At Peace With God
Notes
Transcript
Romans 5:1-11.
In a world constantly chasing after peace - be it political, industrial, or personal - we often overlook the most crucial peace of all: peace with God.
This divine harmony, unlike any earthly treaty, offers a transformative power that can reshape our entire existence.
The book of Romans, particularly chapter 5, verses 1-11, unveils a profound truth: through faith in Jesus Christ, we can attain a peace that surpasses all understanding.
This peace isn't just a temporary ceasefire in our struggles; it's a complete reconciliation with our Creator, allowing us to stand confidently in His grace.
"Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ." (Romans 5:1)
This verse serves as a cornerstone, reminding us that our righteousness before God isn't earned through our own merits, but freely given through faith.
It's a peace treaty written in the blood of Christ, signed with our belief, and sealed with God's promise.
This passage also brings into the framework, the over-arching plan of reconciliation and restoration for all of Creation that is Gods big picture plan.
The connective tissue remains:
Christ’s sacrifice reconciled humanity back to God
So we may now live in peace and at peace with our Creator
Thus solidifying the promise of the Messiah to
Bring lasting restoration and peace for all of Creation.
So, let’s begin with:
1- Promised Peace- Given
1- Promised Peace- Given
Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance,
An elder Pastor friend of mine used to tell me that anytime you find a “Therefore” in Scripture, you need to refer back to the passage previous to find what the “Therefore” is there for.
In the previous chapters, Apostle Paul, goes to great lengths to explain several key points.
He explains the need for all of mankind to be “Justified by Faith”
He then gives direction to find the “Way of Justification”
He, lastly, expounds on the “Blessings of those Justified by Faith in God”
Now Paul changes the topic with “Therefore”
Based on his previous explanations of being rightly justified by faith, Paul continues...
“Therefore, since we have been justified by Faith...”
Paul now lists six benefits we receive by being found righteous before God:
1- Peace With God.
2- Standing in Grace
3- The Hope of Gods Glory
4- Rejoicing in Sufferings
5- Jesus is the Only Way
6- Rejoicing in God
And we will expand on each of these benefits, as they appear in the text.
1- Peace With God.
The very first benefit of being justified in Gods eyes, is the dynamic impact on our lives of living in peace with God and declared Righteous before God.
The chasing after peace has been a continued goal of mankind down through the ages of time. It has become an obsession.
No matter the framing, whether it be:
Political, on the local or International platform
Industrial- balancing the struggle of progress against the good stewardship of our planet.
Or,
In the home or personal, humanity is forever chasing after it’s version of peace.
The Peace of Westphalia, concluded in 1648, marked the end of decades of conflict in Europe and recognized the importance of sovereignty, leading to a more peaceful coexistence among nations.
Yet, even this landmark process did not end all hostilities in Europe. Although different lines were drawn and borders were established, some for the first time- Neighboring countries in Europe still waged war against each other for years after the treaty was signed.
The one element that was missing is the one component we need the most-
Lasting Peace With God.
Unlike this historical peace treaty, our relationship with God demands a treaty forged through repentance and obedience.
By acknowledging our needs and His sovereignty, we establish a lasting peace that transcends worldly conflict, demonstrating the importance of harmony with our Creator.
With peace with God, comes the blessing of a reconciled relationship with God.
Justification and reconciliation go hand-in-hand with each other
God does not consider anyone righteous before Him, without His giving of Himself to us in friendship and setting the standard of Peace between the Godhead and humanity.
2- Standing in Grace
The standard of Peace coming to us through the Death and Resurrection of Jesus.
And Faith and belief in that Divine work is the key that opens the door for us to enter into Gods Peace, Grace and righteousness.
3- The Hope of Gods Glory
In Hebrews 12:14, we are reminded to 'Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.'
The Apostle Paul, a former persecutor of Christians, experienced a divine encounter with Jesus on the road to Damascus that transformed him from an enemy of the faith into one of its greatest advocates.
His journey illustrates that living in peace with God allows us to fulfill our divine purpose and encourages others to seek reconciliation as well.
We can now live in the hope of God’s Glory- A Hope that we would not have, outside of our righteousness in Gods sight.
Those outside of Gods righteousness, to this day, face the impending doom of Gods coming wrath and judgement.
As we trust in Gods work, we gain understanding that pushes our faith deeper in Christ
Bringing us to a point of total reliance on Him- Knowing that His promises are assured and His love for us is never-ending.
By using these connecting statements, Paul now has provided a road map for the believer to follow to better understand Gods overwhelming grace and love for us.
2- The Process of Pain in the Promise
2- The Process of Pain in the Promise
Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance,
And endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame,
Because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.
We overlap verse three to keep it all in context,
But what a beautiful concept.
