What Did the Apostles Pray?

Part 2 of 8

We begin our study with this broad, yet simple question: What did the apostles pray? In a day and age when God is treated as an ethereal errand-boy, never before has the rightly-divided counsel of truth been more corporately needful. So many of us may assume that God is our nanny, our butler, even our doormat! These are sad thoughts to behold. Contrariwise, to regard prayer in it's proper place is to view it as a very broad practice. In Scripture, "prayer" includes so much more than making our requests known unto God, and this is something that God's people need a desperate reminding of in these days of superficiality. We're taught to pray for gold dust and Bentley's when the testimony of Scripture in no way supports such mockery. The very verse of Scripture that presents the privilege of spreading our needs before the Lord emphasizes one vital principle: "In everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God" (Phil 4:6). Unless proper gratitude be expressed for mercies already daily received, and thanks be given for God's continued favor, how can we expect to obtain His holy ear and receive answers of peace? Friends, prayer in its fullest sense rises so far above requests for natural provision. Rather, in proper prayerful communion, the human heart is drawn out and forced to contemplate upon the Great Giver Himself, so that the soul is prostrated before Him in adoration, and supplication for spiritual wants and needs. This is why God commands His lovers to pray (1 Thess 5:17; Lk 18:7); this is how man's habits should be molded. Like the many compounded spices of the Tabernacle that represent the prayers of the saints (Mal 1:11; Rev 8:3-4; Ex 30:34-35), our humiliation, supplication and adoration should be likewise proportionately mingled.. never one to the exclusion of the other.

I find it incredibly interesting that the apostles prayed very little for their natural, earthly wants: it seems that their faith had turned into deep trustful assurance. And as a result, their prayerful focus seemed to land upon those great spiritual desires found deep within the heart of God's future bride. Does the arrow of your petition stop short at natural riches? Or does it pierce through such fluff, finding it's bull's eye upon the bounties of God's Spirit? Is your heart over-crowded with the temporary worries and wants of this earthly realm, so that it can find no courage to seek and discover those spiritual blessings ready to be delivered? I pray this humble study will aid us all!

Let's now observe just a few of these said spiritual gains the apostles sought to achieve in earnest prayer... what did the apostles pray?

- Prayer for forgiveness of sin - The more we grow, and the more "spiritual" we may become, the more confessing and repenting ought to be duly performed. And why so? Because as the human heart ever-more beholds the God of glory, it is ever-more smitten in it's own utter wretchedness (Isa 6)! Consequently, in order to progress yet further with Jesus, the soul is therefore charged to pry open yet another chamber of it's wickedness, until they all be rightly filled and dedicated to His absolute holiness: "by knowledge shall the chambers be filled with all precious and pleasant riches" (Prov 24:4).

Therefore, it is no surprise that the apostles habitually made petition for their forgiveness of sin in the sight of God; they also taught others to do the same. It was not an insecurity, but rather a recognition of their great and daily need for His shed blood. The apostle Paul himself is seen as the saint of all saints, yet still was a man given to repentance (Rom 7:24-25; 8:1).. He pleaded with the Holy Ghost to help him with his weaknesses and "infirmities" (Rom 8:26; 2 Cor 12:7-9)! Such repentance was a manner which Jesus accredited (Matt 3:2, 8; 4:17; 6:12; Mk 1:15; Lk 13:3; Rev 2:5; etc), and is a manner which the apostles put into practice (Mk 6:12; Acts 2:38; 3:19; 2 Cor 7:9-10; 1 Jn 1:9; etc). Therefore, shouldn't the prayers of 21st century saints be settled upon these same eternal truths? I believe so. Repentance should be the very foundation of all we pray, say and do (Heb 6:1), for without the shed blood of Christ daily upon our person, the Christian life is but vanity! Reader, a repentant heart is a growing heart, and a heart close to Jesus.. His blood, mediation and merit is our very ground of approach!

