Tag Archives: Romans 5

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What price peace?

What price for peace? We look back on the way we have hurt people and our insides are churned up. These words can seem merely aspirational –

we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God

Romans 5:1

The impact of my failure is worse than I realise. When I fall short of love other’s get hurt. In their hurt, they fall short of love. The effect cascades. Sin, defined as falling short, has consequences-

the wages of sin is death.

Romans 6:23

Sin cuts us off from God, the source of life, bringing spiritual death.

Our tendency is to blame others. Yet, for all those we blame, there are as many who blame us. We cannot hope to overcome the effects of death till we are right with the source of life for only life can overcome death.

God’s wonderful grace rules … giving us right standing with God and resulting in eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Romans 5:21

This grace and peace come when we ask forgiveness from God and receive life through Jesus. Jesus extends this life from us through faith when we who are forgiven extend his forgiveness to those who hurt us and ask forgiveness of those we have hurt.

I want to make light of the hurt I have caused, but I have to remember that paying for it cost Jesus his life.

When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners.

Romans 5:6
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Experiencing the love of God through training.

Through the training of life’s trials comes hope,

And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts … (Romans 5:5)

Shame comes when mistakes are seen. So, I avoid risks. God’s antidote is to pour love into our hearts. His love overcomes shame.

Learning to depend on God’s love begins with –

suffering produces perseverance; (Romans 5:3)

Through suffering I learn to persevere in assurance that God will be there. Knowing his faithfulness, I wait for Jesus to reveal himself with his surprising salvation.

perseverance, character; (Romans 5:4)

Perseverance is a foundation on which is built character; as seen in the fruit of the Spirit – Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness and self control.

Confident in Jesus, there is freedom to behave well. So, character is developed in a pressured environment.

and character, hope.

The transformation of character to hope is the transformation from doing the right thing, to doing it with joy, in hope that God will cover the cost.

And hope does not put us to shame,

Expecting specific outcomes risks shame. Hope is focused not on outcomes, but on God’s love which triumphs over shame.

So, suffering with God we experience his love.

Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces … hope and hope does  not disappoint us because God has poured out his love in our hearts. [Romans 5:3]