At Peace with God at Last!

Paul announces in this great text that, because we have been justified by God, we have peace with Him.

How easily we might read this text and pass over the great relief that it brings to poor sinners!

Prior to this great announcement, there has been much that is dark and deadly in what Paul has written. He has described the wrath of God being revealed from heaven against all unrighteousness. God's power as the Creator testifies to lost men everywhere that He has both the power and the right as Almighty God to destroy sinners.

But because sinners hate God's justice, they go about to overthrow Him and deny His power. They aren't thankful for His goodness to them. They use their minds to concoct false theologies and idols that diminish Him. And they pretend that they can keep the law to please Him.

But Paul methodically destroys all hope for the sinner in himself. The law cannot save us, but only condemns us, and declares us all guilty before God.

So we are back to the horrible wrath that we face, and must ask, is there no hope at all for sinners?

Paul gladly announces that there is hope in Jesus and His bloodshedding! There is perfect righteousness to be had by faith in Him! God has set Him apart to be a sacrifice of cleansing for all who trust in Him!

This righteousness, which is not by good works, is freely granted by God. The moral basis for declaring sinners righteous is the blood sacrifice of Jesus to pay off the guilty penalty for sin.

So when God declares us just for Jesus' sake, all the wrath and judgment are swept away, and we who were at enmity with Almighty God now find ourselves to be at peace with Him, by the blood of Jesus, praise God!