(Romans 5:1-2) "Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God."

Three results

Paul makes a statement that we have been justified. It means that the blood of Christ has cleaned you from all unrighteousness and you are declared innocent and guiltless. There are three results of this identity. We do not have to look for them, hope for them or wish for them. Paul is saying that we have them. What are they?

1. We have peace with God
2. We stand in the grace of God
3. We boast about God

Standing in grace

What does this mean? Imagine a scene from Charles Dickens novel Oliver Twist. Young Oliver is trapped in a workhouse in the 1830's England. Mr. Bumble is the cruel proprietor. Oliver escapes and is left out in the street surrounded by dark influences in Fagin the career thief, Bill Sikes the violent murderous thief, and the Artful Dodger the master pickpocket. Oliver's clothes are like filthy rags and there is a hunger in his belly not just for food but love. On one occasion he looks through the Georgian glass window of a high class London home at a loving family gathered around a table of delicious food where the room was warmed and lit by a roaring open fireplace. (Ephesians 2:7) "…the incomparable riches of his grace…"This is what Paul means to be standing in his grace having been justified through faith. Like the peace we have with God is permanent so the grace in which we stand is permanent. Oliver longed to be inside where they were but he had no way in himself to gain access and be included. There was a time when we were all on the outside. (Romans 3:23) "…for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God."

Access to grace

What does it mean to have access? Do we have a key or a pass card? (Ephesians 2:18) "For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit." The access is through a person not a key or pass card. This person is our Lord Jesus Christ. The word 'access' simply means 'to be introduced' as you would when meeting Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace. It is officially announced when meeting your host. Christ introduces us to the Father and the grace is which we now stand. This is not a process but now we are introduced, gaining access through Christ, we are familiar and acquainted. The dilemma is that our own righteousness is horrific standing in the street exposed and ashamed in the cold like Oliver Twist. (Isaiah 64:6) "All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags…" Like the peace we have with God something had to happen on God's side and something on our side. The wrath of God was poured out on Christ to leave no sin unpunished on God's side and Christ gave us a new nature on our side. The same happened with access to the grace in which we now stand. On God's side we cannot introduce ourselves (Romans 5:2)"…through whom…" Christ is the one who gives access. On our side our spiritual clothing had to be changed. (Isaiah 61:10) "For he has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of righteous…" Christ has won the right to introduce us because he was like us but without sin. On all accounts it is the work of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Law and grace

Christ brings us into a relationship with God to enjoy the riches of his grace. We were under the law and the law condemned us. Now we are under grace. But before Christ died for us God had to look at us in a legal manner strictly under the law. He saw that we were rebellious against the law because we rebelled against him. This used to be our standing. (Habakkuk 1:13)"Your eyes are too pure to look on evil…" How is it that he can look at us now? I have been in court before a particular judge several times as a witness. The standing I have in that moment is under the law. My personal relationship with the judge was non existent. But I have also visited with him in his chambers over a coffee in a completely different setting and standing. In one setting I have no standing except the law but in another I have a relationship. Because of Christ we have this new standing that is not under the law but grace in a gracious manner. Did you know that Christ delights to rescue us from the coldness of the street, wash and cleanse us, and introduce us to his Father? The classic line from this Charles Dickens book is 'please sir, can I have some more?' Mr. Bumble was furious that the boy would ask and punished him for it. This is not the Father that we have been introduced to. Oliver Twist is the image of how we used to be. You can spend your whole life out in the cold looking through the Georgian windows at a loving scene of family and a table spread full of delicious food where the room is warmed by an open fire. But you have no right to be there. So Christ leaves his place inside and comes out into the cold to personally invite you in. He makes you fit to enter by taking off his warm garments and puts them on you. He takes you inside to partake from the riches of his grace because that was the reason he laid hold of you.

The grace of God

What is it? We must remind ourselves that the grace of God is undeserved favor. Legally we deserve the worst. But we have not just been acquitted from the worst but blessed with the best. The woman of Samaria was presented with this. Christ said that if she drank from the well she would thirst again. (John 4:14) "…but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst." He repeats himself at a different occasion (John 6:35) "…he who believes in me will never be thirsty." There is a promise of God that his grace is more than enough. Christ tells us in Luke's gospel that the very hairs of our head are numbered, sparrows are not forgotten and the lilies of the field are clothed by his own hand. He compares Solomon's glory to all these natural needs. He launches into a challenge that if this is the case then we should stop talking about where our food and drink or clothing will come from. He is not the God is theory but grace who has demonstrated it by introducing you, giving you access to the riches of his grace. Paul launches into a similar challenge to the church in Philippi. He compares being in need and having plenty, poverty and abundance, well fed or hungry and concludes with a statement proving where he stands. (Philippians 4:13) "I can do everything through him who gives me strength." He then launches his challenge (Philippians 4:19) "And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus." You are not standing outside ashamed in the cold dressed in filthy rages but inside his banqueting hall of grace arrayed in a robe of righteousness and a garment of salvation.

Examine yourself

How are we to examine ourselves? We are to examine ourselves not through resume and our standing in the world but in prayer and our standing before God. (Hebrews 4:16) "Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need." Do you know that God is more concerned about your domestic welfare that you are? You represent the grace where you stand to those who are still outside of that grace looking through the window. How would you feel looking through the window into a banqueting hall with tables spread with delights and all those inside were anxious, worried, depressed and overly stressed about tomorrow, what they would eat, drink or wear? Would you want access into this circus carnival scene of contradiction? Standing in grace is a state and condition. You do not move into it and them out of it and back into it again. You are either standing in grace or you are not. You are either under the law or under grace.

Standing and falling

Why does Paul say we are 'standing' in grace? Why did he not say we are simply 'in the grace of God?' The word standing implies finality to something. Christ has given us access and introduced us to God, confirmed us in it, established us in it, planted us in it stable and secure. This is why the words 'boldness' 'assurance' 'confidence' and 'affirmed' are frequently used by Paul. We do not stand in grace for a few hours then back into the street but forever. There is no 'falling' from grace. (Galatians 5:4) "You who are trying to be justified by law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace." Paul is dealing with people in Galatia who are teaching, talking, thinking and acting as though the law gives them access and introduces them to God therefore bypassing the work done through Christ. He is saying that they were never inside in the first place but still outside. The posture is always standing.

Are you convinced?

Paul strikes out with one of his renowned challenges to the church. (Romans 8:38-39) "For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." He is fully persuaded that if he is standing in the grace of God there could be nothing that could shake him from it. We do not creep, sneak, crawl, grovel or shuffle into the grace where we now stand. We walk into it on the arm of Christ who introduces us. We not only stand in grace but by Christ. Act upon this standing when you pray and fill your conversation with it. (John 10:28) "I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand."

Conclusion

1. You have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ
2. You have gained access into the grace where you now stand through our Lord Jesus Christ.

If you would like to see previous transcripts you can find them here: Teaching Series