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Ephesians 2:12 – Without Hope?

Posted on September 21, 2011 by Will

Ephesians 2:12 – Without Hope?

that at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.

Truth to Learn

Through faith in Christ we are no longer without hope.

Behind the Words

The word “without” is translated from the Greek word chōris, which means “without” or “separated from.”

“Being aliens” is from the verb apallotrioō, which is made up of apo, meaning “from” or “apart from” and allotrioō, meaning “to alienate” or “to separate from.” Thus, this word means “to be completely separated from.”

“Commonwealth” is translated from politeia (from which we get our English word politics). It is indirectly derived from polis, meaning “a city.” Politeia refers to a community or commonwealth of citizens.

Xenos is the Greek word translated “strangers.” It refers to someone who is not a citizen of a commonwealth.

The words “without God” are from atheos, which is made up of a, meaning “not” or “without” and theos, which is the Greek word for “god.” Therefore, we see that atheos refers to someone “without God” or “Godless.”

“Hope” is translated from the Greek word elpis, which refers to more than just a wish. It is “a hope for something with the full expectation that it will happen.”

Meaning Explained

In the previous verse Paul noted that before we were saved we were called “the uncircumcision” by the Jews, because we were not part of the covenant that God made with them through Abraham. Even though the Jewish faith had degenerated into a works oriented religion, they still were the recipients of God’s covenant because they were descendants of Abraham.

Paul now expands on what he has just said. He tells us that before we were saved, we were without Christ. That’s pretty obvious. But, he also tells us that we were not part of the political entity called Israel either. The significance of this is that only Israel was privy to the covenant. Now, we have to ask, what covenant is Paul talking about?

Shortly after the day of Pentecost, when the Spirit of God was poured out, Peter preached a message to the Jews in the temple area. As part of that message, he said:

You are sons of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying to Abraham, “and in your seed all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” (Acts 3:25)

This is the covenant referred to by Paul, the promise of a Messiah. Before the coming of Christ, we were outside the commonwealth to whom the promise was made. Therefore, before Christ, we were without hope and we were without God. We were alone in the world system.

Application

Before we were saved, we were hopelessly lost and destined for eternal punishment in Hell. But now, through faith in the blood of Christ, we have hope and the assurance that we will spend eternity in God’s holy presence. There is hope for us!

In God’s service, for His glory,

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

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Ephesians 1:18 – Two Great Truths

Posted on August 24, 2011 by Will

Ephesians 1:18 – Two Great Truths

the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints,

Truth to Learn

There are two great truths here. The first is that the Holy Spirit reveals spiritual truth to us. The other is that you are highly valued by God and will be cherished for all eternity.

Behind the Words

The word “understanding” is translated from dianoia. This is made up of dia, meaning “through” or indicating division, and a form of the verb noeō, meaning “to exercise the mind.” Therefore, we see that dianoia indicates something that has been thoroughly thought through, thus “understanding.” This word does not appear in most Greek manuscripts; instead, kardia (heart) is used. So, “heart” is the preferred reading.

“Enlightened” is the translation of phōtidzō, which is derived from phōs, meaning “light.” Phōtidzō means “to shine the light on something” or “to make something visible.”

“Hope” is from the Greek word elpis, meaning “that which is hoped for.” The meaning of this word, however, is not simply something wished for; it includes a full expectation of it actually happening.

The word “calling” is translated from klēsis, a shortened form of the verb kaleō, meaning “to call.” Thus, klēsis refers to “a calling” or “an invitation.”

“Riches” is from ploutos, which refers to “wealth made up of things of value.”

Meaning Explained

This verse contains the continuation of Paul’s prayer for all saints. In the previous verse he asked that God the Father might give us wisdom and revelation through the Holy Spirit. Now he tells us about some of the effects of that revelation provided by the Holy Spirit.

He tells us here that it will produce enlightenment. As we said earlier, the word “understanding” should probably be replaced by “heart.” The Greeks believed that the heart was not just the seat of the emotions, but of understanding and determination as well. So, Paul is saying that the eyes of our heart should receive light. We all know that in the darkness we cannot see or recognize things very well; however, when something is illuminated we can see with both our vision and our perception. That’s exactly what the Holy Spirit does for us. He shines the light of truth on things that we see and hear. Because of this illumination, we can understand spiritual truths which we otherwise would not have understood.

