“Therefore, since we have been justified through
faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we
have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast
in the hope of the glory of God.” – Romans 5:1-2 NIV
First of all, we have to know that all of
us have been justified through Christ’s physical body (Colossians 1:21-22) as long as we have
faith in Him. This is because Jesus Christ took our punishment by crucifying
Himself on the cross and has given us eternal life through Him instead (Isaiah 53:4-5). “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ
Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6:23) This means that we have to
crucify our sinful nature on our part as well. The main reason for this is that
we are not able to serve both God and the world at same time (Matthew 6:24), due to the fact that the
desires of the Spirit is contrary to the desires of the flesh (Galatians 5:17). Thus, for this reason, the
word of God states, “Those who belong to
Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his
cross and crucified them there. Since we are living by the Spirit, let us
follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives.” (Galatians 5:24-25)
Therefore, I urge
you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a
living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper
worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the
renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s
will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. (Romans 12:1-2)
Then Jesus said to
his disciples, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your
selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow me. If you try to hang on to your
life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save
it. And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul?
Is anything worth more than your soul? For the Son of Man will come with his
angels in the glory of his Father and will judge all people according to their
deeds.” (Matthew 16:24-27)
Secondly, we ought to know that the Holy
Spirit is able to give us peace of God that is more than the peace of the world
(John 14:15-27). This is because this peace
of God creates us to have satisfaction in Him, as long as we know that we are
God’s children (John 1:12-13) and He has given us a purpose
to live on the earth (Romans 8:28-30). Furthermore, we have to persevere
our godly lives (2 Peter 1:3-11) until the end of the age,
but especially until we find what the will of God is. “For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for
all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.”
(1 Timothy 4:8) Hence, the word of God
urges, “… Fix your thoughts on what is
true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think
about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.” (Philippians 4:8)
You will keep in
perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you. (Isaiah 26:3)
Jesus went on to
say, “In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while
you will see me.”
At this, some of
his disciples said to one another, “What does he mean by saying, ‘In a little
while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me,’
and ‘Because I am going to the Father’?” They kept asking, “What does he mean
by ‘a little while’? We don’t understand what he is saying.”
Jesus saw that
they wanted to ask him about this, so he said to them, “Are you asking one
another what I meant when I said, ‘In a little while you will see me no more,
and then after a little while you will see me’? Very truly I tell you, you will
weep and mourn while the world rejoices. You will grieve, but your grief will
turn to joy. A woman giving birth to a child has pain because her time has
come; but when her baby is born she forgets the anguish because of her joy that
a child is born into the world. So with you: Now is your time of grief, but I
will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy. In
that day you will no longer ask me anything. Very truly I tell you, my Father
will give you whatever you ask in my name. Until now you have not asked for
anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete.
Though I have been
speaking figuratively, a time is coming when I will no longer use this kind of
language but will tell you plainly about my Father. In that day you will ask in
my name. I am not saying that I will ask the Father on your behalf. No, the
Father himself loves you because you have loved me and have believed that I
came from God. I came from the Father and entered the world; now I am leaving
the world and going back to the Father.”
Then Jesus’
disciples said, “Now you are speaking clearly and without figures of speech.
Now we can see that you know all things and that you do not even need to have
anyone ask you questions. This makes us believe that you came from God.”
“Do you now
believe?” Jesus replied. “A time is coming and in fact has come when you will
be scattered, each to your own home. You will leave me all alone. Yet I am not
alone, for my Father is with me.
I have told you
these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have
trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:16-33)
Because of the peace of God (John 14:27) and the resurrection of Jesus (Luke 24:4-7), we are able to have the hope
of God as well (1 Peter 1:3-9). Thus, when we are going
through hard times of following Jesus until the end of the age, we are able to
keep firm and rely in the hope of God to think our earthly lives are only
temporary and that we will be in the heavenly dwelling at the end of the age in
glorious forms (2 Corinthians 4:16-18). This is the reason
why Jesus Christ was crucified and resurrected back; to open the kingdom of
heaven for us that we may dwell with our heavenly Father from the end of the
age (John 14:1-4; 1 Peter 3:18-22).
May the God of
hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may
overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. (Romans 15:13)
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