Only Christianity among world religions holds to a moment-by-moment encounter with the living God as its central belief. This dynamic relationship is not just "tacked on" as a possibility for a few exalted holy people. Our private and public prayers reflect our conviction that God is always present through the ministry of the Holy Spirit. We expect to see people born again during worship services as well as in one-to-one conversions when we present God's plan of salvation. Remove this vitality of Christianity and it becomes another system of ethics with no capacity to transform a sin-ravaged life. Salvation means a new life.

This new life provides a new access to the throne of God (vv. 1-2). It begins at the moment of the new birth, at which time sinners are justified, being treated as though they had never sinned. This new state brings with it two glorious benefits. This first is peace, an inner condition of tranquility and an outer state of harmony with God. Scholars debate whether the verb should be understood as meaning, "We have peace," as in the KJV, or, "Let us have peace," as in later translations. It matters little because both are true. Because we have peace, let us enjoy it.

The second benefit, as a climax to peace with God, is free access to God through Jesus Christ. He opened the way to the Father (John 14:6). As a result, we have no need of a formal priesthood to intercede for us. We go directly to God to present our petitions.

With the new life comes a new glory (vv. 3-5). Mention glory and visions of ecstasy may come to mind. But glory has its darker side. Jesus strongly implied He glorified the Father by dying on the cross (John 17:1). He also prophesied Peter would glorify God through dying (John 21:19).

This suffering side can be discerned in the sequence of events Christians encounter almost daily. We rejoice (glory) in suffering for Jesus' sake because through patient suffering we learn to hold on in faith, building character. We then trust God to meet our needs by pouring out His love into our hearts.

With this abundance of love, God grants a new protection (vv. 6-8). The wonder of this status is reinforced as we contemplate our conversion. In spite of our ungodly acts, Jesus loved us and died for us (v. 6). How radical was His death? Historians can recount the death of someone on behalf of good people, such as a soldier giving his life to save other soldiers. Christ's death does not fit that scenario-He gave His life for His enemies (v. 8). He died for sinners.

Because of the radical nature of His death, those among the enemy who have received benefit from it enjoy much more (vv. 9- 11). The Bible offers two clues about the "much more." In the first, it says we are "saved by his life" (v. 10). We are not to understand it to mean that Jesus' sinless life, as important and necessary as it was, helped atone for sins. Atonement was made on the cross, as the first part of verse 10 states. Rather, "by his life" looks beyond His death to the resurrection power available to every believer. Philippians 3:10 and Colossians 1:11, among other verses, allude to "his glorious power" which strengthens us. We are being set aside unto God by Christ's power.

In addition to power for life infused by the living Lord, He bathes us in joy (v. 11). Since 1 Peter 1:8 refers to it as "joy unspeakable," we are wise to let all believers rejoice as God leads.

Salvation carries with it a new righteousness (vv. 18-21). The explanation goes back to Adam's sin (the "offence of one") which brought all men "to condemnation." By contrast, one man's obedience, that of Christ, gathered the sins upon himself. Adam's sin brought all his descendants under judgment in that it was imputed to them. Likewise is the righteousness of Christ imputed to those believing in Him.

He revealed the enormity of sin (v. 20) and the extent of its reign (v. 21), but grace is more than equal to the challenge. It reigns now and will continue to reign "unto eternal life."