I am continually learning these five things from God's word:

1. In myself, I am guilty, nothing but sin and helpless to change.
2. In Christ, I am justified by His blood and righteousness alone.
3. Because I am no more condemned, because Christ is my deliverer from sin in all its consequences, I am compelled by grace to go and sin no more
4. Christ is my Advocate when I sin.
5. I wait for the hope of righteousness by faith.

As I meditate on the word of God in the experience of this life of faith, I retread these five truths over and over again.

First there's nothing in me and there never will be anything in me that can quiet my conscience, comfort me with a real and solid peace or give me confidence before God. My past is failure. My present is corruption and weakness. My future holds no promise from anything I am or anything I will yet become.

My conscience bears witness to this with God's word. Genesis 6:5; Psalm 14:2-3; Psalm 39:5; Isaiah 64:6; Romans 3:9-19; 7:24; Philippians 3:7-11.

Second, my condition is such that I must be saved by the free and omnipotent grace of God. Grace is found in one place alone:  in Christ.  In Christ I am justified. In Christ I am sanctified. In Christ I am perfected; I am made holy. 1 Corinthians 1:30; Hebrews 1:3;10:10,14; Ephesians 1:3-7; Romans 8:34. He is the last Adam, the Head of the church. God made His covenant with Him for His people in Him. His obedient life and His offering of Himself to God for my sins in death is the basis of all my coming and calling and hoping.

Third, I am taught by the grace of God in Christ to sin no more. Do you find it so in scripture and in your experience from the "stress of the new nature?" Does the same "neither do I condemn thee" that so comforts you, also exhort you to "go and sin no more" (John 8:11)?  And is it not on the basis of being in Christ and because He is our Deliverer that sin will not have dominion over all who thus live in Him and live under that grace (Romans 6:14)?  Let me then go to Him with this confidence, this promise and this hope, that He will subdue all my iniquities. Let me rejoice in His deliverance with all who put their trust in Him. Psalm 5:10; Psalm 39:8; Psalm 119:133; Micah 7:18-20; Romans 6:6,11-12,14; 1 John 2:1.

Fourth, the faith that first led me to look to Christ who took my place before God, still teaches me that Christ is my Advocate and my Answer to all God requires of me in His law and justice. Before God and in my conscience by faith, He answers now for me by His blood and righteousness. In my life, He is the One I look to as my Answer for every need of grace and in every failure. He's the One I trust will answer every claim and accusation in Judgment. Christ is my Advocate. I began to live when He gave me this faith that looks to Him and pleads, "Lord, be my Answer, answer all for me." I live now looking to Him. By the word of God I believe that He will yet answer for me in Judgment and will forever by my Answer, my Advocate, in Himself, having died and put away my sin and done all to establish my righteousness.  John 8:11; 1 John 2:2; Romans 8:34; Hebrews 7:25.

Fifth, by the Spirit of Christ giving me faith in Him, I now wait for the hope of righteousness. I don't experience what my God-given faith sees I possess by the gospel of Christ. Sin is with me (Romans 7:24). Unbelief afflicts me. If I now had what I hoped for, I would have no need to hope for it any longer (Romans 8:24-25). But I abandon as repugnant everything men consider righteousness and everything I am tempted to trust as righteousness, and I to lay hold by faith on what Christ has done for me all by Himself. To be found in Him is my one desire and my repose. He has finished all my salvation and in Him it is perfect in every way. In Him, I have all. This hope teaches me that one day I shall be satisfied when I awake in His likeness. (Psalm 17:15)

Though I am a sinner, though my nature is nothing but sin, yet Christ is my Advocate. He stood up for me before the world was made when He agreed to take my sin, pay my debt, bear my load and meet all God's requirements for me. He stood up for me at the cross when He actually took my sin and made it His own, bearing my burden, paying my debt to God in my place. He commands me to sin no more, yet He stands even now as my Advocate when I do sin. (1 John 2:1-2). I long to be free from sin, but I will never be more than what I am in Him until the day of my redemption. While I walk by faith, I possess no more than what He says in His word that I have in Him (1 Corinthians 1:30; Colossians 2;9-10). I look to His blood and to His righteousness, and cry to Him for grace to free me from sin's dominion (Psalm 39:8; Psalm 119:133; Romans 6:14; Jeremiah 17:14; Romans 7:25). Yet I walk by faith, and by His Spirit, by this same God-given faith in Christ, I wait for the hope of righteousness (Galatians 5:5).

