THE RESULTS: REDEMPTION AND BEING DECLARED RIGHTEOUS - Conclusion

 What does this mean for each of us? Those who have been selected to rule with Jesus in heaven have already been declared righteous as children of God. (Titus 3:7; 1 John 3:1) Their sins have forgiven. They no longer have, as it were, a criminal record, and thus they qualify to be in the Kingdom. (Romans 8:1, 2, 30) Those who have an earthly hope have been declared righteous as friends of God, and their sins are forgiven. (James 2:21-23) The great crows, who will survive Armageddon, have the prospect of never dying at all. (John 11:26) The "righteous " and the "unrighteous" who are sleeping in death are in line to be resurrected. (Acts 24:15; John 5:28, 29) Eventually, all obedient servants of Jehovah on earth will "have the glorious freedom of the children of God." (Romans 8:21) What an amazing blessing comes from the atonement arrangement-total reconciliation with our Father. Jehovah. 

Truly, our situation was once like that of the young man mentioned earlier who lost everything and inherited a huge debt he could never repay. But thanks to Jehovah, we have help. Our situation has change because of the atonement arrangement and the payment of the ransom. Our faith in Jesus Christ allows us to be redeemed or set free from sin and death. Our sins can also be canceled, and our criminal record erased. Most important of all, though, we can now have a good relationship with our loving heavenly Father, Jehovah.

As we mediate on what Jehovah and Jesus have done for us, our heart is filled with appreciation. (2 Corinthians 5:15) Without their help, we would have no hope at all! But what does Jehovah's forgiveness really mean for us individually? That is what we will discuss in the next article.

Next time: Jehovah's Forgiveness -What It Means for You

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