Pastor Barry's  "Chapter & Verse"  Day 17

January 17;   Romans 5:1;   17/260(II);   ‘Peace Through Jesus’

Romans 5:1 Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,

What an incredible verse?  God can say so much in just a few words.  The word justified and the word righteous are the same word.  These two words are so important.  Before we were Born Again, we were spiritually dead in our sins.  We would be eternally separated from the Lord if we died physically.  When we heard the Good News of the gospel and believed the Word by faith we were saved.  2 Corinthians 5:21 clearly teaches that on the cross, the Lord Jesus took upon Himself our sins, in exchange Jesus gave us His righteousness.  Righteousness (and justification) mean right standing with God.  Every sin we ever committed were forgiven at the cross.  We need never suffer from condemnation for our past.  In the Lord’s eyes we have no past.  If we sin now, we are to repent of that sin, and ask the Lord to forgive us and He instantly does.  When we were not Born Again, we did not understand that Jesus died for our sins 2000 years ago.  So in reality, since Jesus paid the price for the sins of humanity, there is only one sin that separates us from Almighty God.  That sin is rejecting the sacrifice on the cross of Jesus Christ for us.  Once we are Born Again, we have peace with God the Father, based on the sacrificial work of Jesus on our behalf.  God’s peace is very different from the world’s peace.  The peace that the world offers is only there when life is going well, no issues.  God’s peace is there for you regardless of the circumstances in your life.  God’s peace is based on your relationship with Him, not on the challenges you face.