Romans 5:5

and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.  Romans 5:5 ESV

In verses 3 and 4 Paul talked about how severe trials ultimately produce hope - or a confident expectation - within the children of God. We can be confident, and should expect God to be faithful to His promises, and even more so to experience His glory both now through a relationship with Him and in Heaven in His presence. 

 and hope does not put us to shame
A human weakness, though, can be to question how we can be sure. How can we know, how can we be so confident that we actually live a life of expectancy that we will be in the presence of God one day - without any fear that we are wrong and will be put to shame. How can we actually live out this hope without a doubt, how do we know that these promises are true? 

One way we know is because of what Paul said in verses 3 and 4, that severe trials endured by God's children ultimately produce character, which is a proving of genuineness. When we persevere through a trial, and our faith is strengthened, we can KNOW that we are saved children of the Almighty God!



A second way we can know, that we can be confident in our expectations as children of God, is laid out by Paul here in verse 5.

because God's love has been poured into our hearts

God's love being poured into our hearts is proof of our salvation, and acceptance into His family, as adopted sons and daughters! When we realize that God has poured out His perfect, selfless, sacrificial love into our hearts, we ought to have within us hope that is a confident expectation of the awesome things to come - namely God's glory!

I think it would be wise to understand what the word "poured" indicates in the Greek language:

  to gush (pour) out, run greedily (out), shed (abroad, forth), spill.

This isn't a picture of carefully pouring water from a pitcher into a glass - no, this is like using a fire hose to fill a shot glass! 

This is how God pours out His overwhelming love into our hearts! As His children, longing for Him to reveal Himself through our lives, we must allow this love to overflow to those around us! The one thing that stands in our way of this is self.

through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us

The Holy Spirit is the "channel of the act", or the means by which the love of God is poured into our hearts. The presence of the Holy Spirit is the living proof, the actual evidence of the love of God, and the change that it has imposed on our heart. 

These two verses in Ephesians reinforce what Paul is explaining here:

In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory. Eph 1:13,14

We see that the Holy Spirit is sealed as a guarantee, as evidence that we are God's children. 

The Holy Spirit, as proof of God's love, has been given to us - in order that we live with a confident expectation without any fear of being put to shame! It's so important that we live this life for His glory, knowing that we are safe within His promises - and that He is perfectly faithful. 

1 John 5:13 says:  I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God that you may know that you have eternal life.

As God's children, it should be our sincere desire that God be most glorified in our lives. This can only happen as God is most accurately revealed. From what Paul and John have said here, God is revealed when we live our lives with confidence, knowing we have eternal life and fully expecting to experience God's glory, and God's faithfulness to His promises, without any doubt or fear of being shamed. 

We cannot live this life of confidence unless we know for sure that we are God's children, and so He allows the severe trials that prove our genuineness, and pours out His love into our hearts through the Holy Spirit to prove we are forever His!

I think that understanding that the Holy Spirit is proof of God's love within us - and knowing that this allows us to live with confidence - makes it possible for us to step out and fulfill the Great Commission:

 And Jesus came and said to them, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age."
Mathew 28:18-20

We will never be able to go out into the world that is ruled by Satan if we have a fear of being disgraced, a fear that God will allow us to be shamed, that He will not be there for us to the very end, sustaining us the entire way. We must grasp this confidence that He offers, so that He may be glorified through our obedience to this great command!

Wow, thank You Father for Your amazing love, how can we ever praise you enough! Please forgive us, as we manage to conceal Your love when it should be freely flowing through us, and completely overtaking those around us. Help us, Father, to get ourselves out of the way, so that Your Perfect Love might be revealed, for Your Glory! In Your Son's Holy Name, Amen.

Romans 5:3,4

More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope  Romans 5:3,4 ESV


It's been a while since I posted last, so I want to make sure the context is set. At the end of Chapter 4, Paul explained how Abraham was justified by faith, apart from works. The first two verses of Chapter 5 have laid out some of the blessings that flow from a restored relationship with God, which is through our Lord Jesus Christ (as Paul repeats twice).

