Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God. (Romans 5:1-2)
Many people have no understanding of where they stand before God. They think of it occasionally, even nonchalantly, as if it didn’t really matter. Everything in this life and the life to come hinges on your standing before God. You are either separated or together. Disconnected or united. Standing as God’s enemy or adopted as His child. Forgiven or unforgiven. Headed to hell eternally or heaven. There is no in-between.
THE TWICE-BORN CHILD
… stands in an incredible position before God. Paul tells us in Romans 1-3 that we are all sinful and have no ability to make ourselves right with God. They only possibility is to depend on Someone else by faith. To trust in what Christ did to bring us into a right relationship with God. Once that has occurred, everything changes. He summarizes it in the first two verses of Chapter Five.
HAVING BEEN JUSTIFIED BY FAITH
We are seen as completely clean before God, just as if we'd never sinned. This has not occurred by any goodness or performance of our own. It is only through the sacrificial death of Christ on our behalf, a turn from our self-reliance, and a total dependence upon Christ to do for us what we could not do for ourselves.
WE HAVE PEACE FACING GOD: We once were His enemy and could not face God without judgment. Now we live before Him with absolute peace! The picture is standing before God, not in cowering fear, but complete “peace facing God.”
THROUGH OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST: Christ is the agent that has made this possible and there is no other. His sinless life, sacrificial death, and victorious resurrection has made our forgiveness possible. He paid our penalty before a Holy God.
THROUGH WHOM WE HAVE OBTAINED OUR INTRODUCTION BY FAITH: Christ has taken us by the hand and has introduced us to God. It is like someone gaining us an introduction into the Presidential Office. He is our mediator. He is our introducer. We could not enter without Him.
INTO THIS GRACE IN WHICH WE STAND: We are now standing in as glorious position of grace before God. It is a permanent standing and will never change.
AND WE EXULT IN HOPE OF THE GLORY OF GOD: Because of all of this, we see God’s glory. We enter His glory experientially and are being changed from "glory to glory" into the image of His Son.
What a standing! What a Savior! Nothing we face today will change this position before Him (even our momentary sin). Christ has cleaned us up and brought us in! And now we will forever be with the Lord!
Father, we are awed by what You have done. Thank You, Jesus, for Your perfect work on our behalf. Thank You for helping us see our need and opening our heart to believe in You as our only hope of deliverance. And thank You for walking us into the Throne room to forever have peace facing God!
As a pastor for the last 55 years, I have had the joy of being encouraged and blessed and prayed for by so many people. It is what carries you in your task of shepherding people. As I look back over five decades of ministry, their love has dramatically enriched my life.
But also, a pastor leads. And when anyone leads, there are almost always some who disagree.
