February 6 Click on verses for Full Scripture

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Today's Pathway: Romans 5:1-5 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; And patience, experience; and experience, hope: 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.

In today's passage Paul spells out several things that the believer has because he has been justified by Christ. In verse 1 he says that we have "peace with God". An old expression that was used in the past went like this, "Have you made your peace with God?" According to the Scriptures, that question has been settled for all time for the person who has received Christ. The verb tense used indicates that this peace is ongoing and continual, so there is no possibility that a man can lose his salvation. Henry Morris put it this way,

"The justified person is no longer tormented by questions of his relationship with God arising from the fact that he is a sinner. Sinner though he is, he is at peace with God because of what God has done for him."

In vere 2 Paul mentions that the believer has "access". "Access" was the word used for the right to enter into the king's presence. Not everyone had that right; it had to be bestowed upon someone by the king himself. So, because God has justified me, He has granted me the privilege to come into His presence at any time. The verb tense that is used here indicates that we received this privilege as a completed action in the past (the point where we got saved), and this privilege continues into the present. Thus, the writer of Hebrews can say,

"Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need" (Heb. 4:16).

Also in verse 2 Paul writes that the believer can "rejoice in hope". The word "hope" is defined as a "confident expectation". It is not just "wishful thinking"; it is an assurance that something promised is going to take place. Because the believer has the "blessed hope" (Titus 2:13): the soon return of Jesus Christ, he can rejoice in the middle of any situation. Titus 1:2 mentions the hope that accompanies the return of Christ:

"In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began."

According to verse 3, the believer is also able to rejoice even in tribulations. "Tribulation" at its root means "to be put under pressure". No one enjoys the pressures that come from pain or difficulty or loneliness. Yet the believer is able to glory in those difficulties because we understand that God is at work to make us better followers of Him. A proper response to tribulation produces patience (cheerful endurance), which in turn produces experience. The word "experience" is used for metal which has been passed through the fire so that everything bad has been purged out of it. So, when we have problems and handle them properly we become stronger, and this then produces hope. And when we are truly waiting expectantly on God, we will never be ashamed of Him. He will never disappoint us, and He will never fail to keep His promises to us, because He loves us.

It is wonderful to be justified. Not only does it make the difference in our eternal destiny, it is a tremendous blessing as we await the day when we finally see Him face to face.