven, leaving us partially redeemed. Partial forgiveness is inadequate for salvation.

However, we can be grateful to God, for through our ongoing faith⁴ in Jesus Christ's completely sufficient sacrificial work, our sins are forgiven. This is the essence of what it means to be justified.

So, just like the Facebook post my friend shared, praise God for the freedom we’ve been given — even if we mess up — He won’t walk away from us or send us off to hell. Take a moment right now to thank God for this incredible truth: you are fully forgiven, fully loved, and fully accepted in Christ. Isn’t that worth celebrating?”

1. This is the Galatianism of the first century — where Christians insisted that salvation was by Jesus, but specific works of law (i.e., circumcision) had to be performed to be saved. This thinking is also represented in Catholic doctrine — which teaches that salvation comes by faith + works. Paul vigorously resisted such teaching, and so should we.

2. This moment is at our baptism, Titus 3:4-7.

3. We should never be content with mediocrity or ignore sin. The expectation is that we avoid sin, 1 John 2.1. As Christians, God calls us to hate sin and strive to live in holiness, as He is holy. If a person chooses to reject his faith (dependence on God) and walk in darkness, he exits the state of grace.

4. None of this should imply that salvation means we get to sit passively. Faith is active, as James reminds us: ‘Faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead’ (James 2:17). True faith produces fruit in our lives, not as a requirement for salvation but as evidence of it.”