Many Christians begin in grace, but then think they must go on to perfection and maturity by dealing with God on the principle of law - on the ideas of earning and deserving. “ We stand translates a perfect tense, used in this sense of the present, and with the thought of a continuing attitude.” (Morris) It is not only the beginning principle of the Christian life, it is also the continuing principle of the Christian life. Grace (God’s undeserved favor towards us) is not only the way salvation comes to us, it is also a description of our present standing before God. This grace is given through Jesus and gained by faith. Into this grace in which we stand: This is the second benefit - we have a standing in grace - in God’s unmerited favor. If sin never distresses you, then God has never favored you.” (Charles Spurgeon)Ĭ. “I am delighted to find that sin stings you, and that you hate it. Some Christians are tempted to believe the battle against God was almost a better place to be, and that is a dangerous and damnable lie. Life is still a battle for the Christian but it is no longer a battle against God - it is fighting for Him. Remember that the Bible doesn’t say we have peace with the devil, peace with the world, peace with the flesh, or peace with sin. In fact, Jesus is our peace ( Ephesians 2:14). He and His work is our entire ground for peace. This peace can only come through our Lord Jesus Christ. Some never knew they were out of peace with God, but they were like drivers ignoring the red lights of a police car in their rear-view mirror - they are in trouble even if they don’t know it, and it will soon catch up to them. This is peace with God the battle between God and our self is finished - and He won, winning us. This is not the peace of God spoken of in other places (such as Philippians 4:7). Because the price is paid in full by the work of Jesus on the cross, God’s justice towards us is eternally satisfied. Peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: This is the first benefit. The guilty sentence is transformed into a sentence of justified, and justified by faith.ī. Then Paul explained how because of what Jesus did, the righteousness of God is given to all who believe. Romans 1:18- 3:20 found us guilty before the court of God’s law, God’s glory, and our conscience. Justified by faith speaks of a legal decree. Now he will tell us what the practical benefits of this are, explaining that it is more than an interesting idea. Therefore, having been justified by faith: To this point in the Book of Romans, Paul has convinced us all that the only way of salvation is to be justified by grace through faith. 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.Ī. ( Romans 5:1-2) Peace and a standing of grace. “In the whole Bible there is hardly another chapter which can equal this triumphant text.” (Martin Luther)ġ. Benefits of Being Justified through Faith
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