Justified Peace

3-8-26

Hoonah-Hadley

Romans 5:1-11

Call to Worship Psalm 95

Daily Verse Romans 5:1

Justified Peace

“Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” There is a terrible unrest within the human heart and mind, one that is opposed to God, contrary, at odds with Him. Romans 8:5-9 “For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God…So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God. But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you.” Lest we get to far one way or another here, let us just say this now, one of the overwhelming lessons God is teaching us in chapter 5 and surrounding chapters is that God saves us from Himself. Actually, His love letter to us covers 66 books, approximately 31,102 verses, and depending on the translation, about 750,000 words. The title of that love letter could say a million things, but the simplest and most appropriate may be this, “The Love of God Saves Us From the Wrath of God.” When we read God’s word, meditate on it night and day, pray, praise, worship and sing to His holy name, we need to be in a constant state of questioning who we are truly affiliated with, light or darkness, the flesh or the Spirit, our Savior, or, our enemy. We cannot serve two masters, nor can we fool God, for He created us, knows us better than we know ourselves. We may fool some of the people some of the time, but we can fool God none of the time.

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There are tell tale signs within humanity, physically and spiritually, that are blatantly obvious as to which one we are affiliated with, the Spirit or the flesh, and in most cases, it is both. It’s an individual thing, and there is a battle raging between the two but the one that wins is the one you feed the most. The word we are looking for is “examine”. God’s word has us in a constant state of examining our life, our motives, our hearts and minds in all things. Our giving may appear to be heavenly, but if Fed Ex is constantly pulling in our driveways with earthly, fleshy products, our garages, basements and attics are full of stuff, our garbage containers are continually overflowing with waste, the scales of life may be tipping on the temporary, perishing side of things, not the imperishable, eternal. Matthew 6:19-21 “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, were moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven…for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Red letters, Jesus Christ, no secrets there. It’s all a matter of perspective and we are good at justifying everything with our compulsive, obsessive behavior, but justice will be served, it’s a guarantee. There is nothing hidden that won’t be revealed, and, stuff, well, it does rust, and it will perish, some of it quicker than others. 1 John 2:15-17 “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in them. For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.” The smooth-talking salesman with his cologne and hushpuppies, sitting in a pew on Sunday with his Proverbs 7:6-27 wife is all to often a con artist. His rat-infested garage, and “her house is the way to hell…”

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The Epistle of Paul to the Romans is massive. It is his fullest, grandest, most comprehensive statement of the gospel. Its compressed declarations of vast truths are like coiled springs—once loosed they leap through mind and heart to fill one’s horizon and shape one’s life. John Chrysostom, the 5th centuries greatest preacher, had Romans read aloud to him once a week. Augustine, Luther, and Wesley all came to assured faith through the impact of Romans. Here Paul brings together all the great themes of the bible—sin, law, judgment, human destiny, faith, works, grace, justification, sanctification, election, the plan of salvation, the work of Christ, the Holy Spirit and more. The study of Romans is vitally necessary for the spiritual health and insight of God’s elect, 1:6 “among whom you also are the called of Jesus Christ.” Our sinful nature, idolatry, suppression of the truth, quenching of the Spirit, all manifest themselves in the wrath of God against apostasy. (Rom. 1:18, 24-32) If we were to get lost, Romans would be a fine place to be found. There is a judgment that cannot be avoided. Only the gospel of Christ can speak peace to this aspect of the human condition. “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes…as it is written, ‘The just shall live by faith.’ For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness…of men, who suppress the truth…for God has shown it to them…His attributes are clearly seen by the things that are made…so that they are without excuse…who exchange the truth of God for the lie, and worshipped the creature rather than the Creator…For this reason God gave them up to vile passions…are deserving of death…” We would do well to have this Epistle read to us aloud once a week. “…but I want you to be wise in what is good, and simple concerning evil. And the God of peace will crush Satan under your feet”

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Our God is a God of peace. In a noisy world full of suffering and shame, bad news constantly at the doorstep, our fallen, broken nature faces us in the mirror daily, corruption, the scales of justice seemingly tipping against us, lying, deceitful, narcissistic, covetous vanity at every turn, we long for peace, righteousness, we hunger, hope for a new day, a new dawn. “Therefore…” Herein the transition from wrath (1:18) to grace (3:21) transforms both the status and the experience of the believer. Instead of estrangement (3:10-17) there is now peace (5:1); in place of falling short of God’s glory through sin (3:23), there is hope of glory (5:2). Instead of suffering as judgment (2:5,6) there is joy in tribulation because of what God produces through it (5:3); instead of fearful uncertainty, there is assurance of God’s love and joy in Him (5:6-8,11). “Therefore, having been justified by faith…” This is not a maybe, a someday or once was. This is a work that was wrought on Calvary’s shore in days of old, for our sake, a finished work, gift wrapped for each of us, our names inscribed on the palm of His hand. (Isaiah 49:16) At the heart of justice is just, a moral righteousness. To be justified is to be declared free from blame. Isn’t that what we long for, a world made right, a personal right standing with God? In truth, we “have been justified by faith.” This is a covenant and a covenant is a binding agreement by two or more parties. The just part is God’s business, the faith, that’s you and me. How do we acquire this faith? Romans 10:17 “So then, faith comes by hearing, hearing the word of God.” Now here is the key, having been justified by faith, “we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” This not a medicated temporary peace from a noisy, fallen world. No, this a lasting, eternal peace, delivered with love, our names on the package. God restored us, freed us from blame, through His Son, a gift, Justified Peace. Amen!