Let's open the word to Romans chapter 5, verse 1 to 5.
Therefore, since we have been justified by faith,
we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.
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.
Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings,
knowing that suffering produces endurance,
and endurance produces character,
and character produces hope.
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.
Okay, so we're going to jump into Romans chapter 5,
the first five verses this morning.
I do so by way of just illustration from the election.
We're two months out from a federal election,
and you'd have to be something really wrong
if you've missed the huge election roadshow
that rumbles on every single day.
Switch on the radio, the TV, it's there.
It's just in front of us all the time.
But here's the problem with it.
In spite of a really punishing schedule of visits to electorates
all around the countryside,
in spite of the ongoing handshaking and baby kissing,
in spite of the big promises,
and equally big funding packages
that seem to be tossed around at this time of the year,
all of which we're told will build our nation,
will create jobs, will increase our prosperity,
in spite of all of that,
scepticism is really widespread.
In fact, many voters, I think it would be fair to say,
regardless of which party wins the election,
many voters believe there'll be no lasting or real change,
no lasting benefits.
It's just more words.
It's just a performance.
Now, there's a similar concern that Paul, I think,
is addressing as we move into chapter 5.
He's working systematically through the gospel, what it is.
And as we move into chapter 5,
Paul asks the question,
what does the gospel actually do?
What does it actually achieve?
What are the benefits of it?
Now, we've got to backtrack a little bit
and put that in context.
So, at the start, Paul, from the start,
Paul has been really excited about God's gospel.
He said it early on,
that God's gospel is God's powerful way of saving people.
That's Romans chapter 1, verse 16.
And then, in chapter,
they're bound to chapter 1 and chapter 2 and chapter 3,
he made it clear that unrighteousness
or failure to live in the light of what we know about God
means that every single person who's ever lived
actually needs the gospel,
desperately needs the gospel.
There's God's righteousness or holiness,
and against that,
our unrighteousness or rebellion or sinfulness.
We need the gospel.
The picture gets bigger and bigger and bigger.
And then, in chapter 3 and chapter 4,
he's spelled out in detail what the gospel is.
We fall short of God's glory
and we're overcome with God's glory
as we're saved in Christ.
And he tends to spell out in chapter 4
exactly how individual believers receive the gospel,
the benefits of the gospel,
or receive God's salvation.
And now, in chapter 5 through to 8,
he moves into the next section,
which is a really positive section,
and he's going to spell out one by one
the benefits of the gospel,
what it actually achieves,
what the results of it are,
what it actually does.
And it's like building blocks,
just putting them one on top of the other
to step up and up and up
just to see how amazing
these benefits are
that come to us in the gospel.
So we're going to jump into it this morning
just in five verses.
In short, as I want to introduce
these three chapters,
then in short,
what does the gospel achieve?
Well, the gospel means
a radical change
in the way God views us,
in the way God treats us.
I'll say that again.
The gospel means a radical change
in the way God views us and treats us.
So in Jesus,
as we move into verse 1 of chapter 5 here,
in Jesus,
the first radical change
in the way God views us and treats us
is that we have a new standing.
A new standing
in which peace
defines relationship with God.
Now those of you who know history
or were old enough to remember,
World War II
ended formally
with a very, very simple
radio announcement.
and it said this,
hostilities are over
and we are now at peace.
It sort of,
in one sense,
jars
against the five years
that led to that,
the millions
that died,
the destruction.
but there it was.
Hostilities are over
and we are now
at peace.
Folk had known
the awfulness of war
for so long.
Indeed,
folk had known
that the war
was unavoidable.
but still,
they longed for peace.
And can I say
that they've longed for peace
as only those
who've experienced war
can long for it.
It's something that
probably my generation,
well maybe
because I come from Ireland
is a little bit different,
but generally speaking,
people my age
have not experienced
anything except peace.
So we don't know
what it is
to long for peace.
How do you think
Ukrainians
or many in Russia
would be thinking
this morning
as they long for peace?
Or many other parts
around the world.
But here it is.
They've longed for it
and here it is at last
as they heard
that radio announcement.
And of course,
it brought
such tremendous joy
to people
that countless
tens of thousands
of people
just went into the streets
dancing and singing
and hugging and kissing.
That's what peace does
in contrast to war.
And now you can understand
people thinking
well now
relationships
will be defined
and governed by peace
rather than war.
the horror of war
being replaced
by peace.
I think that's what
Paul's talking about here.
I'm trying to build up
the picture
so we can actually
feel it emotionally.
