Romans 5:1-11
Peace and Joy
Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.
You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him! For if, when we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! Not only is this so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation. (NIV)
To the Believer, it is my hope that our joys from the past year (2013) were so complete that we have a “storehouse filled with joy to bring into this New Year of 2014, and will share our joys with others!
We enter this New Year with the peace of God. “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your heart be troubled and do not be afraid.” John 14:27
Joy to the Believer is not dictated by what is happening in the world around us, or in our immediate circumstances. It may even appear that we are not being realistic about our situations. It may also appear to some that we are just “plain crazy”! Because we are enabled by God, to continuously experience and display joy in the middle of calamity, that’s where “fear turns to faith”. “There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.” I John 4:18. When we give our life-issues over to God daily, it’s because we know his track record— that He has always been faithful to us. “So do not fear, for I am with you.” Isaiah 41:10. That’s how we are able to experience his joy, peace, love, and mercy.
Will this New Year, 2014, add to your joys? Look around you, through the eyes of faith each day! John 14:12 says this, “I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than things than these, because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. You may ask me anything in my name, and I will do it.”
Happy New Year!
Reverend Glenda Brunson
(Reprint from January 2012)
Homewords Ministry 
WORKS THAT SAVE AND WORKS THAT DON’T
THE WORK THAT SAVES
What work endures to eternal life.
John 6:27-29 Do not work for the food perishes, but for the food which endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you, for on Him the the Father, God has set His seal.” 28 Therefore they said to Him, “What shall we do, so that we may work the works of God?” 29 Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He as sent.”
The work that men do to be saved is believe that Jesus is the Son of God, and their Lord and Savior and that God raised Him from the dead. Yes, there is a work that men do, that can save them. Believing is the work men do that saves.
THERE IS A WORK THAT GOD DOES, THAT SAVES.
Colossians 2:12 having been buried with Him in baptism, in whichyou were also raised up with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead.
God does the work in water baptism. Not men.
You cannot separate faith and water baptism.
Mark 16:16 He who has believed and has been baptized shall be saved….
1 Peter 20-21 …safely through the water. 21 Corresponding to thatbaptism now saves you —not the removal of dirt from the flesh, but an appeal to God for a good conscience— through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
You cannot separate faith and water baptism. Man’s work is to believe. God’s work is to forgive men of their sins.
Colossians 2:12-13…….When you dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, he made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions,
You cannot separate faith and water baptism.
WORKS THAT DO NOT SAVE.
Galatians 2:11-16….16 nevertheless know that a man is not justified by works of the Law but through faith in Christ Jesus even we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we may be justified by faith in Christ Jesus and not by works of the Law; since by works of the Law no flesh will be justified.
The apostle Paul was not telling Cephas (Peter) and Barnabas,
that believing in Jesus was a work of the Law Moses,
that being baptized in water for the forgiveness of sins was a work of the Law of Moses,
that repenting (turning from unbelief and making a commitment to turn from from a sinful lifestyle and turning toward God) was a work of the Law of Moses,
that confessing that Jesus was the Son of God, their Lord and Savior and believing that God raised Jesus from the dead, was a work of the Law of Moses.
FAITH-REPENTANCE-CONFESSION and WATER BAPTISM are not works of the Law of Moses.
Ephesians 2:8 For by grace you have been savedthrough faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God.
Colossians 2:12 ….baptism…through faith in the working of God…
Ephesians 2:9-10 not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in the.
Believing in Jesus is not a good work.
Repenting is not a good work.
Confessing is not a good work.
Being baptized in water is not a good work.
Believing (John 3:16) Repenting (Acts 2:38) Confessing (Romans 10:9-10) and Water Baptism (Mark 16:16) are all essential for salvation, however NONE of them are Laws of Moses nor are they good works.
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