Romans 5 v.1/11

Chapter 5 begins with the affirmation of the true standing of a Christian, that the Christian through faith in Jesus Christ has been justified and declared to be righteous by God once and for all.  This means the person is no longer in fear of judgement, and, which is not just a feeling but a reality we avoid the wrath of God

Since we have been made right in God’ sight by faith in his promises, we can have peace with him because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. Christians are justified by virtue, of the blood of Jesus being poured out on the Cross. So making Christians to people with certain future in the life hereafter.

For because of our faith, he has brought us into this place of highest privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to actually becoming all that God has had in mind for us to be.

The peace in which we stand refers to the secure position of the believer’s standing of being justified, and the hope of the glory of God refers to the promise that Christians will be glorified, a hope that rejoices in joy.

We can rejoice too when we run into trials and problems, for we know they are good for us, they help us to be patient, and patience develops strength of character in us and helps us to trust God more each time we use it until finally our hope and faith are strong and steady, and the Holy Spirit gives us power to persevere

Then what happens, we are able to hold our heads high no matter what happens and know that all is well, for we know how dearly God loves us, and we feel this warm love everywhere within us because God has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.

When the Bible speaks of hope, it is not the casual term we use, such as I hope it doesn’t rain, the Bible meaning is hope brings certainty.

The people of God rejoice not only in future glory, but in present trials and sufferings, not because sufferings are pleasant but produce  a step by step change that makes them more like Jesus.

As followers of Jesus, we have no cause to face judgement day for we now belong to God, and we are loved by Him because the Holy Spirit poured love into out hearts when we accepted Jesus as our Lord and Saviour.

Christians are meant to be joyful people, reverent and aware of treating worship seriously, but rejoicing in doing so. Some Christians far from being joyful, stand to sing as if it in an offence to look happy.

I love to see the singing in the black congregations, for the face of people are full of joy, the music is played in such a way to  inspire, and move them physically as well as spiritually, as it is obvious the hymns are not just words but serious messages.

In retrospect, I think the Churches here made a colossal mistake in not integrating the incoming black people, instead of allowing and in some cases encouraging them to start their own Churches, as we now see those Churches growing as the old Churches losing members by the thousands weekly. I realise the Bible may have been an embarrassment as it is treasured by the black community, rather than looked upon as a guide to meet the needs of the occasions.

As we look at the Psalms, they are shouting out joy, and the birth of Jesus was greeted with praise. I think of those wonderful Billy Graham meetings with the massed choirs, loudly singing modern praise, only for those attending in a lot of cases returning to their Church to sing mournful chants and canticles.

In the last verses of this passage, Paul tells of God’s love and the sacrifice made when he sent his Son to die on the Cross. Jesus died for the ungodly, for sinners who had rejected him, unrighteous people living without God in their life, whilst God’s righteousness and justice led to salvation through that cruel death of Jesus. It was God’s love that motivated the plan.

When we were utterly helpless with no way of escape, Christ came to us just at the right time and died for us sinners who had no use for him.

Even if we were good, we really wouldn’t expect any one to die for us, though of course that might be barely possible

And since by his blood he did all this for us as sinners, how much more will he do for us now that he has declared us not guilty. Now he will save us for all God’s wrath to come

And when we were his enemies, we were brough back to God by the death of his Son, what blessings he must have for us now we are his friends, and he is living within us.

Now we rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God-all because of what our Lord Jesus Christ has done for us by dying for our sins and making us friends with God .