In verse 1,
therefore,
since we have been
justified by faith,
we have peace
with God
through our Lord
Jesus Christ.
friends,
the immediate benefit,
the first tab
off the rank
in terms of what
the gospel achieves
is peace
with God.
Hostility
from God
is a thing
of the past
in respect
of his people.
But we actually
need to do
a little bit of work
so we're clear
about what
peace with God
means
because the whole
concept of peace
with God
has been pretty well
sabotaged
in our day and age.
When you talk
about peace
or peace
with God,
I think for many
it would simply
be reduced
to how they
feel about God.
and the process
would work
therefore
something like this.
I don't actually
feel any
animosity
towards God.
I've never
ever felt
any animosity
towards God
and I even
have an inner
sense of calm
when I think
about God.
And so therefore,
what are you
talking about?
I don't believe
there's ever been
a problem
in the relationship.
In fact,
I would venture
to say that I've
always been at
peace with God.
You see the danger
of that thing?
It's about how
I feel
towards God.
But you see,
our own experiences
in life
should make us
a little bit
cautious.
I think most of us
will experience
the shock
of discovering
that a relationship
we thought
was peaceful
and working
well
was actually
seriously broken.
It's just that we
didn't know about it
and that the other
party in the relationship
was actually really
hostile to us,
was at war with us.
Have you been there,
discovered that sort
of thing?
It's a shocking
thing to discover.
No amount
of pretending
a relationship
is peaceful
and functioning
well matters
if the other
person,
the other party
to the relationship
is not of the same
mind.
I can feel
really warm
and fuzzy
towards them,
but if they're
not warm
and fuzzy
towards me,
then the relationship
doesn't work.
So,
verse 1.
The focus here
for Paul
is not on how
I feel about God,
but far more
importantly,
it's about how
God feels about me.
That's what we
want to know about.
And the verse
then says,
therefore,
since we have
been justified
by faith,
we have peace
with God
through our
Lord Jesus
Christ.
In Jesus,
hostility
has been
brought to an
end.
There is no
more hostility
from God
towards me
in my
unrighteousness,
my sin,
my rebellion.
He spoke about
in chapters 1
and 2.
Why not?
Because of
what Jesus
has done
for me.
peace with
God
is tied
to the
death of
Christ
and is the
direct result
of being
justified
by grace
alone
through faith
alone.
So,
my friends,
the gospel
actually changes
the standing
or the way
God views
his special
people.
The gospel
means that God
is reconciled
to me.
Where once
I was pushed
away to
arm's length,
alienated from
God,
and God
alienated from
me because
of my
unrighteousness,
he's now
brought me
back.
He's now
reconciled
himself to
me through
the death
of the
Lord Jesus
Christ.
Again,
let me just
try an
illustration.
I'm just
keen to
try and get
us to feel
this, the
power of
this.
It's
familiar
words,
but I
deal with
it every
day of
the week
where people
can't just
grasp it
practically.
Three weeks
ago,
Russia began
hostilities
in Ukraine.
Now,
as we
ponder
that,
we know
that Ukrainians
don't want
hostility
and war
with Russia.
And what
do we have
to say?
Well, that
matters
little.
It matters
little that
Ukrainians don't
want hostilities
because superpower
Russia has
declared war.
So what's the
only hope of
peace,
realistically?
Well, it
will be if
superpower Russia
decides at some
point that the
graviences or
whatever the
issues were that
caused the
hostilities in
the first
place,
have been
satisfied.
My friends,
the superpower,
whether we like
it or not,
holds the
key to
peace.
So go back
to my
Second World
War
illustration.
Christ's death,
as it were,
then,
is God's
radio
announcement
that the
state of
war,
which is
holiness or
righteousness,
caused him to
declare in
response to our
unrighteousness,
our unholiness,
our sinful
rebellion,
is now over.
The superpower,
God,
the righteous
God,
declared war,
as it were,
declared hostility
against our
unrighteousness,
and he now
has declared
peace.
Why can he now
declare peace?
Because we are
justified, we are
put right with him
through the death of
the Lord Jesus
Christ.
The righteous
God is
reconciled to his
people.
The cause of
alienation and war
is gone completely
and forever.
no longer
are God's
people the
target of his
anger,
but peace
means we are
the recipients
of his love
and blessing.
No longer
is there
tension and
alienation in
the relationship
between God
and people.
Now there is
only peace
and closeness
and enjoyment
and stability.
Now friends,
this might seem
to be an
understated
application,
but I think
it's really
important.
