Peace with God

 Romans 4:2-3,13b

For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about; but not before God. 3 For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.”

"...but through the righteousness of faith."

Romans 5:1-2

5 Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

Romans 4 and 5 really are such huge chapters.  It helps us understand that our right standing with God is not based on the family lineage I am born out of, or how well I can manage to live a 'good' life by doing 'good things'.  If these things were to bring right standing with God, it would mean that we would be able to boast and become prideful, either of our family lineage, or our own abilities to 'do good'.  The Word of God says that faith is counted as righteousness, that we are justified by faith and the result of this is that we can have peace with God.  We are introduced into the grace of God by faith, and that means that we can celebrate in hope of the glory of God.  

So let us just have a closer look at what all this really mean.  

• Being justified means: 'Just as if I never sinned".
• Grace means to get what I do not deserve to get - in other words to get the unearned favour of God, whereas mercy means to NOT get the negative consequences of our actions that we did earn and therefor do deserve.    
• Access means to have the privilege of approach.  Meaning that we have the privilege to approach God and receive His grace and favour.  
• Faith is to have complete trust or confidence in someone, in this case in God.
• Hope is to expect and trust to receive something that still lies in the future.
• Peace means to be re-united to God in perfect harmony, it also means wholeness and completeness in the sense of nothing missing.

Thus, if we look at the above definitions of words, then I would like to summarize it in this paragraph:  

Jesus took my sin upon Himself, therefore it is as if I never sinned.  This means that He gives me His favour that I do not deserve, in stead of giving me the eternal consequences of my sin, which I do deserve.  He gives me the privilege that I can now approach Him without fear or reserve.  I have complete trust and confidence in Him that He will, and wants, to receive me into His presence in perfect peace, harmony, wholeness and completeness, where nothing is missing, being perfectly re-united to Him. Therefore, while I have fallen short of the glory of God before, I now can rejoice in the fixed trust and expectation, the hope of standing, being present, receiving in my spirit - His Glory!

Point to ponder:

I want to encourage you to summarize this for yourself in your own words with your own name in there and ask yourself - Do I  really believe this?  God has done everything He could for us - imagine how much it must hurt Him if we do not believe Him?  Do you believe Him?  

Charity Gayle - Thank you for the blood