Monday, 22 April 2013
…through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Romans 5:2
Here is the entire thought as is stated in 5:1, 2. Read it slowly and think about what is occurring here –
“Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.”
We were enemies of God and outside of His favor when He did the unimaginable. He sent us Jesus. Now we are justified by mere faith in Him and His finished work. Because of this we are implored to have peace with God through Him. He is our peace and so through Him we enter into a new state and a new relationship with our Creator.
But there is more. Through Jesus we have access by this same justifying faith “into this grace in which we stand.” The Greek word translated as “access” is used only 3 times in the New Testament and all three occurrences indicate a face to face interactive access. JB Lightfoot describes it as “having audience (direct access) with God.” This is an immediate and continuing blessing of having called on Jesus by faith.
Not only is it immediate and continuing, but it is something “in which we stand.” The verb “stand” is perfect, indicative, active – the action is accomplished, it is a fact, and it is on-going. In Christ, we stand; we do not fall. What He has done in us is complete and will not pass away. What occurs here is explained in 2 Corinthians 5:21 – “For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” The position we find ourselves in before God is in Christ’s standing, not our own. We could as much lose this standing as Christ Himself could. God has favored us, not because of our own merits, but because of the work of Jesus.
But there is yet more. Through this same faith we also “rejoice in hope of the glory of God.” This is our future benefit and which we wait on as we stand on the surety of what has occurred. In God’s mind, this action is already complete. Paul says in Romans 8:30 that those ” whom He justified, these He also glorified.” We are merely waiting for this final state and as we do, we can rejoice in this hope.
Life application: If you’re feeling beaten up because you’ve failed Jesus, be reassured in today’s verse. If you have faith in Him, you are saved, you will remain saved, and you will be glorified for all eternity. What you see as a difficult walk of repeated failure and trial, God sees as already accomplished. He has done the work, have faith in that and let your hope be filled with rejoicing.
As the deer pants for the water brooks, So pants my soul for You, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. Until the day I stand in Your presence, I know that I am secure in Your Son. What I could never have done, He did on my behalf. In Him I stand and in Him I rejoice in the hope of Your glory. Thank You for Jesus. Amen.