- Prayer for peace - Paul has repeatedly prayed, "Now the God of peace be with you all. Amen" (Rom 15:33). Prayer to the Fountain of Peace seems to have been a routine practice for the early apostles (2 Thess 3:16; Heb 13:20). And who better to supplicate for peace than the God of all peace (Rom 16:20; 2 Cor 13:11; Phil 4:9), and the Author of all peace (1 Cor 14:33)?

By such petition as the one found in Romans 15:33, Paul seems to pray for his readers, that God would so manifest Himself (and His peace) among them, that His great presence would be made known in their midst, and in their troubles. How grateful we are that our God literally rules in the midst of our enemies, and gives us, His people, such a considerable measure of peace from our foes (Ps 110:1-2). Thus, we too ought to habitually seek God for His peace amongst His people, lest evil assaults are to arise from every place. God's peace is a blessing that churches greatly need, and such should therefore be the mode of our petitions. We ought to "pray for the peace of [spiritual] Jerusalem" as our chief joy (Ps 122:6)! Would that all God's people would seek this perpetual bestowment of peace - that discord and strife would be far from our tents, that envyings and revelings would be never named among us! Oh, is this even possible? Yes, reader, indeed it is! Simply mimic Paul's behavior: earnestly PRAY to the God of all peace! "Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you" (Phil 4:9)!

- Prayer for faith, knowledge and spiritual understanding - One of my all-time favorite passages of Scripture is Ephesians 1:16-19. It reads, "[I, Paul] Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers; That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power..." This prayer actually continues to verse 23, and is the longest recorded prayer in all the New Testament. Surely, this should tell us something!

One of the most heartening things about this prayer is the place from which it was written. Paul wrote these words while incarcerated by the Romans. However, he humbly notes that he was simply "the prisoner of the Lord" (Eph 1:4), and an "ambassador in bonds" (Eph 6:20). Rather than begging God for his own well-being, comfort and escape (as most men would be prone to do), he is writing to his spiritual children, and praying for their recognition of Gospel mysteries! Rather than griping at the apparent unkindness of Sovereignty, Paul instead asks God to abundantly grace his sons and daughters with "the spirit of wisdom and revelation". What a man of God! Reader, we simply must get a revelation of this! Such was the vast importance of this concept that Paul cared more for it than he did his own life! How much more should we pray for such things today, as we see the end approaching?

How honorable that Paul does not pray for their natural wealth, nor does he plead with God for their earthly comforts and delights. It seems such things constantly took the back-seat to the greater issues at hand. Instead, he earnestly desires the Holy Ghost to bestow upon them a fuller knowledge and a closer communion with Himself, an enlightenment to the deep things of God, and a revelation of His grand, eternal purposes, that they may know the hope of His calling, and of the riches of His inheritance in them, His saints! He encourages them to ask for this knowledge and communion with confidence, for He will give such things to those who seek. Elsewhere, we find Paul again praying for an increase "in the knowledge of God" (Col 1:10) towards his readers. He says that they "do not cease" to pray this on their behalf (Col 1:9)!

- Prayer for love toward God - "And the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God, and into the patient waiting for Christ" (2 Thess 3:5). Such are the earnest words of Paul towards his readers in Thessalonica. It must be noted that these believers were facing an unusually troublesome time, suffering great opposition and persecution from unbelievers. Paul's prayer for them was for an increase in their love for King Jesus in the midst of such trials.

