"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." Romans:5:1-5
All of us face difficulties in this life, these difficulties, at times can prove to be to overwhelming .
The early Christians faced tiring times as well, there was pressures to abandon their Lord. Oft times there was the real threat of death, yet many of them ,with boldness , faced these challenges, all the while clinging to their faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.
They faced life by faith, and so might we do the same . We can face things all the while growing in our Christian life, all because our Lord has justified us the Holy Spirit transforms even as we suffer.
They faced life by faith, and so might we do the same . We can face things all the while growing in our Christian life, all because our Lord has justified us the Holy Spirit transforms even as we suffer.
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."Romans:5:1-5
Justification Through Faith
Paul begins by addressing the truth that this justification, that is the pronouncement of innocents due to sacrifice of Jesus, we experience this through faith that Jesus. What Jesus has accomplished for us is to make us all innocent of any charge of sin in the eyes of God.
This innocents is not contrived or just theoretical it is our due to Jesus, we are through His humanity in union with Him so He being God and Human has the means to make this realty for us.
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." 2Cornithians:5:21
By Jesus being "sin for us" , He could deal with the issue of sin at its very foundation in humanities flawed fallen nature, there for we are now justified because our very natures have been forgiven us. We can now grow in Jesus to maturity of being "righteousness" . Is this license to sin, no, on the contrary we being justified should live justified by faith.
"For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith."Romans:1:17
This innocents is not contrived or just theoretical it is our due to Jesus, we are through His humanity in union with Him so He being God and Human has the means to make this realty for us.
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." 2Cornithians:5:21
By Jesus being "sin for us" , He could deal with the issue of sin at its very foundation in humanities flawed fallen nature, there for we are now justified because our very natures have been forgiven us. We can now grow in Jesus to maturity of being "righteousness" . Is this license to sin, no, on the contrary we being justified should live justified by faith.
"For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith."Romans:1:17
Peace with God
With sin dealt with, we 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 any thing that could hinder us.
"we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:" Romans:5:1b
The dread or fear of God , that some how He is angry at us is not necessary , Jesus has removed this concern from us, Jesus has given reason instead, to know that our God loved us enough to die for us. That He wanted us. That should give us great peace to realize this. God loved and wanted us. What God has none went beyond just some "judicial" need, it demonstrates the eternal love of a 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 as an act of love rather than an object of wrath. The Cross of our Lord and the resurrection and accession of Jesus affords us full access to our God and His Grace though faith by Jesus.
"through our Lord Jesus Christ: By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand",Romans:5:1b-5a
This should comfort us be aware that He is graciously inclined toward us and there to help us in all of our needs without concern that we are not "good enough" , this means that He wants to bless us and be there for us all to bear us up in our 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." Luke: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 he 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."Hebrews: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" Hebrews:4:14-16
Certainty of Hope
We can look ahead to not just each day knowing that our God is with us but that we are in Christ with Him even now through our Lord Jesus and we will experience this certainty when we enter eternity. This is not a questionable proposition, when we can to believe our eternal destiny was settled. These are ours in Jesus.
We have also became aware of God's abiding presence in our lives , He is with us and all around us. We are not now nor ever alone. He 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". John:14:16-20
All This is 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. That means we can face life based on what is our in Christ He has given all that We have been given, "Peace, Access and Hope" all we might need to face each and every day.
Yet, not only these there is more for us all.
"Not only this, (that means there is more) we glory in our tribulation" Romans:5:3
At times we can interpret trails and test, as punishment from our Lord, as "divine discipline" , that may at times be true, but the great reality is that is suffering as evidence of our identification with and in our Lord Jesus Christ, that means that suffering is a validation of our identity in and with Jesus. This something to glory in, we are His and He is ours. The Apostle 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;" Philippians: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.
We can know that our Lord is working in us as His own Children having adopted us though Jesus Christ .We are His Children and there is a process at work in each of us even in the midst of our suffering, the things we face are preparing us for eternity, we have in Jesus been adopted now we 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" Romans:8:14-17
the sufferings of this life are deeply involve in this process of flitting shaping us for eternity . The sufferings produce patience, there is no other was to truly instill it with in us, here the Greek 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 yet will all will face it.
One way we can see suffering in a positive way is to be grateful for all things , that means if sufferings is our lot for the moment then it has been allowed by our God, and if allows it is therefore our good this doe not suggest that we pretend to enjoy facing difficulties,but we can rejoice in the results and that we have God's word He will see us through it and with our faith focused on Jesus we can face anything.
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 Him and to His finished work for us all never letting go of what He has done for us. We can, by faith, face Life...Amen
Rev.Todd Crouch, Pastor
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 great reality is that is suffering as evidence of our identification with and in our Lord Jesus Christ, that means that suffering is a validation of our identity in and with Jesus. This something to glory in, we are His and He is ours. The Apostle 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;" Philippians: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.
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 His Children and there is a process at work in each of us even in the midst of our suffering, the things we face are preparing us for eternity, we have in Jesus been adopted now we 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" Romans:8:14-17
the sufferings of this life are deeply involve in this process of flitting shaping us for eternity . The sufferings produce patience, there is no other was to truly instill it with in us, here the Greek 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 yet will all will face it.
One way we can see suffering in a positive way is to be grateful for all things , that means if sufferings is our lot for the moment then it has been allowed by our God, and if allows it is therefore our good this doe not suggest that we pretend to enjoy facing difficulties,but we can rejoice in the results and that we have God's word He will see us through it and with our faith focused on Jesus we can face anything.
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 Him and to His finished work for us all never letting go of what He has done for us. We can, by faith, face Life...Amen
Rev.Todd Crouch, Pastor
The
Fountain of Life Church a Congregation of Grace Communion
2101 Old National Pike.
2101 Old National Pike.
Washington,
Pennsylvania.
www.gcfountainoflife.org
The
Fountain of Life is heard on the RKP Radio Network 1710 and 1670 AM in
Washington and North Franklin ,and 1790 AM in the Arden Fair Grounds area
of Washington Pennsylvania, and on 1710 AM in Bentleyville and Monongahela,
Pennsylvania. And online around the world at www.rkpradio.com
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