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come short of the glory of God", while here it is written that we "rejoice in hope of the
glory of God". For an examination of the meaning of "glory" in Rom. 3: 23 and 5: 2
we must refer our readers to article #15 of this series. All that we need do here is to
remind the reader of the three passages (Rom. 3: 23; 4: 20-22; and 5: 2) which form a
connected line of teaching:--
1.
Man by nature through sin has come short of the glory of God.
2.
Abraham by faith that justified gave glory to God.
3.
Believers similarly justified rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
Where sin and legal works of the flesh failed to pass the "test", the righteousness of
faith is fully accepted. So Rom. 5: 1 opens with the fact of justification, and proceeds to
develop its fruits.
It is essential that we observe the order of words here: "Being . . . . . we have . . . . .
we stand . . . . . we rejoice." "Being" comes first. What we "are" in Christ lies at the
root of all we "have" in Him. Peace and access are related together as cause and effect,
and both are phases of reconciliation. This is seen by comparing Rom. 5: 1-11 with
Eph. 2::--
Romans 5:
Ephesians 2:
Boasting only in the Lord.
Not of works, lest any man should boast.
Hope of glory.
Having no hope.
Peace.
He is our peace.
Enemies reconciled.
Enmity slain.
Access.
Access in one Spirit.
Reconciliation.
Reconciled both in one body by cross.
The first result of justification by faith is stated in Rom. 5: 1: "We have peace." The
English idea conveyed by the word "peace" is not quite the same as that of the Hebrew
word shalom or the Greek word eirene. Our first thought concerning peace is "calm",
"repose", "tranquility", but God's thought goes deeper and is expressed in Isa. 32: 17:
"The work of righteousness shall be peace, and the effect of righteousness, quietness and
assurance for ever." "Work" here signifies the thing made, and "effect" indicates the
service that results from it. The two words "work" and "effect" are used together in
Isa. 28: 21: "His strange work . . . . . His strange act."
Peace is not quietness, but produces it. The underlying idea of peace is found in the
word shalom, which is translated: "be at peace", "finished", "restore", "pay",
"recompence", "make good", and "perfect'. The idea is expressed in the one word
"completeness". Instead of peace being a mere cessation of hostilities, ready to break out
again, it indicates a complete settlement of the issue by restoration, finishing, perfecting.
It is the work of righteousness: "Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with
God." Sin with its guilt and condemnation can never again intrude, and the
consciousness of this blessed standing leads to "quietness and assurance". Paul, who
knew the meaning of Hebrew, could therefore rightly substitute the "bond of perfectness"
in Col. 3: for the "bond of peace" in Eph. 4: While their own special meanings they
are nevertheless closely allied. The usage of the word "peace" in the Greek Scriptures