Month: September 2018

24. Joy in God

 Romans 5:11a And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

 The promise is that we “joy in God” through Christ; it is not just that have joy in God, but we actively rejoice. The joy we have is a deep inner joy that dwells deep inside our spirit. Out of that deep wellspring flows a joy that rejoices in God. There is no doubt that God is full of joy; there is no doubt that God rejoices. That kind of eternal joy is also in us when God lives in a cleansed vessel. The freely granted forgiveness and salvation causes us to joy in God. Rejoicing in the Lord is always available and possible for us in spite of the surrounding circumstances that cause sadness and despair. We do not rejoice because of outside circumstances, but we rejoice because of God’s joy inside. Looking outside may cause pain; looking inside where the promises of God become real causes joy, always.

The Lord will rejoice over you with gladness [Zechariah 3:17]. This remarkable promise asserts that we, His children, make God happy; what makes God happy is not what we do but what He has done for us. God does not respond to our goodness but rather to His goodness in us. Our salvation, worked by God Himself, makes God happy and so He rejoices over us. If God is happy with us, and He is, we also can be happy with ourselves. Thus we joy in God, not only in who He is but also in what He has done.

No one can take away this inner joy in God. The Enemies can only lie, and if we believe the lies our joy in God is diminished. Hearing the Gospel prevents us from believing the lie that God could not love us. Not only does God love us, but He also rejoices over us. We need the constant refreshment of the Gospel to believe the Truth—then we joy in Him. The response to the Gospel is thanks; giving thanks is how we rejoice in the Lord.

23. Saved by Life

 Romans 5:10b Much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.

 Once we are reconciled to God by faith in Jesus Christ we have this promise: we shall be saved by his life. Not only are we saved by the death of Christ but we are also saved by the life of Christ. Negatively, the death of Christ becomes by faith the death of our old man, our sinful nature, in us. He died the death, which was the wages of sin, in our place.

Positively, the life of Christ becomes by faith the life of the new man, the new holy nature, in us. After He takes our death He gives us His Life. This New Life that lives in our spirit rules, reigns and compels us. The Spirit of God that lives in our human spirit influences and affects the soul to actually decide and do the good works that God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. This New Life does not force its will and its way, but it does wrestle with the flesh, the sinful nature.

Remembering our baptism drowns the old man daily and the new man comes forth and arises to newness of life. The Life of God within is released when the selfish old man is denied by taking up our cross and following Him. A believer is already saved by the death of Christ for eternity. This believer is also saved by the life of Christ for daily life. By His Life we are saved from the tyranny of Sin, the Fear of Death, and the Temptations of the Devil. By His Life we are saved for good works and a good life even now in this age, while we wait for the next age to come. The Good News of this Promise is that His life is our life, and we shall be saved.

22. Reconciled to God

 Romans 5:10a For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son.

 God promises reconciliation for us who were enemies of God. First, we admit that we are enemies of God, hostile to Him by the sinful nature that rebels against Him. We may think we don’t want to be enemies and we don’t often see ourselves that way; but the sad truth is that we do want to be enemies and we do rebel. There are still times when we do want to sin; sin makes us enemies. If we don’t want to be enemies then why do we continue in sin? I admit: I am by nature hostile to God. I want to make my own rules; I do not want to follow rules imposed by the proper higher authority. The sin that rules in me wants to break the Ten Commandments in thought, desire, word and deed.

I am desperately in need of reconciliation. I want to be reconciled, but instead I insist on my own way. God was in Christ reconciling me to Himself. In Christ, I am reconciled completely. But even after reconciliation through the Cross I continue in sin and rebellion, since I am by nature an enemy of God. I need to continue being reconciled to God through faith in Christ; repentance and faith in the Gospel brings about renewed reconciliation again and again. In 2 Corinthians 5:20 Paul says: “We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.” The present imperative of “be” implies an ongoing, repetitive action, namely: Believe the Gospel!

The reconciliation that Jesus brokered between us makes us friends with God. We are encouraged to take hold of this promise and enjoy a warm, intimate and loving relationship with our former enemy. We have forsaken the real Enemies (Sin, Death, and Devil) and have been united with our real Friend. Being now and daily reconciled we have peace with the God who is in us and with us and He will never forsake us.

