Therefore, being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only this, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation works patience; And patience, experience; and experience, hope: And hope makes not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit which is given to us." Rom: 5:1-5
All of us face trials and temptations in this life. These trails and temptations, at times can prove to be overwhelming. At times, trails and temptation can seem to stalk us and pursue us as a wild beat intent of our destruction.
The early Christians
faced tiring times as well. There were pressures to abandon their Lord. Oft times,
there were the real threats of death, yet many early Christians, faced
these challenges with boldness, all the while clinging to their faith in our
Lord Jesus Christ. Those early Christians faced life by faith, and we in our
age can do the same.
We can face difficulties and challenges
in our lives all the while growing in our Christian life all because our Lord
has justified us and the Holy Spirit transforms us even as we suffer.
St. Paul wrote to the Roman Christians
of this very thing and of the need to grow in this life.
"Therefore being justified by faith, we
have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: By whom also we have access
by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of
God. And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that
tribulation works patience; And patience, experience; and experience,
hope: And hope makes not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad
in our hearts by the Holy Spirit which is given to us."Rom:5:1-5
These things which St. Paul writes
of are areas of blessing that are ours in Jesus, they belong to us
when we freely receive Jesus as our Lord. They are not, or cannot be , earned or
merited yet, we can hold on to them, and in Christ they help us face the
onslaught of hardship stand test(s) of life.
Justification Through Faith
St. Paul begins by addressing the truth
of justification, that is, the pronouncement of
innocents due to sacrifice of Jesus. We experience this justification through faith. What Jesus has accomplished
for us is, to make us all innocent of any charge of sin in the eyes of God we
are in Jesus accepted as faithful even as he is faithful.
This faithful innocence is not
contrived or just theoretical, it is ours due to Jesus. Believers are, through
his humanity in union with him, so Jesus being God and human has the means
to make this real for us in his very self.
We are not just forgiven of "sins"
that we have committed, but all the more, we are forgiven of who and what
we are. Jesus became sin, so we might become righteous. It is not just
what, but who.
Because of Jesus and his act of
Justification.
"For he has made him to be sin for us,
who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him." 2Cor:5:21
By Jesus being "sin for us”, he could
deal with the issue of sin at its very foundation in humanities flawed human
nature, therefore, we are now always justified because our very natures
have been forgiven us not just our actions or thoughts. We experience being
forgiven our very nature of being flesh.
We can now grow in Jesus to maturity of
being "righteousness”. Is this a license to sin? no, on
the contrary we being justified should live a justified life by faith.
"For therein is the righteousness of God
revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by
faith."Rom:1:17
Peace with God
With sin dealt with, and the very
source of our temptations and sin, which is our nature of flesh, we then, can
be at peace with our God. There is no dread in us toward our God. God, has
in his Son put aside anything that would keep us from coming to know him. God
has dealt with anything that could hinder us. We understand that God does not
cast us off and shun us, but rather embraces us in Jesus and looks favorable
upon us even we stumble.
"we have peace with God through our Lord
Jesus Christ:" Rom: 5:1b
The dread or fear of God, that perception
that he is angry at us is not necessary. Jesus has removed this concern from us.
Jesus has given all of us reason instead to know that our God loves us
enough to die for us. That God wanted us. This should give us great peace to
realize this. God loves and wants us.
What God has done for us, went beyond just
some "judicial" need, it demonstrates the eternal love
of God Who was willing to die for His fallen broken children rather than
be without us, that means He loved us more than He loves Himself.
Access to God
This should bring us to see the cross of Jesus
as an act of love rather than an object of wrath. We should view the cross not
as an instrument that somehow passivizes God and is directed toward our God,
but rather, we should see The Cross of our Lord as being directed toward us to
show us his eternal love. The resurrection and accession of Jesus
affords us full access to our God and his ever-flowing Grace experienced
though faith by Jesus. The Cross only shows us what is and has eternally been
true, that God loves us.
Understand, that grace is always for and
toward us, but we only personally experience it when we come to faith in Jesus
even through it has and is eternally flowing toward us. This grace is not
parceled out according to our obedience, meaning we cannot merit it,
earn it or deserve it.
