RHAPSODY OF REALITIES.
The Work And Effect Of Righteousness · Saturday, June 29th ·

Pastor Chris

And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever (Isaiah 32:17).

Romans 5:1 says, "Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ." The Apostle Paul makes known to us a profound truth, that having been declared righteous by faith we’re now at peace with God; we’re one with Him. This, according to our opening verse, is the work or result of the righteousness of God in you. There’s no war or enmity between you and God; the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ has brought you into oneness with Him; into absolute peace.

This peace transcends a mere feeling of calm; we’re friends with Him now. He doesn’t see you as a sinner anymore, and you’re not to relate to Him as one would to a vengeful judge. He’s your gracious, loving, heavenly Father.

The Prophet Isaiah’s thought in our opening verse also talks about the effect of righteousness: it shall be quietness and assurance forever. What does this mean? Hebrew 11:1 (AMP) says, "NOW FAITH is the assurance (the confirmation, the title deed) of the things [we] hope for, being the proof of things [we] do not see and the conviction of their reality [faith perceiving as real facts what is not revealed to the senses]. " In other words, faith is the confident or quiet assurance that what God says we are, we are; what He says we have, we have. Thus, the effect of righteousness in us shall be that we operate the Godkind of faith.

Faith isn’t a problem for the righteous, because he’s born with it. Everyone who’s born again receives the measure of faith: "…according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith" (Romans 12:3). Faith isn’t something you try to get; it’s in your spirit. All you have to do is increase it by learning more of God’s Word, and then strengthen it by acting on the Word.

Prayer

Dear Father, I thank you for sending Jesus to die for my sins and for raising Him from the dead for my justification. Now I know that I’m one with you and have peace with you, being justified freely by your grace! I thank you for this wonderful privilege, in Jesus’ Name. Amen.

f u r t h e r s t u d y: Romans 5:8-10; Romans 3:26-27

Daily Scripture Reading

1 Year Reading Plan : Nehemiah 11-13 Acts 14:1-28

2 Year Reading Plan : Luke 5:12-26 Deuteronomy 27