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

Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, (NIV)

Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. (NLT)

Dive Deeper:

Peace In Our Soul

We now come upon the greatest revelation of truth with the deepest implication for humankind. We can have peace through trials; we can have peace that God is present with us right now, but our deepest need for peace is in the question we ask at the depths of our souls: “What will happen when I die?”

Something More

After Adam and Eve ate from the forbidden tree and were banished from the presence of God, there was a chasm left between God and man. Since this moment, we have continually lived in rebellion of the way God intended for us. It doesn’t take long to look at the world around us and recognize it. I often talk to people who express how plain it is to see evil in the world around us compared to any good. We all inherently know something is wrong. How do we come to recognize this? Because Adam and Eve’s rebellion wasn’t this grand story’s beginning. In the beginning, God created a good world. He created man and woman in his image and called His creation very good. He designed us for union with Him.

We know we were made for something more.

So, in the depths of our souls, we deeply desire love, joy, and peace (union with God). But since we have been separated from God, we go searching. Our hearts have distorted desires, and we have an enemy who wants to kill, steal, and destroy us. We naturally drift toward things contrary to God’s way of life, which in the Bible we commonly read as sin. Paul earlier in Romans declares, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).

Rescue Plan

So, at this point, things aren’t looking good. You see, we all have been declared guilty. We all have missed the mark of the life God has created us for. The end is severe because God is so perfect, and we cannot come together again with our current imperfect state. So, back to that question, I began by asking, “What will happen when I die?” The reason we all ask such a question may be because, deep down, we know we have fallen short, and without a rescue plan, we will be separated from God for eternity. Now, the answer: The gospel is a rescue plan of a good Father who comes to rescue His children who have been pulled astray. Children who have been led into brokenness and are doomed without His help. The Father could only rescue His children by sacrificing His Son, Jesus, which He did because of His great love and compassion. That act of sacrificial love bridged the gap and tore down the wall of separation so that God could be with his children again. Just a few verses later, Paul goes on to write, “But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8 

Faith in Jesus brings salvation, which gives us peace…forever. Even in our darkest moments of grief and trial, we can hold onto this hope—the assurance that death is not the end and our bondage to sin has been utterly broken.

Abide In His Peace

For those of us who believe we can navigate the trials of life, clinging to this unwavering hope–that with Jesus, resurrection is not just a possibility—it is promised. In His victory over death, we find everlasting peace, knowing that no evil can withstand the power of our risen Savior and that through Him, we will rise again and be united with the Lord. "Thanks be to God, who gives us victory through Christ Jesus, our Lord."

Written by Ben Hesch

Challenge:

Spend some time reflecting on what God has saved you from. Look back at where you were and then where you are now. Meditate on Romans 5 and lean into the peace that the Lord gives. Now go and share with a friend and tell them about the peace you’ve felt from the Lord.