There are three particular spiritual truths which we can know as a result of the Spirit’s illumination. Two are in this verse and the third is in the next verse. Here he tells us about the hope and assurance we have of eternal life as a result of God’s invitation. He also tells us how great the glory of His inheritance is. This is not a reference to our inheritance, which we talked about in verse fourteen. This is a reference to the rich inheritance that Jesus Christ will receive in heaven: all the saints, who will spend eternity with Him.

Application

You may not think or yourself as being worth very much, but God sees each one of us as extremely valuable. We, the bride of Christ, will be the Father’s gift to the Son for all eternity.

In God’s service, for His glory,

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

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Romans 15:13 – Hopeful Expectation

Posted on May 4, 2011 by Will

Romans 15:13 – Hopeful Expectation

Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Truth to Learn

Christians can have joy, peace, and hopeful expectation.

Behind the Words

The word translated “hope” in this verse is a form of the Greek word elpis, which means, “the desire of something good with full expectation of obtaining it.” It is different than the English word “hope,” which implies simply a desire for something but not knowing whether it will happen or not. Paul calls our God the God of hope because we know that His promises will definitely come true.

“Fill” is from the verb plēroō, which means “to fill.” Actually, it means more than just filling something; it means to cram it as full as possible. It is expressed here in the Optative mood, indicating a wish, or desire on the part of the Apostle Paul.

The word translated “all” is the Greek word pas, which means “all, the whole, completely, with nothing missing.”

“Joy” is translated from the Greek noun chara, meaning “cheerfulness” or “calm delight.”

The noun “peace” is from eirēnē, which means “peace or tranquility.” It is a state in which there is no perceived threat or cause for worry present.

The word translated “abound” is the Greek word perisseuō, which means “to be in excess in number or measure.”

Meaning Explained

Having finished his treatise on the unity of Jew and Gentile in Christ, Paul closes this section with a benediction. He starts off invoking the benediction from the “God of hope.” In all that Paul has been teaching us since the first verse of chapter fourteen, it is hope which, among other things, unites us. It is to both the Jew and Gentile the hope of the return of the Messiah, and it is also to both the Jew and the Gentile the hope of the resurrection and salvation that He promised. Not just empty hope, but expectant hope.

In this benediction Paul asks that God will fill us “with all joy and peace” in our believing faith. That is, Paul is asking that God cram us completely full with all possible joy and peace. Not just a lot of it, but all of it, with nothing missing!

And, as a result of that joy and peace that we have in our saving faith, we can thus abound in hope. Because of the joy and peace that we have in our faith, we can be filled to overflowing with expectant hope.

Our salvation is not a salvation of worry or fear (worrying or being afraid that we might lose it), but a salvation of hope, with full expectation and assurance that God will deliver on His promises.

Application

If you have submitted yourself to the lordship of Jesus Christ and have accepted the sacrificial offering of His blood as full payment for your sins, then God will save you according to His promises! This is the greatest truth ever proclaimed to man. Even though none of us is righteous, all of us are sinners, and even though God demands righteousness, we can avoid the penalty of our sinfulness through the blood of the Lamb of God who was sacrificed to pay the penalty of our sins! Praise God!

In God’s service, for His glory,

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

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Romans 12:12 – Guided Journey

Posted on January 19, 2011 by Will

Romans 12:12 – Guided Journey

rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer;

Truth to Learn

Hope, patience, and steadfastness can be ours in Christ.

Behind the Words

“Rejoicing” is translated from chairontes, meaning “to be full of cheer,” or “to be calmly happy.”

The word “hope” is from elpis, which means, “an earnest desire, and the expectation of obtaining the object of that desire.” It is not an uncertainty that we hope will come to pass; it implies a clear expectation that it will happen.

The word translated “affliction” is a form of the Greek word thlipsis, meaning “to press, squeeze, or crush.” It refers to those times when we are under pressure or affliction.