Great Redeemer, extend the border of your garment over me; cover me with your righteousness, cleanse me by your blood (Ruth 3:9; 1 John 1:7). Give me to know by faith that you have done the part of a kinsman Redeemer for my soul, and will therefore redeem me from all iniquity (Titus 2:14).

“Justice and judgment are the habitation of thy throne: mercy and truth shall go before thy face” ( Psalms 89:14)

This is a promise by God the Father, breathed out by God the Holy Spirit, concerning Christ, the Son of God. The promise is this: Christ will sit on heaven’s throne, ruling in justice and judgment.  Mercy and truth will go before His face.

A judge presides in the courtroom. His decisions alone determine the final outcome of every case. Courts decide things on earth. Infinitely more, the court of heaven. Everything is determined by the decisions God makes from heaven’s throne. Every case is tried in heaven. Every sentence is carried out according to God’s decree, His judgments.

The throne of God is the place of judgment.  God sits as Judge. “The heavens shall declare his righteousness: for God is judge himself” (Psalms 50:6). He rules over all. He has all the facts. He knows root and secondary causes. Nothing escapes His judgment. He will do right.  He determines everything by His judgment, especially matters of eternal destiny.  He will condemn the guilty. He will justify the righteous. Where is justice?  He sits on heaven’s throne. Where is judgment? It inhabits the throne of God.  God’s throne is the place where His justice presides. Whatever God decides, that’s the way things are, and that’s what will be carried out.  No exceptions.

Think of the woman taken in adultery in John 8:1-11. She was brought before Christ by her accusers. He judged her accusers and judged her case. His judgment was heaven’s decision: no condemnation. Her sins were made His. The Judge Himself becomes the accused in her place. He takes the full punishment.  She goes free, forgiven, cleansed, clothed in His righteousness -- no condemnation (Romans 8:1-4)!

If we have an appeal to make, we must make it to God in heaven, no matter how small or how great the case.  Life, death, sickness, health, family, righteousness, sin, faith and obedience: all cases are judged by God.

To our greatest comfort, God’s throne is a throne of mercy.  We see it in Christ’s handling of the woman in John 8.  How can the throne of the Judge of all be both a throne of judgment and mercy?  How can God be both just and merciful?  How can He be righteous and simultaneously be at peace with sinners?  Only one reason. Because Christ, by His death, brought mercy and truth together (Psalm 85:10). In the eternal decree of God He was slain as the Lamb of God for the sins of His people. His death is the reason perfect harmony prevails between God’s mercy and truth, His righteousness and peace. So much so, that in Christ, righteousness and peace have kissed each other (Psalm 85:10).  What a joyous spectacle that is! Perfect harmony?! Joyous agreement presiding in all of God’s perfections because of the death of the Lord Jesus Christ?!  Yes!  God’s mind, His will and His work are in harmonious and joyous display in the death of Christ, to the super abounding glory of God.

