Amazing Grace!

Romans 5

What a gift we have received! Because of what Jesus Christ did on the cross, we stand immersed in the abundance of God's amazing grace. We were sinners condemned by the Law and under the wrath of a righteous, holy God. And we couldn't do anything about it. But "when we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners" (Vs 6 NLT). "But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners" (Vs 8 NLT). God extended grace, His unmerited favor, while we were stuck in our sinfulness. Instead of giving us what we deserve, He gave us what we could never have earned: His grace in the form of His Son's death on our behalf.

What should our response be to this amazing grace? Paul says we should rejoice. Three times he uses the word kauchaomai, which means "to glory on account of a thing." We are to glory, boast, exult, or rejoice in the fact that Christ's death has reconciled us to God. We are no longer under His wrath, but under His grace. The blood of Jesus Christ, spilled on the cross, has justified us. We stand before God as saints, not sinners. We are sons, not enemies. Paul stresses that we have this right standing NOW. "So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God––all because of what our Lord Jesus Christ has done for us in making us friends of God" (Vs 11 NLT).

This is all a picture of God's amazing grace. It is a free gift from God made available to me through the death and resurrected life of Jesus Christ. And what's the value of that gift? Paul says, "all who receive God’s wonderful, gracious gift of righteousness will live in triumph over sin and death through this one man, Jesus Christ" (Vs 17 NLT). We can live in triumph over sin here and now. We have the love of God "poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us" (Vs 5 NASB), so we have the power to live in victory over sin. But there's more. We also have the assurance of eternal life. But every man and woman will experience eternal life. Some in a state of separation from God, perpetually experiencing His wrath and judgment. But we will experience eternal life in a state of righteousness, standing in the presence of God as His children and heirs – all as a result of His grace. We didn't deserve it, but we will still receive it. Now that's amazing!

Father, Your grace really is amazing. So much so that it's hard for me to really grasp the magnitude of it all. That word, grace, has become so over-used and common to me that I fail to recognize just how incredible it is that You would GIVE me the gift of Your grace and all that it contains. I was a hopeless, helpless sinner who deserved nothing but wrath, but You showed me mercy. You paid for my sins with Your own Son's life. You demonstrated Your love for me by having Him die for me WHILE I was still in my sinful state. You didn't demand that I get my act together, because You knew I couldn't. You loved me at my most unloveliest. You saved me, justified me, and reconciled me.  All as a free gift. You are amazing! Amen