Romans 4:21–5:2 (KJV 1900)
21 And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform. 22 And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness. 23 Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him; 24 But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; 25 Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification. 5 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: 2 By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
When we teach young Christians who are beginning their faith walk with Christ, we talk most often about our beloved Lord Jesus Christ. After all, it is His blood that brings salvation to all of us, and is the most important doctrine that becomes a part of all the other doctrines that help contribute to us becoming righteous.
But, as we mature, we must understand deeper, the things of God through His Word. The Lord Jesus Christ shed His blood for the remission of sin in those that follow Him. Jesus Christ was given the power by the LORD God to forgive sins on this earth. The Lord Jesus Christ is our teacher, our mentor, our Lord, and our King. He is the risen Lord from His crucifixion, and that contributes to our hope of one day following Him in Resurrection into Eternal Life. His teachings and examples contributed to us becoming righteous, a condition necessary for us to serve our LORD God.
But the Lord Jesus Christ is NOT the LORD God. He is separate. He has His purposes, goals, and ways that enforce the things of the LORD God and contribute to God’s program.
The Trinity members (the LORD God, Lord Jesus Christ, and Holy Spirit) are equal in nature, distinct in Person, and submissive in duties. They are ONE GOD with THREE PERSONS.
That distinct “in Person” is the knowledge that mature Christians must understand before they can achieve full enlightenment of the Word of God. So let me make it a bit easier.
The important promises of our Christian faith come from the LORD God. Not Jesus Christ. Not the Holy Spirit. Those promises come from the LORD God of Omniscience (Holy), Omnipresence (Everywhere), and Omnipotence (Powerful).
If we BELIEVE those promises, if we have HOPE of those promises then that is called FAITH. When we have faith, we are saying that we believe all the promises that the LORD God has made to us in the Word of God.
The forgiveness of sin on this earth by the Lord Jesus Christ has happened to us as Christians. And the going to our Baptismal grave and resurrection in eternal life has been promised when our
physical bodies die.
We have faith that it all works because the LORD God promised it. He promised that His only begotten Son would lead us to Him. So, though faith as a young Christian is expressed in the surety of forgiveness of sin and eternal life through Jesus Christ, as mature Christians, we must understand it more deeply. When we say we have faith, we are saying that we believe without doubt that the LORD God will keep His promises. Then as mature Christians, we start exploring the Word of God, to sort out exactly what those promises are, and what they mean to us as we seek after righteousness.