As Paul continues in verse three, “Not only that...”
He is giving a first century version of an old American TV commercial- “But wait, there’s more...”
But the “More” isn’t what you would expect...
We rejoice in our sufferings? What’s that all about? And does that even make sense?
4- Rejoicing in Sufferings
Sufferings, in Scripture usually refers to Trials/Tribulations...
But here, Paul is getting down to the nitty-gritty.
He is talking about the actual pressures and potential persecution for our faith
And this isn’t just some false bravado… This rejoicing is also a part of being a Christian.
If we are to share in His victory, it only makes sense that we be willing to share in His suffering, as well.
And there is a point to the suffering- It is not simply random
Suffering- Produces Endurance
Endurance Produces Character
Character produces Hope
Hope does not put us to shame or disappoints
We can be encouraged by knowing that sufferings, pain and disappointments all work together in Gods plan.
Next we look at:
3- Love in Action, Proven
3- Love in Action, Proven
For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—
though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die—
but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
In the natural, What God did makes no sense at all.
Gratefully God does not operate in the natural, but rather in the Divine Supernatural.
The totality of the Redeeming value of Christ’s sacrifice can only be truly appreciated when one fact is considered:
While we were still buried in our sins, Christ died for all of humanity-
And not just for the sinners of the first century, but for the opportunity for
All of mankind, across all of time going forward-
To have the chance to be introduced to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.
To have the opportunity to say yes.
And He did this, knowing full well, that many would reject the offer, knowing that many still reject that Divine offer of a life lived in Peace with God.
God still left the door open- And its still open today- For any that would receive and believe in Christ, by faith.
As God has always been in control, we see this clearly now-
First: We were Sinners
Second: At the Right Time, Christ died for the ungodly
Third: We were enemies of God
Fourth: We were powerless to do anything about our sinful state.
But then came the Promise
4- Assured Salvation, Promised
4- Assured Salvation, Promised
Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God.
For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life.
More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.
This is Paul’s fifth benefit:
5- Jesus is the Only Way
So far the emphasis of this section has been, What God has done for us in Christ.
We have been justified
We live in Peace with God
We stand in God’s good Graces.
We can rejoice in our Blessed Hope and our accompanying sufferings.
And still, there is a, “But wait, there’s more...” yet to come.
Paul outlines the paradigm of what has been accomplished-
And what is yet to be accomplished.
What Christ accomplished in His first coming and what will be accomplished in His second coming.
In His first coming, we were saved by faith in the finished works of Jesus.
In His second coming, we will be saved from the coming Wrath of God- Ultimately poured out on all of Humanity that has refused to believe.
In the same way, although we have been from the guilt and condemnation of our sins-
We have not yet been saved from the continuing battle with sin, nor have we yet received our new glorified bodies- Finally free from the grip of sin and death.
If there is anything that we can hold onto as fast and secure, it’s the one thing that never changes, in a world of constant change-
The everlasting, unchanging nature of God’s amazing love for us.
It is the very foundation that all of creation rests on.
It is constant, steadfast and immovable. God’s love for us only grows stronger with the passage of time.
Christ’s redeeming actions for us is the bedrock that believers can stand on with assurance that our reconciliation back to God-
Had nothing to do with anything we did or any merit that we may have earned.
It was all done, and continues to be offered to any who would believe-
Completely out of God’s Amazing and undeserved Love, Grace and Mercy for us.
We, then can rest assured that the promised Wrath of God, will not include us as believers.
In this confidence is where we find our peace with God.
Paul’s final benefit highlights this fact.
6- Rejoicing in God
What Paul used as a critique of the Jewish leaders in his day,
But if you call yourself a Jew and rely on the law and boast in God...
However, Romans 5:11 Reads:
More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.
The verbiage in the original Greek is identical in both references.
The difference is that the Jews BOASTED of God yet relied on the Law.
Today Believers can Boast or Rejoice in God, THROUGH OUR LORD AND SAVIOUR- JESUS CHRIST
The Jews boasted out of pride and claimed God as their Sovereign Property
The Christian believer, today, boast in God out of reverent humility, acknowledging God as our Sovereign Lord and Saviour.
The nuance is subtle, but the difference is huge.
As a final thought,
Acknowledging that we have nothing of ourselves to boast about, yet we boast and rejoice in our shared hope of God’s Glory,
We rejoice in our troubles and struggles
And we rejoice, most of all, in God, Himself.
All of our rejoicing comes through Jesus Christ, whom we have received our reconciliation.
Living in the absolute Joy of the Lord, we should be the most positive people on the planet.
Our one constant reflection to the lost world around us, should be the noticeable change of our attitude.
We should be recognized, in a self centered world, to be living in God-Centered Worship of our Heavenly Father.