I love how Paul directs his readers into truth. Yes, he weeps with those that weep, but he doesn't wallow in pity and anguish.. Rather, he redirects attention to its rightful object: King Jesus! It's very easy to say we love God, or to talk all day about our communion with Him. It is far different, however, to actually put these truths into practice. Such practice is the real evidence of our love; talk is cheap. God requires the chiefest place in our affections and in our lives, so that glorifying Him is our supreme aim: otherwise, we have no real love to Him. Solomon has rightly said, "My son, give me thine heart, and let thine eyes observe my ways" (Prov 23:26). A man's actions will speak of his love greater than the sweetest discourse. Paul knew this to be true, and therefore prayed for his friends in such a way. Reader, may you and I likewise supplicate the God of glory for needs that really matter, needs such as these. The car a man drives, or the coat on his back is utterly insignificant if his heart is darkened and void of any real, godly affection. Why should we spend our days begging for that which perishes? Let's mimic Paul, and pray to the Spirit that He may "direct our hearts into the love of God"! He can strengthen us with His might in the inner man, and thereby enable us to sternly resist every temptation to become attached to any earthly idol. May He more and more enlighten us to the utter vanity of carnal, sinful pleasures, and may He wean our fickle hearts wholly from them. Oh, how can this ever fully happen? Reader, simply love God all the more, and His enemies will scatter (Ps 68:1; 2 Cor 3:18)! May He ravish our souls with glimpses of Him, thereby deadening us to the empty novelties of this world. May He bind us afresh to Himself (Ex 21:5-6)!

- Prayer for a worthy walk - Colossians 1:9-10 reads, "For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God." David has prayed a similar petition, saying, "...cause me to know the way wherein I should walk; for I lift up my soul unto Thee" (Ps 143:8). And why are such graces prayerfully sought after? Because two cannot walk together lest they be agreed (Amos 3:3), and therefore a worthy walk must consist of a right relation to your partner, God Himself. To pray for and seek after a "worthy walk" with God is to beseech His Spirit to remove all obstacles, hindrances, diversions, detours and stumbling-blocks from your path. While such things may not be wholly taken away, they indeed will be met with God's grace, that divine ability where your own is insufficient. Jesus will lift you up in the midst of your failures, and "lead thee by the way that thou shouldest go" (Isa 48:17). To the seeking and prayerful soul, nothing will be too difficult! "And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it" (Isa 30:21).

There are few more comforting promises in Scripture than that of Proverbs 3:5-6: "Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths". Oh that God would direct my path. Oh that God would direct yours too! What a joy to find such requests likewise present in the voices of God's earliest apostles! What a relief that such petitions are laid out before us as an example.. this ensures us that the answer is imminent! Though it be not in man to direct his own steps (Jer 10:23), God will grant His best to the seeking soul (Jas 1:5). He has given His Word, not for debate nor for argument, but to order our lives aright! His Word was not given to test the sharpness of our wits in disputing, but was given to test the readiness of our obedience in performing! May we simply take heed! And may we pray as Paul, for others and for ourselves, beseeching the Holy Ghost to enable us to "walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work"!

Here are just a few other prayers uttered by the earliest apostles. They earnestly prayed for brotherly love (1 Thess 3:11-13), for joy (Col 1:11-12), for long-suffering (Col 1:11-12), for patience (2 Thess 3:5), for comfort (2 Thess 2:16-17), and for sanctification (1 Thess 5:23-24).

And thus we see the striking contrast! How appropriate that the soul close to Jesus no longer frets and begs for his natural state! His eyes have been opened, and his heart wants to feed, no longer upon natural riches, but upon those spiritual assets, flowing freely from Emmanuel's veins! Friends, may we likewise find this same heart developed in us, day by day. May our faith for natural provision turn to sincere trust in our Provider, and may our eyes thus be made able to settle solely upon those things which are eternal (Eph 1:3)! May we pray as the apostles prayed!

To be continued...

Let us Pray?

Part 1 of 8

"Brethren, pray for us" (1 Thess 5:25).

Many a better man has taken up this ever-precious issue of prayer. And What an honor and a privilege is it for believers to have access to God's throne of perpetual grace!

But what about prayer? I certainly do not pretend to know all about it.. but I am pretty good pals with Him to whom all prayer flows! Where can we rightly find the answers that our hearts desire concerning this great and eternal truth? As always, may we turn to the pages of Holy writ - that great, sharp and living organism - the ever-precious Word of God (Heb 4:12)! No place else will give us such a complete, perfect and satisfying view of this great and vital Christian doctrine. Men may have their various interpretations of what prayer is and what it ought to be, but the Lord Jesus, in His precious Word, has given us His wise counsel, such that simply cannot be refuted. All we must do, as always, is search and take heed!

