Do I Have Peace With God?

Posted by MVBC Staff

Romans 5:1
Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Do I have peace with God? For each of us the answer to this important question will be different. Depending on how a person approaches God he or she will have peace, or not. Our method of approach is everything.

Some approach God through a method of works. That is to say, they strive all their life to be good. Their means of achieving this “goodness” comes either through living a moral life, or living a religious one.

The moral person may believe in God but not religion. These strive for peace by doing their best to be good people. They see hypocrisy in the Church and in religion so they stray from these by means of a moral-superiority complex. In stead, they seek peace with God by forming good habits and quitting bad ones, working with charities, helping the poor, thinking good thoughts, and avoiding socially inferior behaviors, etc.

The religious person strives for peace with God through a series of religious hoop-jumping. They strive to perform as many religious duties as possible in order to please God. They go to church or mass, give their money, confess their sins, read their Bible, pray, etc.

All of these acts, from both the moral and religious person, aren’t bad in themselves. Most of these acts are good, but not for obtaining peace with God. Peace with God can only come through faith in Jesus Christ. This approach to God believes that the Son of God died for our sins and rose from the dead in order to give us peace with God as a gift.

Romans 4:25-5:1

He was delivered over because of our transgressions, and was raised because of our justification. Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

When a person is justified (or, “declared righteous”) through faith God has made peace with them by means of a gift – that is to say, by His grace. However, when a person seeks justification before God by a series of works, whether they be moral or religious, they put God in a place of owing them. One person approaches God by means of His gift of peace; the other approaches God by means of works in order to get the peace they believe is due them.

Romans 4:4-5

Now to the one who works, his wage is not credited as a favor, but as what is due. But to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness.

Any person who approaches God in order to get what is due them is really saying, “Christ’s sacrifice was not enough for me to achieve peace with God. I must do more in order to achieve it.” They inadvertently demean Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection for their peace by claiming more needs to be done. Therefore, they wear themselves out through morality or religiosity striving for peace. These, in the end, tend to become exhausted by their efforts. But to the one who approaches God through faith in Jesus Christ peace is given as a gift.