Question of the Day: What is your favorite bible verse?
READ: Romans 5: 1-11
Peace and Hope
5 Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we[a] have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we[b]boast in the hope of the glory of God. 3 Not only so, but we[c] also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4 perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5 And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.
6 You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. 7 Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. 8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
9 Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him! 10 For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! 11 Not only is this so, but we also boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.
I don't know about you, but I just want to read and reread this passage.
Let's reread the first sentence. "Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we[a] have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand."
There are three points in this one sentence I want us to just sit with for a moment.
1. We have been justified through faith!
2. We have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ
3.... Into this grace in which we now stand.
How many of you have memorized Romans 3:22-24 "There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus."
Key to this whole entire book is we have to saturate ourselves with the knowledge that we have been justified freely! I know we all tend to say, "yes, but..." NO there are no BUTS!!!! You are justified freely! A good way to determine if you really know it, if you really believe it is in point 2. Do you know you have peace with God?
What does having this peace look like?
What does it mean to stand in grace?
The next sentence says, "And we boast in the hope of the glory of God."
How do we boast in the hope of the glory of God?
Could you say that yesterday, you lived knowing that you have been justified freely and that you had peace with God, you stood in grace and you boasted in the hope of the glory of God?
What would that kind of day look like?
This is extremely important! We must learn how to live with Christ and what He has done for us driving everything! IT is not just a concept we understand but a way of life! Grace is not just something we know it is how we must live!!!!
Continuing on it reads, "Not only so, but we[c] also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4 perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5 And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us."
Does this sound like living grace?
What does it mean to "glory in our sufferings?"
suffering-perseverance-character-hope!
Have you found this to be true?
Can you say this is your experience?
How many times do we walk though life consumed by self, consumed by shame?
What is the answer here?
How do we live with God's love poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit?
Last night I read the pastors email and was blown away by how timely it was for our lesson.
For those of you who may not have read it, he quoted Ellen White, from Steps to Christ.
When the mind dwells upon self, it is turned away from Christ, the source of strength and life. Hence it is Satan’s constant effort to keep the attention diverted from the Saviour and thus prevent the union and communion of the soul with Christ. The pleasures of the world, life’s cares and perplexities and sorrows, the faults of others, or your own faults and imperfections — to any or all of these he will seek to divert the mind. Do not be misled by his devices. Many who are really conscientious, and who desire to live for God, he too often leads to dwell upon their own faults and weaknesses, and thus by separating them from Christ he hopes to gain the victory. We should not make self the center and indulge anxiety and fear as to whether we shall be saved. All this turns the soul away from the Source of our strength. Commit the keeping of your soul to God, and trust in Him. Talk and think of Jesus. Let self be lost in Him. Put away all doubt; dismiss your fears. Say with the apostle Paul, “I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me.” Galatians 2:20. Rest in God. He is able to keep that which you have committed to Him. If you will leave yourself in His hands, He will bring you off more than conqueror through Him that has loved you. SC 71.2
Even in our desire to grow and do what is right if we keep our eyes on self, if we find ourselves sitting in shame instead of standing in His grace then we have our focus in the wrong place. Before you scream but... let me assure you the transformation and how that takes place is coming. Romans is a beautiful complete look at the Good News and the Good News doesn't leave us where we are. We must first learn to stand in His grace.
So how do we do that?
1. Keep your focus on what He has done for you. Dwell on it, praise Him for it! Boast in His hope!
2.Stop BUTTING! Trust that if your eyes are on Him it will be enough, in fact it is the only way! Stop following it up with BUT!
3. Memorize, memorize, memorize scripture that helps to keep His grace in your heart! ( I suggest Romans 3:22-24 :) )
"You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. 7 Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. 8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
9 Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him! 10 For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! 11 Not only is this so, but we also boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation."
These verses, take away the BUT, don't they?
Instead of finishing this chapter today, I want us to stop and think about Jesus.
How have you experienced His grace this week?
What are some of your favorite passages, or verses about Grace?
What can you do to "stand" in Him?
"Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in His wonderful face, and the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and Grace."
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