Christ Died For The Ungodly.

 (Excerpt)

Romans 5:

1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ; 2 by whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. 3 And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also; knowing that tribulation worketh patience; 4 and patience, experience; and experience, hope; 5 and hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us. 6 For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.

"The Love of God." The reason why hope makes not ashamed is that the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit. Note that it does not say love for God, but the love of God. 

What is the love of God?  "This is the love of God, that we keep his commandments." 1 John 5:3. The Holy Spirit, then, puts into our hearts obedience to the law of God; and it is that which gives us boldness in the day of judgment, and at all other times. 

It is sin that makes men afraid. When sin is taken away, then fear is gone. 

"The wicked flee when no man pursueth; but the righteous are bold as a lion." Prov. 28:1.

"Christ Died for the Ungodly." 

"This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners." 1 Tim. 1:15.

"This man receiveth sinners." Luke 15:2.

Strange that people will allow a sense of their sinfulness to keep them away from the Lord, when Christ came for the one purpose of receiving and saving them. He is able to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him (Heb. 6:25); and he says that those who come to him he will in no wise cast out (John 6:37).

"Without Strength." It was when we were yet without strength, that Christ died for the ungodly. Of course;  because he died for the purpose that we might be strengthened with might by the Spirit. If he waited for us to gain some strength before giving himself for us, then we should be lost. When were we without strength? Just now; and even now Jesus Christ is set forth evidently crucified among us. Gal. 3:1. "Surely, shall one say, in the Lord have I righteousness and strength." Isa. 45:24.

Righteous vs. Good. "For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die." Our English translation does not indicate the difference between the two words used here. The righteous man is the just man, the man who is careful to give every one his due. The good man is the benevolent man, the one who has done us many favors, and who does for us more than we could justly claim. Now, no matter how just a man may be, his integrity of character would scarcely lead one to die for him. Yet it is possible that for a man of great kindness some would even dare to die.

The Greatest Love. 

That is the highest measure of love among men. One may lay down his life for his friends,  "but God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners," and therefore enemies, "Christ died for us."

 "For the love of God is broader

 Than the measure of man's mind;

 And the heart of the Eternal

 Is most wonderfully kind."

Christian experience or Christian profession

Faith Must Abound

 Glory in tribulations…

Are you considered sadistic if you glory in tribulation? No. You are not seeking tribulation, getting joy from tribulation. The glorying in tribulations is the comprehension that the revelation of faith is made apparent. Being able to give glory to God in all circumstances…  

Yes, Jesus cried out asking the Father why he was forsaken, and He agonized over the path to the cross wanting not to drink of the cup that only he could drink-- these are truths. Would we call that glorying in tribulation? To have reactions to tribulation is expected, to not be joyful for impending tribulation understandable. Choosing to holdfast to the faith in God after that is where we glory. Accepting God is in control when our entire life seems out of control that is glory in tribulation. Faith as we suffer, faith as we endure this is patience. No, we do not want tribulation, but tribulation abounds, and because it abounds we need faith.

(Excerpt) 

Romans 5:

1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ; 2 by whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. 3 And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also; knowing that tribulation worketh patience

Tribulation Worketh Patience. 

What is patience? It is endurance of suffering.

The root of the word "patience" means suffering. We see this in the fact that one who is ill is called "a patient." That is, he is a sufferer.

People often excuse their petulance by saying that they have so much to endure. They think that they would be patient if they did not have to suffer so much. No, they would not be. There can be no patience where there is no suffering. Trouble does not destroy patience, but develops it. When trouble seems to destroy one's patience, it is simply showing the fact that the person had no patience.

When Does It Work? The statement is that tribulation worketh patience. Yet there are many who become more and more irritable the more trouble they have. It does not work patience with them. Why not? Simply because they are not in the condition that the apostle is describing.

It is only those who are justified by faith that tribulation works patience.

Nothing but faith in God can keep one perfectly patient under all circumstances.

Will it Always Work? Yes, invariably. "Well," says one, "I am sure that anybody would be impatient if he had as much to trouble him as I have."

Question: Would Christ become impatient if he had the things to endure that you have? Did he not have as much to endure, and more? You must admit that he did. Was he impatient? "He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth." Isa. 53:7. Then if he were in your place, he would be patient. Why, then, do you not let him be in your place?

Peace that depends on feeling will depart

 (Excerpt)

Romans 5:

1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ

What Is peace? Most people have the idea that it is a sort of ecstatic feeling. They think that peace with God means an indescribable heavenly feeling; and so they always look for that imaginary feeling as evidence that they are accepted with God.

But peace with God means the same thing that it means with men: it means simply the absence of war.

As sinners we are enemies of God. He is not our enemy, but we are his enemies. He is not fighting against us, but we are fighting against him. How then may we have peace with him? Simply by ceasing to fight, and laying down our arms. We may have peace whenever we are ready to stop fighting.

"Peace with God." 

Note that when we have peace with God we are not simply at peace with him, but we have his peace. This peace has been left on the earth for men; for the Lord has said, "Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you." John 14:27. He has given it to us. It is ours, therefore, already. It has always been ours. The only trouble has been that we have not believed it. As soon as we believe the words of Christ, then we have in very deed the peace which he has given. And it is peace with God, because we find the peace in Christ, and Christ dwells in the bosom of the Father. John 1:18.

Joh 1:18  No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.

Peace and Righteousness.

