Seed Thoughts : ROMANS 5 Justification by Faith V 1. The God Of Peace through the Lord Jesus Christ; JUSTIFICATION.

Just as if I'd never sinned. Sins washed away as repentant sinners seek forgiveness from God and reconciliation with Him, through the Lord Jesus Christ. Those forgiven sins which were in the Lamb's book of life have then been washed away with the precious blood of Jesus and God remembers them no more. JOHN 14 v 27. Peace I leave with you, My peace I give unto you, Not as the world gives, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled Neither let it be afraid. 1 JOHN I v 9. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. PSALM 103 v 12 ; As far as the East is from the West, so far has He removed our transgressions from us. ISAIAH 43 v 25 ; I even I am He that blots out your transgressions for Mine own sake and will not remember your sins. JEREMIAH 31 v 33-34. ( v34b ) For they shall all know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them says the Lord. For I will forgive their iniquity and I will remember their sin no more. What a glorious promise from our Holy God. V 2. PERCEPTION. We have access by faith Into this grace wherein we stand. EPHESIANS 3 v 12. In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of Him. So we are urged to go to God in prayer, praise and pleasure and expect a loving Father to hear us. PRAISE. And rejoice in hope of the glory of God. PSALM 84 v 11 ; For the Lord God Is a sun and a shield. The Lord God will give grace and glory. No good thing will He will He withhold from them that walk uprightly. What a privilege we have In reaching God in prayer and worship. To have some of His glory bestowed on us . The more we understand God the more we will trust Him in all circumstances. People need a greater perception of Bible truths. V 3. PROSPECTS. And we glory in tribulation also knowing that tribulations work patience. As Christians we can expect some persecution from both non Christians and Christians as they see us growing in grace and wisdom But this teaches us to wait patiently for Jesus to come for His church. JAMES 1 v 2-4 ; My brethren count it all Joy when you fall into divers temptations, knowing this that the trying of your faith works patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that you may be perfect and entire wanting nothing. We do need patience and strength of Spirit to stand fast in our faith when persecutions and tribulations come upon us. V 4. PATIENCE. And patience experience and experience hope. So patience gives us many things, a gentle spirit, a building full of Character, forgiveness and a promise of eternal life with Christ. JAMES 1 v 12 ; Blessed is the man that endures temptation, for when he is tried he shall receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to them that love Him. 2 THESSALONIANS lv 4 ; So that we ourselves glory in you In the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that you endure. We are encouraged by the Scriptures to attain the special gift of the Holy Spirit. GALATIANS 5 v 22 ; But the fruit of the Spirit is love, Joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance, against such there is no law. What a great target to aim for, that people may see these qualities in our lives. May no one be turned away from Jesus because they do not see these qualities in us. V 5. PERFORMANCE. The love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given Us.

The agape love that reaches out to other people should become a daily performance noticed by those in need. Let our actions be such that the plan and purposes of Christ may be seen in action through us. JOHN 14 v 21 ; For he that has My commandments and keeps them, he it is that loves me, and he that loves Me shall be loved of My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him. ROMANS 4 v 20 21 ; He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strong in faith giving glory to God, and being fully persuaded that what He had promised He was also able to perform. The power that God gave Jesus is also given to us to work the works of Jesus to the glory of God. JOHN 14 v 12 ; Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that believes on Me the works that I do shall he do also, and greater works than these shall he do because I go to My Father. V 6. PEOPLE. In due time Christ died for the ungodly. Sinners who knew not the Saviour and some who did not want to know Him. But God with His great love for His people had prepared a Saviour for them and In due time Jesus Christ came to earth to be crucified on Calvary's Cross to redeem the people and reconcile them to God. What joy is ours to have our sins forgiven and access to God In prayer and praise. 2 CORINTHIANS 5 v 18, 20, 21 ; And all things are of God who has reconciled us to Himself by Jesus Christ, and has given to us the ministry of reconciliation . Now we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us, we pray you In Christ's stead, be reconciled to God. For He has made Him to be sin for us that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him. V 7. PROVISION. Yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. Wen God saw that the world was worshipping idols and immorality He sent full provision for pardon and reconciliation through Jesus Christ. An opportunity that many people accept but for those who can claim Jesus as Lord and Saviour, know the joy and peace of that is there's in Christ. A new way of life eternal with Jesus and not the torments of hell. JOHN 1 v 29 ; The next day John saw Jesus coming to him and said, Behold the Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world JOHN 1 v 11-12 ; He came to His own but His own received Him not. But as many as received Him, to them gave He the power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name. God has made provision for the saved and the unsaved. JOHN 5 v 28-29 ; Marvel not at this for the hour is coming In the which all that are in the graves shall hear His voice. And shall come forth, they that have done good unto the resurrection of Life. they that have done evil unto the resurrection of damnation. V 8. proclamation. While we were yet sinners Christ died for us. (Shout it from the hilltops) EPHESIANS 2 v 8 ; For by grace are you saved by faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God. Jesus died and rose from the dead, the price required for our redemption. PSALM 107 v 1-2 ; 0 give thanks unto the Lord for He is good. for His mercy endures for ever. Let the redeemed of the Lord say so whom He has redeemed from the hand of the enemy. JOHN 3 v 16-17 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believes In Him shall not perish but have everlasting life. For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world but that the world through Him might be saved. Who Is capable of explaining the love of God ? The Scriptures give a grand picture, of God, Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. The way to know them better is to meditate upon the word of God as much as possible. V 9. RESTORATION. Being justified by His blood we shall be saved from wrath through Him. While we were sinners and rejecting God He was still calling us to repentance and making the supreme

