Paul has concluded his argument about faith and righteousness we read in this morning’s text. Now, he pushes forward with the benefits of faith-producing righteousness.
Note that the text begins with the word, “Therefore” which we could read, “As you can plainly see.” He continues, “...since we have been justified (made right with God) through faith we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” If there is only one benefit of righteousness, “it is peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
As I read this, the Holy Spirit caused me to wonder, “If we have peace we must, at one time, have had the opposite -- we must have been at war with God.” That’s a frightening thought: To be at war with God. Or perhaps we could say, we and God had been adversaries. How could this have happened -- to be God’s adversary? We inherited this position from Adam. As he sinned the world carried sin and we, each of use, bore out our share of sin. It is sin that began the quarrel between us and God. We all know how a simple quarrel, with a friend, a neighbor, or a family member can get out of hand if it is not stopped. A cross word, a misunderstanding, or unintended slight or insult - all of these can lead to a quarrel and then worsen when the party that began the dispute does not apologize or seek forgiveness.
I wonder how many wars could have been prevented if only one side had swallowed its false sense of pride and said, “I’m sorry. I offended you. Please forgive me.” How many countless thousands or millions of lives could have been spared with an apology. Our lives, according to Paul in his letter to the church at Rome, have indeed been spared with an apology of sorts.
Jesus said, as he hung on the cross, dying, “Father, forgive them for they know not what they are doing.” (Luke 23:34) With these words and His death and resurrection, we have been made right with God, if only we believe - if only we have faith.
Paul writes to the house church in Rome, “...we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand.” Powerful words - “...we have gained access...” Remember the moment when our savior died?
Turn to Luke, chapter 23 and verse 45 to read a reminder of how we gained access to God. Luke writes, “...for the sun stopped shinning and the curtain of the temple was torn in two.” The curtain separated, at God’s command, sin-filled man from coming into contact with a pure and holy God. The curtain was torn in two from top to bottom as a symbol that this separation was dissolved by God (from the top) and not by any effort of man (from the bottom). Paul tells us that Jesus Christ, through his death and resurrection, has provided us access to God by faith and Paul continues the sentence by telling us that as Christians, by grace, we not stand in God’s presence. Not just in this church this morning, but everyday, everywhere, in every way, we are in God’s presence, justified and righteous.
When a war breaks out and lives are spent or thrown away in the fighting, only two words can stop it - “I surrender.” I suggest to you today that to stop your war with God, a war which needn’t be, all we need to say to stop it is, “Lord, I surrender. I accept your peace terms. I will believe.” Peace with God is that simple. There’s not long drawn-out negotiating formula, no need for shuttle diplomacy, just a simple surrender to God and His will for our lives.
“Lord, I surrender. I accept your peace terms. I will believe.” Believing is, after all, a matter of will. We accept, we believe, or we do not. It’s our choice.
After a war the winning party usually tries to punish the offending nation. After World War I, the allies punished Germany by cutting up its territory, setting limits on its military and demanding financial reparations. All of this humiliation led directly to World War II. God does not have a plan to humiliate you or I when we surrender. Instead He offers us a piece of His kingdom. Jesus tells us when we surrender, “In my Father’s house are many mansions. I go to prepare a place for you.” With God -- when we surrender -- when the war is over -- when we believe, all is forgiven.
Now, Paul writes, “And we rejoice in the hope (the future reality) of the Glory of God.” Amen? We’ve become allies with God. What is our hope? The hope of which Paul writes? Remember, when Paul used the word “hope” in this context, he is really saying, “The future reality.”
What is the Glory of God of which Paul writes? As Christians, we have confidence that all of God’s purposes (glory) will be accomplished. If we read the text again applying what we’ve just learned we see Paul’s real meaning.
“And we are happy, in the future reality of the accomplishments of God.” We as Christians should be ecstatic knowing that all of God’s purposes, all of His plans, will be accomplished. Why? Because part of that Glory -- those future accomplishments concern us -- our future as a child of God is to be brought closer and closer to the image and reality of Jesus Christ. Can you imagine - not only will we be joint heirs, adopted sons and daughters of God, but by a process started by God and completed through faith, we will be like Jesus. Hallelujah!
Paul tells, warns us really, that this journey will be frought with danger. We will suffer. I don’t believe Paul is talking about suffering health problems here, but suffering in our personal, social and work lives. There is a price to pay when we follow Jesus. And in the paying of that price, we will suffer. Paul reminds us that through our suffering or commitment to Jesus we will gain character - a strength of purpose and that as our character is molded so our hope will increase our sense of a future reality with God.
There is still a battle to fight. We are now allies with God in His battle with Satan. Our newly strengthened character and sense of purpose will stand us in good stead as we take on the forces of evil in this world. Now that Satan knows who we are, we can expect the battle to intensify, but we will stand fast. The more Satan beats us down the taller we’ll rise. There is a story I heard not long ago which illustrates, I think, this growth in character allowing us to rise from the pit of battle.
A parable is told of a farmer who owned an old mule. The mule fell into the farmer's well. The farmer heard the mule 'braying', or whatever mules do when they fall into wells. After carefully assessing the situation, the farmer sympathized with the mule, but decided that neither the mule nor the well was worth the trouble of saving. Instead, he called his neighbors together and told them what had happened and enlisted them to help haul dirt to bury the old mule in the well and put him out of his misery. Initially, the old mule was hysterical! But as the farmer and his neighbors continued shoveling and the dirt hit his back, a thought struck him. It suddenly dawned on him that every time a shovel load of dirt landed on his back -- he should shake it off and step up! This he did, shovelful after shovelful. "Shake it off and step up . . . shake it off and step up . . . shake it off and step up!" he repeated to encourage himself. No matter how painful the blows, or distressing the situation seemed the old mule fought "panic" and just kept right on shaking it off and stepping up! It wasn't long before the old mule, battered and exhausted, stepped triumphantly over the wall of that well! What seemed like it would bury him, had actually blessed him -- all because of the manner in which he handled his adversity.
That’s character. If we face our problems and respond to them positively, and refuse to give in to panic, bitterness, or self-pity . . . the adversities that come along to bury us usually have, within them, the potential to benefit and bless us! Forgiveness, faith, prayer, praise, hope . . . all are excellent ways to "shake it off and step up" out of the wells in which we find ourselves. Remember what the Apostle James wrote, “Dear brothers and sisters, whenever trouble comes your way, let it be an opportunity for joy! For when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow!" (Jam. 1:2, 3) Like the old mule, in hope we’ll shrug off what Satan throws at us until, like the mule we see the Light - until we see Jesus. Never give up - never quit - never stop believing. Paul writes, “And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom He has given us.” Yes, now we are at peace with God, through our Savior Jesus Christ.
How did this happen? How did we become an ally of God instead of His enemy? Paul concludes this section of his letter to the Roman church with the answer to these questions. “But God demonstrated His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” While we are at war with God, he was waiting for us to surrender. He was waiting for us to come to faith and to realize the benefits of righteousness: “While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Amen