Now, in verses 3 and 4, Paul reveals another blessing that we experience through this restored relationship with God.  




More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings

More than that indicates that, along with peace and grace, Paul is about to reveal something else that is attached to our being justified by faith in Jesus Christ. 

Paul says that, as believers, we rejoice in our sufferings. I think we can really gain a deep understanding of what Paul is saying here if we look at these words as they are used in the Greek. 

Rejoice: this word was used in verse 2 (Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God.)
   the definition for this word rejoice: to speak boastfully, (to make) joy, boast, glory - when we rejoice, we proclaim the name of God, we boast of God and what He has done!

I would like to add something to this definition that I came across that seems to add even more depth to this word "rejoice": this word, in this biblical context, refers to living with a God-given confidence. 

Sufferings: pressure, anguish, tribulation, burdened, persecution. More specifically, this word here refers to an internal pressure, feeling hemmed in, a trial with no way of escape.

We can be confident that the suffering that Paul is referring to here is the type that is life-altering. The loss of a loved one, loss of a job, news of cancer or terminal disease - basically a situation that causes us to painfully realize that there is no way of escape - God has taken away all feeling of control.

So, we are to rejoice (have a God-given confidence, boast in our God), through these heavy trials that leave us no hope other than to rely on God...what if we don't?

So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin. James 4:17

If God's Word tells us to rejoice in our sufferings, and we don't, we are robbing God of the glory He deserves by hindering Him from being revealed in our lives, and that is clearly sinful. No matter how hard it is to do this, it should always be our pursuit.


  
knowing that suffering produces endurance

Paul says that we rejoice in our sufferings because we "know" something. He is going to explain what we are to "know" as children of God, and I think we should take special note that he uses this word "know." This is a clear promise from God, and it explains how and why we should rejoice in our sufferings. If we struggle to approach intense tribulation with a God-given confidence (as I think many of us probably do), then we need to spend time meditating on these next words that Paul shares, storing them in our heart so that we could move closer to glorifying God by revealing Him as we go through such trials.

We are to know that suffering (which we defined earlier as a severe persecution or trial, with no way of escape) produces, or accomplishes, endurance. What is endurance?

Endurance: steadfast, remaining.

So these trials with no earthly escape cause us to rely on God. As we know, we should always be relying on God for all things, but when God allows situations in which there is no choice but to rely on Him, we are guaranteed to experience endurance - by the power of God. He has promised that He will never leave us or forsake us, and as He empowers us to endure and remain through such desperate situations, we will come to know that His faithfulness is unwavering.

Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the LORD your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you." Deut. 31:6

 endurance produces character

Now we see that endurance we experience produces character.

Character: also experience, refers to proof of genuineness, tested and true.

Once we have endured and remained through such a trial, we are able to look back and know that we fully relied on God, and He carried us through. It is by His power that we are able to endure and remain, and we will emerge tested and true, the genuineness of our salvation, through faith in His Son, proven!

God wants us to rely on Him, this brings Him glory. It was said to me recently that when we ask someone for help, we are implying that they are capable of helping us. When we ask God for help, we are implying that He can help us, and this brings Him glory. We should be doing this in every area of our life, but our humanness always gets in the way, and we begin to rely on ourselves. We like to feel in control. I believe it is for this reason that God allows us to go through these trials that bring us to the point of total surrender, where there really doesn't seem to be a way out - and we are driven to totally rely on the only One who is capable of sustaining us. 



 and character produces hope

Lastly, once we have been through these types of sufferings, hope is built within us. The word "hope" refers to a confident expectation. When a child of God has experienced these things, from the suffering, through the endurance, to the proof of genuineness, the result is a confident expectation that God is Sovereign, His promises are true, and we are secure in Him.

We can then go back to what Paul said about rejoicing in our sufferings because we know...when we have a confident expectation (hope) that God is Sovereign, that He will empower us to endure and remain through any trial, and that He will continue to prove to us that we are His children, we can approach life with a God-given confidence, that reveals God working in, and changing our life  - and anytime God is revealed, He is glorified!



