Romans 5:1-11
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, 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.
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. 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.
We have peace with God
Isaiah 9:6, “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Ephesians 2:13-14, “But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ for he himself is our peace.”
We have access to grace
Hebrews 4:16, “Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”
So far from being at odds with our Creator we are given assurances of good things that demonstrate the favor of heaven towards us. This is our joy, our boast, our exultation, that we, though once enemies of God are now treasured as precious in His sight.
Even suffering is transformed in this new life. Apart from God we suffer like animals without meaning or redemption. But now our struggles verify the love of God as we experience grace and peace in the midst of suffering. As we endure and find God’s love in the least likely circumstances it builds resilience that compounds our hope.
All of this has been given to us when we deserved none of it. Jesus didn’t die just for his friends. He died for his enemies. Jesus’ sacrifice of himself in our place justifies and reconciles us to God.
1 Peter 1:3, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead”
We have another boast. We know God. We call him Father as if we belonged to him. We do belong to him, not like cattle or slaves but as beloved children.
1 John 3:1-2, “See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is.”
My dad is the biggest, the strongest, the fastest, the smartest, the gentlest, the most loving, the most perfect, the most holy, the most generous, my dad is God Almighty by grace through faith in Jesus Christ.
brotherpayne 