THROUGH GOD’S GRACE, I STAND IN PEACE
Therefore, since we have been justified through faith,
we have peaceG1515 with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we stand.
And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Not only that, but we also rejoice in our sufferings,
because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character;
and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us,
because God has poured out His love into our hearts through the Holy Spirit,
whom He has given us.
Romans 5:1-5
We are justified through faith. What does that mean? The easiest explanation to remember is that God sees me “Just as if I’d” never sinned. Because of our relationship with Jesus by grace, through faith, we are at peace with God. This does not mean, however, that our lives will be free of trouble, strife, or even persecution. In fact, Jesus told His followers that we will have trouble:
John 16:33 “I have told you these things so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take courage; I have overcome the world!”
Jesus indicated that despite the trouble we face, we can have peace! Paul writes of “this grace in which we stand.” Paul knew what standing in grace meant. He realized that only through grace could he enter the kingdom of heaven. He experienced the grace that enabled him to continue preaching the gospel after being beaten, shipwrecked, and nearly stoned to death. Grace gave him the courage to stand firm in his faith when he was too weak to stand on his own two feet. Paul had a clear understanding of grace. Martyrs throughout history have understood the concept of standing in grace. Entering an arena to be torn apart by wild beasts is not something you face in your own strength. Continuing to pray for your persecutors as they are lighting the fire beneath you at the stake is only possible through grace. Thanking your pastor for teaching you about the Lord when he is pointing the executioner’s gun at your breast in order to avoid his own execution is definite evidence of grace. (Read these and more examples in The New Foxe’s Book of Martyrs rewritten and updated by Harold J. Chadwick.) These people and many persecuted Christians around the world today understand very well the grace in which they stand and the peace through which they overcome. The question is: do we? Do you and I have a clue what standing in God’s grace is and what it can do in our lives? I hope so, because that grace is our power to live to the glory of God the Father. We are saved by grace. We live by grace. We must walk in grace. And we must stand firm in God’s grace if we want to enjoy His peace.
Father, lead us to a deeper understanding of Your grace. Enable us to stand firm in the confidence of our salvation and Your total control. We surrender ourselves to You and trust You to hold us up by Your grace, to bring the peace of Christ to our hearts to reside and abide even when our world seems upside-down.