When you first believed in Jesus, you were justified. The word justified implies a few things so that you fully understand it. It firstly means (1) PEACE WITH GOD. Up to this point you were alienated from him because of the stain of your sins. Jesus (God and Man) in One was able to bridge the divide. Before Jesus, we could not ascend to heaven because God is too Holy, nor could God descend to Earth (like he used to walk in the garden) because He is too holy. We could not survive in His presence. That is why Jesus came via the Holy Spirit to the Virgin Mary. He condemned sin in the flesh, so that just as though one man (Adam) all were under the death penalty, now through one man (Jesus) all who believe in Him have eternal life. (2) You are made positionally RIGHTEOUS - meaning justice has been served, and you are in right standing with God. It was Jesus who paid your penalty. This is accessed through faith, and His (Jesus') Righteousness is imputed to us (in our favour). (3) AT this point we are BETHROTHED to Christ. To understand this we need to look to the Jewish wedding customs to gain better insight. When a Man wishes to Marry a Woman, He pays the bride price (in this case it was Jesus' sacrifice upon the cross). We are legally married even though the wedding ceremony hasn't happened yet. The Groom goes away to prepare a place for his bride (Jesus goes to the Father, and prepares a place for us. In His fathers house are many mansions...remember that verse?). During this year that the Groom is away, the Bride is to prepare herself (more on this in sanctification below). Without Justification, there could be no Union with God (God could not dwell in the believer)
The bride is to prepare herself. One of the things that the Groom leaves behind is Gifts for his bethrothed bride. The equivalence is the Gift of the Holy Spirit (and the Gifts of the Spirit). This equates to us being filled with the Holy Spirit and the process of Sanctification begins. This bethrothed bride is not free to run around with any other man, not free to fornicate, not free to commit adultery. (Joseph had initial concerns about Mary during this phase when he found out initially that she was with child). The process of sanctification (separation) is directly comparable to the call to Holiness for the believer. We have been given the Holy Spirit who helps us and empowers us in the call to holiness and separation from the world (worldliness). The OT Law was given but the law of righteousness was pursued by the works of the law instead of faith, and Israel was not able to attain it. We have the fulfillment of the law of righteousness through the body of Christ, such that the walking out of our life in faith is in obedience to God. God called Israels unfaithfullness Adultery in the OT. They ran after other gods, broke the commandments, and pursued their own will. They had not a heart for God. They worshipped Him with their lips but their hearts were far from Him. So too we have the new covenant (Justified by Christ and the Sanctification by the Spirit). Melach, you should think of yourself as this bethrothed bride in waiting. Are you going to run around with other lovers whilst bethrothed to Jesus? How are you as the bride in waiting conducting yourself whilst awaiting your Groom? God is a jealous God, and does not want to share you with another. He is coming for a bride that is pure, spotless and holy. Does that describe you? Its not too late.