Romans 5:1-11, “Peace with God, through Christ.”

Read verses 1-5... As we have previously studied, we are justified, made acceptable to God, having been made righteous, through our belief and confession of Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.

The peace we receive is not a temporary feeling, it is a permanent gift from God. All humans are at enmity with God, meaning we are at war with God spiritually, before coming to Christ.

Once we repent and confess Christ, our war with God is over, for all of eternity we are at peace with God, because we have the peace of God, made effectual through the death and resurrection of God’s Son, Jesus Christ.

I believe most unbelievers would say that they do not consider themselves to be God’s enemy, for they are not purposely opposing God; perhaps they feel that they are neutral towards God, and may not have given much thought to His existence or will. They may not have any solid belief one way or the other.

But then, our feelings are not avery good standard on which to base our convictions, for they fluctuate like the weather, depending on the situation we are in, or perhaps, who we are with.

God is very clear about human responsibility concerning accepting the truth and revelation of God (Romans 1:18-20), for God has made Himself known; although sinful mankind continues to reject God’s existence and His revealed expectations for all of mankind, in reference to how we are to live and what we must do to become right with the God.

Even Israel, God’s chosen race, through whom the Savior came, is condemned for not heeding and obeying God’s revealed will. Before entering the “promised” land [given to them by God as an inheritance], God told them (Deuteronomy 4:25-26), “After you have had children and grandchildren and have lived in the land a long time--if you then become corrupt and make any kind of idol, doing evil in the eyes of the LORD your God and provoking him to anger, I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you this day that you will quickly perish from the land that you are crossing the Jordan to possess. You will not live there long but will certainly be destroyed.”

Humans wrongly think that because God is a loving and merciful God, He will not bring judgement upon them; but we purposely forget that He is a just and holy God also, and He must punish sin and all unrighteousness (Ephesians 5:5-6), “For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person--such a man is an idolater--has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God's wrath comes on those who are disobedient.”

On the cross, Jesus took the full weight of God’s wrath upon Himself, so that we do not have to suffer it (2Corinthians 5:21), “God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.”

God’s wrath will come upon all His enemies [all who reject God’s Son]; but all those who believe in God’s Son [Lord & Savior] will not receive God’s wrath, but instead, they receive peace with God through Christ.
Colossians 1:19-22, “For God was pleased to have all His fullness dwell in Him, and through Him to reconcile to Himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through His blood, shed on the cross. Once you were alienated

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from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. But now He has reconciled you by Christ's physical body through death to present you holy in His sight, without blemish and free from accusation-- if you continue in your faith, established and firm, not moved from the hope held out in the gospel.”

God’s gift of peace is immediate, eternal, and irrevocable, through Christ all our sins (making us unacceptable to God) are forgiven: past, present, future.
Hebrews 8:12, “I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.” Hebrews 10:15-18, “The Holy Spirit also testifies to us about this. First He says: ‘This is the covenant I will make with them after that time, says the Lord. I will put my laws in their hearts, and I will write them on their minds.’ Then he adds: ‘Their sins and lawless acts I will remember no more.’ And where these have been forgiven,there is no longer any sacrifice for sin.”

Jesus Christ paid for all sins, for all time.
Hebrews 9:27-28, “Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and He will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for Him.”

This is great news: We can never lose salvation, we can never be separated from the love of God in Christ.
Romans 8:38-39, “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Ephesians 1:13-14, “And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession--to the praise of his glory.”

Because we are secure in Christ, we are freed up to serve the Lord, for it is not our obedience to God’s Word that saves us; in fact, we seek to obey God’s Word because we are saved. We are God’s possession, heirs with Christ, and children of God, therefore (Hebrews 4:16), “Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”

As we serve God and seek to honor Him, we can count on the fact that the world and those who belong to it, will come against us (2Timothy 3:12), “everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.”

But more importantly, we receive God’s blessings.
Matthew 5:10-12, “Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”
Read verses 6-8... We were helpless, hopeless, lost, ungodly; and yet, Christ died for us. As condemned sinners, we have nothing to offer God, and everything to gain, for God will judge all sin and unrighteousness; and yet He offers full payment for the punishment we ourselves should receive from God.

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It has been said, “as long as one has life’s breath in them, there is opportunity for salvation.” Only at death, is God’s offer of love revoked from unbelievers; for those who die apart from God’s forgiveness, those who reject Christ, will receive God’s wrath for all eternity.
Read verses 9-11... Paul makes it very clear that all believers and followers of Christ are saved from God’s wrath through the sacrifice of God’s own Son, the Lamb of God, who died to save us, and then rose from the grave to keep us, forever.

We are granted peace with God, through Christ (Isaiah 9:6) the Prince of Peace.” Isaiah 9:6, “For to us a child is born, to us a Son is given, and the government will be on His shoulders. And He will be called Wonderful Counselor [Holy Spirit], Almighty God [Triune God], Everlasting Father [God the Father], Prince of Peace [God the Son].
Luke 2:14, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.”
John 14:1, "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me.” 27, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”
Ephesians 4:1-6, “...I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit--just as you were called to one hope when you were called-- one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. Philippians 4:4-6, “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

Do you understand, you have peace with God, for you have the peace of God, through Christ the Lord.

If you believe in and receive Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, you have the very peace of God; if you reject Jesus Christ, you cannot have nor can you know God’s peace, for you remain an enemy of God.
Hebrews 13:20-21, “May the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good for doing His will, and may He work in us what is pleasing to Him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

Pastor Mike