Verse 11. "And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement"-reconciliation (see margin). Higher joy than this we can never have; it is infinite, yet we have already entered into it. We joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ-in virtue of completed reconciliation, a blessed, conscious, happy re-union with the living God is accomplished. This verse brings us back to the beginning of our chapter, where it is said that believers have peace with God, have access to Him, and rejoice in hope of His glory. But here we have arrived at the fountain head, looking through all the blessings conferred on us, and rejoicing in God Himself as the highest spring and object of them all. Yes! God Himself is the Christian's joy, glory, and boast! It is not now merely in hope of the glory of God that we rejoice; nor is it in our tribulation, because of its effects, divine love being known in our hearts through the Holy Ghost given unto us; nor is it in the many blessings He has given us, but better far, in Himself.
This is grace, pure grace, grace to the poorest, grace to the vilest, grace to thee, my reader, if thou wilt only have it in God's way. Man's ability to meet the requirements of the holiness of God has been fully tried, but the plainer the truth, the clearer the light, the more did ft bring out man's darkness and opposition to God. And then grace came in-it was God's due time-and Christ died for the ungodly. We can only be pardoned and saved through faith in the blood of Jesus. When God sees the blood of the slain Lamb, He is satisfied. He sees that which has blotted out sin, vindicated His character, verified His word, and met the whole need of ruined man. And now, observe, if thou art satisfied with this precious blood alone, trusting wholly to it, as the only answer to sin's claims upon thy precious soul-the only discharge from that dread tribunal; thy soul is saved, and God is glorified.