Peace with God
Date: February 22, 2023
I use the BLESS method every morning for my devotional.
B - Bible Verse
L - Listen for God's Word and pray
E - Explore the History and meaning
S - Study and savor
S - Summarize and Share
You can read more about it by going to: What is a Faith Journal?
Bible Scripture Verse – Romans 5:1
"Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,"
Listen for God’s Voice
Heavenly Father, I pray that you would give me a deeper understanding of what it means to be justified by faith and to have peace with you. Help me to see the significance of this truth for my life and how it should impact my thoughts, actions, and relationships. I ask for your guidance and wisdom as I seek to apply this truth in my daily life and reveal it to me in a way that is personal and relevant to my life. I ask that you would give me the strength and courage to live out this truth, and to share it with others.
I pray all of this in Jesus' name. Amen.
Explore History – Who wrote it, when and to what audience? Key people in the story?
The book of Romans was written by the Apostle Paul around 56-58 AD to the church in Roman that was made up of both Jewish and Gentile believers, while he was in Corinth, Greece.
In Romans 5, Paul is building on the themes he established in the earlier chapters of the letter, particularly the idea that we are made right with God through faith in Jesus Christ. That’s what Justification means. Being made right with God. In verses 1-11, Paul explains the benefits that come from this justification by faith, including peace with God, access to grace, and the hope of glory.
Justification describes the process of how a person is declared righteous or justified before God, not based on their own good works or merit, but rather on the basis of faith in Jesus Christ.
In other words, justification is God's act of declaring a person to be free from the guilt and penalty of sin, and to be in a right relationship with Him.
Paul wrote this letter to the Romans because he wanted to establish a relationship with the church there, which he had not yet visited in person. He also wanted to explain in more detail his understanding of the gospel message and to address some specific issues within the church. One of the central themes of the letter is the unity of Jewish and Gentile believers in Christ, which was a significant challenge for the early church.
Study and Savor – Key Words
"justified" - This word refers to the act of being declared righteous or made right with God. It is the central theme of the book of Romans, and Paul uses it to describe the process by which a person is reconciled to God through faith in Jesus Christ.
"faith" - This word refers to trust or belief in God and in the saving work of Jesus Christ.
"peace with God" - This phrase describes the result of being justified by faith. Through faith in Jesus Christ, a person is reconciled to God and is no longer in conflict with Him. They have peace with God, which brings a sense of security and well-being.
"through our Lord Jesus Christ" - This phrase emphasizes that the only way to be justified and have peace with God is through Jesus Christ. He is the mediator between God and humanity, and it is only through Him that we can be reconciled to God.
Summarize and Share
What a great reminder of the amazing grace and love that God has extended to us through His Son, Jesus Christ. Through faith in Jesus, we are justified and made right with God, and we have peace with Him. This is the foundation of the Christian faith, and it is a truth that we can cling to in the midst of life's struggles and challenges.
To understand how someone goes through the process of becoming justified, let's use an example. Imagine a person who has been living a life apart from God, and who has made mistakes and poor choices that have caused them to feel guilty and distant from God. This person might come to a point in their life where they realize that they need help, that they cannot fix their problems on their own. So they turn to God in prayer and ask for forgiveness, and for the gift of salvation through Jesus Christ.
This is the first step in the process of becoming justified - recognizing our need for God's grace, and turning to Him in faith. The next step is to believe in Jesus as the Son of God, who died on the cross for our sins and rose again, conquering death and sin. Believing in Jesus is not just about agreeing with something in your mind, but putting your full trust in God's love and mercy.
Our justification is not based on our own good works or merit, but on faith in Jesus Christ. We can never earn our salvation, but we can live a life of gratitude and obedience to God, following His commands and seeking to love and serve others. We can also share the good news of God's love and grace with others, and invite them to experience the peace that comes from being justified by faith.
Today, I want you to consider the ways in which God has extended His grace and love to you through Jesus Christ. Ask God to help you deepen your faith and trust in Him, and to live a life of gratitude and obedience to His commands. Seek out opportunities to share the good news of the gospel with others, and to be a witness of God's love and grace in the world. Remember that through faith in Jesus, we can be justified, reconciled to God, and have peace with Him.
Bible Cross Reference
Ephesians 2:8-9 - "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast." This passage emphasizes that salvation is a gift from God, not something that we can earn through our own efforts. This is similar to Romans 5:1, which emphasizes that we are justified by faith, not by our own works.
Galatians 2:16 - "know that a person is not justified by the works of the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law, because by the works of the law no one will be justified." This verse echoes the same message as Romans 5:1, that we are not justified by our own good works or obedience to the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ.
Colossians 1:20-22 - "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 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." This passage speaks to the reconciliation and peace that we have with God through faith in Jesus Christ, which is similar to the peace with God that is emphasized in Romans 5:1.
Philippians 3:9 - "and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith." This verse emphasizes that our righteousness comes not from our own obedience to the law, but from faith in Jesus Christ. This is similar to the message in Romans 5:1 that we are justified by faith and have peace with God.