A Blessed Brat! Therefore, since we have been declared righteous by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. We have also obtained access through Him by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. (Romans 5:1-2 HCSB). Ah, the conjunction therefore begins this chapter! And every time I read therefore, in a passage of Scripture, it is well worth my while to look and see that for which the therefore is there! Only then am I ready to understand whats being said. So, Whats the therefore, there for? If I look carefully at everything which has preceded the therefore in is letter, I will immediately notice: the immoral and amoral, if it feels good, do it! crowd, are under the wrath of God (1:18-32); the judgmental, moral, Well, at least Im better than that! folks, are justly there as well (2:1-16); and lastly, my favorite, the Ive got God on my side! arrogant spiritual people are joining them in the same boat (2:17-29). In other words, everybody, I mean each and every person who has ever been on earth is, well, lost, helpless, hopeless, in a fix and doomed if God doesnt step in! (3:1-20). And step in He did, as only God can do! He invested Himself into His crown of creation, mankind, the one through He had commanded the care of the world, this world, in which we live. And this stepping in was not without preparation within mankind. He (God) drew the plans, published the event, prepared the people, appointed the time, fixed the circumstances and brought it all together in the holy conception, virgin birth, miraculous overshadowing of Adams transgression in His mother, Mary, and even moved upon the hearts of kings, Caesar Augustus to order the registration and Herod to force them out of Palestine and into Egypt, that His Son, Jesus (Yeshua - Salvation), the Christ (Promised One), came to His own, who decided (as determined by His will) that He should die! (3:21-26). And faith, the faith of Abraham who believed God long before he was circumcised as a sign of such, that faith of David, a shepherd and shepherds son, with a burning love for the One he could not see, slaying giants, winning battles, enduring rejection, being made king with an enduring lineage including that of the Messiah, and the faith of the prophets, scribes, priests and in the people, great and small, the Subject of that faith which was promised became real, purchased forgiveness, paid the redemption, paved the Way, as He, Himself lived the same way, the only way, I can live, by faith. (Chapter 4). This is that to which the therefore points and urges me see, know, understand, accept and believe! And so, here I am, at chapter 5! And what do I see this faith yielding but my having been declared righteous (in a right relationship with) by God and being (actively living under the knowledge while) at peace with God! Im not fighting Him anymore, or am I? Ah, a subtle difference quickly presents itself, Im declared righteous, arent I? But Im not there yet! As a matter of fact, with me, sometimes it appears Im still packing the car for the trip; and I havent left yet! The peace treaty is in place, but, like Hamas, I break the cease-fire, dont I? You see, in Gods mind (He said it, its a fact, it over and done) its finished (Remember, He said, on the cross, It is finished, paid in full!), but my mind is still coming to grips with the ramifications of that fact! In other words, I cant see or be it yet, apart from faith! But through, by Jesus, I have obtained access, I have been granted and abundant bold access into the very familial presence of God (Ephesians 3:12), been received and adopted by Him (Romans 8:15), joined with Him in this precious reality, the grace in which we stand, I still am learning NOT to act like a brat and be a pest! But my doing so (being a brat, a pest) doesnt change the fact, neither does it negate the decree nor is it able to extinguish the hope implanted by and within this grace, Gods grace. THE FACT IS, Im a blessed brat and a purchased pest! The truth of the gospel remains, God is not mad at me; He loves me with an everlasting, unchanging, never waning, new creature making investing of Himself in, kinda love! And its that in which I rejoice; not all my great works for God! Its this in which I revel; not my many labors for the Master! He is my Joy and and my Strength - Him and Him alone - His birth, His life, His death, His burial, His resurrection and ascension, His intercession and advocacy - its all Him, none of me! I boast in Him, my Great God of Salvation, Who can be yours as well. And that my friend is the Truth, the whole Truth and nothing but the Truth. Lets think about that!
Posted on: Mon, 11 Aug 2014 12:38:04 +0000
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