Wednesday Devo

Peace with God: The affects of Justification Romans 5:1—Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. Romans 5:11—Not only is this so, but we also rejoice in God through whom we have now received reconciliation. One of the greatest realities that is never spoken is found in Romans 5. If you are a believer, there have most likely been times in your life when you have felt like you are not a peace with God. You have felt like you can’t read your bible because God is mad at you for sinning. You may have felt like you can’t pray because you can’t overcome a repetitive sin and wouldn’t be comfortable talking to God about other stuff if you feel like you can’t come clean with it. (The fact of the matter is, you can’t do these things but that is another day’s devo.) Why can’t we find peace with God? Have you ever done something that made you feel pretty stupid or silly? I can remember looking all over the house and car for my sunglasses only to find that they were on the top of my head the whole time. If you would be honest with me, you have probably done something like that too (or I am the biggest dork in America). The same thing is true for most of us when we apply this to our trusting in Christ. We run around looking for peace with God when Jesus already accomplished that for anyone who would repent and believe. Let’s take a look at what Paul says in Romans. Romans 5:1 starts by saying therefore which means we need to look back to see how this next part of the letter is connected to what Paul had just written. Paul had just spent a whole chapter (4) explaining how the righteousness of Christ is counted towards us by having faith in what Christ accomplished for believers. Although we are still sinners, God now sees us as righteous. “Therefore”, we have peace with God. Jesus made things right for anyone who would believe. Peace. Peace!! If you have been forgiven then you have also been reconciled to God! Praise the Lord for that! There is no reason for you to be scared of going to God when you struggle with sin! He knows about it. Remember, he has paid for it so that you can be at peace with him. We don’t have to live in fear of God’s wrath any longer! Christ bought our peace with his own blood! I hope you are getting this. Let me know if you are not. This is a crucial part of what it means to be liberated by the Gospel. “If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed!” John 8:36. If you have been freed from the law that binds our souls, then you are truly free! It almost sounds too good to be true. That is the reason why it doesn’t get said. Could you imagine what would happen to the church if this Sunday morning, every pastor in America stood up and preached a sermon entitled “The Freedom of the Believer” and covered these verses in depth. I believe that revival only happens to believers. You have to be alive in order to be revived. I believe that if the church would not hide any longer as if God were against them, then we would see the church as the church was created to be. Then revival would break out. Does it not stir your heart to think that your soul is at total peace with God and nothing can change that? Confession and repentance come much easier when we are not afraid of God.

Clinging to the Cross,

Josh