Romans 5:1-5 English Standard Version (ESV)

Peace with God Through Faith

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.

Yesterday the last words spoken were: “Those who do it to us want to control and use us to their own gain. That is not how God works.” Having placed the issue of what God has done opens up a myriad of topics, experiences, beliefs and opinions. What must be put forth at this time is this issue of the peace of God which we have found. We are all different and what God has done in order to bring peace to one believer might not be the same as it is for another.

We all want to be right. That is fair but we do not have the right to destroy the peace of another by how we express our beliefs. Strong opinions may be founded in totally different experience from others. It is difficult to know exactly what others deem important without having those open and searching conversations in bible studies. Our theologies need to be examined in light of God’s Word but none of us are the last word on truth. The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Truth and some of us are not as experienced at hearing the Holy Spirit as others. We must be careful not to destroy another’s peace.

Romans 14:20 English Standard Version (ESV) Do not, for the sake of food, destroy the work of God. Everything is indeed clean, but it is wrong for anyone to make another stumble by what he eats.

Isaiah 38:15a English Standard Version (ESV) What shall I say? For he has spoken to me, and he himself has done it. 

Returning to Isaiah once again this prophetic word delivered to us so long ago is spoken to us as a thing already done. In Isaiah’s life it had not been performed but in Isaiah’s vision it was seen as we see it from a moment of a thing accomplished.

Is it amazing that Isaiah could see it that way or is it amazing that it was God who did it? So much of what we view about this Christian life we view in terms of our own performance. We see ourselves in terms of obedience to commandments. We judge ourselves in those terms of faithfulness. We judge others by those same standards. We haven’t done enough. We need to find more and more opportunity to do the work of obedience of faith.

Viewing ourselves as being the actors in the role of being Christ to others makes us the star and is a form of idol worship. We become self-important. “Look at me and what I have done. Be like me.” I spite of every warning Christ said to us about being the least, serving everyone, and thinking of others more highly than ourselves we continue to have performance anxiety. “Am I good enough? Did I do right? Do I do enough?” Those are all worldly standards imposed by man and not God.

Listen to Isaiah again. “He spoke to me and He did it.” Relationship then action. God does in us and thru us because we are walking by faith with God. It is that simple and that difficult. Difficult because the world has filled our minds with doubt and insecurities. Those who do it to us want to control and use us to their own gain. That is not how God works.