The result of justification (1): Enjoy peace with God

1. The result of justification (1):

Enjoy peace with God

 

 

 

“Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Romans 5:1)

 

 

                According to Romans 5:1, the Bible says “…  we have peace with God ….”  The first result of justification is to have peace with God (v. 1).  We have been reconciled to God (v. 10) only through our Lord Jesus Christ (v. 1) (past tense).  While we were “still helpless” (v. 6), while we were “yet sinners” (v. 8), and while “we were enemies” (v. 10), Christ died for us (v. 8).  Because we have been justified by His blood (v. 9), we are reconciled to God (v. 10) [Method/Means of justification: Faith (“Therefore, …  by faith  …”) (5:1)].   God has reconciled us to Himself through Christ (2 Cor. 5:18).  Therefore, we must have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ (Rom. 5:1) (present tense).  We, who were enemies with God (v. 10), became children of God (8:16) and were able to cry out to God “Abba, Father” (v. 15) only because He is the one mediator between God and us (1 Tim. 2:5) through our Lord Jesus Christ (Rom. 5:1).  Since we have already been reconciled to God only through our Lord Jesus Christ (past), we now have peace with God (present).  Here, ‘have” peace with God also means “enjoying” peace with God [Ref.: (Rom. 5:2) “through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God,” (5:11) “And not only this, but we also exult in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation”].

 

                How, then, are we to enjoy peace with God?  We must enjoy the peace of mind that God gives us in heaven.  For example, Paul and Silas enjoyed the peace of mind that God gave them, so they prayed and praised God even in inner prison (Acts 16:24-25).  When we too enjoy peace in the heart that God gives us from heaven, we can praise God like this: “I cannot tell thee whence it came, This peace within my breast; But this I know, there fills my soul A strange and tranquil rest” (hymn “I Cannot Tell thee Whence it Came,” verse 1), “And, Lord, haste the day when the faith shall be sight, The clouds be rolled back as a scroll, The trump shall resound and the Lord shall descend, Even so it is well with my soul.  It is well with my soul.  It is well, it is well with my soul” (hymn “When Peace, Like a River, Attendeth my Way,” verse 4 and chorus).  In order for us to enjoy the peace of mind that God gives us in heaven, we must obey the twofold commandment of Jesus.  Look at Matthew 22:37-40: “Jesus replied: ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’  This is the first and greatest commandment.  And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’  All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”  When we keep this twofold commandment of Jesus, God's love is truly perfected in us (1 Jn. 2:5).  In this way, God's love is perfected in us, and when we abide in the light, there is nothing in us to make us stumble (v. 10).  Therefore, we enjoy the peace of mind that God gives us from heaven.  And in order to enjoy the peace of mind that God gives us in heaven, we must fix our eyes on Jesus who sits at the right hand of God (Mk. 16:19; Heb. 8:1; 10:12) and make intercession for us (Rom. 8:34) and who is the author  and perfecter of faith (Heb. 12:2).

 

                The result of justification is to enjoy peace with God.  Since all of us have been justified by faith alone through our Lord Jesus Christ, we must enjoy peace with God (Rom. 5:1).  I hope and pray that you and I will be able to taste and experience peace with God in real life, not just in our heads.