And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever – Isaiah 32:17

Romans 5:1 says, “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” The Apostle Paul makes known to us a profound truth, that having been declared righteous by faith we’re now at peace with God; we’re one with Him. This, according to our opening verse, is the work or result of the righteousness of God in you. There’s no war or enmity between you and God; the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ has brought you into oneness with Him; into absolute peace.

This peace transcends a mere feeling of calm; we’re friends with Him now. He doesn’t see you as a sinner anymore, and you’re not to relate to Him as one would to a vengeful judge. He’s your gracious, loving, heavenly Father.

The Prophet Isaiah’s thought in our opening verse also talks about the effect of righteousness: it shall be quietness and assurance forever. What does this mean? Hebrew 11:1 (AMP) says, “NOW FAITH is the assurance (the confirmation, the title deed) of the things [we] hope for, being the proof of things [we] do not see and the conviction of their reality [faith perceiving as real facts what is not revealed to the senses]. “ In other words, faith is the confident or quiet assurance that what God says we are, we are; what He says we have, we have. Thus, the effect of righteousness in us shall be that we operate the God-kind of faith.

Faith isn’t a problem for the righteous, because he’s born with it. Everyone who’s born again receives the measure of faith: “…according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith” (Romans 12:3). Faith isn’t something you try to get; it’s in your spirit. All you have to do is increase it by learning more of God’s Word, and then strengthen it by acting on the Word.

Please click here if you aren’t yet born again. God bless you.

Prayer

Dear Father, I thank you for sending Jesus to die for my sins and for raising Him from the dead for my justification. Now I know that I’m one with you and have peace with you, being justified freely by your grace! I thank you for this wonderful privilege, in Jesus’ Name. Amen.

Further Study/Reading: Romans 5:8-10; Romans 3:26-27