Peace Through Christ - Romans 5:1

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

    Justified by faith. Faith in Jesus Christ is the very lynchpin of our salvation. We are justified by that faith and we receive peace through Him. Justification is a forensic term meaning “made righteous.” But how are we made righteous? The Bible tells us that we are sinners . . . and we are! We are told that our good works cannot save us . . . and they can’t! So how on earth could we ever achieve righteousness? The short answer is that we can’t. “Now it is evident that no one is justified before God by the law, for ‘The righteous shall live by faith.’” - Galatians 3:11.  There is only one way that we can ever be justified - faith in Jesus Christ. “Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God.” - Romans 5:9
    What of His blood? How does that justify us? Jesus offered Himself up freely as a substitution for us who live in sin. Having lived a life of perfect obedience to God our Father in heaven, He provided the perfect life that we never could. And through His substitution we have become reconciled to God - justified. “And not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.” - Romans 5:11. This is the meat of our salvation in Christ. That by His propitiation, Christ has appeased His Father and reconciled us to Him. Our sins have been atoned for. We are no longer under the condemnation of sin if we have faith in our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!
    What greater reason to celebrate Resurrection Day than the fact that “sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace.” - Romans 6:14. Sin shall not have dominion over us. We can’t possibly replace God’s righteousness with our own construction of righteousness! "For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes." - Romans 10:3-4
    Christ took our sins to the cross and upon His resurrection we were joined to Him in the new life He has provided for us . . . if we have faith in Him, who knew no sin. Can sin then be winked at by those of us who have been graced with justification? “What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?” - Romans 6:1-2.
    Let us all be grateful for our Lord and Savior’s unselfish sacrifice and adhere to God’s righteousness . . . not our own! Happy Resurrection Day.