Monday, July 13, 2009

JUSTIFIED BY FAITH = PEACE WITH GOD
...by Ichabod Spencer

Sermon # 10
Romans 5:1 "Being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ."

"There is no peace, saith the Lord, unto the wicked" (Isaiah 48:22). An unpardoned sinner can have no peace with God. While his conscience is unawakened, he may be careless and secure; but as soon as his eyes are opened, and his heart is made to feel, he must be miserable, till God speaks peace to his guilty soul. To be justified, is to be pardoned and accepted of God. Pardon and acceptance are only obtained by faith in Jesus Christ, as having atoned for sin by His precious blood. When it is given me to believe that Jesus Christ hath taken away my sins, there is nothing more to distress my conscience; then I have peace with God. The distress of an awakened soul arises from a guilty conscience, and a sense of his sins. As soon therefore as the poor trembling sinner discovers, that Christ died for such as he is; that Christ, being God, is able to save the chief of sinners; that this was his errand into the world, and that He hath said, "him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out" (John 6:37): as soon as the poor sinner believes this, he hath peace with God; he can call God his Father; he can trust God for everything; he can think of death with comfort, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Sinner, is this your state? Do you know that there is no salvation without an interest in Christ?

That there is no peace with God but through Jesus Christ? That unless your sins be pardoned, your life must be unhappy, and your death the entrance of eternal misery? If I am looking unto Jesus as the only Saviour, and in self-despair have fled to Him for refuge, then God is no longer angry with me; my sins, which are many, are forgiven; my person is accepted; and if I die tonight, I shall go to God. O happy state, to have nothing to fear in life or death! To have God for our Father, Christ for our Redeemer, the Holy Ghost for our Comforter, death our friend, heaven our home, and a happy eternity before us of peace and joy. Sinner, is this thy case?

6 comments:

4given said...

Romans chapter 5 is dear to me. It is the first chapter of Scripture my husband and I memorized together. It is this portion of scripture that goes on to remind us that we have "gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand." All this through the work of our Lord then and now and forevermore. What a precious gift of faith He has given.

Too many cry out a false peace that merely leads to discontentment.

"nothing to fear in life or death"
There should be no allowance for ungodly fear in a believers life... but then there is that appropriate and necessary reverential fear of God that must be present to keep us on our toes regarding living out our faith for His glory.
Ungodly fear can creep in... but should and must be quickly extinguished when living out the truth of God's Word. I have let it creep in, but as a child of God that loves Him and the reading, studying and memorizing of His Word of truth, He does not allow me to stay in that fear that comes so natural to the flesh.

donsands said...

Thanks for these fine words. The Gospel never gets old; it is new every morning.

Jesus said, "Father let this cup pass from Me, but nevertheless, Your will be done".
Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ drank every drop of that cup. There is none left for us to drink. The Holy Lamb of God took away our sins. He satisfied the wrath of God, which was upon us. He cried, "My God My God, why have You forsaken Me?" He became sin- we become His righteousness.
It is Finished!
Thank you Father! Thank you Lord Jesus!
May I be a reflection of His light and love as I live a committed life to the King of glory with a heart full and overflowing with thanksgiving and adoration.

Mike Ratliff said...

I am convinced that the vast majority of believers are unaware of the magnitude of Christ's atoning work on the cross on their behalf.

Without it, no one has even the slightest chance of attaining peace with God. With it, God fulfills His plan of His elect's redemption that began with His election and predestination of those whom He foreknew. The Father elected His people and predestined them to become conformed unto the image of His son. The Son paid the price of the elect's sin on the cross then was ressurected to pave the way for the fulfillment of the plan. The Holy Spirit makes all of this work effectual with His calling of the elect and regenerating their hearts. This rebirth enables them to believe and repent and they do so by faith. Then the father justifies them, adopts them and sanctifies them. Glorification unto the image of the Son awaits.

Without the atoning work of Christ on the cross this chain of salvation falls apart, but since He was obedient even to death on the cross this awesome chain is compete and functions in the salvation of all who are saved.

Amen - It is finished!

Blue Collar Todd said...

I wonder what you think of Rick Warren preaching "peace" with Muslims? I wonder what the preaching in Acts would have looked like if we were reading about the "Apostle Warren"? Something like, "Can't we all just get along, and work for the greater good?"

The Seeking Disciple said...

Praise God for justification. What a glorious doctrine that our Saviour bore our sins on the cross (1 Peter 2:21-25) and that He was raised on the third day and thus secured our redemption (Romans 4:24-25). What a blessed people we are to know this Saviour and to know His gospel!

LivingDust said...

I am thankful to Jesus for His obedience to the Father, bearing the shame of the cross and paying the required penalty for my sin, buying my full pardon with His blood, so that I would not have to face the fierce wrath of God.