Grace and Peace

Tonight, I feel a bit like Daffy Duck in that old Looney Tunes cartoon. Daffy Duck finds himself in Ali Baba’s cave, surrounded by treasures beyond his wildest dreams. He exclaims, “I’m rich! I’m rich! It’s all mine!” diving into piles of gold coins, backstroking through them. He received treasures beyond his imagination, and how did he gain access? Daffy says, “Open sesame,” and the cave opens.

What Paul is doing here is showing us treasures beyond price; blessings beyond anything we could imagine. In verse 2, he says that we gain access not by “open sesame” but “by faith into this grace in which we now stand”. It’s hard not to be excited reading this passage—Paul’s joy just cascades outwards, like a torrent, thrilled by what God has done for us in Christ.

Justification by Faith: The Heart of the Gospel

Paul’s argument in chapter 4 was that Abraham was justified by faith. Abraham took God at his word—he believed God’s promise and was made right with God because of that trust. Paul’s point is that, just like Abraham, we are justified by faith, by believing in God’s promises. And if God makes a promise to you, it’s trustworthy. You can believe it.

In verse 1, Paul writes:  

“Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

At the cross, God put down his weapons. He waved the bloodstained flag of ceasefire and said, “I don’t want to fight anymore. War is over.” If your trust is in Christ, then God is for you—you're a friend, you're family as far as He’s concerned. You’re no longer at war; you’re at peace. And this isn’t just a grudging, passive peace; it’s an inner peace with God. He puts His Holy Spirit within us.

A Christian believer cannot make God angry. You can hurt God—so can I—but you can never make Him angry because, in the death of Jesus, all the heat has been removed. It’s an awesome thing. It’s wonderful.

The Joy and Hope of Salvation

But there’s more—there is Joy! Look at verse 2:  

“…through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.”  

Verse 3: “Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings…”

Verse 11: “Not only is this so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

We rejoice!

Hope is not a word that fills us with much confidence today. Usually, we say, “I hope interest rates go down” or “I hope the weather’s nice this weekend.” In everyday use, hope means “fingers crossed, touch wood”—no guarantees. But when the Bible uses the word hope, it means guarantee. God has said something, and therefore it is certain.

Suffering, Perseverance, and the Chain Reaction of Hope

Just follow the logic. We rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit.

This is like a chain reaction - just as in chemistry—one part combines with another, creating something new that leads to something else. In Paul’s view, the thing that pushes the reaction forward is suffering. The original language for “suffering” here has the sense of downward pressure—that feeling of heaviness we experience in suffering.

- Suffering produces perseverance —the ability to hang in there under pressure, especially when you can’t change your circumstances.

- Perseverance produces character —being tried and tested, like iron hammered by a blacksmith, made stronger and more resilient.

- Character produces hope—a hunger for heaven that will not disappoint.

It’s hard to imagine sometimes that heaven could be better than life here, but it will not disappoint. A moment in God’s heaven will make the greatest pleasures of this life seem like child’s play.

Suffering: Stumbling Block or Launching Pad?

Suffering unleashes a set of experiences that stimulate hope. Does suffering destroy hope? Sometimes we fear it will, but for the Christian, suffering is a launching pad—not a stumbling block.

For the unbeliever, suffering can cause anger with God—a stumbling block. Scratch below the surface of atheism, and often you’ll find someone angry with God because of pain, grief, or trauma. We live in a world full of suffering; headlines confirm it daily. Some are philosophical: “How can there be a loving God with so much pain?” Ernest Hemingway once said, “Life is just a dirty trick—a journey from nothingness to nothingness.” For many, suffering leads to despair.

But amidst all this, the Christian says, “God loves you.” How can we say that in such a broken, bleeding world? How can we know that for sure?

God’s Love: Demonstrated, Not Just Declared

Paul gives the answer in verse 8:  

“God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

Paul says it again in verse 6:  

“At just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly.”

God demonstrated His love not with cheap words, but with a costly sacrifice. While we looked nothing like God—ungodly, strangers, and even enemies—Christ died for us.

If you can’t relate to the idea of being God’s enemy, consider this: Have you ever been hurt so deeply that you wished the person responsible would simply vanish? That’s an enemy. And God’s love reaches even there. God’s demonstration is not just a hunch; it’s historically anchored in Jesus Christ. Many have died for noble causes—Nelson Mandela, JFK, Martin Luther King, Jr., John Lennon—but they did not die for you. Jesus died for you, for us, while we were weak, sinful, and unlovely.

If you have ever found yourself not loving God, you are just the kind of person God loves. You are His cup of tea; just the kind of person Jesus died for.

There is a God. He loves you. It is in His very nature to love, as naturally as the sun shines.

Greater Love: Ultimate Sacrifice

Let me illustrate with a story from Anzac Day commemorations at a school I worked at. Each year, students would solemnly remember those from that school who had died in war. One story sticks out: James Robert Whitaker signed up in 1941, was posted to Ambon, and gave up his spot on an evacuation boat to a private with a wife and two small children. He died in the ensuing massacre. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for a friend.

But Christ goes even further. Jesus dies for us when we are His enemies—when we do not love Him. If you have never loved God, you are still the very person He loves. God’s love is for you, demonstrated supremely at the cross: “While we were God’s enemies, He died for us.”

The Contrast: The World’s Forgiveness vs. God’s Forgiveness

Contrast this with the events of the August coup in the Soviet Union, 1991. When the failed coup ended, Gorbachev said, “There will be no forgiveness for these people.” But when the King of Kings faced His enemies, was crucified, and suffered, He prayed, “Father, forgive them; they don’t know what they’re doing.”

While we were His enemies, God gave His absolute best. Jesus died and said, “Take it—so you can live.” Many claim to love you; God demonstrates His love, not in cheap words, but in sacrificial action. While we broke His heart, God broke Himself for you and me.

Has anyone ever loved you like that? Is anyone ever likely to love you like that? You cannot say, “Nobody loves me.” Because God does.

Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. If you are restless, know that God offers not only grace but also peace. You can have peace with God. God says, “I’ve laid down my weapons.” Believe Him—do Him the justice of trusting His word.

And if you feel hopeless tonight, know that there is real hope here in Christ. There is purpose, destiny, heaven, and God’s kingdom ahead. You have so much more to look forward to than just fleeting weekends. When suffering presses down, there is a point—perseverance, character, hope—all from God’s Spirit.

God loves you. This is something worth believing. This is the life under grace—the beautiful life Paul describes in Romans 5.

Prayer

Gracious God, loving heavenly Father,  

We thank you for your apostle who has written these things for our learning, our help, our enrichment, and our safety.  

Teach us and show us what it is to live under your grace.  

We pray in Jesus' name.  

Amen.

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