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His Glorious Ways – Grace through Faith – Ray E Horton
How glorious are His ways: “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. 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” (Rom. 5:1-5).
We have peace with God. The first of the many wonderful benefits of being justified by faith, instead of works. How amazing is that when so many religious people are struggling thinking they must perform to please God.
Self-righteous works interfere with receiving grace through faith.
“This is the victory by which we overcome the world, even our faith”
But we have been justified, that is, made right, declared innocent. How can that be? By choosing to step out in the very faith that He has put in our hearts. God with incomprehensible love for us, sent His Son Jesus, a part of the Godhead, to earth to atone for our sins and restore us to live in His grace. Yet, there can be no admission into the life of God’s grace by our good works – self-righteous works are unneeded and interfere with the only way grace is received: by faith.
Having access to grace through faith, there is the marvelous hope of our future glorification with Jesus, which brings great joy. As John wrote in 1 John 3:2, “when He is revealed, we shall be like Him.” With that hope, walking in life by grace through faith, we can persevere through anything that life may bring, even glory in troubles the world, the flesh or the devil may bring our way. For we are starting to see the bigger picture, having received the Holy Spirit, our down payment and foretaste of that glory.
In Ephesians 1, Paul writes: “When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory” (vs. 13-14). And Holy Spirit has placed God’s love within us (Rom. 5:5), a part of that deposited foretaste, so we too can love with the love of God, just as we believe with the faith of God.
Perseverance develops the mature character of one who has overcome by faith. “This is the victory by which we overcome the world, even our faith” (1 Jn. 5:4). “He has given us all we need for life and godliness” (2 Pet. 1:3): faith to access His grace, and love to touch others and spread the word, and joy and hope to motivate us, activating faith to live beyond the natural realm and supernaturally reach out to the world around us, letting His light within us shine.
Stand and walk in His grace by faith
And we stand in His grace: stand, established, unmovable, because we have full access to grace through faith. And not only stand, faith is the way we walk, that is, live our lives. As Col. 2:6-7 says: “Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established in your faith.”
Indeed, glorious are His ways!