We must know that God doesn't allow these trials in order to use them as a stumbling block, to see if we will trip up. Their purpose is a proving ground, to prove to us He is who He says He is, that we are His children, to strengthen our faith, and to strengthen our relationship with Him.

In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith--more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire--may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.      1 Peter 1:6,7

Romans 5:2

By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Romans 5:2 ESV

In the last verse, we read that one of the amazing effects of a restored relationship with God is that we experience a peace that cannot be matched on earth. This includes being at peace with God, as well as at peace with our circumstances knowing that God is ultimately in control, and will provide for His children as He works out all things for the good of those who love Him (Romans 8:28).

This peace, Paul says, is experienced because we have been justified by faith in our Lord Jesus Christ- 

By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand

Now, in verse 2, we see that through faith in Jesus Christ, we also have access into grace. It's very important to note that Paul again brings up faith. He spent a lot of time coming down hard on the Jews as they continued to try to add some sort of action/effort on their part as a requirement for salvation. Again and again Paul told them they were justified by faith, and gave them Abraham as an example. In verse 1 and 2 of Chapter 5, as he explains the ultimate blessings of a restored relationship with God, Paul reminds us that it is through faith in Jesus Christ that we experience these things.

It's also important to remember what grace is - unmerited favor. God's undeserved favor shown to us, that cannot, by definition, be earned in any way. It is through faith in Jesus that we are able to experience this favor of God upon us. Paul carries this even further - this grace is the place in which we stand - because as John wrote "We know that we have passed from death unto life..." 1 John 3:14.

As God's children, we are not called to a life of striving to enter into or obtain God's grace upon us, we are actively standing within His grace, according to Paul. What does Paul mean when he uses the Greek word "stand"?
Stand: abide, appoint, bring, continue, covenant, establish, hold up, lay, present, set (up), stanch, stand (by, forth, still, up).   
To stand in God's grace means to abide there, to be established there, to hold up there, to be present there. How awesome to know that we have passed from death to life, this is something that has been accomplished for us by Jesus Christ, and it is by faith in Him that we now stand in God's favor toward us as His children!

Understanding where we stand ought to do nothing less than create within us a burning desire to thankfully serve the One who made this possible! 

  
and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

Yet another effect of a restored relationship with God - rejoicing in hope of the glory of God.

Rejoice: to speak boastfully, (to make) joy, boast, glory - when we rejoice, we proclaim the name of God, we boast of God and what He has done! As Paul said "Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord." 2 Corinthians 10:17. Of ourselves, we have nothing to boast about, but our God - He is the One we can be so proud to serve, so proud to share, He is the source of all good things!

This pride in God, who He is, and what He has done, should build our confidence to stand up and let it be made known that we are His children!

So, in verse 2 why does Paul say that we rejoice? Why do we speak boastfully of God, why are we full of joy? In hope. Because we have hope of the glory of God. We must know what Paul means when he uses the word hope, because it says a lot about why we are rejoicing. 

Hope: expectation (abstract or concrete) or confidence: - faith, hope.   

This comes from the root word that means - (to anticipate, usually with pleasure)

This can be confusing, because the way that we use hope today is different. When we say hope, we usually mean that we really want something to happen. A farmer may hope that it rains, really wanting it to rain. When Paul uses the word hope, he means he is expecting, with confidence, something to happen. How can he be confident? He has faith in Christ, and God has promised peace and everlasting life for those who have faith in His Son. What is everlasting life? Life that lasts forever. 

I believe that, when Paul writes we hope of the glory of God, he is saying that we expect with confidence that one day we will know first hand the glory of God as we stand around His throne. There is no doubt that we experience His glory as we go through life in a relationship with Him, as we stand in His grace. This may be what Paul is describing as well, that we hope or expect to experience the glory of God in this life as well as the next.

What are your thoughts? 

A brief recap of the first two verses of Chapter 5. What do we get to experience as a result of a restored relationship with Jesus Christ - peace, being present in God's grace, and rejoicing as we confidently worship Him! 

