Twin City church of Christ Blog
“July 29, 2024 - Past, Present, and Future”
Categories: 2024 Reading DevotionalsPast, Present, and Future
Reading: Romans 5:1-5
Having reasoned extensively through our path into sin and the salvation by faith Jesus offers, Paul takes a step back. Where does all this leave us? “Therefore since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ”(Rom 5:1). We look into our past and see our own sins and the judgment they deserve, yet we find in Jesus a way God will spare us from this fate. Our past is shameful but redeemed.
Presently, we experience a treasure-trove of blessings. “We have peace with God”(Rom 5:1), reconnecting us with our Creator and resolving the great problem of our lives. “We have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand”(Rom 5:2). We have not only received grace for past sins, but we stand in grace. We know that mistakes we make now can be forgiven (although this can never encourage us to sin, as we will see in chapter 6). This gives us confidence and joy. “Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope”(Rom 5:3-4). We even rejoice in hardship because even hardship strengthens us and reinforces the hope we have. God is working in us to make us more like Jesus (Rom 8:29). This gives us deeper hope. We also celebrate that “God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us”(Rom 5:5). We know we are loved—and how to love others—because of God’s revelation of his own love to us.
We also eagerly anticipate a glorious future. “We rejoice in the hope of the glory of God”(Rom 5:2). When Jesus returns, we will be glorified along with him. It is this hope that strengthens us even through times of suffering.
Past, present, and future are all transformed by Jesus’ gift. Rather than shame, we look back at our past with relief and gratitude for our redemption. Rather than despair, we live presently with love, peace, and joy. Rather than fear, we face the future with hope and confidence. Praise God!
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One Thing to Think About: How might I learn to rejoice in my sufferings?
One Thing to Pray For: That I might rejoice in the hope of the glory of God
