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Bramhall, John WJustification By Faith 02 ~ Romans 5;1-5

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We welcome you in the name of the Lord Jesus, beloved friend, to the broadcast today and the continued meditation upon that blessed theme, the blessings of justification. Shall we not read again the Holy Scriptures as we have taken them and shall continue this week, taking them from chapter five in the epistle of Paul to the Romans, verses one through five. Paul writing by the Holy Spirit, therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom also we have access by faith into this grace, wherein we stand and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also, knowing that tribulation worketh patience and patience experience, and experience hope, hope that makeeth not ashamed, because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us. May God bless the reading and the hearing of his precious and his holy word to every one of our hearts. The blessings of justification, in our preceding message, we dealt with the meaning of the word justified, to be cleared of all guilt, condemnation, judgment before a holy God when I believe upon the Lord Jesus Christ. Now we would continue and consider carefully and prayerfully that golden chain of blessings which we have enumerated in these verses. They are divine eternal gold of blessing which come to those and are given to those who believe upon the Lord Jesus Christ and are justified. The first golden blessing of divine precious truth we find in our verse number one, where Paul writes saying, Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. What a joy to recognize. This is one fact, the great blessing of peace. with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. We would ask the question, what does it mean to have peace with God? Well, beloved radio friend, would you not admit, it would indicate that I am no longer a rebellious sinner, warring against God. and going my own way in opposite direction to his will and his desire and his purpose for me. For have we not proved thine nature, we are sinners that rebel against the word of God and the laws of God, to prove ourselves how unworthy we are in our sinful estate. But oh, what a joy to know, when I come to the Lord Jesus Christ, vowing down before him in my confession as a sinner, repentant and manifesting my faith in that merit of his work upon the cross. It brings me into peace with God. For you know, before I ever am saved, I'm an enemy of God. The mind is at enmity to God. My life is a path of enmity to God. Ah, but when I come to the Lord Jesus Christ, I enter into peace with God. There is no enmity between him and between me. That warfare of sin is over, and all through our Lord Jesus Christ. May I quote the words that Paul has well written for us. In the Ephesian Epistle chapter two and verse fourteen, listen to these words, in connection with his precious truth of peace with God. Speaking of Christ and his death, He hath made peace by the blood of His cross. Oh, my beloved radio friend, is it not Christ alone by His substitutionary sacrifice upon the cross who took our place and bore the brunt of all the judgment which we fully deserved, paid the penalty for our sin? It's through Him and through His work upon the cross. that I have peace with God. Well did the hymn writer put it in this characteristic way. Peace, perfect peace in this dark world of sin. The blood of Jesus whispers peace within. Paul writing to the Colossians in chapter one also confirms the fact peace with God is made through the death the atoning finished work of the Lord Jesus Christ upon the cross. Our beloved is it not grand to realize? May I quote the words that Jesus once said, You may be well familiar with them in that great sermon on the Mount, as we so call it. You remember he said, Blessed are the peacemakers. And of course he was referring to the children of God. But may I remind you of something? Is he not the greatest peacemaker? to bring you and me into peace with God through the work of its cross. And oh, what joy it is to know. I may hear the accuser roar of things that I have done. I know them well and thousands more, but Jehovah findeth none. Tis everlasting peace with God. Now may I raise the question, friend? Do you have peace with God? May I point out this is the first golden blessing. The beloved apostle by the Holy Spirit enumerates, When one, by faith, trusts the finished work of the Lord Jesus for his and her salvation, peace with God. I no longer am a rebel. Nay, I have been made this child. What a joy. What a blessing. And I trust that all my listening friends, Know what it is to have peace with God. And may I remind you, my beloved friend, you cannot make it. Your Savior made it for you. The Savior made it for me. We have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. He hath made peace by the blood of his cross. Peace, perfect peace. In this dark world of sin, the blood of Jesus whispers peace within. My beloved, what a wonderful peace when we have peace with God. The second golden blessing is in the same category where Paul continues to say in verse two, by whom also we have access by faith into this grace, wherein we stand. Note this second golden blessing. It could be expressed, simply, when I believe upon the Lord Jesus Christ as my Saviour, I not only enter into the joy of peace with God, but I have a new standing, a new position in relation to God, I am standing in grace. I am standing in grace. Forgiven. I accepted before God through His Son. I am no longer standing in my sin. I am standing in grace, the place where God's favor now rests upon me. What a blessed position. Standing in grace. And may I again repeat, is the place where God's favor now shines upon, the one who has trusted his Son as his and her Savior. Oh, my beloved, what a standing this is. And I would like to repeat with emphasis, this is a permanent position. Peace, perfect peace, yes, but also a new standing. Before I was saved, where was I standing? I was standing in sin. now that he has forgiven me my sins I have access by faith as the Apostle has well written it into this grace wherein we stand oh may I give you some thoughts regarding that grace let me point out the words of Ephesians one verse six and seven accepted in the beloved Paul writes where in whom we have redemption through his blood the forgiveness of sins according to the richest of His grace. And to the glory of His grace, God has welcomed me and brought me into that blessed position where His grace is now upon me. May I also quote the words, thank God, that James wrote in chapter four in verse six. James wrote, God giveth more grace. May I say, it's not just the beginning of grace. when I am saved, though that is the commencement, without doubt, that I come into God's grace, but I give it more grace. Oh, the joy of knowing, as Paul wrote to the Hebrews, we come to a throne of grace, whereby we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. My beloved Christian, this golden blessing of God's grace continues. It is available. It is constant. It is assured for you and for me, he has brought us where he can show his favor upon those who are now his redeemed children. What a golden blessing this is. And by God's grace, when you and I are saved, we are thus brought into this blessed blessing, standing in grace. Remember the words of the Lord, or Paul rather, as he wrote them in Second Corinthians. In chapter eight and verse nine, for ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, how that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich. And oh, may I remind you again, Paul refers to the unsearchable riches of God's grace, the riches of his grace. My beloved, like a mighty stream of blessing, God's grace continues to flow for the benefit and the blessing of His children, available. For we have been brought where we are the recipients of His grace and favor since He saved us. Before we are saved, His judgment was over us. Condemnation as a cloud of judgment was upon us. Ah, but when that cloud of judgment was removed, and we trusted Christ and He took the condemnation away. Then we came under and into the position permanently of being the recipients of His blessed grace. Father, bless thy word, we ask, as we look to thee in our Savior's precious name to consecrate as well as use the message of this precious truth to the blessing of all who are listening to it. May thy dear children who know the Savior be blessed by it. But we pray most of all that someone who's never yet been justified will by the Holy Spirit long to be saved and come to the Savior today. Amen.