“Patient” is from a form of hupomonē, which is made up of hupo, meaning “under or beneath” and a form of menō, which means “to remain.” So literally it means “to remain under.”

The word translated “continuing steadfastly” is proskartereō. This is made up of pros, meaning “to or towards” and kartereō, meaning “to endure.” It literally means “to stay where you are.” As Paul uses it here, it means “to stay in an attitude and practice of prayer.”

Meaning Explained

In this verse, like the previous verse, Christians are told how to behave in life. Paul starts off with “rejoicing in hope.” We have a hope of eternal glory that the unsaved don’t have. We know that there is a future state in which we will live with our Savior, where there will be no more tears, pain, or suffering. It is this future hope of glory that Paul reminds us of, telling us to rejoice in hope.

Paul’s next admonition is to be “patient in tribulation.” When we are under pressure or affliction, we want to take matters into our own hands, causing us to respond inappropriately. Instead, we need to “remain under control” or “remain under the authority and leadership of our Lord.” We need to remain submitted to Him and committed to doing His will, not our own.

Finally, Paul tells us we need to be “continuing steadfastly in prayer.” No matter what happens, whether in good times or bad, whether in sickness or health, whether in joy or in sorrow, we need to consistently be in the attitude and practice of prayer with our God.

God does not intend for our Christian lives to be ones in which we are on a journey by ourselves calling upon our Father whenever we have troubles. Instead, He wants us to be on a journey with Him as our constant companion and guide, talking (praying) about everything with Him as we experience it; asking questions as we go, sharing our joys with Him, and seeking comfort in our sorrows. This is the kind of personal relationship God wants with each one of us.

Application

How is your journey in life going? Perhaps your path is rocky and difficult right now. Are you patiently enduring it? Are you going it alone, or do you have your guide walking with you and leading the way? And, are you carrying on a constant conversation with your guide?

In God’s service, for His glory,

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

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Romans 8:25 – Patience and Perseverance

Posted on June 22, 2010 by Will

Romans 8:25 – Patience and Perseverance

But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance.

Truth to Learn

We patiently endure our trials through faith in God’s promise.

Behind the Words

The words “eagerly wait for” are translated from the Greek word apekdechomai. This is a double compound word made up of apo, meaning “from” but used here as an intensifier, ek which means “out” or “out of,” and deckomai, which means “to receive.” Hence, apokdechomai means “to eagerly or earnestly expect that something is going to be received.”

“Perseverance” is from hupomonē, which is made up of hupo (or hypo), meaning “under or beneath” and a form of menō, which means “to stay or to remain.” It is a picture of a beast of burden who, when loaded with a heavy burden, remains under the load. That is, he perseveres under the load with patience.

Meaning Explained

In yesterday’s verse we spoke about the word “hope” being not just an earnest desire but also the expectation that the object of the desire will come to pass. Paul said that our salvation, which in God’s record book has already taken place, is manifest to us with the full expectation that it will be consummated at the end of these last times. But he also makes another statement about this salvation in hope. It is not seen and it is not fully obtained now. If we have something that we can see and touch, then there is no hope, or expectation of it.

Now allow me to open up the word elpis a little more. It is often translated as “hope,” but it is also frequently translated as “faith.” In the first part of the previous verse Paul said that “we are saved by (or in) faith (hope).” In Ephesians 2:8 Paul said “For by grace you are saved through faith.” It is this faith, this hope, this belief that God will do what he promised He would do at the end of the age that allows us to persevere. Faith is the instrument as well as evidence of our salvation.

We have to accept God’s promise on faith alone, because we don’t have visible, concrete proof of it right now. All we have is the promise and the seal of that promise in the form of the Holy Spirit living in us, and even He (the Holy Spirit) is unseen and untouchable for now.

In today’s verse Paul says that if we have faith (hope) in God’s promise, then we can eagerly wait for it with patience, knowing in our innermost parts that God will do for us just as He promised. There are some today who insist on concrete proof for everything. They will never be saved because we are saved through faith, not through proof. That’s why we as Christians often say that “believing is seeing,” not “seeing is believing.”