Take a minute today and meditate on the word hope. Are we living our lives confident that we are established in God's grace?

Romans 5:1

Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.  Romans 5:1 ESV

After thoroughly explaining man in his lost state, mans need for a restored relationship with God, and the fact that justification is through true saving faith, apart from works - Paul now starts to describe what this restored relationship with God is all about. 


Therefore, since we have been justified by faith
  
"Therefore" - referring to what was discussed in the previous passage. Paul has just finished giving us an example of Abraham's great faith in God, and how he was justified by that faith, how righteousness was counted to him - and us as well when we "believe in him who was raised from the dead Jesus our Lord."

It's important to note that, even though as a reader of this letter we would have just covered what Paul had written about Abraham's justifying faith, Paul re-states this truth. We cannot get this wrong - as the blessings Paul is about to describe that come from a restored relationship with God are only possible with the correct understanding of how we come to this relationship:

"since we have been justified by faith" 

It's important we clearly understand the fact that Paul says the only way this peace is possible is through faith in Jesus Christ.  To do this, I think it might help to take a look at what this verse would say if we were to look at the flip-side: 

Therefore, since we have not been justified by faith, we do not have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

If we attempt to be justified by anything other than (or in addition to) faith, we are not at peace with God, and we remain at war with Him. 

we have peace with God

Wow, what an amazing statement! Paul spent so many verses describing how man, by his very nature, is at war with God, and how God's wrath will be poured out on those who refuse to honor Him - and now he is speaking of being at peace with the Ruler of the universe!


It's important for us to realize that there is no neutral...

 "No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money." Mathew 6:24

We are either at peace and at battle with the evil one, or we are servants of the evil one and at war with God...there is no middle ground.



I wanted to touch on some verses that describe our relationship with God as lost souls.

And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience--among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. Eph 2:1-3

For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. Romans 1:18

For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Romans 1:21

And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done.  Romans 1:28

no one understands; no one seeks for God.  Romans 3:11

"There is no fear of God before their eyes."  Romans 3:18

And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. Col. 2:13,14

As we must acknowledge, as lost souls a relationship with God is non-existent. We are described as dead in our sins, pursuing the lusts of the flesh - which satisfies both our mind and our heart -  but leads us further into darkness, and ultimately will result in forever being separated from all that is pure and good - God.

In order to fulfill the emptiness in our heart, we pursue the temporary things of the world that satisfy for a moment when compared to the eternity that lies before us - we attempt to convince ourselves that material things matter, so that we can cloud our minds and not think of things beyond this immediate moment in time that we are in.

The truth that we must come to terms with is this: no matter how "happy" we are, no matter how "satisfied" we are, no matter how "successful" or "important" we may be -  without faith in Christ we are not at peace with Almighty God, who will justly judge the heart of every person.

If you are not at peace with God through His Son, please seek Him today - for His Wrath is being poured out on those who refuse His forgiveness.

With a clear understanding that we are souls at war with God in our natural lost state, we can focus on what Paul says is available through Jesus Christ - peace with God! This peace is described as a peace the world cannot know - it's peace within the heart and mind that cannot be matched by any earthly thing.

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. John 14:27

So...what is peace? 

The Greek word included these definitions: prosperity: - one, peace, quietness, rest

This is an outline of usage of the Greek word peace throughout the bible:

1) a state of national tranquillity

a) exemption from the rage and havoc of war

2) peace between individuals, i.e. harmony, concord

3) security, safety, prosperity, felicity, (because peace and harmony make and keep things safe and prosperous)

4) of the Messiah's peace

a) the way that leads to peace (salvation)

5) of Christianity, the tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation through Christ, and so fearing nothing from God and content with its earthly lot, of whatsoever sort that is

6) the blessed state of devout and upright men after death

In the secular dictionary, the definition of peace includes:

1.the normal, nonwarring condition of a nation, group of nations, or the world.

2.( often initial capital letter ) an agreement or treaty between warring or antagonistic nations, groups, etc., to end hostilities and abstain from further fighting or antagonism: the Peace of Ryswick.

