We Exult In GOD.”
“And not only this, but we also exult in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation. ” – {Romans 5:11}
To “EXULT” {Kauxaomai}- is the third time in chapter 5 is mentioned, verses 2,3,11. Figuratively it refers to living with God-given confidence. To boast, glory, joy, rejoice. “It means to rejoice and so to feel joy or great delight, combining ideas of jubilation and confidence into one word we might describe as “joyful confidence…” -preceptaustin.} The word means to BOAST over a privilege or posession. It means to rejoice and so to feel joy or great delight, combining ideas of jubilation and confidence into one word we might describe as “joyful confidence”. It expresses an unusually high degree of confidence in God and what He has done for as being exceptionally noteworthy. As used in the positive sense self-confidence is radically excluded and all self-boasting is abandoned. Faith implies the surrender of all self-glorying. Note present tense implies this should be a believer’s lifestyle!
In Romans 5:1-11 there are three “tenses” in which we can rejoice:
- Future Rejoicing: “we rejoice in hope of the glory of God” (Romans 5:2)
- Present Rejoicing: “we rejoice in tribulations” (Romans 5:3) (Are you?)
- Past Rejoicing: “we rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ by whom we have now received the reconciliation” (Romans 5:11).
Rejoice and again I say rejoice for our reconciliation has been accomplished (past), God is now molding and shaping us through tribulations (present) and our glorification is yet to come (future).“-{preceptaustin}
How wonderful the root of our joyful confidence, boasting, is in GOD Himself! Not merely His gifts to us but Himself the giver. “Acquaint yourself with God and be at peace.”-{Job 22:21}. “This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.”-{John 17:3}. Paul wrote to the Ephesians “..making mention of you in my prayers; that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him.”-{ Eph 1:17}.
To know Him more and more and as we do, we have reason to be confident in Him and to worship Him for who He truly is. “But an hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers. God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.“-{John 4:23-24}.
In Romans 5:1-11, we see we have been Justified- declared not guilty by God in the courtroom of Heaven by God the Judge and not only “not guilty” but we have the righteousness of Christ applied to us. Colossians 2:14, “…having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. “-{Col 2:14}. The word “canceled” means to erase. In olden times a poor scribe would take some parchment and write and when he would want to write something new and could not afford new parchment would take a damp cloth and wipe the parchment clear. As there was no acid in the ink, the ink lay on top of the surface and could be easily wiped away. Jesus Christ on the cross did this to all of your sins, past, present, and future, “erased” them all. So now before God, you are “NOT GUILTY” of sin’s penalty! And now He has clothed you in His righteousness. He has obliterated all of our sins having nailed the IOU against us on the cross! By His doing, there are no charges of sin against us as He has canceled them all, past, present, and future!
REASONS TO REJOICE WITH CONFIDENT JOY…
- God has justified you– Rejoice, Boast, Joyfully confident as you consider Him. -{v1}
- He has granted you “peace with God.” This peace is not speaking of heart peace but is speaking of standing before God. The “war is over!” God is satisfied through the work of the LORD Jesus. Therefore there is no more wrath of God towards us or our rebellion towards God! The war is over! Rejoice, exult in joyful confidence in God!-{v1}
- We have “access” to Him.-Rejoice, exult in joyful confidence in God!-{v2}
- We Stand in “Grace” In God’s Favor, forgiveness, kindness-{v 2}. “Nothing comes to us from God that is not grace! Nothing. Everything that comes to us is the undeserved, everlasting, omnipotent good will of God toward us in Christ Jesus.”-{Piper}. Rejoice, exult in joyful confidence in God!
- We Exult in our LORD Jesus Christ THROUGH whom all These Gifts come Through– { v1}
- We have a Future Hope of Glory. Seeing Him. Being with Him and having new bodies fit for glory! Rejoice, exult in joyful confidence in God!-{v2}
- We Have been gifted an understanding of what God is doing in our suffering, and tribulations, namely spiritually developing and displaying perseverance, proven character, and hope that does not disappoint. Rejoice, exult in joyful confidence in God!-{v3-4}
- We are recipients of the love of God. Rejoice, exult in joyful confidence in God!-{v5}
- We have been gifted the Holy Spirit. Rejoice, exult in joyful confidence in God!-{v5}.
- We Exult in God Himself! Himself enough! Rejoice, exult in joyful confidence in God! -{v11}.
You Have Reason To Be Joyfully Confident …
CONSIDER GOD! He is the One who is the reason for you to have confidence and delight in and He is the One who gives you the Holy Spirit and His Word to produce that confidence and delight in! CELEBRATE GOD...place your CONFIDENCE in GOD!
“This is what the Lord says: “Let no wise man boast of his wisdom, nor let the mighty man boast of his might, nor a rich man boast of his riches; but let the one who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the Lord who exercises mercy, justice, and righteousness on the earth; for I delight in these things,” declares the Lord.” -{Jeremiah 9;23-24}
And these blessings come to us, “…THROUGH our LORD Jesus Christ.”-{Romans 5:1}.
We don’t put confidence in ourselves,
We don’t rejoice in ourselves,
We don’t boast about ourselves
But we JOYFULLY CONFIDENTLY BOAST… in GOD!
God bless and encourage you to BOAST, BRAG, and CELEBRATE with Joyful confidence, GOD!
Aidan,