Standing in Grace

Romans 5:1-4

Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.  And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope.

I have often wondered in the lives of Christians what causes some to just crumple under the weight of problems and what is it that causes others to stand in the midst of the same circumstances.  They may all pray, read and quote the scripture yet respond very differently.  One of the greatest things that can cause a born-again believer to stand in the midst of trouble is to know who they are by God’s grace.

The understanding of God’s grace can never be exhausted.  The more we teach and learn grace the more we recognize that what we know is like a teaspoon of water in the middle of an ocean.  According to Romans 5:2, we understand that grace is also a place in which we stand.  In knowing that our faith in built on the solid rock, who is Christ, we can certainly see and understand that we are standing in a place of complete victory. Grace is the place where we stand in Christ.  The important issue however is not just knowing that we stand in grace, but the benefits that are ours standing in this place of God’s grace.   This is where understanding is needed because when the storms of life begin to blow very hard, our response will be determined by knowing where we stand.

The Apostle Paul not only speaks of rejoicing in hope of the glory of God standing in the place of grace, but he also tells us that we will glory in the midst of tribulation.  This concept is contrary to what we are taught in the world.  No one glories in tribulation.  In the world when tribulation comes, all the attributes of self are encouraged and embraced as the remedy to the problem.  Believers however must understand that we glory in tribulation not only because Christ will carry us through the problem, but we know He is the solution to the problem. Standing in God’s grace is standing in a place of complete victory that Christ has already placed us.   In Acts 17:28 the Apostle Paul quoted:

“For in Him [Christ] we live and move and have our being… for we are also His offspring”.

We are like a baby in a mother’s womb that is protected by a uterus, muscles, bones and skin.  Our life is “hidden with Christ in God” (Col 3:3).  We are in a place of absolute protection and testing will come, but it cannot destroy us because we are grounded in God’s grace. We are standing in Christ where we have absolute protection from every plan of the enemy.  At the end of the Apostle Paul’s life in 2 Timothy 4:18 he boldly quotes:

“And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me until His heavenly kingdom; to whom be glory for ever and ever”

Paul knew his place.  He understood where he was standing.  He knew the trials and the testing that he faced will only produce more Christ-like character, patience and hope.  How can we ever say this without the revelation of where we are standing in Christ?  Trials and testing come and through our victory in them they help to shape us and mold us into the image of the Son of God.  Jesus has placed us in Him for victory so we should not fail.  Knowing this is the ultimate place of rest for a believer.