Sep 1, 2019

The Believer's Progression To Peace With God

3 Heaven to earth pillars of God's Grace...

"And now abideth faith, hope, charity (agape), these three; but the greatest of these is agape." 1 Cor.13:13.    "abide" is Greek word "meno" meaning "to be, remain, continue forever" .... "faith, hope and agape (Godly love) but the greatest of these is Godly love" which is the focus and destination of our faith's  vision of hope.

Here is the Romans Road Map from faith to hope to to Godly love ... where Peace abides =     Romans 5:1-5. 

v1. Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:    So we begin our journey at 'Justified By Faith' and finally arrive at 'love's Peace With God', through whom we have 'access by faith into his grace...and rejoice in hope'.  ....

v2. By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.     (These are the positive blessings working together for our good. But there are also blessings in the bad things which happen to us that strengthen our faith and broaden our hope, in v.3-4 ...

v3. And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience;      (Rom.8:28 -All things work together for good to us.)   
v4-5. And patience, (worketh) experience; and experience (worketh) hope: And hope maketh not ashamed (embarrassed); because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us. 
This Romans Road, from Justified By Faith to Godly Love and the Peace we find there, is a rocky, uphill journey but is worth the difficulty and sacrifice. We began our trek at Faith's Gate into God's Grace where Hope and Love abide ... ministering Peace. As we step by Faith through Faith's Gate, if our new faith looks, it will see those glorious things, within God's Grace, which human eyes cannot see.

"Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear."  Heb.11:1&3.

Hope is what Faith, without fleshly eyes, looks into the future and sees in God's love ... which he has prepared for us.

Love does not and cannot filter bad out of good, but it filters good out of "all things" and leaves what is left for God's judgement.      
"And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose." Rom.8:28.

"ALL things" means exactly what it says, ALL things work together for good to Christians who love God ... but it is "according to His purpose" for each of us. "All things" includes negative things like tragedy, loss and fear ... even sickness and death. Even these things work together for good to those whose faith has given them the Blessed Hope of God's Grace. That hope is in Jesus Christ, as Savior from sin, and His assurance of eternal life in God's eternal glory, love and peace.


"Therefore did my heart rejoice, and my tongue was glad; moreover also my flesh shall rest in hope." Acts 26:26.  


I look forward to seeing you at our hope's destination. RB

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