“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.” Romans 5:1-2 ESV
The book of Romans is jam-packed with precious doctrinal truth. Paul has a knack for sharing fundamental Christian theology in a matter-of-fact, straight-to-the-point fashion. While Paul’s writings cover the gamut of essential Christian truth, the book of Romans overflows with scriptures that invite you to quietly ponder each facet of truth and understand the realities of the unfailing mercy and perfect love of our Lord.
The first two verses of Romans, chapter five, provide a beautiful example. In chapter four, Paul reminded the church of Abraham’s strong and abiding faith. Abraham believed God would indeed fulfill the promise made regarding his heirs. Chapter five begins with a connecting word: therefore. In other words, now that you understand the faith of Abraham, consider how you are also justified by faith and invited to join in the hope of the glory of God.
Think about what these words from verses one and two bring to your life: justified, faith, peace, grace, rejoice, and hope. Let them settle deep into the hard places, the places where joy has difficulty thriving and hope feels lost.
- Justified: We do not attain justification by our strength, power, or will. We can’t be good enough, and we can’t do enough to be justified before a perfect Creator. We only find it in the One who lived a sinless life and provided the perfect sacrifice for our sin.
- Faith: Complete trust and confidence in Jesus are evidence of faith. Jesus is the One who justifies us through our faith in Him.
- Peace: Peace with God is only possible through His Son, Jesus. People long for peace but search for it in the wrong places. Only a relationship with Jesus Christ provides abiding and perfect peace. This peace is more than tranquility and is present regardless of our circumstances; it comes from your right relationship with God.
- Grace: Grace is the free and unmerited favor of God. Faith in Jesus grants us access to His gift of grace. Oh, what an amazing demonstration of His love for us.
- Rejoice: We experience great joy and delight because of our relationship with Jesus Christ. When Christ is the center of our life, we find joy -even when happiness eludes us. We can rejoice, regardless of our circumstances.
- Hope: The hope we have in Jesus is not just an expectation or desire for something to happen; it is an absolute trust and assurance that it will happen. We are sure that our relationship with Christ seals our eternal destination and provides our every need as we journey through life.
Day to day difficulties can steal your joy, but faith in Jesus Christ will give you the heart to rejoice in hope. The scripture following verses one and two expound on how difficulties ultimately produce hope. It is my prayer that today that you will persevere through suffering and rejoice in the hope of the glory of God!
Charlene Miller
Lean into Jesus Ministries
#charlenemillerblogs
