More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation. (Romans 5:11 ESV)
Romans 5:11 says that we rejoice in God. Keep in mind, this is the same God that Paul talks about in Romans 1 and 2, this is the God of wrath and God of fury and God of Justice and God of righteousness and God of holiness.
This God aint someone you should mess with, this God, Jesus says to fear because He can take send both your body and soul to hell. This is a terrifying God whose reign brings terror to sinners.
There's no celebration in Him but only dreadful fear because He is our enemy and He is infinitely powerful with unmatchable strength, and we are all under His judgment and anger. Therefore, we all expect a day when we are sentenced to everlasting torment with no escape.
Yet, in a few paragraphs later Paul tells us to rejoice in this God? WHAT?! HOW? When I think of Him all I do is tremble and be terrified. Are you nuts Paul? Are you out of your mind? then Paul connects this rejoicing in God: through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we now have received reconciliation. Paul grounds our rejoicing in God on the basis that we are reconciled to Him.
Meaning to say we were once enemies but we are now friends, we were once rivals but now we are allies, we once had strife but now we are in good terms. All this was accomplished in the death and resurrection of Jesus.
WOW what a wonderful news! It's as if you were summoned to appear in court for offending a person, and you know very well that your sentence is a life-sentence. But before the court case, that person comes to you and says, let's reason together, let's talk this out, let's be reconciled..Let's become friends.
The same God of wrath we were terrified in becomes our source of joy! This is the same God who would pour out wrath on us if it were not for Christ. This is the same God who sent His Son to die for our sins so that the wrath and punishment that was meant for us would be inflicted on Jesus. We now have peace with God through our Lord Jesus (romans 5:1) instead of strife and separation.
Romans 5 packs many verses that call us to rejoice in the salvation found in Jesus: "and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us." In other words, God pours His love on us and gives us hope that will not shame us on judgment day.
Lastly, we are given a beautiful portrayal of God's love:
"For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For no one would scarcely die for a righteous person -- though perhaps a good person one would dare even die --- but God shows His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since therefore, we have now been justified by His blood, much more shall we be saved by Him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by His life."
That is the most beautiful and glorious message of all! that we need not be terrified of God in fear of condemnation, but on the contrary we rejoice in this God who out of love sent His Son to die and bear the punishment and penalty of our sins.
This God is a God of love and compassion and mercy and grace and benevolence. This God went out of His way to rescue us from eternal torment in hell, an act of something we certainly did not deserve.
While I was yet an enemy I was reconciled to Him by the death of His Son. And may we never stray away from this wonderful and extravagant message that encompasses all awe and wonder.
We are not an enemy of God anymore sentenced for death, but we are now called beloved, child, friend.
I need not dread in terror of Him, but I can rejoice in Him and love Him. So When the day comes when you finally see Him, you will not be seing the face of a wrathful Judge but you would see the face of a dad and a friend.
Come to Christ!
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