Spending multiple weeks inside a strip of dug earth was the fate of many soldiers during the first world war. Their only companions in the trenches were often fellow soldiers and giant rats roaming nearby. The air they breathed was filled with the stench of rotting corpses, body odour and gun residue and the most common sounds that they heard were loud blasts of gunshots and screams of horror at incoming enemy fire. They spent most of their time wondering when the absolute terror of a gun battle would fall upon them or if a shell would bury them alive. There was one example however of a small light bursting into the darkness for a band of these heroes.
In the beginnings of this 1st world war, troops from the French/ English front were occasionally seen engaging in small truces with their German opponents along the front near Belgium. Some even dared to cross the lines into enemy territory to talk to one another and ask how they were faring. By Christmas of 1914, the two sides halted their lengthy fighting and celebrated the Christmas holidays together in an act that will forever be known as the Christmas truce of 1914. Guns and canons went silent in the vicinity and were replaced with Christmas carols. These hymns were first heard solely on the German side through the singing of their interpretation of Silent Night until the troops on the English side decided to join in. Spectators witnessed in some cases English & German commanders exchanging handshakes and gifts such as food and cigars and plumb pudding were swapped. Soldiers from both sides shook hands and enjoyed Christmas festivities on the shared battleground. It was truly a remarkable sight to see during one of the most brutal wars in history. But this truce, much like many others, was short lived and within just a few days, the fighting resumed, and in return the blood flowed once again on that field where they enjoyed a time of fellowship. This peace was sadly not a lasting peace.
When we consider the term “peace”, we often associate it with the absence or discontinuation of conflict much like in the Christmas Truce of 1914. Peace treaties are signed between two hostile parties as an agreement to end a state of conflict. While some of these treaties have been successful at restraining fighting, even these agreements can’t completely stop the hostility that these two sides have for one another. In the bible, however, the term peace refers to something so much more. It’s defined as a restoration to wholeness or even as the creation of a congruent relationship that can never again return to hostility. It carries the idea of a final peace, a lasting harmony between two people that cannot change.
The Text
Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, (Romans 5:1)
The Justified Find Peace
This passage of scripture is at the heart of one of the most significant letters in the whole bible, the epistle to the Romans. It is positioned almost right in the middle of this letter, right after the writer of this epistle, the apostle Paul had previously spent four chapters laying out the effects of sin and guilt. His application of this exhortation was meant to be received by two category groups, mainly those of Jewish descent and secondly all other ethnic people in the world. He could declare to those who would receive this letter all have sinned and have fallen short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23), summarizing that all human beings have missed the mark in meeting the standard that God desired for us. It didn’t matter which group you belonged to; all were guilty of sin. It is also definitional of the hope that all Christians have. It answers one of the most important questions for every human being to consider: How do we, as fallen people, find peace with God? The apostle Paul answers this dilemma with the expression justified by faith. The term justified might be familiar to you. It is generally defined as trying to justify or validate your actions when an accusation has been brought against you. But in the bible, it takes on a different meaning. It is a declaration. It communicates a testimony to the fact that the person who is justified has been acquitted from guilt. It is like a judge declaring you as innocent of all charges justly brought up against you. You have been absolved of all guilt! But what is absolutely astonishing about this justification is that the judge who declares it is none other than God, the One whom has been offended with our sins. We are the guilty party and God is the offended One. God is the lawgiver and the law that we broke was His. God commanded us to love Him with all our hearts, mind and strength, and we have not. God commanded us not to use His Name in vain, and yet we do. We have all dishonoured our mothers and fathers, hated our brothers & sisters, lusted, stolen, spoke untruths about others and coveted things that weren’t ours, showing our dissatisfaction with what God has given us. Yes, we have transgressed against the lawgiver. But this definition of justification still means more than simply an acquittal. It also carried the idea of someone being declared as righteous. Elsewhere in the bible, you’ll find the same term translated as “just” or “right”.
What I especially don’t want you to miss is that this justification wasn’t because of something we’ve done to redeem ourselves. We are not justified because we have agreed to obey his laws. Sinners are justified by faith. The only thing we can do is trust in the One who has provided the payment for our offenses, the one in whom the declaration of justification is found, mainly Jesus Christ. Faith that Jesus is the Messiah, faith that your sins were laid upon Him as an exchange, that His death ultimately pleased God and paid for your sins, and believing with surety that God’s declaration of justification is true. Faith in Jesus is not simply a way to be justified, it is the only way. It is abandoning your own efforts in trying to justify yourself and simply resting upon Jesus to save you and justify you. Once you have been saved by Faith, you will be called the righteous and have a desire to live by faith.
For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9)
For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “But the righteous man shall live by faith.” (Romans 1:17)
Peace with God
The consequence of this justification is that you have peace with God. Peace with God is the end of hostilities between you and God because of your sins and a reconciliation takes place. The relationship is restored and never to return to its former state. You will be able to say that you live in peace with the God who created you. Once you have trusted Jesus, those sins are forever forgiven, and you will forever have peace with God.
You can have peace with God today. You can experience having your sins forgiven and being declared justified before our Holy God. Simply repent from your sins and come to Jesus in faith and receive Him.
The Moncton Herald 