Romans 5 - Are You Standing in God's Grace?

Romans 5 - NIV

Enduring Word Commentary

Peace and Hope

5 Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God."

There is so much "meat" in all of these verses of Romans 5, it hard to summarize. So I will to focus on just these first two verses. Anytime Paul uses the term "therefore", he is saying, "In light of all I have just taught here are the practical applications to life". Paul reviews the important concept he taught that we are justified by faith and not by works, which he spent all of chapter 4 explaining. Importantly as a result of being justified by faith, "we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ."

We often experience a lack of peace, better known as anxiety, when the circumstances of our lives turn for the worse. A similar word for anxiety is fear. We feel both anxiety and fear when our lives are out of our control. Many people go to a therapist to talk through their anxieties and fears and learn coping mechanisms to deal with them. For some people it gives them valuable tools, while others stay stuck in fear and anxiety. This type of peace is related to what is happening OUTSIDE of us. 

The peace Paul is talking about is an "inside job". Peace with God is different than worldly peace, which can be taken at any time. Our peace with God comes through what Jesus Christ did for us on the cross. When we were stuck in our sin without a way to justify ourselves before God, we were in a fearful and unreconciled relationship with God. Many people who don't have peace with God through Christ always wonder if they have done enough to stave off the wrath of God. They often feel guilt that doesn't seem to go away even when they do good things. The thought of death brings perhaps the most fear for those who don't have the hope of salvation through Christ. 

I think the term "peace with God" could be interchanged with the term "peace of God". Paul uses this phrase in the famous passage from Philippians 4. 

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Verses 6-7

God's peace does not come from the world, or anything else we can control or manipulate. It's hard to describe this peace, but you know it when you have it. For this reason Paul calls it, "A peace which passes understanding."

For instance how can you explain a prisoner on death row having peace if it were not the peace of God? How else can you explain a person who lost their job and income having peace? How else can you explain a person with stage 4 cancer having peace? Simple answer. Only the peace of God can give you peace in those situations.  

The greatest peace we can have is our "assurance of salvation". I have peace that when I die I am going to go to heaven to be with Jesus and all those who have died believing in Him forever. Now that might sound like I am a little overconfident or prideful, but my confidence is not based on my achievements or good works. 

Where do I get such peace? From the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Trinity. Where do I find this in the bible?

"And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory." - Ephesians 1:13-14

The bottom line is you cannot put a price on the gift of peace from God! It is one of the greatest gifts God gives us. Though we may not always feel it, we can always access it. 

Now let's talk about grace! "Through our Lord Jesus Christ through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand." 

What I love about this verse is the phrase, "This grace in which we now stand". I often don't think about the idea of standing in grace. I think of standing firm in my faith, or standing on the truth, but what about standing in grace? 

Here are some comments I found about this concept.

To stand in God's grace (a concept rooted in Romans 5:2 of the Bible) means to live in a permanent, secure state of unmerited favor and love, provided entirely through faith in Jesus Christ. - Derek Maul

It is not a temporary feeling but an ongoing spiritual position. You are secure in God's family and do not have to live in fear of losing His love. - mljtrust.org

Daily Strength: It provides continuous, moment-by-moment access to God's help whenever you face trials, weaknesses, or hardships. - RedeemerBibleChurch.com

Most importantly I think we can often think of grace as a one time thing we receive when we believe in Christ. Often we call grace, "unmerited favor". And while that is true, I think God's grace in Christ is more dynamic than that. To "stand in it" means we "live in it". We could even say, "we enjoy it". We rely on it when we are tempted to go back to think we have to earn God's approval. We stand in it when we are forgiving someone even if we don't feel like they deserve it.

The spiritual gifts are also called "grace gifts". They are often labeled "charismatic gifts", which comes from the Greek word "charis", which means "grace, gift, kindness, favor". When Paul struggled with his own "thorn in his flesh" he said, "God's grace is sufficient for me because His power is made perfect in my weakness." 2 Corinthians 12:9

It is by grace we came to God through Christ, and grace will lead us home! 

Are you experiencing the peace of God which surpasses all understanding? If not what is taking it away? There could be something in your life that you are holding back from God? Or, it could be an area where God is calling you to trust Him in a deeper way? Remember it is God's peace and you have you have access to it through the Holy Spirit, who lives inside of you? 

Are you standing in God's grace? Would someone say you are person who exhibits "grace to others"? Are you grace-full toward yourself? When you are you doing something for the Lord does it feel burdensome? Our works should always flow in response to the grace God has freely given to us in Christ! 










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