Peace with God

July 25, 2021 Background Scripture: Romans 5:1 – 11 Lesson Passage: Romans 5:1 – 11 Peace. The absence of confusion. The absence of conflict. The absence of turmoil. The absence of differences that separate. We want peace of mind. We want to live and work in an environment of peace. We want to live as a nation in a state of peace with other nations. Let’s face it, peace, in all its dimensions, should be at the top of everyone’s agenda. Having peace is important to one’s quality of life. Of all the ways we can think about peace, there is one that must be prioritized above all others. We need peace with God. In fact, it can be said that it is impossible to achieve lasting peace in any other area without first having peace with God. On the other hand, if we could achieve lasting peace without having peace with God, what difference would it make? To know that we are at odds with God hangs over everything like a dark cloud. Unfortunately, some are so accustomed to darkness that a dark cloud goes unnoticed. However, the good news is that God extends to every person the opportunity to have peace with Him. Our sins separate us from God and creates enmity between us. God offers to take away our sin and to bring us into right relationship with Him. This offer is only extended to us through Jesus Christ. When we accept Jesus’ cruel death on the cross as being in our stead, then God considers us just, or in right standing with Him. Our faith in the finished works of Christ is the only means whereby we can have peace with God. No wonder Jesus is called the Prince of Peace. It is only through Jesus that peace with God is possible. Because of saving faith, we experience the grace of God in our lives. Grace is God’s unmerited favor shown towards us. God places His Holy Spirit in us as evidence of the peace we experience with Him. There was nothing we could do—or had to do to earn such favor from God. God made all this available to us while we were still sinners and living in opposition to His will. Yes, while mankind was yet living in sin and lingering in darkness, God was working out a plan to bring us into His light. This was the ultimate demonstration of the love God has for mankind. God created mankind to be a physical reflection of His spiritual image and likeness. When God looks at His physical creation, He expects to see a reflection of Himself in mankind. Sin distorts that image. Sin puts us at odds with God. Sin destines us for eternal damnation and separation from the presence of God. God interrupted our destiny by sending Jesus to reconcile mankind back to Him. When mankind was at its worst, God sent His best. Having been saved from the penalty of sin, God is now delivering us from the power of sin in our daily lives. All this points towards the inevitable promise that God will one day deliver us from the presence of sin. Through the death of Jesus on the cross, we have been justified, or delivered from the penalty of sin. Through the work of the Holy Spirit in us, we are being sanctified, or delivered from the power of sin in our daily lives. The final stage of God’s work through Christ is that we shall be glorified, i.e., delivered from the presence of sin. Justification, sanctification, and glorification all come to us because of saving faith in Jesus Christ that has given us peace with God. Robert C. Hudson June 12, 2021