Done! Finished! Complete!

12.01.13

Romans 5.1 1 Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ...

There is nothing like a positive emphatic to get the day started! Paul’s statement is simply this: we have been. Not, we might be; not, we could’ve; no, we have been. Done! Finished! Complete!

The Epistle to the Romans is an Emphatic – it states the truth so perfectly and tells us the way it is. And the big issue is our standing before God. Paul writes emphatically, we’re there! It’s done! His love and His grace didn’t wait around for us to get better; it flooded us like a tsunami and completely saved us.

Now, the question is, what do we do with what we have become? Share it. We share what we have become with those who still wonder: what’s to become? The difference is accepting what we have become and helping others to accept it as well.

I think our biggest problem is not that we have churches, we have Bibles, or that we have study helps and videos and conferences, and, and, and. Our biggest problem is believing this: Therefore since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Ask people, they'll tell you they need to add something to it. We think we’re the ones to put the finishing touches on it. And then we waiver and stumble, and because of that, we believe our belief is all for naught. It didn’t start with us and it doesn’t end with us. Therefore since we have…all we’re asked to do in the midst of this marvelous, miraculous truth is believe what has been done – without our help – and live accordingly – because of His help.

Today is one big positive emphatic because of what has already been done, and to accept that is to believe we have (already) been justified by faith. Faith is the key. If God said it, it’s done, and there ain’t no more. Paul spoke what God gave him to speak and his words live on for us today: therefore since we have been… believe it’s done.

It is through our belief in Him and what He has already done that we find strength to combat those thoughts that tell us our belief is weak, ineffective, or incomplete. A baby doesn’t need convinced that his mother is his mother – he just believes it. We’re to do the same thing: just accept it.

Father, today I am reminded of what is already done for me: justification through faith – I can’t add anything to it and I can’t take anything away from it: it’s all You. I believe. I believe. And because I do, my justification is because of faith in You. I believe You and believe in You. Thank You. Amen.