Romans 5:1 ¶ Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. 3 And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; 4 and perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5 Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us. 6 ¶ For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. 8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. 10 For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. 11 And not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.
The point in all this utterance is the matter of glorious reconciliation.
I hear “worship” songs today sung by people with no understanding of this glorious doctrine of reconciliation through justification. Songs that speak of wanting to be a friend of God as though even after receiving Christ something else must be done before friendship can be guaranteed. People sing these kinds of songs with great passion in the hope that God will see their desire and somehow make it possible for them to live uprightly enough to feel like a friend. They are songs of doubt, not faith.
Brothers and sisters that is an offensive ideology to God because it is ignorant of the glorious reality of justification by faith alone.
Christ died for us while we were yet sinners! While you and I were wearing the garment of the sin nature and were called the enemies of God Jesus died for us. He did not decree a set of formulas we must follow to deserve this glorious atoning and reconciliation.
When we received Christ through faith we immediately became the friends of God, we were justified and reconciled that very moment. Better yet, Jesus is called the friend of sinners for this very reason.
Jesus didn’t do something to get us to the starting line so we could now finish what He began. His work was complete!
Glorious salvation, marvelous reconciliation, joyous justification is mine and yours through the finished work of Christ!
About The Author
- Tim Atchley
- Knoxville, Tennessee, United States
- I currently serve as Senior Pastor of Harvest Church in Knoxville, Tn. I was sent out from Trinity Chapel of Knoxville in 1993 accompanied by my wife Sheila our four children Sarah, Hannah, Josiah & Isaac and a handful of bold, brave and committed believers determined to plant our first church. Pioneering is hard work but well worth the journey. That is why we desire to make disciples of Christ who will, like us, also embrace the call to plant churches.
