Monday 25 May 2009

Background

Yesterday was the day (in 1738) when the life of John Wesley -one of the founders of Methodism - was turned around, in that hesuddenly knew in his heart rather than just in his headthat Christ had rescued him from sin and death, and it happenedwhilst he was listening to a reading of Martin Luther's commentaryon Paul's letter to the Romans.

The word 'therefore', at the beginning of the passage, is alwaysused by Paul to mark an important new development in his argument.The previous four chapters have established that we all fail in theeyes of God and cannot ourselves put things right, but that we canbe right with God through faith in Jesus whose death makes thatpossible.

Today's verses express in compact form the confidence that Wesley,like Paul, was to hold and to preach. Several words are much richerin their biblical meaning than in our everyday use of them:

• "justified" (verse 1) has nothing to do with good excuses forour actions. It means 'being in a right relationship with God'.Although it is in the past tense here (not really obvious inEnglish) it is more often present or future. Christ's death makesit possible but it is the ongoing relationship with God thatmatters.
  
  
• "peace" (verse 1), generally in the Bible, means more thanabsence of strife, or a feeling of quietness. It refers to totalwell-being: harmony of body, mind and spirit. Although the phraseis "peace with God" it is that reality which enables our completehappiness.
  
  
• "hope" (verses 2-5) is confident expectation of good, ratherthan gritting teeth in a difficult situation because even againstthe odds things might turn out okay. So our hope can never bedisappointed.
  
  
• "reconciled" (verse 10) is not very different from 'justified',but is a word we more naturally understand. The remarkable thing inthis passage however, is the claim that we were reconciled to Godwhile we were still acting as God's enemies - an idea which promptsthe first point to ponder below.

   

  To Ponder

  If two people are at odds and one refuses toregard the other as an opponent, in what sense is reconciliationalready present, and what more needs to happen?

  How relatively important to your future prospectsdo your regard
  (a) the death of Jesus on the Cross?
  (b) a clear decision made to follow him?
  (c) the way you are living today?
  (d) your spiritual state at the moment you die?

  Paul thinks we can "boast in our sufferings"(verse 3) - though he means that we can welcome thementhusiastically rather than that we use them to show off. Do youagree?

  John Wesley knew what he was looking for - anassurance of faith - and so he recognised it when it came. What areyou praying for to transform your life?