Comprehensive Doctrine of Justification (21)

[Romans 5:2]

We are contemplating nine sub-themes under the overarching theme of "Comprehensive Doctrine of Justification": (1) "The Necessity of Justification."  (2) "The Originator of Justification."  (3) "The Foundation of Justification."  (4) "The Method of Justification."  (5) "The Universality of Justification."  (6) "The Purpose of Justification."  (7)  "The Exemplification of Justification."  (8) “The Result of Justification.”  (9) “The Confirmation of Justification.”  Last week during our Wednesday worship, we meditated on the first message concerning "The Result of Justification" (1), centered around Romans 5:1.  Today, we will reflect on "The Result of Justification" (2), focusing on Romans 5:2a.

Romans 5:2a states: "Through him [Jesus Christ] we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand ...."  Here, "through him" refers to "our Lord Jesus Christ," as mentioned in verse 1, and "we" refers to the Apostle Paul, the saints in the Roman church, and more broadly, all saints who are justified by faith in Jesus Christ.  The result for those who have received justification through faith in Jesus Christ is that they "have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand" (v. 2).  In reality, we were sinners who were enemies of God and unable to enter this grace (vv. 8, 10), but through the precious blood shed in the suffering and cross of Jesus Christ, we have gained access to this place of grace.  Examining the gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John), the Bible affirms that Jesus Christ died on the cross as our substitute.  Mark 15:33-37 recounts, "And when the sixth hour had come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour.  And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, 'Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?' which means, 'My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?'"  Some who stood by heard it and said, "Behold, he is calling Elijah."  And someone ran and filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on a reed and gave it to him to drink, saying, "Wait, let us see whether Elijah will come to take him down."  And Jesus uttered a loud cry and breathed his last."  Jesus declared "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" (v. 34), conveying a deep sense of abandonment. Jesus was crucified at "the third hour" (v. 25), around "nine in the morning" (v. 25), and "the sixth hour" (v. 33), around "noon, darkness came over the whole land" (v. 33), and "the ninth hour" (v. 34), around "three in the afternoon, Jesus cried out in a loud voice" (v. 34) with the words "Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani," meaning "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" (v. 34).  Thus, Jesus died on the cross for us.  In the gospels, we also find that at the moment of Jesus' death, the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom (v. 38).  This curtain symbolized the barrier preventing anyone from entering the Holy of Holies, representing God's presence.  Before Jesus' sacrifice, this unified curtain hindered access to God's throne of grace.  However, through Jesus' death, this curtain was torn in two, signifying that we can now enter into the presence of God and access His throne of grace (Rom. 5:2).

In Genesis, God created Adam and Eve in His own image, and they had communion with God.  However, due to their disobedience to God's covenantal word by eating the forbidden fruit, they sinned and were expelled from the grace-filled Eden.  God took measures to prevent them from re-entering Eden, placing cherubim and a flaming sword to guard the way to the tree of life (Gen. 3:24).  In Exodus, God instructed Moses to build the tabernacle, dividing it into the Holy of Holies and the Holy Place with a curtain symbolizing God's presence.  Access to the Holy of Holies was restricted, and the curtain served as a barrier to protect the people, as human beings, due to their sinful nature, would die if they witnessed God directly.  However, when Jesus died on the cross, this curtain was torn from top to bottom (Mk. 15:38).  The Book of Hebrews states that this "curtain" represents "his [Jesus Christ's] body" (Heb. 10:20), granting us the courage to enter the sanctuary through His blood (v. 19).  Before believing in Jesus, we were sinners and enemies of God, unable to approach His holy throne (Rom. 3:9-18).  We faced eternal punishment as sinners, and the law could not save us; instead, it revealed our sin (vv. 19-20).  However, through Jesus Christ's precious blood shed on the cross, all our sins are forgiven, and by believing in Him, we receive justification by faith and access to the throne of grace (vv. 21-22).

Now, as believers in Jesus Christ, we have obtained access by faith into this grace, firmly standing in it (5:2).  Through the work of Jesus Christ, we have the privilege to boldly approach the throne of grace, enjoying communion with God and addressing Him as "Abba, Father" (8:15; Gal. 4:6; Mk. 14:36).  As we draw near to God's throne, He receives our prayers, praises, and worship, grants peace to repentant spirits, forgives our sins, strengthens our weak spirits, imparts wisdom to foolish hearts, and empowers us to live according to His will courageously.  God delights our hearts, and His word becomes a source of strength, providing new hope that enables us to overcome trials and sorrows.  Therefore, we should boldly approach the throne of grace to receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need (Heb. 4:16).  As recipients of this amazing privilege, we should consistently approach God's throne to receive the sufficient grace needed to triumph over all hardships and challenges during our time on Earth, living a victorious life through faith.