Mon., 2/2/15 Devotion (Rom. 5:1)

Today's encouragement comes from Romans 5:1, where we read these words:

"Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ . . . "

What a precious verse this is. Those who are justified by faith in Christ have *peace* with *God*.  To be at peace with God is to be in proper relationship with everything else: self, the church, non-Christians, and the whole universe. The wrath of God is removed from the soul that is "justified by faith."

Those who seek justification in any other way than faith in Jesus will never possess, nor experience the peace of God. To have God pacified, in relation to us, is a great and glorious thing. The Lord is right to grant this peace to those who believe in Christ, since He alone bore the punishment for the sins of the faithful church.

[Puritan quote of the day: "What is the glory of the times we live in, but God's face revealed in Christ?” —Richard Sibbes, in, "Glorious Freedom"]