Live Different

Read: Romans 5

"Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God." Romans 5:1-2

Examine:

There is only one qualifier to this verse and that is that I have to have placed my faith in Christ. The moment I did that I became justified by faith. This verse lists out three main benefits of justification through Christ: 1) Peace with God has been given. 2) Privileged access to God has been granted. 3) The glory of God has been promised as an inheritance.

Apply:

Religion places a great deal of pressure on me to make peace with God. Religion creates a list of do's and don'ts and then I beat myself up with them as I continually feel pressed to live better. This is foolishness. I do not have to make peace with God.

My peace with God has been made. There is no condemnation. There is nothing to earn. For me to live with even the slightest sense of being on the outside is the equivalent of a man starving to death while his cabinets are full of food. My peace is complete in Christ.

I have privileged access to the God of the universe. This should be a game changer. Nothing in my life should be normal or ordinary. I stand in the sphere of God's grace. His empowering presence fuels me. His cleansing of sin covers me. His heart of love fills me. The fruit of my life should reflect this. The God who spoke into existence the heavens and earth. The God who created everything man longs to hold. The God who holds the heavens and earth in His hands. That is the power to which I have been granted access. There is no way I can take hold of that truth and not be transformed by it.

My future inheritance will be the glory of God. Humans hope in the glory of things, not the things themselves. I am never tempted to hope in money, it is the glory of the things money can buy that is enticing. I am never tempted to hope in a position, it is the glory of having power that is enticing. If money, power, or possessions have the power to offer glory; how much more so should the God of the universe? That is my inheritance. Regardless of what I experience in my short time on this earth my eternity will be spent experiencing the fullness of God's glory. My heart should be continually filled with hope. Joyful anticipation should lead me through each day. My soul should overflow with the celebration of the things that are to come for me.

Prayer:

Father,

The truths You have reminded me of this morning cannot be accepted by human reasoning. The only way these things can sink into my heart and produce fruit in my life is by the work of the Holy Spirit You so graciously granted to me. I ask that the eyes of my heart be opened so that I may live fully in the benefits You have given to me through Christ. Let me know the peace that I have with You. Help me to be transformed by the privileged access to You made possible for me. Release me to celebrate daily the future glory of which I can be certain is mine.