Christ has magnified God’s truth and mercy. Christ has established God’s throne as the place of judgment and mercy. Christ therefore reigns over all.  The Judge of all the earth does right in justifying every sinner for whom Christ died, because in the death of Christ, every perfection in God is glorified. Nothing could more glorify God than the death of His Son for chosen sinners. Nothing but the death of Christ enables God to be both just and the justifier of ungodly, chosen sinners. Nothing but the blood and righteousness of Christ prevail to uphold peace within God, enabling Him to be just and gracious to sinners. Nothing required greater wisdom and power, nothing displayed greater justice and grace, nothing made known the condescending love of God in His perfection but the incarnation, life and death of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Christ therefore sits on heaven’s throne as the High Priest who made atonement, obtained eternal redemption, made reconciliation, established everlasting righteousness, secured eternal inheritance, perfected His people by His one offering. And He sits as the conquering Savior-King. He fulfilled every promise. He conquered every enemy. He revealed the invisible God in the full luminance of His glory.  He deserves every blessing, honor and all authority. Heaven rings with shouts of acclamation!  “God is gone up with a shout, the LORD with the sound of a trumpet!” (Psalm 47:5). Take the throne!  Be Thou exalted, O God our Savior!  Oh, save, we beseech Thee!  “Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created” (Revelation 4:11).  “...with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing. And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever” (Revelation 5:12-13).

Out of justice and judgment, on the ground of Christ’s doing and dying, the throne of God is a throne of mercy and grace to every blood-bought child of God. God, in justice, defends every believer against all accusers, and subdues their every foe in their complete and eternal salvation by Jesus Christ. This He does in the open, from His throne. He set forth Christ as a propitiation, and He set Him on His throne to administer all things to the  church (Ephesians 1:10,22-23).

“Mercy and truth preserve the king: and his throne is upholden by mercy” (Proverbs 20:28).

“In mercy shall the throne be established: and he shall sit upon it in truth in the tabernacle of David, judging, and seeking judgment, and hasting righteousness” (Isaiah 16:5).

“Who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us” (Romans 8:33-34).

“Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:16).

Believers look to Christ. They have the mind of Christ: they think and believe the truth of who God is, who Christ is and how God justifies sinners by Him. They walk in the Spirit: they trust Christ and come to God by Him. They see and believe spiritual things: faith enables them to perceive reality as Christ and Him crucified, risen and reigning to God’s glory, for His people. They live their lives in this confidence, this hope, this desire to be found in Christ, to know Him, to be with Him. Their hope of righteousness is not in their own works, but it is in the faithful obedience of the Lord Jesus Christ their representative (Galatians 5:5).  Their hope of justice satisfied is the suffering and death of their substitute, the Lord Jesus Christ.  God has made Christ to them wisdom, righteousness, sanctification and redemption (1 Corinthians 1:30; 2 Corinthians 5:19-21; Hebrews 10:10,14; Jeremiah 23:6; Romans 10:4). They walk with the mind of Christ; they walk after the Spirit.

To all such there is no condemnation. Why?  Because they have a substitute, a sin-bearer, a propitiation. God made peace with them. They are reconciled to God by the death of His Son (Romans 5:10). Christ’s death is the ground for perfect harmony between God’s mercy and truth, His righteousness and peace, in the justification of every sinner who trusts Christ (Psalm 85:10). Christ, by His death, satisfied both God’s mercy towards sinners and the justice that upholds His throne (Psalm 89:14; Proverbs 20:28; Isaiah 16:5; Hebrews 4:16).

Representative is too small a word, but Christ is every believer’s representative before God. He is their Surety and their covenant Head (Psalm 119:122-123; Hebrews 7:22; Romans 5:12-21). Believers possess the obedience of their representative (Romans 5:19).  They have the righteousness of their representative (Romans 3:21-22; 10:4; 1 Corinthians 1:30; Jeremiah 23:6). They have the satisfaction to God of their representative (Romans 3:24-25; 1 John 2:2). They have the approval and acceptance of their representative (Ephesians 1:4). They are accepted for the sake of Him who stands before God and intercedes to God for them (Romans 8:34). They are forgiven for Christ's sake (Ephesians 4:32). They are accepted in Christ, the Beloved (Ephesians 1:5).  There is nothing true of God that is not true of Christ (Colossians 2:9). Believers are in Christ. Therefore, believers are complete in Him (Colossians 2:10). Christ is all to God and all to every believer (Colossians 3:11).  Is the Lord Jesus Christ all your standing and all in your coming to God?  Is He all to you?