Increasingly,
I think it's
really important.
We so often
fail to
appreciate
what a great
benefit we get
from Christ's
death at a
practical level.
Yes, we can
work through
the theological
theory,
but when it
comes to being
on the ground,
living with
our sin,
living with
ourselves on
a daily basis,
so often we
fail to
appreciate the
benefit we
have in
Christ.
Often we're
ho-hum and
matter-of-fact
rather than
amazed and
full of praise
and secure.
Why?
Why might
that be?
Well, because
the notion of
personally
recognizing and
owning my sin
or unrighteousness
or rebellion
against God
and the
severe consequences
this brings in
terms of God's
just condemnation
is not something
I or we find
pleasant or easy,
especially in
our world where
constantly we're
being told,
actually,
people are really
good at heart.
so if I
fudge that part
of the equation,
then it
makes sense
that the other
part of the
equation,
what God has
done for me
in Jesus
is no big
deal.
So,
God's holy
or just
or righteous
character
is too
hard for us
to bear
and so we
try to dumb
it down
and we
rob ourselves
therefore
of
the joy
and the
praise
that
should flow
to us
when we
see the
massive gap,
opening up
the massive
gap and then
see how that
massive gap
is bridged
an incredible
cost to the
Lord in
the death
of his
son.
So,
on the one
hand,
you see,
either we
tend to view
God as
sort of that
heavenly
grandfather
whose job
is to spoil
us,
giving us
whatever we
want regardless
of our most
obnoxious
behavior.
That's what
I think
grandfathers
are sometimes
expected to
do.
Or,
alternatively,
we think
of God as
constantly
cranky
and unpleasant
to be around.
Maybe he's still
a grandfather
figure,
maybe that's
coming closer
to home for
me.
We tend
to think
of God
as being
constantly
cranky
and unpleasant
to be
around.
And so
we try
to have
as little
to do
with God
as possible.
again,
it just
dumbs
down and
blurs
that which
should be
really sharp.
Advertisers,
for example,
know the
power of
before and
after.
It's used
constantly in
advertising.
So you've
got the
drab person
with drab
hair,
dandruff.
Why is this
drab person
so bad?
Because they
haven't used
Pantene
Pro-V.
And three
days worth
of using
that and
this person
is totally
renewed.
The pitch,
and it works,
we can laugh
at it,
but it really
works,
is the
before and
after.
Friends,
as Christians,
we must
keep reminding
ourselves of
the before
and after
picture.
Before,
hostility.
Wrath,
righteous
condemnation
for our
unrighteousness.
Now,
peace,
joy,
stability.
The connection
with the two
in Christ.
If we forget
this contrast
and this
great blessing
of peace
with God,
we won't
be stirred
to praise
and thankful
obedience.
It's that
simple.
The second
thing then
is,
the second
benefit is
a new
intimacy
and privilege,
what I'm
calling
unrestricted
access
to God.
Now,
peace was
declared by
God.
That's a
legal process.
God
declared
peace,
a judicial
process.
peace.
Now,
when a judge
acquits
a criminal
in our
justice
system,
there's
absolutely
no
expectation
of
ongoing
relationship
between the
judge
and the
person
acquitted.
God
acquits
his people,
not only
does he
change his
view of
us
judicially,
but there's
actually
ongoing
personal
benefit,
the benefit
of intimate
personal
relationship
and immense
privilege.
Look at
verse 2.
Do you see
that?
We have
peace with
God through
our Lord
Jesus Christ.
Through him,
we have
also obtained
access by
faith into
this grace in
which we
stand.
We have
also obtained
access by
faith into
this grace in
which we
stand.
Now,
what does
that mean?
Well,
I think it
means this.
We're all
familiar with
the notion
of security
clearances.
Well,
I think
what it's
saying here
is that
we,
in Christ,
we are
issued with
the highest
level security
clearance in
terms of
rock concerts.
It's an
access all
areas past.
It means
when you
flash that
thing that
hangs around
your neck on
a lanyard,
it tells
people that
you have a
right to
be there.
You belong
there.
In the
presence of
God himself,
displaying our
right now
in Christ
to be in
God's presence
for all
eternity.
God's
God's presence.
So again,
an illustration,
I think this
might do it,
but if not,
try and come up
with your own
illustration.
Don't trip over
my failures.
In days past,
when a person
was,
and I'm talking
many generations
ago,
when a person
was invited
to a party,
put on by
some dignitary,
you'd be
brought into
the ballroom
and you
would stop
and somebody
would formally
announce you.