Application

In verse eighteen Paul said our current sufferings are not even worthy of comparison to the glory that will be revealed in us. Now he has shown us that through genuine faith we can endure these sufferings because we have faith that it will be over some day and we will receive the richest blessings of God when our salvation is consummated. I think it’s time for a prayer of thanksgiving, don’t you?

In God’s service, for His glory,

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

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Romans 8:24 – Safe and Secure

Posted on June 21, 2010 by Will

Romans 8:24 – Safe and Secure

For we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees?

Truth to Learn

Your salvation is as secure as God’s promise.

Behind the Words

The word translated “saved” is sōdzō, which means, “to save, deliver, or make whole, or to preserve safe from danger, loss, or destruction.” This verb is expressed in the aorist tense which implies past, punctiliar action, that is, action that took place at a single point in time in the past, not continuous action.

“Hope” is translated from the word elpis, which means, “an earnest desire, and the expectation of obtaining the object of that desire.” It is not an uncertainty that we hope will come to pass, it is a clear expectation that it will happen.

Meaning Explained

As we mentioned in the previous verse, the Holy Spirit was given to us as a kind of “firstfruits” offering. That is, He is God’s promise that our salvation and our adoption will be consummated. Paul now adds some explanation to that idea. He says that we are saved in hope. There are two possible interpretations of this. These two interpretations revolve around the word translated “saved” which we talked about above in Behind the Words. If you interpret the word to mean “to preserve from danger,” then the beginning of this verse could be interpreted to mean that we are being preserved from danger by our hope of our future glory. That’s how some interpret this verse.

The other interpretation, which is more fully supported by the Greek text, is that we were saved (at a single point in time in the past) in light of an earnest desire and expectation that this salvation will be consummated at some time in the future.

The point is this; Paul has been talking about all of creation groaning in pain in anticipation of our adoption as sons by God and the final redemption of our body. He is now saying that our salvation, which legally has already taken place, is really an event in the future to which we look with longing, fully expecting it to happen.

Now let me say that Paul is NOT saying that we are unsure of our salvation and “hope” that it will happen. That use of the word “hope” is contrary to the meaning of the Greek word. When we were saved (at a single point in time in the past) we were given the Holy Spirit as a seal and a promise (Ephesians 1:13, 14) that God will consummate that salvation at some point in time in the future. In other words, we cannot get un-saved! It is not possible because we couldn’t give God His Holy Spirit back even if we wanted to. The giving of the Holy Spirit is an action initiated by God, not by you or me. Since He did the giving, only He could do the taking and that would mean God’s promise is worthless.

Application

Do you live in fear that you might lose your salvation if you’re not careful? Paul makes it pretty clear that it can’t happen. Your salvation is as secure as God’s promise and there’s nothing more secure than that!

In God’s service, for His glory,

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

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Romans 8:20 – Imperishable Expectation

Posted on June 15, 2010 by Will

Romans 8:20 – Imperishable Expectation

For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope;

Truth to Learn

We live within perishable bodies in a dying and decaying world, but some day God will make all things imperishable.

Behind the Words

The word translated “subjected” is the Greek word hupotassō, which we have looked at before. It is a military term meaning to place in order (or rank) under another. It is often translated as “submit.”

“Futility” is translated from the Greek word mataiotēs, which is a form of mataios, meaning “without purpose, fruitless, aimless or empty.” It refers to “labor which is done with no purpose in mind” or, as is probably the meaning that Paul intended here, “a perishable and decaying condition.”

The word translated “willingly” is hekōn, which means “voluntarily, willingly, or without coercion.”

“Hope” is another word which we looked at back in chapter five. It comes from the Greek word elpis, which means “hope” or “anticipation.” In English when we think of “hope,” we think of desiring something but not really expecting it to happen, or at best, thinking that there is a chance of it happening. This Greek word, however, means, “the desire of something with the expectation that it will happen.” It is more than just simple hope, it is expectant hope. For this reason, this word is often translated as “faith.”

