Righteousness, Peace & Joy



“For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.” -Romans 14:17 [KJV]


The Kingdom of God and the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ; salvation that is accomplished by Christ and given totally by the free grace of Christ has nothing to do with what you eat and drink; has nothing to do with your morality, clean living and observing certain days. We are justified by grace not by the deeds of the law (Romans 3:24). Our salvation is totally based upon what Christ has done for us not what we do or have done for Him (Titus 3:5). Salvation that is all of grace has nothing to do with meats, drinks, and days (II Timothy 1:9); but rather upon righteousness established in Christ, upon the peace that Christ made for us with His own blood and the joy we have resting in Christ.

These three essential gospel truths always go together where you find one you find the others:

1). Righteousness… how are sinners made righteous before God? Christ alone is all our righteousness before God (Jeremiah 23:6; I Corinthians 1:30). That is the whole message of the book of Romans; justification by grace alone (Romans 1:16-17; 3:20-22; 4:6 & 10:1-4).

2). Peace… how are sinners reconciled to God? How is peace made? Certainly not by anything we have done but rather through the blood sacrifice of Christ for us (Colossians 1:18-20 & I Peter 1:18-20).

3). Joy… how are sinners made to rejoice before God? We rejoice in hope of the glory of God only in Christ (Romans 5:1-3; 15:13; Philippians 3:3 & Galatians 5:22).

There is no true righteousness established, no true peace with God given and no true joy realized apart from our union in Christ and by our faith in Him (John 17:21-23).


-Gospel report by preacher Tom Harding

Note: contact information, written & audio Gospel messages here http://henrytmahan.com/zebulongrace.htm


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