21 October | EVERYONE
«Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.» Romans 5: 1,2
The quicksand of sin may have swallowed the sinner completely. Vain were his attempts to get out on his own. It may seem, from a human perspective, that people are at the bottom of the abyss without God and without hope, but the good news is that nothing is hopeless for those who believe in Jesus. It is possible to be justified, or reconciled to God, by faith, beyond fruitless human efforts to be saved.
“What is justification by faith? It is the work of God in laying the glory of man in the dust, and doing for man that which it is not in his power to do for himself” (Ellen G. White, Testimonies for Ministers and Gospel Workers, p. 456).
Returning to today’s text, Paul’s first thought in it is that peace is the fruit of justification. Far from God it is not possible to have peace. The reason is that man came from the hands of God and will never be complete without him. Unfortunately, sin caused separation between the creature and the Creator. Far from Him, we can do whatever we want in order to feel fulfillment and happiness, but any effort will be useless, because nothing can make up for the absence of God.
The second thought of today’s text is that Jesus is the intermediary between God and man and the One who gives us access to grace. He is the bridge over the abyss, the ladder that unites Heaven and Earth. Jesus died for our sins. He took on our transgressions and atoned for them on the Cross, and today He can give us His righteousness and reconcile us again to the Father.
Jesus is the backbone of the gospel. Through him, Paul says, “we stand” in grace. Here is the final thought. And so, we can feel confident that God’s glory will not fail (i.e., because of His blessed character of love, God’s original plan will be restored).
Take Action
Today, made righteous by faith, look confidently and hopefully toward the glorious future that awaits you because you have accepted Jesus as your personal Savior. And enjoy that reality here. Sing “Justified by Faith” (if possible, with your family).