3.a state of mutual harmony between people or groups, especially in personal relations: Try to live in peace with your neighbors.

4.the normal freedom from civil commotion and violence 

5.cessation of or freedom from any strife or dissension.
 
When I think of being at peace with God, and as I look at these different ways to describe peace, I realize there are so many different aspects to the peace that is experienced through a restored relationship with God. Along with the fact that we are no longer at war with the ruler at the universe but now long to serve and please Him, the images I see so vividly are birds, flowers, and a quite stream.  

"Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?'  Mathew 6:25-31

He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. Psalm 23:2

This study on peace could go on and on, there is so much depth to it! 

 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.  Philippians 4:7

I would love to hear your comments and see the scriptures on peace that you hold special to your heart! I will seek God's direction to determine if dedicating another post to this peace with God would be beneficial at this point. I would love to hear your feedback as well. 

Recap

I would like to take a brief look back at what we have seen in Romans so far, and allow the opportunity for questions or comments on anything that has been discussed. If there are no questions or comments, then we will move on to the next great chapter, chapter 5 in this amazing book of Romans!

I think it's so interesting how Paul set up this letter, and I believe we can learn a lot from the structure.

Chapter 1:
Paul started off by explaining his purpose in writing the letter, and sharing the gospel message - along with the power the gospel message carries. Then, he went right into God's wrath against sin, and those who choose to live in unrighteousness and in opposition to Him. Paul explains that, while this condemns men, it is mans choice (in accordance with his corrupt heart and debased mind) to pursue the lusts of the flesh - and condemn themselves by purposefully ignoring God. There are no excuses.

I think that, at the end of chapter 1, Paul does what could be called "getting them lost" - revealing to His readers their sinfulness and their need for a Savior. This is how the gospel should be shared to this day. If we don't reveal someones sinfulness to them, and help them realize how it separates them from God and condemns them, they will never truly grasp the gift of the gospel.

Ray Comfort has a sermon called "Hell's Best Kept Secret" - He discusses the importance of "getting someone lost" as a part of sharing the gospel. A link to the sermon is below.

http://www.sermonindex.net/modules/mydownloads/singlefile.php?lid=434&commentView=itemComments

Chapter 2: 
Then Paul has to deal with his people, the Jews. Paul apparently knew that their rebuttal to his explanation of God's wrath on sinfulness was going to be that they had the law, they knew what righteousness was, and they were very good at living it out. Paul had a different take on this. Chapter 2 consists of Paul coming down hard on the Jews for judging the Gentiles, explaining that by judging others they bring greater condemnation on themselves.

The Jews were caught up in the belief that they were better off because they were handed down the law from God by their descendants. They took this to mean that God was there God only, and that the rituals, laws, and commands that had been passed down had everything to do with their acceptance by God. Paul spends some time revealing that we are all equal, we are all sinners, and we all need Jesus Christ - God shows no partiality - and no amount of ritual, law, or command keeping has anything to do with our acceptance by God.

Chapter 3:
Paul undoubtedly knew that the Jews weren't going to be happy to hear that they were equal to the Gentiles, and he deals with this right away. He explains that there are advantages to being a Jew in the sense that they have more information (the oracles) about God, but that overall we are all equally under sin, and none of us loves God in our sinful, lost state - no matter what rituals, laws, or commands we are keeping.

Then, Paul spends some time discussing the law, what the purpose of the law really is, what the law does, and why we uphold the law - yet are not justified by it. This idea that justification is by faith apart from the law had to be foreign to most of the Jews, and quite an eye opener considering they had been raised with the idea that doing these things they were taught meant acceptance by God and ultimately salvation. Paul destroys that way of thinking by explaining that a restored relationship with God is only possible through faith in Jesus Christ as Savior. The purpose of the law is to reveal to us who God is, our sinfulness in light of who God is, and our desperate need for Jesus as our Savior.

Chapter 4: 
Paul, led by the Holy Spirit, was aware that the Jews would not be finished arguing the value of their heritage, and why being physical descendents of Abraham - and keeping the laws handed down from generation to generation, had everything to do with being above the Gentiles and accepted by God. So Paul dives in and explains that Abraham was justified by faith, not works that he performed. We learn that Abraham was declared righteous before circumcision, and that he is the father of faith all.

