A Broke Evangelist

November 2, 2024

Romans 5:1-2

The Benefits of Believing with Peace and a Standing of Grace

“1 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.” 

To kick things off, I've spent a lot of time digging into what many consider to be the Bible’s most important chapters. I’m excited to say that I’ve already compiled a list that fits exactly what I was looking for! There are tons of opinions out there, but this collection, known as the 100 most important chapters in the Bible, really resonated with me. It’s based on Liberty University’s Project SWORD (Scripture Wisdom Organized and Rightly Divided), which can be found in Scholars Crossing, best known as Liberty's go-to place for scholarly work by students and faculty. If you want to delve into details, it's a good place to start. 

I’m starting with the New Testament letters because, honestly, they’re my favorite. Nothing can truly top the Gospels, of course, but the letters have so much practical advice on living out God’s word. They remind us of how to stay vigilant over our minds, hearts, and lives—wisdom I’m eager to dig deeper into.

Keep in mind, what you are reading is my learning experience. I have no bible college background, nor semitary, er…seminary training, or full-time ministry background. Aside from 15 years of Bible Study Fellowship and various Bible studies, I’m just a guy, looking for reasons to justify my commitment to Jesus Christ, enjoy life, and share the experience.

So let’s get started…Romans 5…

Martin Luther once said, “In the whole Bible, there is hardly another chapter which can equal this triumphant text.”

So far in Romans, Paul has made a pretty solid case that the only way to be saved is by being justified by grace through faith. Now, he’s about to show us the real-life benefits of this—it’s way more than just a big idea! Being justified by faith is like a legal ruling. In Romans 1:18–3:20, we were all found guilty by God’s law, His glory, and even our own conscience. But then Paul explained how, because of Jesus, God’s righteousness is now given to everyone who believes. It’s a complete turnaround—our guilty verdict becomes a declaration of being justified and justified by faith!

Romans 5:1 - Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 

The first big benefit is that we have peace with God through Jesus Christ. Thanks to Jesus paying the price on the cross, God’s justice toward us is fully, forever satisfied. This is peace with God—the struggle between God and our stubborn selves is over, and He won by winning us over. Some people don’t even realize they were out of peace with God. It’s kind of like a driver ignoring flashing police lights in the rear-view mirror—they might not feel the heat yet, but it’s definitely coming their way!

This peace that Paul speaks of is peace that can only come through Jesus Christ. He and His work are the only reasons that ground us for peace. Jesus is our peace (Ephesians 2:14). We need to understand the Bible doesn’t say we have peace with the devil, the world, our own desires, or sin. Life is still a battle for Christians, but now it’s not a fight against God—it’s a fight for Him! Some folks might be tempted to think that being at odds with God was somehow easier, but that’s a dangerous and misleading idea. When living a life of sin is easy, you really have problems. Charles Spurgeon once said, “I am delighted to find that sin stings you, and that you hate it. The more hatred of sin the better. A sin-hating soul is a God-loving soul. If sin never distresses you, then God has never favored you.” My old Bible Study Fellowship teacher used to say, “If you’re saved and you’re miserable, that’s a good thing. It means that God is showing you you’re screwing up!”

Romans 5:2 - 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.

The second big benefit is that we stand in grace—God’s unearned, overflowing favor. This grace comes to us through Jesus and is received by faith. Grace isn’t just how we’re saved; it’s also where we stand with God every day. It’s not only the starting point of the Christian life; it’s the ongoing foundation. “We stand” means we’re securely planted in God’s grace now and going forward—it’s a permanent position! A lot of Christians start off in grace but then feel like they need to reach perfection and maturity by following the law—trying to “earn” or “deserve” it. But Paul calls this out directly in Galatians 3:2-3 and 5:1-4, reminding us that it’s all about grace from start to finish. It’s what I was talking about in my previous post, how when I was first a believer, I made the changes without any problem because I had the desire to change, and God made it easy for me. When I started to try to conform to those around me, that’s where the problems began. I compared myself with others, many who were more successful than I was, were wealthier than I was, more talented than I was, and instead of staying the course with people who had my best interests in mind for my spiritual growth, I sought acceptance of those who really had no desire to give me the time of day when it really counted. Thank God for those who I still fellowship with who loved me for who I am and who I am in Christ! There are the people who show grace in my time of need.

Grace, for those who may not understand it—God’s unearned favor—isn’t just how we’re saved; it’s also where we stand with God right now. It’s not only the starting point of the Christian life but also the foundation we keep building on every day. Many Christians start off embracing grace but then feel they have to chase perfection and maturity by following the law—thinking it’s all about earning and deserving, as Paul cautioned the Galatians, reminding us that grace is where it’s at.

Standing in grace means I don’t have to prove I’m worthy of God’s love because He’s my friend, and the door to Him is always wide open. I’m free from the “score sheet” since Jesus has settled the account for me. This gives me the freedom to spend more time praising God and way less time feeling down on myself!

William Newell’s The Proper Attitude of Man under Grace is: To believe, and consent to be loved while unworthy, is the great secret. To refuse to make “resolutions” and “vows”; for that is to trust in the flesh. To expect to be blessed, though realizing more and more lack of worth. To testify of God’s goodness, at all times. To be certain of God’s future favor; yet to be ever more tender in conscience toward Him. To rely on God’s chastening hand as a mark of His kindness. A man under grace, if like Paul, has no burdens regarding himself; but many about others.

Additionally, this access isn’t just about being in a state of grace; it’s like being invited into the very courts of heaven, which is an even bigger blessing than just having peace with God. It’s a powerful thing to know that we can be reconciled with a prince but still remain in his presence. Access to the royal chamber is doesn’t capture the whole picture since it doesn’t show that we need an introducer—that’s where Christ comes in. Thanks to Him, we know we’re accepted and that He’s on our side.

The logical conclusion to this peace and this standing of grace is the hope of God’s glory from which we can rejoice, which is translated “boast,” to mean a triumphant, rejoicing confidence. This comes from being justified by faith, because if we are not justified by faith, then we have no peace with God, and no present standing of grace.

It tells us that peace with God and a standing in grace are interconnected. When we have peace with God, it naturally leads to a state of grace; that we can have a hopeful expectation of God’s glory. This hope is not just a passive feeling; it’s something we can actively rejoice in, which signifies a joyful confidence in God’s promises. We can also understand that being justified by faith is crucial for experiencing this peace and grace. Justification by faith is foundational to the Christian experience; without it, there’s no peace with God. It tells us also that the use of the word "boast" shows that this hope is not merely wishful thinking but a triumphant confidence that comes from knowing we’re justified by faith, which allows us to rejoice in our relationship with God. It encourages self-reflection about our own standing with God. If we feel you lack peace or grace, it prompts us to consider our faith and justification. These two verses serve as a reminder of the profound impact that faith, peace, and grace have on our relationship with God and the resulting hope and joy that can flow from it.

And that—just from two verses—more to come…

A Broke Evangelist – November 2, 2024

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