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THE KING’S BUSINESS
The Authorized Version is to be preferred to the Revised Version, which reads, “Let us have peace with God.” The peace spoken of here is one of relationship, and sug gests an end of strife and enmity. It indi cates that the moment a man by faith receives Jesus Christ as his Saviour, the enmity and strife which existed between God and him passes away. This is a transaction which takes place absolutely outside of the sinner, and is not to be gauged by the sinner’s emotion in connec tion with it. Peace with God has actually taken place, even though the sinner may not enjoy the consciousness of that fact. There is a “peace of God” which comes to the believer’s heart when he comes to believe- and appreciate that “peace with God” has been made by Christ. That heart feeling of peace is the result of faith in the Word of God. “The peace of God” which I enjoy will be in proportion as I am able to view the finished work of Christ as being thoroughly satisfactory to God. We should not forget, however, that the “peace of God” of which this verse speaks, is a peace of relationship, and not of con dition or state. Third. The believer is brought into the favor of God (5:2). He has free and unlimited access into the divine presence. He has confidence of approach. He has been introduced by Christ to the Father for the purpose of better and deeper acquaintanceship. This is a wonderful blessing, and should be appreciated by the believer. Let us make use of our intro duction for the purpose of further acquaintanceship. “Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly- unto the throne of grace, that >we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:14-16). Fourth. The believer rejoices in hope
of future glory (5:2). We not only get a -glimpse of what Christ has done for us by reason of His finished work for us oh the cross in the past, but we get large visions of what Christ has provided for us in the future. “Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon ■us, that we should be called (the sons of God: there fore the world knoweth us not, because it knew Him not. Beloved, how are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is” (1 John 3:1, 2). Some day these bodies of our humiliation will be changed and fashioned like unto the resurrection and glorious body of our Lord Jesus Christ (Philippians 3:21). This is the Christian’s expectation, and is so different from the expectations of the world which so often disappoint us. This expectation surpasses our fondest anticipations. This hope will not make us ashamed (5:5). Fifth. The believer rejoices even in tribulations (5:3, 4). So great is the change that has come into the'' believer’s life through belief in the Lord Jesus that all of life has assumed a different meaning to him. He can no longer look upon things as he used to do. What heretofore seemed disappointments are now changed into His appointments. Loss is gain; death is life; tribulation is glory; persecution is blessing. All these are considered as part of the experience of life, and which the believer is called upon to count as a benediction (cf. Matthew 5:12; Acts 5:41). Sixth. The Holy Spirit is given to the believer (5:5). The Spirit has already revealed Christ to the believer, for no man can see Christ unless the Holy Spirit reveals Him (1 Corinthians 12:3-13; Romans 8:9). From the moment of a man’s conversion, the Holy Spirit takes up His abode in his heart and abides with him always in more or less fulness and power, according as by faith He is appro priated and given place in the believer’s heart and life. All believers have the Holy
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