They would
call out your
name so as
everybody would
hear that
Mr. and
Mrs. Calderwood
were here
by invitation
of the host
and by that
invitation
are entitled
to all
household
privileges.
as I
came to
Christ,
as I was
brought to
Christ by
God's grace,
I was brought
into the
throne room
of God
by Christ
and formally
announced
to the
Heavenly
Father
as one
being the
recipient
of the
benefits
of his
death
and therefore
entitled
to all
the blessings
of God's
grace.
Imagine that.
Imagine being
entitled to
all the
blessings
of God's
grace
and having
the confidence
to look
for them.
See,
that's much
more than
just permission
to be in
God's
presence.
God's
presence.
That's the
invitation to
come into
God's
presence and
fill the
space that's
been given
you and
enjoy the
space that's
been given
you in
God's
presence.
Dare I
say,
it's to
act as if
you ought
to be
there.
Some years
ago I was
down in
Adelaide and
kids,
our four
children had
a choice of
going with
Alison
shopping or
coming with
me to try
and get into
the South
Australian
cricket ground.
We didn't
have tickets and
I said,
look, just
follow me,
kids, don't
look up, just
look as if you
own the
place.
And that
got us in
through the
first couple
of gates,
but then
finally a
security guard
accosted us.
But by then it
was too late
because there
was actually no
way out, we
were stuck.
And at that
point I
used my
I'm Irish,
that didn't
work.
I even
used my
I'm Irish
and from
the country
and that
didn't
work.
We were
escorted out
of the
ground and
my kids
were still
laughing at
me weeks
later.
The point
is I
pretended at
that point
to look as
if I should
have been
there.
It didn't
work, not
for very
long.
But in
Christ, as
it were, if
you can just
picture this and
it'll come with
me in the
picture, in
Christ I can
wander around
the courts
of heaven in
the presence of
God himself,
knowing I
have the
right to be
there, not
by my own
merit, but
by Christ.
And I can
claim those
benefits every
single day in
my daily work
with Christ.
Christ.
That's some
blessing, isn't
it?
Being treated
in grace is
generously receiving
the opposite of
what I deserve.
What a great
blessing that you
and me as sinful
people have,
through Christ,
been brought to
God who
declared that we
will forever share
the blessings of
his grace and
favor fully and
without reserve.
During the Vietnam War, there were hundreds of little children who had no families.
They used to follow the soldiers around and beg to be taken home with them.
And it's a great joy to read history that many American soldiers and Australian soldiers did just that.
These little children were lost.
They had no place to belong, nobody to care for them.
And many of these GIs took them home and adopted them into their families.
Adopted hopeless children and gave them a new home and security.
My friends, being given access into grace is being adopted into God's own family.
And given the security and privileges of that family forever.
Now the question is, again, do you see the privilege that is yours as a Christian?
Do you fill your mind with pictures to help you appreciate what this means?
Do you really believe that in Christ you're God's adopted child and that he will protect you and keep you and love you and provide for your every need and never abandon you?
Do you know yourself to be held firmly and tenderly in your father's arms?
Just like a father embraces his child and calms their fears.
Do you understand that he loves you?
That he'll only do what's good for you.
Do you?
And he'll only keep on doing that for eternity.
Well, the final point, we're almost finished.
New standing, new intimacy and privilege and a new orientation bound for glory.
So I said at the start, these benefits are like just giant building blocks.
The benefits of the benefits of the gospel are piled up one on top of the other.
We climb onto one to access the next one and fully understand the next one.
We have a new standing with God.
And we're actually adopted into God's family and enjoy all its privileges.
But most amazing of all, we're bound for glory.
Which means that we will actually be made like Jesus.
Verse 2 again.
Second half of verse 2.
We rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.
Remember back in chapter 3, verse 23, it said we've all fallen short of the glory of God.
Now we're back in contact with it again.
In Christ.
Now the word hope is not like we use it these days, as Don mentioned in his children's talk.
It's not some vague hope or wish.
Here it's a conviction, a certainty, a reality.
There's nothing uncertain about it.
So it would help us if we change that word.
We rejoice in the certainty of experiencing the glory of God.
What is that?
Well, I've already said in chapter 3, verse 23, sin meant we fall short of God's glory or character of righteousness.
That's what Bo talked about a few weeks ago.
God's glory is God's character of righteousness.
We fall miserably short of that in our own abilities.
And the gospel means we regain that which was lost.
