Faith Brings Joy
Romans 5:1-5
5 Therefore,
since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace[a]
with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. 2 Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into
this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and
joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory.
3 We can
rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help
us develop endurance. 4 And endurance develops
strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of
salvation. 5 And this hope will not
lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has
given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.The precious benefits and privileges which flow from justification are such as should quicken us all to give diligence to make it sure to ourselves that we are justified, and then to take the comfort it renders to us, and to do the duty it calls for from us. The fruits of this tree of life are exceedingly precious.
I.
We have peace with God, Romans 5:1.
It is sin that breeds the quarrel between us and God, creates not only a
strangeness, but an enmity; the holy righteous God cannot in honor be at peace
with a sinner while he continues under the guilt of sin. Justification takes
away the guilt, and so makes way for peace. And such are the benignity and
good-will of God to man that, immediately upon the removing of that obstacle,
the peace is made. By faith we lay hold of God’s arm and of his strength, and
so are at peace.
II.
We have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, Romans 5:2.
This is a further privilege, not only peace, but grace, that is, this favor.
Observe, the saints’ happy state. It is a state of grace, God’s
loving-kindness to us and our conformity to God; he that hath God’s love and
God’s likeness is in a state of grace.
III.
We rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
Besides the happiness in hand, there is a happiness in hope, the glory of
God, the glory which God will put upon the saints in heaven, glory which
will consist in the vision and fruition of God.
IV.
We glory in tribulations also; not
only notwithstanding our tribulations (these do not hinder our rejoicing in
hope of the glory of God), but even in our tribulations, as they are working
for us the weight of glory, 2 Corinthians 4:17.
Observe, What a growing increasing happiness the happiness of the saints is: Not
only so. One would think such peace, such grace, such glory, and such a joy
in hope of it, were more than such poor undeserving creatures as we are could
pretend to; and yet it is not only so: there are more instances of our
happiness—we glory in tribulations also, especially tribulations for
righteousness’ sake, which seemed the greatest objection against the saints’
happiness, whereas really their happiness did not only consist with, but take
rise from, those tribulations.
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