AN UNMOVABLE STAND IN GRACE
Romans 5:2
Morning Meditation 2/11/2013
"By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God."
The words "by whom" reaches back to verse 1 and makes an application based on the truth of "Being justified by faith:
1. Justification by faith is a past fact; "Therefore being justified." is a present passive participle. Now this means that they have in their present possession justification.
2. The words, "by faith," is the capacity God has given us to receive the offer of justification.
3. The words "peace with God," means salvation brings joy, and a state of tranquility, between two warring parties.
4. Now that we are saved "we have access by faith," into this grace wherein we stand." The words, "we have" means, "to have and hold in the hand." It is a perfect active indicative verb. The perfect tense represents action completed in the past, that completed action having present results. This simply means they continue to have now what they received in the past, i.e., Justification by faith.
The words, "we stand" means that we are rooted in the gospel of the grace of God. We have a saying that is similar to the words, "we stand," we say a thing is in concrete. My faith in Christ is in concrete. 1 Corinthians 15:1-2 says, "Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain."
Conversion is a life changing experience. The individual who walks the isle and professes their faith in Christ, if they are playing games, no real salvation takes place. Sin has us under condemnation, God has made a way through grace to save us at His expense. It is not a small matter. That is the reason that repentance must be preached, because why would you call upon God to save you from what? There is holy Spirit conviction operating in the life of a man who comes to God for forgiveness.
The words "rejoice in the hope of the glory of God," sees the end of all things as we know them today. It will be the day that Christ presents His bride to the Father as a chaste virgin (2 Cor. 11:2). The word "rejoice" describes an attitude of joy in advance. It is the joyful anticipation of a reality. When God makes a promise there is not the slightest chance it won't come to pass. God is not a risk. It is not in Him to lie. So when He makes a promise such as John 14:1-3, "Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also."
A Korean Christian showed that he had grasped the meaning of the injury caused by anger when he got up in prayer meeting and said, "I heard the missionary say that every burst of anger pierced the heart of Jesus. So I hung a picture of the Lord Jesus on my wall, and every time I lost my temper, I put a thorn on that picture. The picture was soon covered with thorns. A great love welled up in me that He should suffer because of my temper; now He gives me grace in temptation. I say, 'Not I, but Christ within me,' and His sweetness comes instead of my bad temper."
May the Lord enable us to stand strong in grace in these difficult days. May the Lord bless these words to our hearts.
In Christ
Bro. White
