Peace with God. Romans 5:1-2 V.1. Peace with God is not merely a feeling of contentment. It really means that the justice of God has been satisfied, turning the wrath of God away from us because the sacrifice of Christ has removed our sins on our behalf. The results of being declared righteous (justified) on the principle of faith begins with this wonderful statement, "peace with God." This does not have to do with our feelings of calmness or tranquility. This is reconciliation between the Almighty God and rebellious, sinful subjects. We were made by God and for Him, but sin had made us dead to God. Now, we look back to the fact that God declared us righteous, who is eternally the same. This doesn't have to do with the state of our Christian life. This means there is no more hostility between us because our sins have been fully judged, and God is completely satisfied with Christ's sacrifice on the cross. God will not charge us again for sin, and Christ will never have to suffer for sin again. There is nothing now blocking our relationship with God.
V.2. There has been "peace made by the blood of His cross," our standing is in grace without qualifications being added. We are complete in Christ as far as our standing, yet we are growing in Him to be more like Him. We have the status of kings and priests and the duties of slaves. We experience the presence of Christ and yet deal with the pressures of sin. This place of highest privilege is close to God Himself. We are not enemies or aliens but friends and "children of God by faith in Jesus Christ." At the coming of Christ, we will see Him glorified in all the glory of God, and we will be glorified together with Him.
Faith, hope, and love are basic to the Christian life. The firm foundation of the salvation of God upon which we are built is the blood of our Lord Jesus Christ. Our relationship with God begins with faith. Faith makes what we cannot see real to us, but what we know is true by the word of God, and our actions of faith in Him produce the promised results. This makes us aware that we are delivered from the consequences of sin and the past by the death of Christ as our Substitute.
Hope looks ahead with confidence into the future and the fulfillment of the promises of God. Hope is not optimism without any real basis for it. This is a new objective status based on the finished work of redemption. This challenges and motivates us as we learn what God has in His mind for us. The love of God has been poured into us and makes it possible for us to reach out and connect with others as the Holy Spirit guides us. We move from faith to hope to love, which has been demonstrated to us. These three are at the heart of the Christian life, and peace with God makes this a reality. The glory of God that brings is in the future.