sacrifice of seeing His Son crucified for our salvation. How much more has He blessed us since we repented and asked His forgiveness and worshipped Him. PSALM 51 v 12-15 ; Restore unto me the joy of Your salvation, and uphold me with Your free Spirit. Then I will teach transgressors Your ways and sinners shall be converted unto You. Deliver me from blood guiltiness 0 God, Thou God of my salvation and my tongue shall sing aloud of Your righteousness. 0 Lord open Thou my lips and my mouth shall show forth Your praise. The blessings from God far outweigh the wrath of God , eternal torment in the lake of fire and brimstone. V 10. RECONCILIATION. Much more being reconciled we shall be saved by His life. All these blessings from God come from Him by faith in Him and in Jesus Christ. The love of God for His people should be continually meditated upon. Jesus keep me near the Cross, there a precious fountain Free to all a healing stream, flows from Calvary's mountain. Near the Cross 0 Lamb of God, bring its scenes before me. Help me walk from day to day with its shadow o'er me. COLOSSIANS 1 v 21-22 ; and you that were sometime alienated and enemies in our mind by wicked works, yet now has He reconciled. In the body of His flesh through death to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in His sight. EPHESIANS 2 v 17-19 ; And came and preached peace to you which were afar off and to them which were nigh. For through Him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father. Now therefore you are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and the household of God. How grateful we should be to have a place in the family of God. V 11. TRANSFORMATION . We joy in Christ through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement. Removed from enmity to Christ and now rejoicing that He is our Lord and Saviour. Any truly repentant sinner should experience a transformation in his or her life if they are following the gospel that Christ and the apostles preached. 2 TIMOTHY 3 v 16-17 ; All Scripture is given by inspiration of God and Is profitable for doctrine , for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, That the man of God may be perfect throughly furnished unto all good works. PSALM 19 v 7-9 ; The law of the Lord is perfect converting the soul the testimony of the Lord is sure making wise the simple. The statutes of the Lord are right rejoicing the heart, the commandment of the Lord is pure enlightening the eyes. The fear of the Lord Is clean enduring for ever, the judgements of the lord are true and righteous altogether. V 12. DECLARATION. and also death passed upon all men for that all have sinned. Sin came by Adam but salvation came by Jesus Christ. So while Adam was the cause of man becoming a sinner by nature, God held out a helping hand in that He allowed The crucifiction of Christ, which was the price of our redemption to free us from the bondage of satan. ROMANS 3 v 23 ; For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. ROMANS 6 v 23 ; For the wages of sin Is death, but the gift of God Is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. ROMANS 2 v 6-10 Who will render to every man according to his deeds. To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life. But unto them that are contentious and do not obey the truth , but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath. Tribulation and anguish upon every soul of man that does evil, of the Jew first and also of the Gentile. But glory and honour and peace to every man that works good, to the Jew first and also to the Gentile. Man is sinful by nature and his sin is an abomination to God.

