I recently had a friend on my podcast (called the UR Story Podcast, which you can find at this link here). And there was something he said that God allowed to stick with me and lead to a time of meditation. During the podcast episode, my friend was telling me about the things that God had done for him in his life and how he used to live what we would describe as a double life. Or a life where he had a “dual” personality. One of them being the pastor’s kid who grew up in the church, and the other being someone who was being influenced by the world and conforming to its patterns. However, he went on to describe the realization that God had brought him to, and what he told me would stick with me for a while afterwards. As best as I can summarize it, he told me, “God met me where I was at, and despite my flaws, despite my lack of intentionality, and despite my mistakes, he accepted and adopted me into his family.”

Not too long later, I was doing my nightly devotional and the verse I focused on that night was Romans 5:1, which tells us, “Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” Now, the way I used to study scripture used to be very surface level. I would just read a verse or a passage and try only to memorize instead of asking God for understanding and wisdom to hear His voice through the words I would read. Nowadays, I am a lot more intentional when I dive into scripture. While studying, I look for relevancy. How is this relevant in my life right now? Who has God placed in my life to share this with? Why did God choose this very moment to show me this very verse? So because of this newfound thought process I incorporated into my spiritual study habits, I dived into the context of this verse.

See, in order to fully understand Romans 5:1, I believe it is essential to read all of chapter 4 of Romans. The first verse of chapter 5 begs the question, What does it really mean to be justified? Specifically, justified through faith? But chapter 4 gives us the answer to this question. And it does it by marrying the biblical truth of justification to the life of Abraham, who the Bible says and God declares as the father of many nations.

Not By Works

To be justified, is to be declared or made righteous in the sight of God. Or in other words, you’ve been given the status “free from guilt”. The first thing we’re told in chapter 4, is that Abraham believed in God, and justification was credited to him as righteousness. Keep in mind, to be justified is to be MADE righteous. The process involves us being MADE. Suits don’t make themselves, they require a tailor. Meals don’t prepare themselves, they require a cook or able hands to prepare it. Buildings don’t construct themselves, they require a construction crew to put everything together. The justification God credited to Abraham was not a byproduct of his good works, but instead, a blessing God gave him. Romans 4:2 tells us, “If, in fact, Abraham was justified by works, he had something to boast about—but not before God.”

Although God’s law is important, we cannot be saved by simply just obeying it. For one, no one that has ever lived, besides Jesus, has perfectly obeyed every single law and never sinned. But more importantly, a new covenant has been established that was solidified through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. One that allows us to have a strong connection with the Father through Jesus. Everything involving being justified is because of Jesus, not us. And honestly, we should be glad that “. . . a person is justified by faith apart from the works of the law” (Romans 3:28), because if it was based on works, besides Jesus, nobody in the existence of humanity would ever had been justified.

Divine Enablement

God’s gift of justification reveals and reminds us of one of the things that makes Him who He is. His grace! The book of 1 Peter informs us that God’s grace has various forms, and one of those forms is enablement, which I’ve heard called Divine Enablement. I read once on another blog that grace is not only “unmerited favor”, but it is “an influence that produces a result”. Let’s go back to Abraham. In chapter 4 of Romans, we’re told that Abraham’s faith was credited to him as righteousness before his circumcision, not after. “And he received circumcision as a sign, a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised” (Romans 4:11). Not only does that further emphasize the truth that justification is not dependent on our works, but it also gives us a sense of anticipation.

For example, that influence of grace that God bestowed upon Abraham brought about a result that would illustrate the immense qualification God gave Abraham to father many nations. Many years later, after having been given God’s promise to father a people that would be as numerous as the stars, Abraham was presented with a test. To sacrifice his son for the Lord. Imagine being told to sacrifice your only son, after receiving news that you would have many descendants. It would be difficult for anybody who has the utmost love for their child. However, despite the feelings that Abraham was experiencing, he demonstrated that he was willing to follow the Lord’s command. He was about to fulfill the task until a messenger of the Lord stopped him. The grace God bestowed upon Abraham was so powerful, that not only was it “unmerited favor”, but it was an influence on him that produced a result of unshakable faith.

This is why I say it gives us a sense of anticipation. When you grasp the fact that God has given you grace that is sufficient for you, you can anticipate the power of that grace manifesting through your actions when you are faced with difficult obstacles or when things are going good and you want to give God a shout of praise! God grabbed Abraham while he was still uncircumcised (sinner), and guided him to where he needed to be, which was in the position of the forefather of a huge nation. He can do the same for you!

“But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8)

Conclusion

After meditating on this passage, my mind ran instantly on the podcast episode I had with my friend. I realized that what he was essentially saying to me was that he had been justified through faith, and that he had peace with God through Jesus. Or in other words, he had been reconciled with God. So instead of the power of sin and death blocking his relationship with God, Jesus was now the bridge connecting him and God.

You too can receive this same justification! If you haven’t accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior, if you’ve gone back and forth wondering if Christianity is for you, or if you feel or have felt God pursuing you and don’t know the next steps to take, and you want make a choice, you can make that choice today. All you have to do is say this prayer:

Dear God,

Thank You for sending your Son Jesus to die on the cross for me. A punishment that I deserved, for the sins I’ve committed, You willingly sent Your son as a sacrifice to pay the penalty that I couldn’t. I confess my sins Lord and ask for complete forgiveness. I ask that You enter my heart and dwell in it. I commit my life into Your hands.

In Your precious and holy name,

Amen

If you just prayed that prayer and meant every single word, your place in heaven in eternity is guaranteed. You have just taken a step of faith that has made heaven rejoice! God has so much in store for you! Like it was said earlier, the process of justification is not solidified by the works that we do, but has already been established through the finished work of Jesus Christ. So although we’re not perfect, and never will be on this side of life, we can trust that there is no power strong enough to break the reconciliation bond that we’ve been gifted connecting us and God together in relationship.

All in all, the foundation of this whole process of justification can be seen in Romans 4:25, “He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification.”

God Bless!

Related Bible Verses to Help

But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed. (Isaiah 53:5)

Not by works, so that no one can boast. (Ephesians 2:9)

**Make sure to check out Abraham’s story, which you can find in the book of Genesis.