Paul then gives an example of Abraham's great faith; when God promised Abraham and Sarah a child when they were way beyond child bearing years. This is an example of the true, saving faith in God that is required in order to have a restored relationship with Him.



Looking back, I think it's important that we understand that, while Paul has been focused for the most part on a Jewish audience, all that has been written could probably apply to us today. As Christians, it's easy to look down on lost sinners, it's easy to misunderstand the law - to get caught up in legalism and it's rules and requirements in order to be a Christian, it's easy to fail to grasp how sinful we really are, it's easy to forget exactly who God is - and allow our faith to waiver. These things all apply to us today - and so does the promise that God gave through Paul so many years ago.

Salvation, a restored relationship with Him, is a gift that does not need to be, nor can it be, earned. It is completely free through faith in Jesus Christ as Savior. 

Looking ahead, as we get ready to dig in to Chapter 5, I am very excited. After preaching to us how we are lost and we cannot earn salvation, Paul is going to get into the details of grace, and how powerful this gift of a restored relationship is. 

Please share any questions, comments, or thoughts that you may have on these first four chapters in Romans. I have grown so much so far - I pray that you have as well! The shared questions, comments, and thoughts only help this growth in each one of us! Also, if there are any ways that this study could be improved to help you grow more, let me know. 

To Him be the glory, honor, and praise forever, Amen!

 

Romans 4:25

who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification. Romans 4:25 ESV

To clarify, in this verse Paul is speaking of Jesus our Lord, as he continues from the previous verse.

who was delivered up

I think it's important that we notice the words Paul used here: delivered up. The Greek word for this means to surrender, yield, deliver, commit.

We must never think that Jesus was crucified against His or the Father's will.

Acts 2:23 states: this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. It was God's plan that His Son be crucified, and Jesus willingly submitted and obeyed the Fathers command -
Luke 22:42: saying, "Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done."

John 10:17,18: For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father."

Isaiah 53:10 is blunt and to the point: Yet it was the will of the LORD to crush him - crush meaning - to crumble; transitively to bruise (literally or figuratively): - beat to pieces, break (in pieces), bruise, contrite, crush, destroy, humble, oppress, smite.

We can see from these verses that it was God's determinant plan, that Jesus was delivered up and crucified for a purpose far above those that crucified Him could even comprehend.  In Genesis 50:20, we see how God's purpose is far above evil man:  
As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today. 
This is Joseph, speaking to his brothers, explaining to them that God's plan is far greater, and always accomplishes good, even when men mean to accomplish evil.

Jesus willfully surrendered His life, obeying the command of His Father, according to the determinant plan, as prophesied many years before - nothing happens outside of God's control!

 
for our trespasses 

Now we see why Jesus was delivered up and crucified. We see why it was the Father's will that His Son be crushed, and why Jesus willingly laid down His life when He knew the extreme pain that lay ahead - even being forsaken and left alone by His Father whom He had known for eternity past

- for our trespasses - 

I don't think we could stop and mediate on these words long enough. This is the why, this was the purpose behind the people screaming out "crucify him," our sinfulness is the reason the innocent Son of God was crushed - so that we could know the Father through a restored relationship. 

By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. 1 John 3:16

but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16

Oh what love the Father has for us, that He would offer up His Son as payment for a debt that we could never pay! Our sins have been forgiven, the trespasses erased, the debt settled! When Christ died on the cross, when He said "it is finished," the perfect and final sacrifice had been made.

But it doesn't end there...

and raised for our justification.

I know I tend to gloss over the fact that Jesus was resurrected from the dead. Maybe around Easter a little more time is spent focusing on the fact that the grave is empty, yet this should be thought about and mediated on year round. The fact that Jesus rose from the dead is so important, more than we may ever understand.