"I will meditate on thy precepts, And have respect unto thy ways" (Ps 119:15).

In studying such a vast theme, I simply want to observe one single, yet multi-faceted aspect: the practice of the apostles: What did they pray? How did they pray? When did they pray? Why did they pray? And who did they pray for? This may appear an unusual approach, but who better for us to examine than the very ones who kept Jesus company, and personally received His instruction, wisdom and teaching. In fact, most of them were the ones who begged, "Lord, teach us to pray" (Lk 11:1).. And therefore, we can be assured that they are likewise the ones who shall give us a glimpse into God's answer to the age old question: How ought men to pray?

Friends, in our mere natural state, "we know not how to pray as we ought" (Rom 8:26). Therefore, let's turn to the Perfect Law of Liberty and discover what God has to say, shall we?

To be continued...

Fling Wide!

"If any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him" (Rev 3:20)

What is your desire today? Is it set upon heavenly things? Do you long to enjoy the high doctrine of eternal love? Do you desire liberty in very close communion with God? Do you aspire to know the heights, and depths, and lengths, and breadths? Then you must draw near to Jesus; you must get a clear sight of him in his preciousness and completeness: you must view him in his work, in his offices, in his person. He who understands Christ, receives an anointing from the Holy One, by which he knows all things. Christ Jesus is the great master-key of all the chambers of God: there is no treasure-house of God which will not open and yield up all its wealth to the soul that lives near to Him. Are you saying, "O that he would dwell in my bosom"? "Would that he would make my heart his dwelling-place for ever"? Open the door, beloved, and he will come into your souls. He has long been knocking, and all with this object, that he may fully sup with you, and you with him. He sups with you because you find the house or the heart, and you with him because he brings the provision. He could not sup with you if it were not in your heart, you finding the house; nor could you sup with him, for you have a bare cupboard, if he did not bring provision with him. Fling wide, then, the portals of your soul. He will come with that love which you long to feel; he will come with that joy into which you cannot work your poor depressed spirit; he will bring the peace which now you have not; he will come with his flagons of wine and sweet apples of love, and cheer you till you have no other sickness but that of love overpowering, love divine. Only open the door to him, drive out his enemies, give him the keys of your heart, and he will dwell there forever. Oh, wondrous love, that brings such a guest to dwell in such a heart!

- C.H.S.

The Hope of Glory!

Part 3 of 3

"Therefore, being justified by faith, we... rejoice in hope of the glory of God" (Rom 5:1-2).

A final fruit of justification that we'll observe is the great hope of God's glory.. Of course, there are many more benefits to see, but these simple three will have to suffice for now.

The hope of glory! What a wonderful truth that we as believers, have such a tangible and present hope! We not only possess this hope, but we "rejoice" in it too (Rom 12:12; Heb 3:6)! It's not a false hope, but a "lively hope" (1 Pet 1:3-9), one that is continually fresh, strong, active and efficacious. Paul calls it a "good hope through grace" (2 Thess 2:16). Jesus will graciously enable the willing soul! He will cause His people to obtain and partake of it.. Our expectation is of God! Will we respond to such a lofty idea and "lay hold upon the hope set before us" (Heb 6:18)? God is waiting for a people to obtain His glory (2 Thess 2:12, 14; Heb 2:10; Isa 43:7; 1 Pet 5:10a; 2 Pet 1:3; Rom 9:23)!

What does it mean to have "hope" of the glory of God? It means that our justified state has provided us with an expectation to be conformed to God's glorious image, even "Christ in you, the hope of glory"! It seems that so many Christians today are oblivious to the fact that we are on a course, pursuing completion, with a prize to be won. We seem to view heaven as the end-all, when in fact, heaven is not salvation's prize. Rather, the Bible declares that we, being justified by faith, rejoice in the hope of God's glory! In other words, heaven and a rapture are not our hope; God's glory is our hope! Heaven is but an added benefit.

