Peace

Jesus reconciles us to our Heavenly Father! Faith in Him leads to peace, grace, and hope. All scripture passages are from Berean Standard Bible available on online at bibehub.com/bsb. Emphasis mine. Images creating using Night Cafe Studio.

Romans 5:1-5

The Triumph of Faith

1Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.

3Not only that, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out His love into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, whom He has given us.

Faith leads to peace! Jesus brings grace and hope of being in God’s glory. The Westminster Shorter Catechism explains:

Q: What is the chief end of man?
A: Man’s chief end is to glorify God and enjoy him forever.

It reminds us of what we were created to do, and that there is true enjoyment in doing it.

God, the author and creator of life, created us to worship him, to glorify him in all things! But there is more here.

By glorifying God, we find that we actually enjoy him. We find fellowship and communion with our heavenly Father that is eternal in scope.

This is our true contentment! Being created to glorify God doesn’t just benefit God (not that God could be enriched or benefit from us!). No, rather, we find that we, the created finite beings, are the ones who benefit infinitely.

http://proclamationpca.com/blog/2015/1/9/westminster-shorter-catechism-qa-1

A catechism is a question and answer styled document that teaches the doctrines of faith.

This image showcases the Light of Life and Hope that guides us in the difficult seasons.

Path to Joy

We can rejoice in our sufferings because it produces perseverance, character, and ultimately hope in Christ Jesus. This hope doesn’t disappoint us because it’s a living hope! God’s love comes into us through Holy Spirit to fill and overflow through us. We find lasting joy in worship and fellowship with God.

This image represents the hope and promise of renewal in Christ that we will experience when He returns or we pass into His presence.

Jesus: Peace and Reconciliation

Jesus’ Love for Us: Romans 5: 6-8

6For at just the right time, while we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. 7Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. 8But God proves His love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

God reaches out to us while we are powerless and lost. Jesus died for sinners: those lost and powerless to save themselves!

Jesus is our Stream of life, grace and love that flows through our lives!

Saved from Wrath to Rejoice in Christ!

Romans 5:9-11

9Therefore, since we have now been justified by His blood, how much more shall we be saved from wrath through Him! 10For if, when we were enemies of God, we were reconciled to Him through the death of His Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through His life! 11Not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

The key words of this passage are justified and reconciled. These are legal terms that relate to how Christ’s makes us righteous before Holy God. Jesus is the Son who bridges the gap between sinful humans and a Righteous, Holy God.

We have the assurance of salvation and reconciliation because of Christ’s death for us! This is the true meaning of peace and joy in Advent. Jesus came to set us free from bondage to sin and separation from God to live eternally with Holy Trinity!