"Great peace have they which love thy law." Ps. 119:165. "O that thou hadst hearkened to my commandments! then had thy peace been as a river, and thy righteousness as the waves of the sea." Isa. 48:18. Righteousness is peace, because our warfare against God was our sins that we cherished.

God's life is righteousness, and he is the God of peace. 

Since the enmity is the carnal mind and its wicked works, peace must be the opposite, namely, righteousness. So it is simply the statement of an obvious fact, that being justified by faith we have peace with God. The righteousness that we have by faith carries peace with it. The two things can not be separated.

Peace and Feeling. 

The question is asked, "Can one have peace with God and not have a feeling of peace?"  What says the Scripture? "Being justified by faith, we have peace with God." What brings the peace? The faith.  But faith is not feeling. 

If it were necessarily the case that there must be a certain feeling with peace, then if we did not have that feeling we should know that we were not justified; and then justification would be a matter of feeling, and not of faith. The verses which follow show us that we may have peace in tribulation as well as when everything goes smoothly.

Glory in Tribulations. This does not mean that we are to seek for martyrdom, as some in the early centuries did.  But it means, as it says, that in the midst of tribulations our peace and joy continue the same. This must necessarily be the case with peace that comes by faith. Peace that depends on feeling will depart as soon as we begin to feel tribulation. But nothing can make any difference with the peace that comes by faith. "These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation; but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world." John 16:33.

Not A Myth.

 Righteousness by faith is not a myth…

It is so easy to believe we need to gain righteousness by our actions. Being good enough, our believed to be righteous actions earning us the title of being righteous. Yet no matter how righteous our actions, they cannot make us righteous- worthy in the eyes of God. There is only one worthy, only one righteous…  Jesus Christ. Our believing in the righteousness that only Christ possesses is recognizing the God we serve as being our all in all. Our existence now, and our future existence is completely dependent upon God. The longsuffering of our God alone allows us to live. We truly live by the grace of God. Faith - believing.

 (Excerpt)

Articles on Romans

by E. J. Waggoner

Chapter 5

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 The fourth chapter has taken up the case of Abraham as an illustration of righteousness by faith. The faith which was imputed to him, faith in the death and resurrection of Christ, will bring us the same righteousness, and make us heirs with him of the same promise. But the fourth chapter is really a parenthetical illustration, so that the fifth begins where the third closes:

Romans 5:

1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ; 2 by whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. 3 And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also; knowing that tribulation worketh patience; 4 and patience, experience; and experience, hope; 5 and hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us. 6 For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. 8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. 10 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.

Faith Works Real Righteousness. The first verse of the fifth chapter begins with "therefore." The word indicates that what follows is a natural conclusion of what goes before. What has gone before? The story of what Abraham gained by faith. He gained righteousness by faith, but it was by faith in the promise that he should have a son. That son was the child of faith. But the same faith that resulted in the birth of Isaac, also brought righteousness to Abraham. And the same will also be imputed to us, if we have the same faith. Therefore, we are taught that the righteousness of faith is as real as was the son that was born to Abraham through faith.  Righteousness by faith is not a myth.

Righteousness and the Resurrection.

 

Christ - Anchor of Our Souls

 Christ is our refuge - Anchor of our souls

An anchor holds something in place that might otherwise without the anchor give way. Ships at sea anchoring down to stay safe during a storm are saved from being wrecked upon the shores. Having an anchor for our souls keeps us safe during the many storms of life. Christ is our anchor, it is Christ we rely upon for safety. We WILL be storm tossed there is no way around that. We live in a chaotic world. Satan would have us wrecked on his rocky shores, our spiritual lives battered and bruised endlessly. Satan wants us caught up in deep dark despair without hope, without any anchor to keep us safe. We must hold fast to the truth that our anchor is strong enough to withstand any Satan storm that exists. Our ANCHOR is the STRENGTH, not us! The strongest of ships can be destroyed in a storm should its anchors give way. Our Anchor will never give way, unless we release the Anchor from us. We must forever have an anchor in Christ! All by His grace and mercy! Christ is our Hope forever!

(Excerpt -  EJ Waggoner Article On Romans 4)

The Oath of God.

It may seem to some a little far-fetched to say that the oath by which Jesus was made priest is the surety of the promise to Abraham. But a little consideration will enable any one to see that it can be no other way. In the sixth chapter *13-20 of Hebrews we read:

"When God made promise to Abraham, because he could swear by no greater, he sware by himself, saying,  Surely blessing I will bless thee. . . . God, willing more abundantly to show unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath; that by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us;  which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which entereth into that within the vail, whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek."

It's All For Our Sakes. 

Why did God confirm his promise to Abraham by an oath? That we might have a strong consolation.

It was not for Abraham's sake, because Abraham believed fully without the oath. His faith was shown to be perfect before the oath was given. It was altogether for our sakes.

When does that oath give us strong consolation? When we flee for refuge to Christ as priest in the most holy place. 

Within the vail he ministers as high priest; and it is the oath of God that gives us courage to believe that his priesthood will save us. Then our consolation comes from Christ's priesthood, and so from the oath which made him priest.

Therefore the oath of God to Abraham was identical with the oath that made Christ high priest. 

This shows most plainly that the promise of God to Abraham is as wide as the gospel of Christ. 

And so our text, speaking of the righteousness that was imputed to Abraham, says, "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, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead."

Ro. 4. 22 And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness. 23 Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him; 24 but for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; 25 who was delivered for our offenses, and was raised again for our justification.