The book of Ephesians reveals the purpose and prize of salvation, and interestingly heaven has relatively little to do with it: "Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it [justification]; In order that he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word [sanctification], In order that he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish [glorification]. This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church" (Eph 5:25-27, 32). Reader, we are justified in order to be sanctified, and sanctified in order to be glorified as the bride of Christ! Everything we do as believers, everything we choose not to do, and every motive of every thought, word and deed is to be birthed from this perspective: We are pursuing God's glory! And why? Because God's glory is God Himself. One Hebrew word for "glory" is also translated as "weight; honor; splendour". In other words, to have God's glory is to behold His face (Matt 17:1-2; 2 Pet 1:16), and to partake of the literal weight of His manifest presence (Exod 16:10; 29:43; 33:18, 22; 40:34-35)! To obtain God's glory is to actually obtain Jesus, for Jesus is God's glory personified (Jn 1:14, 18; 17:4-5).. Paul sought to "win Christ" (Phil 3:8)! What a prize HE will be! To Abram God said, "I am thy shield and thy exceeding great reward" (Gen 15:1)!

Therefore, being justified by faith, we are now made able to partake of, rejoice in, seek after, and hope for the glory of God! Before, while yet sinners, this hope was utterly nonexistent; we all fell short (Rom 3:23). There was no hope of glory, no hope of reward, only the awful prospect of wrath and condemnation. But now... But now there is a glorious expectation, a wondrous hope! Let's press into this high and holy purpose!

Do we "seek for [God's] glory" (Rom 2:7)?

Are we being "prepared unto glory" (Rom 9:23)?

Do we "seek... the honor [Greek: "glory"] which cometh from God only" (Jn 5:44)?

Will the trial of your faith be "found unto... glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ" (1 Pet 1:7)?

Are we openly beholding the Spirit of God, and being changed into His glory (2 Cor 3:18; Ps 17:15)?

If not, why? We have been called to obtain God's glory (2 Thess 2:14); called to share in His glory (Jer 17:12); He wants you to inherit the throne of His glory (1 Sam 2:6-8; Rev 3:21). Friends, we're called to "obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory" (2 Tim 2:10)!

The end of days will reveal to us the bride of Christ.. and what does she possess? The glory of God! "And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb's wife. And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, having the glory of God..." (Rev 21:9-11).

Friends, our daily, outward, carnal perishing is working for us an exceeding eternal weight of glory - all paid for and provided by the precious shed blood of God's Son (2 Cor 4:16-18)! "The righteous hath hope in his death" (Prov 14:32)! The constant reproaches we bare are strengthening our shoulders to carry the Spirit of glory, which is to "rest upon you" (1 Pet 4:13-14)! The earth is groaning and travailing for this glory to come forth, revealed in God's saints (Isa 60:1-3, 7)! As heirs and children of God, joint-heirs with Christ, we've been awarded the hope of glory "revealed in us" (Rom 8:17-20)! The veil is torn - access is granted!

What are you hoping for today? What are you seeking after? Is it God's glory?

"For it became Him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory" (Heb 2:10)!

Selah!

Access Granted!

Part 2 of 3

We've just seen the great peace that becomes our very own upon accepting the justification offered by the cross of our Lord. It's a peace that we struggle to justly describe; a peace that reaches far beyond our comprehension and explanation. Today, I want to observe another benefit and effect of the saint's justification before God: ACCESS!

What do we mean when we say "access"? What does it entail? What are we given access to? These questions and more we will seek to discover.

Paul has said, "Therefore being justified by faith... We have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand..." (Rom 5:1-2). Let it be understood, that "access into" the grace of God is a far reaching concept. "Access into grace" means that we are now made able to access, attain unto, and appropriate all that the grace of God can provide for us! Friends, this is a tremendous and multi-faceted blessing, of which I will do my best to describe.

