Abundant Peace Part 1: Peace with God

1 Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. 3 Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4 and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, 5 and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. 6 For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— 8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. 10 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. 11 More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

3 REALITIES OF HAVING ABUNDANT PEACE WITH GOD

1) IN OUR SIN, WE ARE ENEMIES OF AND HOSTILE TO GOD!

Sin is direct rebellion against a holy God.

We were born into sinfulness.

Sin is our nature.

No matter how comfortable we are with our sin…it is still sin!

Our intentions may seem good to us, but they are unholy and unrighteous.

We were made to be in relationship with God, but in sin we are hostile to God.

We were made to be His image bearers, but instead we are enemies.

No matter how hard we try to dress it up and make ourselves ok with it, sin is hostile rebellion and makes us enemies of God.

2) ONLY JESUS CAN JUSTIFY US AND RECONCILE US TO GOD!

What is justification?

You have been found guilty of rebellion against Holy, Holy, Holy God. The sentence of your rebellion is death and destruction. Jesus did what you cannot do and live. He took your sentence upon Himself and paid the penalty of death and destruction on your behalf.

Justification means that God’s justice is satisfied by Christ’s death on the cross and His blood being shed. As a result, if you in Him, you are declared righteous and your guilt is removed.

We can only experience justification by placing our complete faith in Jesus.

What is reconciliation?

Under God’s Righteous law we are guilty and under God’s Holiness we are estranged. When Jesus died, He satisfied the penalty of guilt, when we acknowledge His Lordship and place our faith in Him, He brings to us a restored relationship.

In Jesus, we are not just freed from our guilt and penalty for rebellion, we are freed to no longer rebel but to walk in fellowship with God.

Peace with God means we are in right relationship with Him! This only happens through Jesus.

Being in right relationship with God means that we no longer live in rebellion, but that we live in obedience…we live in the faith.

Habakkuk 2:4 ESV

4 “Behold, his soul is puffed up; it is not upright within him, but the righteous shall live by his faith.

3) PEACE WITH GOD CHANGES OUR LIVES!

Stand in Grace

No more do we bow in shame or stand in rebellion, rather we now stand in Grace.

We live in immense and humble gratitude to God.

We no longer seek rebellion, but rather we seek to live grace filled lives each and every day.

Grace changes how we think about everything. Grace rewires our thinking and therefore our doing.

Grace brings fresh awareness of the brokenness around us and the wholeness we have in Christ!

Rejoice…

…in Hope

… in Suffering

… in God

CALL TO RESPOND

IF YOU WANT TO EXPERIENCE GOD’S ABUNDANT PEACE

…WE HAVE TO EMBRACE GRACE!

… WE HAVE TO LIVE IN CLOSER RELATIONSHIP TO GOD!

…WE HAVE TO PUT AWAY REBELLION AND WALK IN FAITH AND OBEDIENCE!