V 14. CONSOLATION. Death did not come by personal sin as in the case of Adam. But his sin made all men sinners by nature and there is a consequence for every action of man whether good or evil. Following Adam's sin. God had to make a remedy for all mankind to be forgiven and saved from their sins. GENESIS 3 v 15 ; And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed. It shall bruise your head and you shall bruise His heel. All boasting is useless as man is unable to save himself by his good works or avoid the bondage of satan. ACTS 4 v 12 ; Neither is there salvation in any other, for their is none other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved. Contrasts between Adam and Christ V 15. APPRECIATION. The gift of grace one man Jesus Christ has abounded unto manySo Adam by disobedience to God caused death for mankind. Jesus the sinless One by His death on Calvary's Cross, offered eternal life to all. 1 CORINTHIANS 15 v 21-22 ; For since by man came death, by Man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. Let us appreciate the love of God and His forgiveness and blessings. PSALM 86 v 12-13 ; I will praise You 0 Lord my God, with all my heart and I will glorify Your name for evermore. For great is Your mercy toward me, and You have delivered my soul from the lowest hell. JOHN 5 v 28-29 ; Marvel not at this for the hour is coming In the which all that are in the graves shall hear His voice. And shall come forth, they that have done good unto the resurrection of life, and they that done evil unto the resurrection of damnation. V 16. SEPARATION. For the Judgement was by one for condemnation, but the free gift Is of many offences unto justification. The unrepentant sinner selects for himself the eternal torments of the lake of fire and brimstone. For the repentant man Jesus has paid the death penalty and God accepts the plea for forgiveness through Jesus. ISAIAH 59 v 2 ; But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid His face from you, that He will not hear. PSALM 51 v 1 ; Have mercy upon me 0 God, according to Your lovingkindness, according unto the multitude of Your tender mercies, blot out my transgression. 2 CORINTHIANS 6 v 17-18 ; Wherefore come out from among them and be separate says the Lord. and touch not the unclean thing, and I will receive you, and will be a Father unto you, and you shall be My sons and daughters says the Lord Almighty. V 17. MANIFESTATION. Much more they which receive an abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one Jesus Christ. The Scriptures show just what satan has to offer those who will submit to his will. Jesus showed His love for the world by shedding His life's blood on Calvary's Cross, that those who would be obedient to the will of God would have their sins forgiven and be reconciled to God. JOHN 14 v 18-21. I will not leave you comfortless. I will come to you. Yet a little while and the world sees Me no more, but you see Me because I live, you shall live also. At that day you shall know that I am in My Father, and you in Me and I in you. He that has My commandments and keeps them. he it is that loves Me and he that loves me shall be loved of My Father, and I will love him and will manifest Myself to him. V 18. PROPITIATION. Even so by the righteousness of One the free gift came upon all men, unto justification of life. As we repent of our sins they are covered by the blood of Jesus and blotted out of the book of life. ISAIAH 1 v 18 ; Come now and let us reason together says the Lord, Though your sins be as scarlet they

shall be white as snow. Though they be like crimson they shall be as wool. Let us be obedient to the teachings of Scripture. PSALM 33 v 4 ; For the word of the Lord Is right and all His works are done In truth. LUKE 18 v 13 ; And the publican, standing afar off would not so much as lift up his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. This is the basis of Justification by faith. V 19. REALISATION. so by the obedience of One shall many be made righteous. Yet the hardened sinners of this world go on rejecting the gift of forgiveness and reconciliation with God. ROMANS 1 v 32 ; Who knowing the Judgement of God that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same but have pleasure in those that do them. Fortunately many people have heard the gospel message and have turned away from their sin to worship God They have realised the vast difference between heaven and hell. ACTS 13 v 38-39 ; Be It known unto you therefore men and brethren that through this man is preached unto you forgiveness of sins. And by Him all that believe are justified from all things from which you could not be justified by the law of Moses. V 20. CONDEMNATION. Where sin abounded, grace did much more abound. The law was brought in to let the Israelites see that they were unable to keep the law of Moses. Disobeying God only brought them troubles and tribulations. The prophecies of old foretold of a Saviour coming to save the Israelites and to reconcile them to God. ISAIAH 7 v 14 ; Therefore the Lord Himself shall give you a sign Behold a virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and you shall call His name Immanuel. MATTHEW 1 v 29-30 ; Joseph you son of David, fear not to take unto you Mary your wife for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. And she shall bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He shall save His people from their sins. V 21. COMPARISON. Even so might grace reign through righteousness through eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord. So the last verse in this chapter is conclusive. Even to some doubters must come the realisation that only through the Lord Jesus Christ can salvation come, with forgiveness of sins, reconciliation with God and eternal life with Him. What a ghastly mistake to follow satan all the way to the lake of fire and brimstone for eternity. We all have a choice to make as did Joshua. JOSHUA 24 v 15-16. And if it seems evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood or the gods of the Amorites In whose land you dwell, But as for me and my house we will serve the Lord. And the people answered and said, God forbid that we should forsake the Lord and serve other gods. May this be our prayer also. PSALM I v 1-2 ; Blessed Is the man that walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits In the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law does he meditate day and night. Open mine eyes that I may see glimpses of truth You have for me, Place In my hands the wonderful key that shall unclasp and set me free. Silently now I wait for You, ready my God Your will to see. Open my eyes, illumine me, Spirit divine.