The first great blessing received by those of us who have been justified by faith is "peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ." The war is over. Hostilities have been buried. Through the work of our Lord Jesus Christ, all causes of enmity between man and God have been removed. We have been transformed from enemies to friends, through a miracle of grace.
 | Author: William MacDonald Rank: Author Posted on: 2024-06-03 Source: Title: Commentary on the New Testament Year (original): 1989 Author: William MacDonald Number of pages: 1504 Publisher/Editor: CLV Print: GGP Media GmbH, Pößneck |
The Practical Implications of the Gospel
The apostle takes his argument for justification a step further by addressing the question: What does righteousness before God achieve in the life of the believer? In other words, does it really have a purpose? His answer is an overwhelming yes, as he lists seven blessings that every believer has received. These blessings are received by the believer through Christ. He is the mediator between God and man, and all of God's gifts are dispensed through Him.
Verses that belong to this explanation: 1-11
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. 11 And not only [so], but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement.
| Author: William MacDonald Rank: Author Posted on: 2024-06-03 Source: Title: Commentary on the New Testament Year (original): 1989 Author: William MacDonald Number of pages: 1504 Publisher/Editor: CLV Print: GGP Media GmbH, Pößneck |
Redemption through faith
In faith lies the main reason to perform miracles and to accept them as well.
 | Author: Shenouda III. Rank: Pope AD: 2012 Source: Title: 15 Ein Leben im Glauben Author: Pope Shenouda III, 117th Pope of Alexandria Number of pages: 150 Print: Anba Rewes Printing House, Kairo, Ägypten Translation: Maher Schacher |
Peace, Access and Hope; Past, Present and Future
Since these two verses are filled with wonderful thoughts, they need a separate section. It is good to memorize them.
From the previous sections you should better understand what it took to justify you. You have seen that everything originated with God.
[Verse 1]. You received God’s righteousness and He has provided everything. You can rejoice! You have been justified, not by your works, but because you believed God. The result is that you have “peace with God”. Once you were living in rebellion against God. You didn’t listen to Him and you did your own will. You didn’t find enjoyment in doing God’s will at all. God judged your deeds very differently from how you judged them yourself.
When you saw God had the right perspective about you and that through the Lord Jesus Christ He has taken away all your sins, there is peace in your heart when you think of God. There is “peace with God” because all the righteous demands of God have been met. When you think of God you will feel rest, joy and gladness that He is with you. You can simply call on Him and talk with Him in your thoughts.
[Verse 2]. You are favored by Him. What a grace it is to have free access to God, the God Who would have had to judge you for all your terrible sins. You can come to Him now without having to make an appointment or stand in line, and without fear He will send you away. You can tell Him everything that’s on your mind or that you are experiencing. He appreciates this demonstration of confidence in Him.
In the future you will be forever in God’s glory. You should rejoice in this hope. In the Bible hope is never something uncertain. Today, it indicates a degree of uncertainty. We say ‘I hope so’, when we mean we would like it to happen, although we are not certain it will happen. In the Bible, hope always represents a certainty, but of something still awaiting fulfillment. If you are hoping for something, it is not yet present. It is just the same with God’s glory. This is where you will be forever. But you’re still living here on earth.
However, that you will arrive in God’s glory is a fact beyond a doubt. It is even something in which to exult. The guarantee is not in your faith and strength, but is anchored in what God has done in raising the Lord Jesus. This has made you righteous [Rom 4:24-25]. What a change has occurred in you! Remember Romans 3:23. You read there that you fell short of God’s glory [Rom 3:23]. Your sins had cut you off completely from Him. It is impossible for God to allow sin into His presence and into His glory. Now you have been justified and you look forward to it with all your heart. And so does He! What a wonder of God! What a reason to give thanks to Him!
