Freely and Fully

Read

Romans 3:24 “And all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.”

Think

We live in a world where almost nothing is truly free. There’s usually a catch, a fine print, a hidden cost. Even when something is labeled “free,” we’ve been trained to ask, “What’s the real price?” That mindset makes sense in a culture built on earning, trading, and proving. But when it comes to grace, that same mindset becomes a roadblock. Because grace doesn’t play by the world’s rules.

Paul says in this verse that we are “justified freely.” That word “justified” is legal language. It means to be declared righteous in the sight of God. Not just forgiven. Not just tolerated. Justified. In the courtroom of heaven, the gavel comes down, and the verdict over your life is “not guilty.” And that verdict is not based on your behavior. It is based on grace.

Grace means unearned favor. It means you receive what you could never deserve. And Paul doesn’t just say we are justified by grace. He adds the word “freely.” That word in the Greek carries the sense of “without cause.” In other words, God doesn’t justify you because of anything in you. He does it because of everything in him. His love. His mercy. His heart to redeem what sin has broken.

But let’s be honest. That kind of grace offends us a little. We want to feel like we’ve contributed something. That we’ve done our part. That we’ve earned at least a percentage of our standing with God. But the gospel refuses to split the credit. It is not a group project. It is a finished work.

Imagine walking into a courtroom, guilty of a crime with a mountain of evidence stacked against you. The judge not only declares you innocent, but steps down, pays the penalty himself, and invites you to live as if the offense never happened. That’s justification. And it is not cheap. It cost Jesus everything.

That’s what makes the second half of this verse so important. We are justified freely, but not carelessly. This is not the result of a lenient God who shrugs at sin. It is the result of a holy God who paid for it in full. “Through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.” Redemption is a word used in the marketplace. It refers to the buying back of something that was lost, enslaved, or taken. To redeem means to purchase at a price. And Jesus paid that price with his blood.

We were not just slightly off track. We were enslaved to sin. We were helpless to free ourselves. But Jesus didn’t wait for us to fix our condition. He entered it. He walked into the slave market and said, “I’ll pay whatever it costs to set them free.” And he did. Not with silver or gold, but with his own life.

This is the tension of the gospel: justification is free for us, but it was anything but free for Jesus. It is freely offered, but never cheaply given. Grace may not cost you, but it cost him. And that’s what makes it so sacred.

This is where our view of God starts to shift. He is not some cold judge handing out pardons with a bored expression. He is a Redeemer. A Rescuer. A God who gets personally involved, who sees our chains and refuses to leave us there. The cross is not just a symbol of sacrifice. It is the receipt. The proof that the price has been paid in full.

So how do we respond? First, we stop trying to earn what has already been given. When you try to pay for grace, you insult the giver. You suggest that Jesus did not do enough. But he did. And the only right response is to receive it with joy and awe.

Second, we extend that same grace to others. If God has justified you freely, how can you withhold grace from someone else? If he has wiped your record clean, why are you still keeping score?

And finally, we live like people who have been set free. Not out of guilt, but out of gratitude. We obey not to earn God’s love, but because we already have it. We pursue holiness not to stay justified, but because we are already declared righteous in Christ.

Grace is not passive. It produces fruit. When you really believe that you have been justified freely and fully, you stop performing and start praising. You stop hiding and start healing. You stop striving and start resting.

Apply

Take a moment today to write out a few words that describe how you’ve been trying to earn or prove your worth before God. Now, beside each word, write the word “freely.” Remind yourself that justification is not a trade. It is a gift. Then thank Jesus specifically for the cost he paid to redeem you. Let your heart sit in that truth. You are justified freely and fully. Walk in that freedom today.

Pray

Jesus, thank you for justifying me freely by your grace. I know I could never earn it. I confess that I often try to prove my worth or perform for your love. Teach me to rest in what you have already accomplished. Let the truth of my justification reshape how I think, how I live, and how I treat others. You paid the full price. Help me live in the joy of your freedom. In Jesus’ name. Amen.