The Greek word used for "access" is "prosagōgē", and means "the act of bringing into; a moving to; an approach to God". Another translation of this verse says, "Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of highest privilege where we now stand" (NLT).

Upon our justification, we have stepped from one state into another; we have left the former state of cursing and come into the state of God's blessing and favor. We have moved from our position "in Adam" to "in Christ"; we have been granted access into His glorious covering, no longer to suffer the detrimental consequences of Adam's sinful headship!

The Bible gives us a glimpse into the access we've been granted. Observe...

Access into grace... Paul tells us, "Therefore being justified by faith... We have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand..." (Rom 5:1-2). The word "grace" is "charis" in Greek, and means, "the divine influence upon the heart, and its reflection in the life; benefit, favor, acceptance." Aren't you grateful that we now have access into this "state of favor and acceptance"? Without the grace of God, even justified believers would be hopeless! Peter told his readers that such grace is the very ground that we stand upon (1 Pet 5:12)! Reader, this "gospel of the grace of God" is the very tool whereby we may finish our courses with joy (Acts 20:24)! What a privilege then to partake of it!

Access to the Father... Paul has said, "For through Him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father" (Eph 2:18). Friends, no longer are we orphans.. Now we've been granted a holy heritage, and are therefore "no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God" (Eph 2:19). Jesus, our perfect Mediator has made us acceptable children to a holy God. We simply cannot approach Him apart from His Lamb! Apart from King Jesus, this access is wholly denied. Yes, it is a straight gate and it is a narrow path, but it leads to eternal life. Broad is the gate, and broad is the path that leads to destruction, and many go in thereby. Yet, clinging to this strait gate will grant us entrance before the Father, for Jesus is the only way, truth and life (Jn 14:6). He is the only door of the sheep (Jn 10:7). The road He has paved is the only acceptable route. Yes, this road is marked by blood, but it will bring us into fellowship and communion with the Father! All we must do is cling to HIS faith, "the faith of Him" (Eph 3:12).. His sufficient sacrifice is to be our confidence, and assurance of access (Heb 4:15-16)!

Access into God's Glory... The saint's justification has also given him the great privilege of God's glory! What was once a foreign concept to the ignorant unbeliever has now become the very home of his believing heart! What was before an occasion towards offense has now become the saints chiefest desire! And access into this new-found desire is only to be met by the blood of God's Son.. Paul tells us that Jesus' blood (i.e. justification) has provided us with boldness to enter the Holy of Holies, the realm of God's glory: "Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter [access into] the holiest by the blood of Jesus, By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh..." (Heb 10:19-25)! Reader, such entrance upon Zion is only afforded by the costly blood of Jesus.. None may enter that special place without a heart "sprinkled from an evil conscience" (Heb 10:22), and bathed in that life-saving blood!

Oh the glorious fruit of justification!

To be continued...

Therefore, Being Justified...

Part 1 of 3

Justification is a legal term: It refers to one's judicial innocence. The Greek word often used is "dikaioō", which means "to render equitabble in charcter or act; to show one to be righteous, innocent, holy, just, meet; approved of or acceptable to God; faultless, guiltless; to absolve or acquit". Simply said, justification is the act of God by which He accepts the penitent, repentant sinner as righteous, upon believing on Christ Jesus for salvation. Yours and my justification is quite a wonderful thing! It's separate from our current sanctification and future glorification (Eph 5:25-27), which are simply the culmination of one another (2 Cor 1:10). Justification is a past tense occurence; it happened when the incoruptable seed of God was planted in your spirit, transforming your very life, and saving you from the threat of God's wrath. Justification occured in your spirit-man (1 Cor 6:17; Heb 12:23), sanctification is occuring in your soul (2 Cor 7:1; Ps 119:109), and glorification will occur in your physical body (1 Cor 15:52-54). Justification is the very core and foundation for one's continued growth in God, the first of several steps toward perfection, and if the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do? Without this great bedrock of divine, graceful acceptance, the Christian life would be absolutely halted! The effects and benefits of the Christian's justification before God encompass an immense and mighty volume of truth. So mighty in fact, that I believe we will continue to mine these glorious caverns for the ages to come! Thankfully, however, God has given us His very words - a sneak peak into these great wonders. So just what does Scripture tell us of our justified state? What many effects and benefits are to become our very own? Let's find out...