In addition, we can regard all other people as friends, at least potential friends, instead of treating some of them as enemies. Others, like spouses, may act like enemies at times, but when we are reconciled to God we are able to treat them as friends and be always reconciled with all people. Life is so much better when we live among friends, always being reconciled.

21. Saved from Wrath

 Romans 5:9 Much more than, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.

 His blood justifies us: we are justified by grace through faith because of the death of Christ on the Cross. This justification leads to the promise: we shall be saved from wrath. We justly deserve the wrath of God upon us on account of our sin and guilt. We also justly deserve salvation from wrath on account of the Blood.

It is necessary for us to believe two things about this wonderful promise: 1) we must believe that wrath is real and that the threat of the wrath of God upon is a true reality; 2) we must believe that the wrath of God is appeased by the Blood and that the deserved wrath upon us has been placed on the Son of God, thereby saving us from wrath.

Wrath is a Biblical word for Anger. God is rightly, justly and eternally angry with us because of our sin. Anger can sometimes be defined as the emotion that results from a frustration of reaching a goal, or an interruption from what we want to do. One reason God is angry at our sin is that it frustrates God’s goal, which is loving us and doing good things for us. Sin comes between God and us and it prevents God from doing good things to us. God loves us so much that He gets mad when sin frustrates His love from being poured out upon us.

Justification by Blood saves God from pouring out His wrath upon us, pouring it out on Jesus instead, and thus the Blood frees God to love us freely and bless us abundantly. When we believe in Christ God’s Love is poured out, not His Wrath. Justification promises that we shall be saved.

20. Love Shed in Heart

 Romans 5:5 And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.

 The promise is that the Holy Spirit pours out the love of God into our hearts. This promise causes us to have a hope that will not disappoint. Hope is a sure thing, and the hope itself is the very present substance of future glory. This present substance is the love of God, which the Holy Spirit pours out into our spirit to fill every nook and cranny. It is like liquid poured into a container to fill every part of the vessel that holds it. No part of our being in not affected by the love of God poured out.

Sometimes we can feel the liquid love of God, but most of the time we do not feel like we are being loved. Therefore, we need to believe the promise of love poured out, or shed abroad, in our hearts. We believe it, whether we feel it or see it or not, and it just as true and real. Faith makes it real, and we can live on that promise as much as we can upon actual daily bread and butter. No matter how we feel and no matter what is going on around us God loves us and fills us and He is always with us. Trust the Word and Promise of God. He is more real and eternal than anything on this earth that we can actually touch and feel. The love of God in us is more solid than the most solid objects around us that we could touch and feel.

For this reason, the promises of God are extremely important, and a promise like this one is to be believed and received and enjoyed. It is very real and very present.

19. Access to Grace

Romans 5:2 By whom [by Christ] also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

 Faith in Christ gives us access to the Grace of God. Once we stand in this grace we rejoice in the hope of glory. Stand and rejoice! Standing with God is determined by access. Access gives us the right to legally and properly stand in God’s Presence.

Everyone wants access to people who have power since they may be able to influence other people and things to decide and do things in our favor. “It’s who you know.” Access to power is almost as good as having the power. We have access to the power of God; God will use his power for our good and for our benefit; He knows our needs and hears our prayers, and He is able to do something about it.

We also have access to the Love (Grace) of God. He welcomes us warmly into His presence and smiles upon us and desperately wants to bless. Not only can God take care of us but He also wants to take care of us and answer our prayers. Having access to God’s Love is immensely comforting; we have access to the heart of God and we know how He feels about us. This kind of access is 24/7 in time, anywhere in place, and very present in any trouble. We are never alone; we are never far from help; we are never on our own; we always have access to a loving and powerful and present God.

18. Peace with God

 Romans 5:1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

 Those who are justified by faith enjoy the promise of peace with God. Peace with God is the foundation for peace within that guards our hearts and minds. Peace with God also lays a foundation for peace with other people. Peace with God comes in place of separation, hostility, rebellion and enmity with God; it means that our relationship with God is loving, kind and intimate. The promise of peace with God means that God is able to be with us, hear our prayers, and help us out in every time of need. Peace of God is peace with our own accusing consciences and even with our own justly deserved feelings of guilt. Peace with God replaces inner turmoil, unsettling anxiety and debilitating emotions. Peace with God is really good for us.

