Two Things The Christian Has

Two Things The Christian Has

Romans 5: 1-2

Why do some people choose foolish, sinful lifestyles and never seem to be able to live the good life?

Why do our programs and methods of today fail so readily to change a person’s life?

Why do so many start off so well, but by and by, they begin to lose the battle?

There are two possible answers to these questions:

1.      They have never been converted, born again, and they are trying to live an    externally religious life.

2.      They are weak Christians who do not understand what they have in Christ.

In our text today, we find that the believer in Christ has two basic things:

I.                    The First Thing The Christian Has Is Peace

A.     Peace in comparison to the enmity, which was once prevalent.

1.      Peace like a truce.

2.      Peace that knows no striving.

3.      Peace that makes enemies friends.

B.     Peace that passes all understanding; even our own at times.

Horatio Spafford penned these words on a ship looking over the Atlantic Ocean, the same ocean that took the life of his two dear children just days before. Phillip Bliss put these words to music and thus we have the Hymn, “It is well with my soul” The first stanza reads like this…

“When peace like a river attendeth my way, when sorrows like sea billows role, whatever my lot Thou hast taught me to say, it is well – it is well with my soul.”

II.                 The second thing the Christian has is access into grace.

Access = literally “the introduction”

                                    This word is used here and in Ephesians 2:18; 3:12 only

Here is where the Christian taps into the well-spring of life; the life that is only found in Christ.

A.     Access to the life-changing grace of God.

1.      That finds strength to begin a new life.

2.      That finds pleasure in the Word of God.

3.      That seeks to know God better and to walk in His ways.

4.      That dies daily and lives for God.

Why?

a)  Because He has chosen us in Him to be holy.

b)  That we should be conformed to the image of Christ.

     B. Access that enables one to boast (glory) of our hope in God’s        

                                               glory.

                                         C. Access that takes pleasure in standing in this hope,                           

                                                unmovable by any circumstances.