Meaning Explained

When Paul says that creation was “not willingly subjected to futility” he is saying that it was placed in a state or condition where it is perishable and decaying, and that this condition was imposed on creation; it wasn’t voluntary. The subjection of all creation to a state of perishableness and continual decay was imposed by the only one who could impose it: God. This very likely is referring to the curse that God placed on the ground when Adam and Eve sinned:

Then to Adam He said, “Because you have heeded the voice of your wife, and have eaten from the tree of which I commanded you, saying, ‘You shall not eat of it’: “Cursed is the ground for your sake; in toil you shall eat of it all the days of your life. Both thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you, and you shall eat the herb of the field. (Genesis 3:17-18)

This subjection of all of creation as a result of Adam’s sin was done by God with the promise that someday there would be a Redeemer who would conquer death and sin and who would restore all of creation to its former condition. I believe that is what Paul is referring to in the second half of this verse.

Paul will continue this thought in the next verse.

Application

The beauty of this verse is the promise of hope. No matter what happens to us, we always have the hope of God’s eventual triumph over evil, and we will share in that triumph with Him! And, even though we now exist in a perishable body in a dying and decaying world, we have expectant hope that God will honor his faithful children with a glorious body and a glorious creation, neither of which will ever decay or perish again.

In God’s service, for His glory,

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

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Romans 5:5 – Unimaginable Love

Posted on February 2, 2010 by Will

Romans 5:5

Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

Truth to Learn

God has abundantly shown His love for us.

Behind the Words

The word translated “disappoint” is kataischunō, which is a compound word made up of kata, meaning “down” but often denoting “badness” and a form of aischuno, which means “to cause shame.” Hence the word means “abundant shame, extreme dishonor, or utter disgrace.”

“Poured out” is from the Greek word ekcheō, which is a compound word made up of ek, meaning “out” or “out of” and the verb cheō, meaning “to pour.” Hence, this word means “to pour out.”

The words “was given” are from the verb didōmi, which means “to give of one’s own accord.” It’s not just a passive handing over of something, but an action that is voluntarily initiated through the giver’s own good will.

Meaning Explained

We have been learning from Paul some of the wonderful benefits of salvation by faith: peace, access to God’s grace, patience in trials, assurance of God’s trustworthiness, and confident expectation. He now tells us that this hope (confident expectation) does not make us ashamed. Paul says that because we have this confident expectation, God will surely fulfill His promises to us; we will not be “embarrassingly ashamed” with regard to our faith and our God.

Some day everyone will stand before the Creator of the universe. Those who have rejected Christ, who have not believed the promises of God, and have not humbled themselves before Him to receive his gracious gift of salvation, will stand before the Judge of the Universe. They will be ashamed of what they have done and of what they have believed. Then they will be cast into the lake of fire where they will experience eternal torment! We who have trusted Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, however, will stand before Him and we will receive rewards for all that we have done in His behalf. We will not be ashamed. We will then be ushered into heaven to be eternally in His presence and to experience the wonders He has created for us!

And Paul says the reason that we will not be ashamed is because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts. This is not the love that we have for God, rather it is the love that God has for us. Do you see? God did not simply give us a sip or a taste of his love; He poured it out in abundance directly from His heart to ours. And He has done this through the Holy Spirit whom he has given to us as a guarantee and a seal of our salvation, never to be taken away. Both the Apostle John and the Apostle Paul describe this love God has for us:

But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us … (Ephesians 2:4)

In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. (1 John 4:10)

Without this unimaginable love we are lost forever.

Application

Let us give our praise to God for the great love with which He loves us even though we are so unlovely!+

In God’s service, for His glory,

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

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Romans 5:4 – Rejoice in Hope

Posted on February 1, 2010 by Will

Romans 5:4

and perseverance, character; and character, hope.

Truth to Learn

Difficulties should give us hope and assurance of our salvation.

Behind the Words

“Character” is translated from the Greek word dokimē, which is derived from the verb dokimadzō, meaning “to test for the purpose of finding good.” It is the word used of testing gold to ascertain its value. Hence, dokimē refers to the quality that a person has after they have been tested and proven to be good or worthy. In that sense it means “proof of genuineness, trustworthiness or character (as it is translated here).”

This word “hope” is from a Greek word that we have looked at recently. It is the word elpida, which is a form of elpis, meaning “the desire of obtaining something good with the full expectation of obtaining it.” It is the type of hope that Christians have of being resurrected to eternal life. We certainly desire it and we have full expectation that it will happen because God has promised it to us.