Peace with God prevents us from being at war, enmity, strife, separation and divorce with spouse, family, friends and neighbors. When we remember our Baptism, remind ourselves of justification by faith, and call to mind the peace we have with God we will not be easily offended and will be ready to forgive when trespassed against. This keeps the peace. We are also ready to apologize and make amends in order to maintain God-given peace with others; we can do this easily because we have been justified and are at peace with God.

Justification and forgiveness promises and provides inner peace. It is the peace of God that rules our hearts, lives, words, decisions and actions. Keeping the peace is not easy work, but with God’s help it is possible. We believe this promise and solidify peace with God through the Gospel. Justification causes ripples like peace; peace with God causes other ripples like a peaceful life.

17. Promise is sure

 Romans 4:16 Therefore it is of faith, that it might by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all.

Romans 4:21 And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.

 God will do what He promised; the promise is sure. That itself is a promise. The statement that God will do what He says is a promise of sheer grace; for grace simply says that God does it all for us, and it says that God does everything that needs to be done; we cannot add anything to God’s grace. There is nothing left for us to do whatsoever; and this grace is a sure thing.

The completeness of grace is sure: Jesus has earned it all and God gives it all to us for free. Faith receives the promise. The only thing left for us to do is believe it, and the Holy Spirit of God even gives us the faith to receive the promise. Faith agrees with the Word and Promise of God and faith affirms confidently that everything that needs to be done for us and for our salvation has already been accomplished: it is finished; everything is ready. Eat, drink and enjoy!

The certainty of the promise is spoken to us in the Gospel so that we can live at peace, rest in the comfort, bask in the love and revel in the joy. There is no space left for doubt or uncertainty. God keeps His promises and I am fully persuaded. God loves me and He wants me happy and at peace.

16. Heir of the World

 Romans 4:13 For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith.

 The amazing promise of Genesis 12 spoken to Abraham was given to Abraham and his descendants through the righteousness of faith in Christ Jesus; the promise does not come to Abraham through the keeping of the law and the doing of good things or living a good life. This promise was given to all of us who believe and are thus justified through faith.

The promise to Abraham, and to all believers, in Genesis 12:1-3 is for Land, Offspring and a Blessing to the Nations. For us it refers to the Kingdom of God, which was announced by John the Baptist and proclaimed by Jesus, that it has come. Enter in by repenting and believing the Gospel. This Promise, the Kingdom of God, is referred to here by the term “heir of the world.” Jesus promises that the “meek shall inherit the earth.” The meaning is that all things, all worldly kingdoms, all rule and authorities will become the Kingdom of the Lord and of His Christ.

All believers are included in this promise; believers are in the Eternal Kingdom; believers will inherit the world. God promises us an eternal inheritance and the Holy Spirit is the guarantee of the inheritance. The promise guarantees us that we shall indeed inherit the New Kingdom of rule and ownership of all the worlds that God created for His people to live in and enjoy forever, thus fulfilling God’ original intention for the Creation and the Crown of Creation, you and me.

15. Sin not imputed

 Romans 4:8 Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin.

 Blessedness is again promised to the one to whom sin is not imputed. “Impute” means to attribute something to someone as if he possessed it. This amazing Gospel promise affirms to us that sins are no longer attributed to us or even owned by us any longer. Our sins were imputed to Jesus Christ, the Son of God, and He suffered, bled and died with our sins upon Him at the Cross. For those who have faith in Christ their sins are no longer imputed to them but to Christ. He paid the penalty so that the sins might be forgiven and forever taken away.

God mysteriously and miraculously transfers our sin and guilt to His Son and imputes the sin to Him and not to us. This miraculous, once-in-history-for-all-time-and-eternity, transfer and exchange is imputed to us who believe and take this promise into our inward being. In place of the sin that is no longer there (not imputed) the righteousness of God is imputed instead. This mysterious miracle cannot be seen or even logically explained to human reason, but it can be believed by the miracle of faith worked in us by the Holy Spirit through the preached Gospel.

When we hear the Gospel daily we are energized and empowered with God’s power to actually do good works and overcome the temptation to sin. Life is so much better that we consider life to be blessed: Blessed is the man.