What now is the relation between grace and the law? St.
Grace
state of grace. Paul in his conversion had this access. Then he was made nigh. Barnabas introduced him to the apostles (Acts ix. 27), and there were others that led him by the hand to Damascus. But it was Christ who led him by the hand into this grace. ""By whom we have access by faith."" By Christ as the author and principal agent, by faith as the means of access. Not by Christ in consideration of any merit or desert of ours, but in consideration of our believing dependence upon Him and resignation of ourselves to Him.
It would seem obvious, from the use of the word '"'also"' in Rom. v. 2 that the verse expresses a distinct idea from the preceding verse. The most common and natural construction of that passage is therefore to connect the word grace with access, that is, ''access into this grace''. Grace, or favour, expresses the same idea as peace with God in Rom. v. 1. The difference between the two verses is to be found in the word access or introduction. The meaning, then, is, '' We are not only indebted to Jesus Christ for peace with God, but also for our introduction into this state of favour'', which includes, of course, liberty of access to God.
(6) Their happy standing in this state. '"'Wherein we stand." Not only wherein we are, but wherein we stand, a posture that denotes our discharge from guilt. We stand in the judgment (Ps. i. 5), not cast, as convicted criminals, but our dignity and honour secured—not thrown to the ground as objects. The phrase denotes also our progress. While we stand, we are going. We must not lie down, as if we had already attained, but stand as those who are pressing forward—stand as servants attending on Christ our Master. The phrase denotes, also, our perseverence. We stand firmly and safely, upheld by the power of God. Stand as soldiers stand who keep their ground, not borne down by the power of the enemy. It denotes not only our admission to, but our confirmation in, the favour of God. It is not in the court of heaven as in earthly courts, where high places are slippery places. We stand in a humble confidence "of this very thing, that he who has begun a good work will perform it" (Phil. i. 6).
7. GRACE AND LAw
What now is the relation between grace and the law? St. Paul answered (Rom. v. 20): (a) ''The law entered that the offence might abound.' Not to make sin to abound the more in itself, otherwise than as sin takes occasion by the commandment; but to discover the abounding sinfulness of it. The glass discovers the spots, but does not cause them. When the commandment came into the world sin revived, as the letting of a clearer light into the room discovers the dust and filth which were there before but which were not seen. It was like the searching of a wound, which is necessary to the cure. The offence, that offence, the sin of Adam, the extending of the guilt of it to us, and the effect of the corruption in us, are the abounding of that offence which appeared upon the entry of the law.
(b) "' That grace might much more abound." 'That the terrors of the law might make the Gospel comforts so much sweeter. Sin abounded among the Jews; and to those of them that were converted to the faith of Christ, did not grace much more abound in the remitting of so much guilt and subduing of so much corruption? The greater the strength of the enemy, the greater the honour of the conqueror. This abounding of grace illustrates verse 21 of Romans v. As the reign of a tyrant and oppressor is a foil to set off the succeeding reign of a just and gentle prince and to make it the more illustrious, so does the reign of sin set off the reign of grace. "'Sin reigned unto death."' It was a cruel, bloody reign. But grace reigns to life, eternal life, and this through righteousness, righteousness imputed to us for justification, implanted in us for sanctification; and both by "Jesus Christ our Lord'', through the power and efficacy of Christ, the great prophet, priest and king, of His Church.
SERMON OUTLINE
GRACE
THE SPIRIT OF GRACE
(a) Upon Whom the Blessings are Poured (6) What These Blessings Are (c) What the Effects of Them Will Be THE GRACE OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST il: (a) The Freeness of It (6) The Fullness of It (c) The Serviceableness of It (d) The Newness of It (e) The Continuance of It (d) The Effect of It
JUSTIFICATION BY GRACE
(a) Grace and the Cross (6) Grace and Circumcision (c) Grace and Law SANCTIFICATION BY GRACE (a) For the Edification of the Saints (6) For the Glorification of the Saints
IV.
ACCESS INTO GRACE
(a) The Saints' Happy State (b) The Saints' Happy Standing