Christian Assurance – Romans 5:1-2

Romans 5:1-2

Preached March 29, 2009, Grace Family Church of Americus

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Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. (Romans 5:2 ESV)

The Scriptures teach that Christians stand in grace. It could be translated, this grace in which we now stand. If you are in Christ, if you have faith in Christ, you stand right at this moment in the grace of God. His wrath no longer abides on you….you are a child of light; not of darkness, a child of love, not of wrath. It is a state that describes you now, and a state which describes you in the future. The word translated stand is the Greek word, histemi /his·tay·mee, meaning, to set in place, to cause a person or a thing to keep his or its place. And I want to direct your attention to this word, because it is exceedingly important in the teaching here.

This word, cause to stand, histemi /his·tay·mee is where we get the word that is used medically, histamine, which is produced by the human body in allergic reactions. The histamine is that which helps the body defend itself against foreign or harmful substances by triggering symptoms that fight off these substances….a rash, runny nose, sneezes, even nausea and similar symptoms of allergic reactions….all these things are produced by the release of histamine….so that the body can stand firm against all outside influences that can harm the body.

You see, for the Christian, he is in the world, but he is not of the world. In other words, we are like aliens here, this is not our home. Grace is given us, and we are caused to stand…we are histemi…..set firmly in place such that nothing can harm us. And when something does come in contact with we who are caused to stand, much like what happens in the release of histamines in the human body, we react to combat that which is foreign. The reaction to that which is foreign is evidence that there is histamine present….something there that causes us to stand firm. Here's where we can gain assurance.

As Christians, we have been given a new heart and new desires. We have been washed, sanctified, and made new by the blood of Christ. Yet God does not take us out of the world. Instead, He gives us grace, and causes us to stand firm in it. When there are things of the world that come in contact with us, there should be a reaction….a histamine release….and there should be definite symptoms. There should be a fighting that takes place, because we have been caused to keep our place. The evidence of the fight is evidence that there is a healthy body there that is being caused to stand.