All-Access Pass to Hope and Heaven

March 27, 2018

All-Access Pass to Hope and Heaven

Romans 5:2

Emily Uselton

Central Truth

Justification comes through faith and brings us peace with God. We have access into His grace where we are safe and secure. Therefore, we live in hope, and we wait patiently to see our Lord face to face.

2 Through him we have also obtained access by faith^{1

5:2
Some manuscripts omit by faith} into this grace in which we stand, and we^{2

5:2
Or let us; also verse 3} rejoice^{3

5:2
Or boast; also verses 3, 11} in hope of the glory of God.

Footnotes

[1] 5:2 Some manuscripts omit by faith
[2] 5:2 Or let us; also verse 3
[3] 5:2 Or boast; also verses 3, 11

Jesus loves us so much that He laid down His life to deliver us from our sins. We are so unworthy of this, yet we are shown grace and can find hope in the glory of God!

Because of God's abounding grace, we are given everlasting life if we choose to trust in Him. While we are promised eternal life, we are not promised an easy life. We are prone to fall short. We are broken people desperately in need of a perfect Savior. It is how we act upon our sins that exhibits our true character. Do we run from the Lord when we are ashamed? Or do we repent and live in hope? We are told to cling tightly to hope. It is an essential part of keeping our faith strong. It is endurance in the Christian life.

As Christians, we have two purposes on this earth: to love the Lord our God and to make disciples for Christ. By obeying these tasks and serving as the hands and feet of Jesus, we are given the ability to plant a gospel seed in many people. I was blessed with the opportunity to do that in Haiti this summer. I was able to go village to village to tell people about God’s abounding grace and His promise of salvation if we choose to put our faith in Him. While the goodbyes were bittersweet, I left Haiti with an overall peace. I was able to cling to the HOPE that one day I would see all my new friends again. Our hopefulness goes beyond an emotion; it is truth backed up in Scripture.

God knows hard times stand in our path. He knows we need something to help us persevere. And He provides. In those hard times, we can hold tightly to the hope that we forever have an all-access pass to heaven because of God's gift of grace. And as His children, we can boast in the glory of God and fill ourselves with HOPE of an everlasting life with our perfect Creator!

This month's memory verse

20 For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin.

The Righteousness of God Through Faith

21 But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it—

– Romans 3:20–21

1. What are areas or sins in your life that are overtaking your ability to find true hope in the glory of God?

2. What are some verses that can point you to peace with God and hopefulness in the midst of brokenness and trials?

3. Are you trying to earn God's grace and prove to others and yourself why you deserve it? Or are you allowing yourself to receive His grace that we so do not deserve?

Heaven