Meaning Explained

Paul has been describing for us the effects of the justification we have through grace. One effect is that we have peace with God. Another is that we have access into grace, that is the throne of grace and the eternal effects of grace by which we have access to the mercy and presence of God. Also, because of our justification by grace, we rejoice in tribulation, which produces patience in us.

Paul now tells us that the patience we develop in times of tribulation, as it gets reinforced over and over again, produces character. Patiently enduring tribulation is a proof to us that the righteousness that God has bestowed on us is genuine.

This character, or proof of genuineness, then creates hope in us. Hence, the patient enduring of tribulation produces a proof of the genuineness of our faith (our righteousness) and knowing that this is genuine, we have a confident expectation that what God has promised He will certainly do.

If you think about it, believing His promise is what we did initially that resulted in God declaring us righteous. So, patiently enduring tribulation strengthens our faith. That’s why we can rejoice in tribulation! It is through tribulation and trials that our faith grows and we are being made more Christ-like.

In a sense, the trials that continually come our way are a confirmation that our salvation is real. And, as we encounter trials, we turn to our Heavenly Father for strength and wisdom, thus drawing us closer to Him. God does not isolate His children from difficulties; He graciously allows trials to help us grow.

In his letter to the Philippians, Paul tells us that God will continue His work on us until the day He comes back:

being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ; (Philippians 1:6)

Application

The next time you go through a difficult situation (perhaps it’s right now), be patient. Give thanks to God that He loves you and wants you to grow stronger, becoming more like Christ. And, when these trials come, rejoice!

In God’s service, for His glory,

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

Romans 5:2 – Glorious Access

Posted on January 28, 2010 by Will

Romans 5:2

through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

Truth to Learn

We have access to God’s grace and look forward to being in His presence.

Behind the Words

The word translated “access” is prosagōgē, which is made up of pros, meaning “to or toward” and a form of agō, which means “to lead, to bring, or to come.” Hence, prosagōgē means “bring near or access.” The concept of access has two aspects to it. The first is the ability to get somewhere or to have something and the other is the authority or right to get somewhere or to have something. This Greek word means both, but the emphasis is on the latter, the authority.

“Have” is translated from the Greek word echo, which means “to have, as if to hold in one’s hand.” In other words, the access we just described is something which we possess. This possession is even more significant because echo is expressed in the perfect tense. This particular tense has no direct equivalent in English. It signifies a completed past action with a resultant ongoing state of being, the primary emphasis being on the ongoing state of being. In other words, this privilege of access is something we now possess as a result of something already completed. We no longer have to do anything to gain it or to continue to possess it. It is ours to keep!

The word “hope” is translated from elpis, which we have looked at before. It means “hope, with confident expectation of receiving that which is hoped for.”

Meaning Explained

In the previous verse we noted that one result of our being justified by grace is that we are at peace with God. If you haven’t thought much about that since reading the previous verse, think about it now. You have a relationship of peace with the God of all creation and the Judge of the world. That is a marvelous thing! That peace is through Jesus Christ who is now our Lord, that is to say, our master, our owner. We belong to Him because He has paid for us with His blood.

Most people in the world today very much value freedom and don’t like to think about being owned by anyone or anything. We want to be our own lord and we don’t want to bow to anyone else. God’s lordship over us, however, has some wonderful benefits, one of which is identified in the current verse. Because Jesus Christ is our Lord, this verse says that we “have access by faith into this grace …”

We now have access to God’s grace bestowed upon us: this free gift of salvation. And, although we didn’t (and still don’t) deserve it, salvation is freely given to us. It is ours to keep. As a result we rejoice! That’s what Paul says. We rejoice in the hope (remember that means confident expectation) of the glory of God. We rejoice because we are confident that we will be bathed in God’s glory as a result of our being in His presence, knowing that He is our Lord, not our Judge!

Application

Let us rejoice! Not only do we no longer fear the wrath of a righteous God, we actually look forward to being in His presence as our Lord! How great is God’s grace through which righteousness is imputed to us when we believe His promise!

In God’s service, for His glory,

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