Peace With God

(Romans 5:1) "Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ." (ESV)

Because of sin people are not at peace with God.  Sin breaks our relationship with God and makes us enemies of him.  Because of sin we face the wrath of God.  God's holiness and justice requires that he punish sin.  All people are sinners, in fact we are all born sinners.  We have all fallen short of God's perfect standard of righteousness.   No person is righteous, not even one.  We have all rebelled against God and turned away from him.  The result of sin is death, both physical and spiritual.  We all deserve to face God's punishment and spend eternity in hell. 

So how can we be made right with God?  Our good works and religious rituals will not accomplish it.  God requires perfect righteousness and none of us are capable of that.  We are justified (that means to be declared righteous, not guilty) by faith alone in Christ alone.  Jesus lived a perfect life without sin allowing him to be our perfect substitute.  Jesus died on the cross to pay for the sins of his people.  On the cross God's wrath was poured out on Jesus instead of on us who deserved it.  Jesus was then raised from the dead bodily victorious over sin, death, and the devil.   The resurrection proves that Jesus is God and that his sacrifice for sin was accepted by God the Father.  

Because of God's love and grace we can be saved from our sins and have peace with God. All people must repent of their sins and place their trust in Christ alone for salvation.  Repent means to have a change of mind.  After true repentance a person desires to live for God and no longer live against God.  The person's desire is to obey God.  True Christians still commit sins but they agree with God that their sin is sin and confess it to him.  

Our salvation is because of Christ alone.  He takes our sins on himself and his righteousness is credited to us.  This is true for all who truly believe in him.  If we could be saved by our own works or efforts then Christ died for no purpose.  Because we could not save our selves, Christ accomplished salvation for us.  Because of Jesus and his work on the cross we no longer face the wrath and judgment of God.  Believers have peace with God.  This is both and internal and external peace.  This is all because of God's grace (that is his undeserved favor toward us).   Even though we deserved to go to hell we can now go to heaven if we repent and believe in Jesus.  To God alone be the glory.