Daily Bread Romans 5
Daily Bread Romans 5
Peace and Joy
1Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. 3Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.
Observation: As we enter chapters 5-8, we start getting some classic Pauline theology. There are few verses richer than these from chapter 5 today. Verse 1 contains one of the first big “Therefore’s” in the book of Romans. Paul says, “Therefore since we have been made right with God through faith (justification) we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. “
One cannot put a price-tag on having “peace with God”. There are not many things on a par with having peace with God, Your Maker. There are many people with much anxiety today, and God offers us one amazing benefit through the process of knowing Him, and that is peace. Paul describes it in Philippians 4 as, “The peace that surpasses all human understanding”. Meaning you really can’t explain it, but you know when you have it.
I also love the phrase, “Into this grace by which we stand”. Grace is a free gift that allows us to have faith in God. But it is also something we stand in and live by. Meaning once you have received grace it is not a done deal. Our whole lives we live and move and have our security and hope entirely built on God’s grace. But we must choose to stand in it, or trust in it by faith.
Because of these two amazing benefits of being justified with God by grace through faith, we have a new perspective on suffering and trials. Since we know that we are heaven bound and earth is not our home, we realize that our trials on earth have a purpose. They produce character through perseverance and are buoyed by hope. When people don’t see a purpose in their suffering these trials lead to depression and despair. But with the grace in which we stand, and the peace which surpasses all understanding, even in the hard times of life, we can be strengthened, encouraged and have hope not despair.
Application:
Do you have peace with God? What are the things that take away your peace? Have you been able to link your suffering to character building experiences that are maintained by your hope that all things work together for good for those who love God and are called according to His purpose? Remember to keep standing in God’s grace. It is a free gift. You didn’t have to do anything to deserve it, but you do have to stand in it. It is faith that allows you to trust in God’s grace realizing that you have the hope of eternal life that has been poured into your heart by the power of the Holy Spirit. Take a minute to thank God for these gifts which are more precious than gold or silver.
Prayer: God we thank you for pouring out Your hope into our hearts through faith in Jesus. We know that even if we suffer a little here on earth that you are transforming us to cling to the hope we have of someday being with you in heaven, when all pain and suffering will be gone. We look forward to that day, but in the meantime help us to stand in the grace which we received when we first believed. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Peace and Joy
1Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. 3Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.
Observation: As we enter chapters 5-8, we start getting some classic Pauline theology. There are few verses richer than these from chapter 5 today. Verse 1 contains one of the first big “Therefore’s” in the book of Romans. Paul says, “Therefore since we have been made right with God through faith (justification) we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. “
One cannot put a price-tag on having “peace with God”. There are not many things on a par with having peace with God, Your Maker. There are many people with much anxiety today, and God offers us one amazing benefit through the process of knowing Him, and that is peace. Paul describes it in Philippians 4 as, “The peace that surpasses all human understanding”. Meaning you really can’t explain it, but you know when you have it.
I also love the phrase, “Into this grace by which we stand”. Grace is a free gift that allows us to have faith in God. But it is also something we stand in and live by. Meaning once you have received grace it is not a done deal. Our whole lives we live and move and have our security and hope entirely built on God’s grace. But we must choose to stand in it, or trust in it by faith.
Because of these two amazing benefits of being justified with God by grace through faith, we have a new perspective on suffering and trials. Since we know that we are heaven bound and earth is not our home, we realize that our trials on earth have a purpose. They produce character through perseverance and are buoyed by hope. When people don’t see a purpose in their suffering these trials lead to depression and despair. But with the grace in which we stand, and the peace which surpasses all understanding, even in the hard times of life, we can be strengthened, encouraged and have hope not despair.
Application:
Do you have peace with God? What are the things that take away your peace? Have you been able to link your suffering to character building experiences that are maintained by your hope that all things work together for good for those who love God and are called according to His purpose? Remember to keep standing in God’s grace. It is a free gift. You didn’t have to do anything to deserve it, but you do have to stand in it. It is faith that allows you to trust in God’s grace realizing that you have the hope of eternal life that has been poured into your heart by the power of the Holy Spirit. Take a minute to thank God for these gifts which are more precious than gold or silver.
Prayer: God we thank you for pouring out Your hope into our hearts through faith in Jesus. We know that even if we suffer a little here on earth that you are transforming us to cling to the hope we have of someday being with you in heaven, when all pain and suffering will be gone. We look forward to that day, but in the meantime help us to stand in the grace which we received when we first believed. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
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