"through our Lord Jesus Christ: By whom
also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand”, Rom:5:1b-5a
This should comfort us be aware that
God is graciously inclined toward us and is there to help us in all of our
needs, without concern that we are not "good enough" ,
this means that our God wants to bless us and be there for us all we face
, to bear us up in our temptations, difficulties and trails and even in times
of blessing.
"Fear not, little flock; for it is your
Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom." Lk: 12:32
We have, as well, our
Lord Jesus who stands ready for us to interceded on each of our
behalf when we encounter hardships and face test or when we stumble and
fall, Jesus is there to lift us up and bear our burdens for us.
"Why he is able also to save them to the
uttermost that come to God by him, seeing he ever lives to make intercession
for them."Heb:7:25
'Seeing then that we have a great high priest,
that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our
profession. For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the
feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet
without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we
may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need" Heb:4:14-16
Certainty of Hope
We can look ahead not just each
day knowing that our God is with us, but that we are, in Christ ,with our
God even now through our Lord Jesus and we will experience this
reality fully when we enter eternity. This is not a questionable
proposition, when we come to believe in Jesus our eternal destiny was settled.
This too is ours in Jesus.
We also become aware of God's
abiding presence in our lives. He is with us and all around us. We are not
now, nor ever will be alone. Our Lord will not abandon us. We come to
see what is true.
"And I will pray the Father, and he shall
give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; Even the
Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it sees him not,
neither knows him: but you know him; for he dwells with you, and shall be in
you.
I will not leave you comfortless: I will come
to you. Yet a little while, and the world sees me no more; but you see me:
because I live, you shall live also. At that day you shall know that I am in my
Father, and you in me, and I in you". Jhn: 14:16-20
All of this and more belong to us
all through Jesus Christ and coming to faith in him, we experience the
realty of it, we can face life, even as difficulties approach us and surround
us that means, we can face life based on who Jesus is and all this is
ours in him.
Our Lord has given to us all that
we have been given, "Peace, Access and
Hope" everything which we might need to face each and
every day.
Yet, not only these but there is
more for us all.
"Not only this, (that means there is
more) we glory in our tribulation" Rom:5:3
Glory in Trials
At times, we can interpret trails and test, as punishment from our Lord, as "divine discipline" , that may at times, be true, but the greater reality is that our sufferings are evidence of our identification with and in our Lord Jesus Christ, which means that suffering is a validation of our identity in and with Jesus. This is something to glory in. Our sufferings are Jesus' and Jesus' are ours. The Apostle St. Paul faced the same situations in his life and ministry.
"But what things were gain to me,
those I counted loss for Christ Yes doubtless, and I count all things but loss
for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have
suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win
Christ, And be found in him, not having my own righteousness, which is of the
law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is
of God by faith: That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection,
and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable to his
death;" Philip:3:7-10
We can know that our Lord is working in
us as his own Children having adopted us though Jesus Christ
We can have Peace, real Peace; we have Access
to God for Help, and Hope a real expectancy of ultimate resolution of all our
suffering and his loving assistance when we are tempted.
Adopted Then Adapted
We can know that our Lord is working in
us as his own Children, having adopted us though Jesus Christ. We are Children
of God and there is a process at work in each of us; even in the midst of our
suffering.
The challenges which we face, whatever
form that they take on, are preparing us for eternity, we have in Jesus been
adopted through Jesus and now are being adapted to live in eternity with our
Lord.
"For as
many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.For you have not
received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but you have received the Spirit
of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit itself bears witness
with our spirit, that we are the children of God:And if children, then heirs;
heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him,
that we may be also glorified together" Rom:8:14-17
The sufferings of this life are deeply involved
in this process; the process shaping us for eternity. The sufferings
produce patience, there is no other way to truly instill it with in us. Here
the Greek word for patience could easily be translated as "fortitude" which produces spiritual
maturity. It is our natural inclination to attempt to circumvent suffering, yet
it is part of the Christians life.
Through our Lord Jesus God has
given us a great hope to take hold of, never having to fear what comes our way.
We need to cling to Jesus and to his finished work for us all, never letting go
of what Jesus has done for us. We each and all can, by faith, face
Life.
Benediction: May we each and all keep our
faith ever focused upon our Lord Jesus who is ever with us regardless of hat we
face in life, today, tomorrow and forevermore. Amen
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Rev.Todd Crouch, Norman, Oklahoma
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