Hope of glory is that we will be with God and that we will be like him.
Paul mentions this in Philippians chapter 3.
Just listen to Philippians chapter 3, verse 20 and 21.
Paul says this,
So going back to the adoption idea again, children who are adopted into a family invariably begin to develop the characteristics of the family that they live with.
I remember in time when people laughed at me endlessly because I said this particular little boy was starting to look like his father.
His father was white Anglo-Saxon.
This little boy was Negroed.
But I had just seen them over years.
And I had stopped saying color or anything else.
He just started to look like his father in my eyes.
He was an adopted boy, by the way.
I should have told you that was part of the story, I suppose.
Children who are adopted into a family invariably began to develop the characteristics of that family.
And this is exactly what happens to those who are in Christ's family.
Christ's spirit works in us, renovating us little by little from the inside out to become like Jesus.
You might be saying by this stage,
But what about all the trials and the hard circumstances I experience?
Surely the reality of life as a Christian is that tough circumstances and my own failings and my experiences are more likely to destroy me than to see me become like Christ.
Well, not so, according to Paul in verses 3 and 4.
So he says,
We rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.
More than that,
Get that?
More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings.
Knowing that suffering produces endurance,
And endurance produces character,
And character produces hope,
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.
In Christ,
As Christians,
We are bound for glory.
Nothing will stop us from getting there.
So what about these hard circumstances?
What about our experiences?
Well, says Paul,
These very experiences,
Sometimes painful,
Enormously difficult,
Will be the means by which
We become more and more
Like our Lord.
So here's the rub for us.
Glory is certain,
But there's no promise of an easy,
Hassle-free ride.
I like a neat yard at home.
But to achieve that neat yard,
I have to mow the lawn,
I have to dig out weeds,
And I have to keep the edges trimmed,
And I have to keep the fences in tight.
Which interestingly,
All of which I hate doing.
But I do them,
Because of what it produces.
It's the same here with Paul.
Being like Christ is the end point.
But the process involves dealing with
All sorts of painful and frustrating
And disappointing circumstances along the way.
And when we can see this link,
Then we can actually find a place
And a way to view our circumstances,
Painful and difficult as they are,
As a means to an end.
The end which we long for,
Therefore we can find a way to joy
In our sufferings.
So it's not that we enjoy suffering
For suffering's sake.
That's masochism.
That's unbiblical.
We rejoice in what suffering produces.
Nobody thinks an illness
Or a broken relationship is wonderful.
But,
I've heard repeatedly over my years,
And I've said it myself,
If this is the means by which
I am brought
To a more Christ-likeness,
Then it's been a worthwhile,
Though painful,
Process.
Friends,
Again,
Too often our desire for relief
From our circumstances
Has a greater priority
Than our desire
To grow to be like Christ.
Put simply,
We would choose a hassle-free life.
This is what I've found myself doing
So many times over my years.
I would prefer to choose a hassle-free life
Than to choose circumstances
That I know
Will push me into new levels of godliness.
How short-sighted am I?
Hopefully you're not that short-sighted.
And so often that very thing
Is reflected in our prayers,
Isn't it?
Give me relief,
Lord.
Brown,
Give me an ability to trust you.
Friends,
What great blessing,
We'll see more over the next two weeks,
What great blessings come to us in the gospel.
But behind those great blessings,
Then we have to say,
What a great God.
The God of the gospel.
So I'll just leave you with this thought,
Asking that,
And hoping and praying
That his honour and glory
Will be your desire.
Your whole desire
In this coming week.
If we have any understanding
Of the significance of peace
And the price at which it was purchased for us,
If we have any concept of the intimacy
And privilege that we now have in Christ,
And if we have any longing
For the glory that's developing in us now,
And will one be completed,
Then,
Surely we live every day for the Lord.
Surely,
If we understand what he's done for us
And is doing in us,
Then we will be people
Who reflect his righteousness
And who want to honour his name.
Join me in prayer.
Lord, these are so lofty,
These blessings,
So amazing,
And yet,
We struggle, Lord,
At least I struggle,
To speak about them in a way
That just takes our breath away.
I pray, Lord,
That your spirit might
Take us into your word
Again,
In our minds,
And help us just to see
What blessing it is to say,
Since we have been justified by faith,
We have peace with you.
Help us to live, Lord,
As those who enjoy peace,
And help us, Lord,
To live, therefore,
As those who want to be
Peacemakers,
As we'll see more of next week.
I pray this in Jesus' name.
Amen.