I read a sermon that laid out six gifts of the resurrection as stated in 1 Cor 15:12-20:

Our preaching is not in vain 
Our faith is not in vain
We are not false witnesses
We are not still in our sins
The dead in Christ have not perished
We are not to be pitied

These are all wonderful truths that we can hold to in faith, knowing that Christ did rise from the dead, because the grave could not hold Him!

One commentary summed up the importance of Christ's resurrection this way:

 "When he was buried he lay a prisoner in execution for our debt, which as a surety he had undertaken to pay; on the third day an angel was sent to roll away the stone, and so to discharge the prisoner, which was the greatest assurance possible that divine justice was satisfied, the debt paid, or else he would never have released the prisoner: and therefore the apostle puts a special emphasis on Christ's resurrection"

The resurrection confirmed God's acceptance of Christ's sacrifice for our sins, that it really was finished and sin really was defeated. 

Romans 4:22-24

That is why his faith was "counted to him as righteousness." But the words "it was counted to him"  were not written for his sake alone, but for ours also. It will be counted to us who believe in him who raised from the dead Jesus our Lord Romans 4:22-24 ESV

We looked, in the last few verses, at how strong Abraham's faith was. His trust in God did not waiver based on his earthly situation, he was fully convinced of God's faithfulness to His promise.

That is why his faith was "counted to him as righteousness." 

We can see from this verse that Abraham was counted righteous because of His faith in God. Was Abraham the only one that this applied to? NO, as we see in the next line:

But the words "it was counted to him"  were not written for his sake alone, but for ours also.

We can all enjoy the same gift of God, righteousness counted to us, as it was to Abraham.


I think it would be beneficial to spend some time answering the following question:

What is righteousness?

In the Greek, it comes from the root word for justified, meaning equitable (in character or act); by implication innocent, holy (absolutely or relatively): - just, meet, right

The English dictionary defines 'righteousness' as:

1. characterized by uprightness or morality: a righteous observance of the law.

2. morally right or justifiable: righteous indignation.

3. acting in an upright, moral way; virtuous: a righteous and godly person.

4. Slang. absolutely genuine or wonderful: some righteous playing by a jazz great.

The Greek word lays down a very high standard...innocent and holy. We can see from the English definitions that we have many applications of the word that indicate a higher standard as well. Yet, I think it is easy to gloss over the true definition of the word righteous - from God's perspective.  

One commentary explained it like this: righteousness is the state or condition of perfectly conforming to God's perfect law and holy character. 

We can see, from God's perspective (unblemished by sin), that true righteousness is perfection. True righteousness is the absence of sin. True righteousness is 100% pure goodness, as God sees goodness! 

The problem...

Since true righteousness is perfection in every way, we know we can never obtain it as fallen creatures in the flesh. Yet, in order to be in a relationship with a perfect God, one has to be truly righteous - since God cannot have anything less in His presence. This creates a problem...and God gives us the solution! 

We cannot earn or obtain righteousness, so God "counts us" as righteous, in order that we may enter into a relationship with Him! 

Being counted as righteous means that God does hold our sin against us...in other words we are 100% forgiven. We are sinful creatures, but positionally God sees us as perfect - we are white as snow, unblemished before Him. 

This is a free gift, that we cannot earn - that we could never earn if we tried (we should not try). This gift is free to us, but the cost was extremely high. It required the life of a perfect Lamb, that could impute, or give His righteousness and forgiveness to us. Our Father, being perfectly loving and merciful, provided that Lamb, and Jesus perfectly, lovingly, and mercifully laid down His life - paying the high price - for our sins! So that this last verse may be true:

  

It will be counted to us who believe in him who raised from the dead Jesus our Lord

Those who believe, who have faith in the God who raised Christ our Lord from the dead, will be "counted as righteous" before Him - able to enter into a relationship with Him - with a regenerated heart, restored and truly, eternally alive!

What are your thoughts on being counted as righteous?

Father, thank You so much for this expensive gift that You offer freely to us! We cannot completely grasp the true cost, nor can we grasp just how completely dead we were without it - so we ask that You continually help us appreciate it more every day, so that our walk with You would continually glorify You. In Your Son's Name, Amen!