Enjoying peace is a blessing regardless of the realm where it is found. To live in a country that enjoys peace should be appreciated by us all, that is, those of us who live here in the U.S. Having peace at work is certainly preferred over being in an environment of hostility day after day. Living in a home where peace prevails is probably something taken for granted by those who have always had it, but yearned for by those whom it has eluded. Above every other kind of peace, however, is the joy of having peace with God.
Romans 5:1 (ESV)
1 Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.
The word justified means, “rendered just or innocent” (Strong). It is to be declared not guilty in heaven’s court. Since we are not innocent at all, to be declared such is a matter of grace on God’s part. It is not that God has swept our sins under the rug. His righteousness would not allow Him to do that. What He did was send forth His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
Romans 3:25 (ESV)
25 Whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance, he had passed over former sins.
Paul goes on to say that this action taken by God and His Son allowed God to be both just and the Justifier. In other words, God was able to demonstrate His love by forgiving sins, while holding on to His righteousness because the proper price for sin was paid. The wage of sin is death (Romans 6:23), and Jesus paid that price for us when He died on the cross. That allowed God to forgive those who sinned under the first covenant, as well as those of us who obey the gospel in this dispensation.
The result of all this is that we appear before God as if we have never sinned. Someone has said that justification means, “just as if I never sinned.” While that may not be the lexical meaning of the word, it hits the nail on the head. Paul once described us as being “holy and blameless and above reproach…” (Colossians 1:22), not because we have no guilt, but because God does not impute our sins to our account (Romans 4:8). Since the only thing that separates us from God in the first place is sin, now that our sins have been forgiven, our friendship with God has been restored, and we have peace with Him. This peace should fill our hearts with joy every day. Being at peace with God means we have access to all His blessings. Think with me about the blessings we enjoy.
We can enjoy the privilege of prayer. Do you realize what an honor it is to be able to approach God at any time? We do not even have that privilege with earthly dignitaries, but we have it with the Creator of the universe. God wants us to talk to Him. In fact, we are commanded to pray (1 Thessalonians 5:17), but that does not in any way diminish its blessing. The Hebrews writer said, “Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:16).
We have access to God’s providential care. We do not have to go through life filled with anxiety, worrying about the necessities of life. Our God will provide for us. Jesus assured us of this in the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 6:25-34). Paul told the brethren at Philippi that such would be the case. He simply said, “And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19). Nothing has changed. God may not give us everything we want, but He will provide for our needs.
We escape the wrath of God. The blessing of being at peace with God involves not only what we have, but also what we escape. The wrath of God is real. It shall be poured out upon every soul that dies in a hostile relationship with God. Sadly, that means an eternity of pain and agony (Revelation 20:13-15), separated from God and all His blessings forever. That is the consequence of sin. Thankfully, those of us in Christ will escape it because we have been justified by faith and now have peace with God.
As you wind down for the night, think about these things.