It is a sweet message to carry to convicted souls, the words of Jesus, plain and positive as they are, full and precious for the broken hearted: — “Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that believeth in Me hath everlasting life.” The assurance of God’s own word is solid ground to rest upon; better surely than emotion or excitement or good work of our own can give. There is never peace with God in either of these ways in which so many, consciously or unconsciously, are seeking it. God has his own appointed way of salvation, and if He has ap pointed it, it is not for us to choose in the matter, but to obey. Naturally, we prefer any other way to God’s; and yet what an awful mistake to choose the wrong path here. He has not left us to uncertainty, however, about it, for it is written, (Rom. 5:11Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: (Romans 5:1)) “Being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Now, we find on putting to professing Christians the question, “Have you peace with God?” that with very many it is a thing all unsettled. According to God, and his word cannot be broken, — “being justified by faith, we have” it. Assuredly then, whosoever has not peace lacks what belongs to every believer, and can have no right to be at ease.
How solemn is the position of many professed christians! Religious, but without peace, and seemingly content to go on in that way: especially as they see so many around them in the same uncertainty. Have you, dear reader, peace with God Brought face to face with God, so to speak, have you peace with Him? What about your sins, and what about your self— all that you are to the innermost depths of your being? How fares it with you in the presence of One, who cannot look upon sin, and who is “a consuming fire”? to whose eye all things are naked and opened; and with whom we have to do?
How wretched a thing is it to be acting in the sight of man, and not before God! With Him there is no covering oneself up with a cloak of religion; no avail in a conscience quieted for the time by the vain thought of “having done one’s best,” or by “hoping” or “trying” or the false teaching that there is piety in doubt. Alas, many such may awake, both teachers and taught, to the awful realization, that their pious doubts and seeming humility were but the keeping open a door to enjoy the world, with a profession of faith at the same time.
Yes, little as many professing Christians may seem to believe it, or care about it, — “peace with God” now, abiding and settled peace, and nothing short of it, is the only proper resting-place for the soul of man.
This peace is not attained by looking at the best side of our experiences; neither is it based upon religious emotion, nor yet upon a consistent Christian life. if you think you have somewhat in that way to rely upon, still, is there not another side to your experience 3 how about that other side? When your eye is upon your shortcomings, and upon what you find in the secret places of your soul, — have you “peace” in view of all this? Not, are you little troubled about it? or satisfied to be as others, but is God satisfied, do you think? Are you accepted of Him, who, whatever we may suppose, cannot look at sin? It is a sad thing to be at peace with ourselves, and yet not certain about peace with God.
Let us now turn to His own word, and may He give blessing to our souls, while we briefly consider a few verses in this Epistle to the Romans.
In chapter 4:3 it records for us a remarkably plain example of faith, in these few but important words: “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him for righteousness.” Now this was recorded for us, as we find in the positive assuring words in the last three verses of the same chapter: — “Now, it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him, but for us also, to whom it shall be imputed,”— mark the assurance, — if what? what is the only condition of righteousness being imputed to us — “if we believe on Him that raid up Jesus our Lord from the dead.” But what was the raising of Jesus from the dead to me This —, (and may the words, all important for the sinner’s peace, come home to the reader’s heart) — “who was delivered for our offenses, and raised again for our JUSTIFICATION.”
Not, “delivered, that we might do good works to be justified,” but “delivered for our offences, and raised again for our justification.” If I believe, then, I am justified from all things. Without any work at all, I can rejoice at once; for “to him that worketh not, but believeth on Him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.” This is God’s way of peace for us; may the heart rest in Him, and the eye be fixed on Jesus, as we repeat the blessed words “who was delivered for our offenses, and raised again for our justification.”
Yes, we can join in Peter’s glad outburst of praise, (as from the lips of one who had watched the gates of the tomb in dark doubt): — “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy path begotten us again unto a living hope, by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.” Nothing else is needed. That settles all as to my justification, that God has raised again from the dead the One delivered for my offenses. Not for part of my offenses, beloved reader: if so, what about the rest? — but for all of them.
“Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what claw? of works? Nay, but by the law of faith. Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith, without the deeds of the law.” Believing in Him who has thus done all for us, the fruit of our faith will be obedience out of a glad heart, set free from bondage to praise and glorify the deliverer.
The beginning and the end of this peace is Christ: He is the First and the Last in it. The work of Satan is undone, and man brought back to God by the Second Man, the Lord from heaven. Is it a small thing — this peace, — in a world of centuries of wickedness — wrath treasured up against the day of wrath, ever since Adam shrank from God among the trees of the garden? But this is ours forever, dear fellow-believer in our Lord Jesus Christ. Peace with God is ours: — with Him before whose face the earth and the heavens yet will flee away, and no place be found for them — and none for any soul that builds not on the one sure foundation.
We have peace. We have not to make it, or better it by good Christian conduct. We have it perfected through our Lord Jesus Christ, or we have it not at all. “He has made peace by the blood of His cross.” Paul or Peter had no other ground of confidence than this. Dear reader, you who have it not, is it not enough for you? Rest in Him, then; and you have no more to do than Israel when bidden to “stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord.”
We have seen it, and, being saved, are free to serve Him, “rejoicing in hope of the glory of God.”
E. S. L.
No one can look upon Christ dying on the Cross, and say, “He is not enough for my sins.”