Reason to Rejoice
- Bishop Keith Butler
- May 4, 2023
- 2 min read
By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. (Romans 5:2)
Histemi is the Greek word for stand in Romans 5:2. It means to continue in or abide. By faith, believers can continue and abide in grace, and that, my friend, is a reason to rejoice!
We can rejoice because, regardless of our imperfections, God is not mad at us! He has given us standing and a position called righteousness. We were once old sinners saved by grace, but the Spirit of Grace, the Holy Spirit, recreated us! We are new creations, not old sinners!
The Holy Spirit is the action arm of God! He made you a new creation; He empowers you with His anointing to do things you could never do on your own; He reveals truths of God’s Word, teaches, and comforts you.
Faith gives us access to every blessing from God! In his letter to the Ephesians, Paul said, “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God” (Ephesians 2:8-9). Faith is a gift of God; salvation is a gift of God, and grace is a gift of God.
Romans 5:2 lists several blessings about which we should rejoice! It says we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. The Greek word for hope is elpis. It means an expectation or confidence, something we anticipate with pleasure. We can have joy during trials because we have confidence in the glory of God! God has declared us as righteous, so we can come directly into His presence. No longer does a veil separate God from those who worship and adore Him. 1 John 5:14-15 tells us when we pray according to God’s will, we know He hears us, and since we know He hears us, we know we have the petitions we ask of Him. That’s another reason to rejoice! When we pray His will, the answer is always, “Yes!”
Practical Application
If you are born again, you have many reasons to rejoice! You are no longer a sinner; you’re the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus. You have access to God, and He has a hope and a future for you!