The first of these great truths is found in Romans 5:1. Here, Paul says, "Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ..."

Peace seems to be an overused word - a state that men heartily seek after, yet have no innate ability to bring about. The peace they seek is perhaps a rest from national chaos, tranquility of the mind, or the like. However, the peace of God is of a different sort - it passes all human understanding; it's a peace "not as the world giveth" (Jn 14:27; Ps 28:3)! It's both judicial and experiential. It's a spiritual state of being that cannot be justly described by my mere words. God's peace is simply unreasonable.. it often gives itself over to those who, by natural understanding, shouldn't know peace.. and it often acquaints itself with those whom it should naturally repel and repulse. "How can such a man as him know peace?" Friends, pedigree and similar qualifications are utterly insignificant. This peace is not from the world, and the world therefore cannot adjust it (Phil 4:7; 1 Pet 1:8; Jn 16:22). Thank God!

From this verse in Romans 5, the word "peace" means "quietness, prosperity, rest, to set at one again". Real peace is only that which flows from Emmanuel's veins.. Real peace is only that which finds it's source at that bloody, redemptive tree. Such peace is a gift from God - a gracious effect of our spiritual, justified union! Therefore, being justified by faith, we have peace with God! No longer are we His enemies because of sin; no longer are we to be the subjects and recipients of His outpoured wrath! Jesus has taken that cloak upon His own perfect Person, fully acquainting Himself with the woes and punishment of iniquity, in our stead. And the result? Perfect peace with our Maker - a judicial return to our unified state!

Before such peace was poured out, while we were yet judicial sinners, we remained in a state of emnity with God: the bosom of the wicked is a stranger to peace, the two have never truly met: "The wicked are like the troubled sea. For it never can be at rest; Whose waters cast up mire and dirt" (Isa 57:20). But now, being reconciled, we have perfect peace with God. The man that was just before filled with agitation and alarm, that regarded God as his enemy, is now at peace with Him, and with all the world: "For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; Having abolished in his flesh the enmity..." (Eph 2:14-15).

The sinner, in his natural state, is an enemy of God and His peace; He is void of all real harmony, free from the fruits of justification ( Rom 8:7; Eph 2:16; Jas 4:4; Jn 15:18, Jn 15:24; Jn 17:14; Rom 1:30). Before, while under a sense of the guilt of sin, we had nothing but terror and sadness in our own conscience. But now, having our sins wholly forgiven, we are flooded with peace where that awful terror once resided! By the cross, God has reconciled us to Himself (2 Cor 5:18). He has literally refunded our emnity with Him, paid for by the costly blood of Jesus. No longer are we His adversaries.. we now are made His friends. God is now my cheifest friend, and the peaceful bond that we now share is approved and made able by the atoning death of His wondrous Son. And what is our union like? Reader, it is peaceful. It is wholly harmonious; the chords of our melody together are no longer out of tune.. My spirit is now one with His (1 Cor 6:17; Heb 12:23), at peace with His perfect holiness, even partaking of it myself. Now, because of this blessed justified state, I can partake of the life and peace of God (Rom 8:6). Now, thanks to the "gospel of peace" (Rom 10:15), I can partake of the righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Ghost (Rom 14:17). This is the effect of that blessed and bloody "work of righteousness" (Isa 32:17). This is the fruit of my Lover on His cross; "Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other" (Ps 85:10; Col 1:20)! His blood has introduced me to God's peace, God's graces, God's countless goodnesses - a sweet tranquility has visited my heart, a pure shining light! All because the Lord Jesus was obedient unto death.

"The LORD will give strength unto his people; the LORD will bless his people with peace" (Ps 29:11).

To Be Continued...