When you come to God with all you have in your heart, He wants you to thank Him for all He and the Lord Jesus have done. Just lay this book aside for a moment to tell God what you have understood so far from this letter He wrote to you. Tell Him you love Him. Then you will experience what the Bible calls fellowship. You can talk with Him about things that are very valuable to you and Him. Do it right now and then you can continue reading.
From the previous sections you should better understand what it took to justify you. You have seen that everything originated with God.
[Verse 1]. You received God’s righteousness and He has provided everything. You can rejoice! You have been justified, not by your works, but because you believed God. The result is that you have “peace with God”. Once you were living in rebellion against God. You didn’t listen to Him and you did your own will. You didn’t find enjoyment in doing God’s will at all. God judged your deeds very differently from how you judged them yourself.
When you saw God had the right perspective about you and that through the Lord Jesus Christ He has taken away all your sins, there is peace in your heart when you think of God. There is “peace with God” because all the righteous demands of God have been met. When you think of God you will feel rest, joy and gladness that He is with you. You can simply call on Him and talk with Him in your thoughts.
[Verse 2]. You are favored by Him. What a grace it is to have free access to God, the God Who would have had to judge you for all your terrible sins. You can come to Him now without having to make an appointment or stand in line, and without fear He will send you away. You can tell Him everything that’s on your mind or that you are experiencing. He appreciates this demonstration of confidence in Him.
In the future you will be forever in God’s glory. You should rejoice in this hope. In the Bible hope is never something uncertain. Today, it indicates a degree of uncertainty. We say ‘I hope so’, when we mean we would like it to happen, although we are not certain it will happen. In the Bible, hope always represents a certainty, but of something still awaiting fulfillment. If you are hoping for something, it is not yet present. It is just the same with God’s glory. This is where you will be forever. But you’re still living here on earth.
However, that you will arrive in God’s glory is a fact beyond a doubt. It is even something in which to exult. The guarantee is not in your faith and strength, but is anchored in what God has done in raising the Lord Jesus. This has made you righteous [Rom 4:24-25]. What a change has occurred in you! Remember Romans 3:23. You read there that you fell short of God’s glory [Rom 3:23]. Your sins had cut you off completely from Him. It is impossible for God to allow sin into His presence and into His glory. Now you have been justified and you look forward to it with all your heart. And so does He! What a wonder of God! What a reason to give thanks to Him!
When you come to God with all you have in your heart, He wants you to thank Him for all He and the Lord Jesus have done. Just lay this book aside for a moment to tell God what you have understood so far from this letter He wrote to you. Tell Him you love Him. Then you will experience what the Bible calls fellowship. You can talk with Him about things that are very valuable to you and Him. Do it right now and then you can continue reading.
Verses that belong to this explanation: 1-2
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.
 | Author: Ger de Koning Rank: Author Posted on: 2023-12-22 Source: Title: Rom Author: Ger de Koning |
A blessed change takes place in the sinner’s state, when he becomes a true believer, whatever he has been. Being justified by faith he has peace with God. The holy, righteous God, cannot be at peace with a sinner, while under the guilt of sin. Justification takes away the guilt, and so makes way for peace. This is through our Lord Jesus Christ; through him as the great Peace-maker, the Mediator between God and man. The saints’ happy state is a state of grace. Into this grace we are brought, which teaches that we were not born in this state. We could not have got into it of ourselves, but we are led into it, as pardoned offenders. Therein we stand, a posture that denotes perseverance; we stand firm and safe, upheld by the power of the enemy. And those who have hope for the glory of God hereafter, have enough to rejoice in now. Tribulation worketh patience, not in and of itself, but the powerful grace of God working in and with the tribulation. Patient sufferers have most of the Divine consolations, which abound as afflictions abound. It works needful experience of ourselves. This hope will not disappoint, because it is sealed with the Holy Spirit as a Spirit of love. It is the gracious work of the blessed Spirit to shed abroad the love of God in the hearts of all the saints. A right sense of God’s love to us, will make us not ashamed, either of our hope, or of our sufferings for him.
Verses that belong to this explanation: 1-5
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.
 | Author: Matthew Henry Rank: Priest AD: 1714 Source: Title: Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible Author: Matthew Henry |
By faith, as the apostle said before, we were justified. And by this justification by faith we obtained peace, for peace is the fruit of the life of justification through faith in Him. This means that this peace had not bee realized before our justification by faith, but now it has been realized by the Lord Jesus Christ.
Sin has set a wall of enmity between man and God. It did not only bring us away from God, but it also removed away the peace which existed between us and God and replaced it with enmity. God in His holiness and perfection cannot enter into a peace relationship with the guilty condemned man. But since the guilt has been removed away and the condemnation ended by justification, there has become room for peace between the Creator and the creation. Moreover, peace is not confined to mere removing away the wall of enmity, but extends to a relationship of strong love by God to man. Man enters into a positive relationship with God reflecting God's love to him. So, when Abraham was justified by faith he was called "the friend of God" [Jas 2:22]. And the Lord Christ spoke to His disciples, saying, "No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you." [John 15:15] The source of peace, as the apostle Paul mentioned, is the Lord Jesus, for he speaks in other parts of his Epistle about the Lord Christ as the source of peace: "But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been made near by the blood of Christ. For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of division between us, having abolished in His flesh the enmity" [Eph 2:13-14]; "And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and irreproachable in His sight." [Col 1:21-22]
Sin has set a wall of enmity between man and God. It did not only bring us away from God, but it also removed away the peace which existed between us and God and replaced it with enmity. God in His holiness and perfection cannot enter into a peace relationship with the guilty condemned man. But since the guilt has been removed away and the condemnation ended by justification, there has become room for peace between the Creator and the creation. Moreover, peace is not confined to mere removing away the wall of enmity, but extends to a relationship of strong love by God to man. Man enters into a positive relationship with God reflecting God's love to him. So, when Abraham was justified by faith he was called "the friend of God" [Jas 2:22]. And the Lord Christ spoke to His disciples, saying, "No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you." [John 15:15] The source of peace, as the apostle Paul mentioned, is the Lord Jesus, for he speaks in other parts of his Epistle about the Lord Christ as the source of peace: "But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been made near by the blood of Christ. For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of division between us, having abolished in His flesh the enmity" [Eph 2:13-14]; "And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and irreproachable in His sight." [Col 1:21-22]
 | Author: Prof. Dr. Maurice Tawadros Rank: Author Posted on: 2023-03-09 Source: Title: Commentary on the Epistle to the Romans Author: Professor Dr. Maurice Tawadros Number of pages: 373 |
It is a distinction of dispensations, not of gods. He enjoins those who are justified by faith in Christ and not by the law to have peace with God.
 | Author: Tertullian of Carthage Rank: Author AD: 220 |
What does it mean to have peace? Some say that it means that we should not fall out with one another because of disagreements over the law. But it seems to me that he is speaking much more about our current behavior…. Paul means here that we should stop sinning and not go back to the way we used to live, for that is to make war with God. How is this possible? Paul says that not only is it possible, it is also reasonable. For if God reconciled us to himself when we were in open warfare with him, it is surely reasonable that we should be able to remain in a state of reconciliation.
 | Author: John Chrysostom Rank: Bishop AD: 407 |
Faith gives us peace with God, not the law. For it reconciles us to God by taking away those sins which had made us God’s enemies. And because the Lord Jesus is the minister of this grace, it is through him that we have peace with God. Faith is greater than the law because the law is our work, whereas faith belongs to God. Furthermore, the law is concerned with our present life, whereas faith is concerned with eternal life. But whoever does not think this way about Christ, as he ought to, will not be able to obtain the rewards of faith, because he does not hold the truth of faith. Commentary on Paul’s Epistles.
 | Author: Ambrosiaster Rank: Author AD: 400 |
The listed verse explanations of the individual persons have nothing to do with the explanations of the other persons. This also applies to the Bible translations.
