In The Throne Room

This is an exegetical sermon on Romans 5:2 titled, In The Throne Room and looks at our eternal standing before God in his throne room. This sermon was originally preached by Pastor Duane Smets on May 20, 2006 at The Resolved Church in San Diego, CA. Audio unavailable.

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::The Resolved:: Sunday May 20, 2006

“In The Throne Room”
Romans 5:2

Duane Matthew Smets (elder)

Introduction

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

God above, the more I know of myself and the more I experience in life with your people the more I am convinced that we truly are a wandering and wavering people. in what we think are our highest moments are often our lowest and when we are the most broken and confused is often when you are most at work in us. That your church is compared to sheep in your word is so telling of what we are like. We are so easily blinded to what is going on in our lives and we stray off in every sort of wrong direction there is so easily. It is for this reason that we come to bow our heads before your holy word. We need it to tell us who we are, who you are, and how we might find satisfaction and hope. For those who are yet unpersuaded by the gospel in this place may tonight be the night that your justifying grace is imparted. Teach us your word, and as we learn may we become wrapped up in your glory I pray. Holy Spirit empower your word. Amen.

The picture of spiritual standing – the throne room

Some people say that there are visual learners who learn things better through pictures or stories and that there are other people who just see things really mathematic and black and white. I’m not so sure that every person either falls into one class or the other. personally, I’m probably a little of both and regardless of how much of a visual learner you are I think that most of us basically do identify with pictures because we as humans experience life through looking at images we interact with from the world around us. The bible is full of images and pictures that are the very things through which we discover great truths about God, ourselves and this life. And this passage is one where the key to understanding it is understanding a certain picture that this passage is built upon. Every significant thing that this verse says is related to this picture.

So here is the picture. It is a throne room. Two weeks ago Justin preached from Romans 5:1 about having peace with God. The picture there was of the moral judge of the universe sitting on his throne and making a way for there to be peace between him and his enemies, us. and the week before that I preached on the significance of the word “trespass” in the last verse or Romans 4 by taking us to a passage in Isaiah 6, where Isaiah the prophet has this vision of God seated on a throne in heaven, wearing a magnificent robe, while two angels fly back and forth in front of him calling out “holy, holy, holy, is the lord of hosts, the whole earth is full of his glory.”

And that picture is the same picture that our verse tonight, Romans 5:2 is using to communicate to us some amazing things about the greatness of the gospel of Jesus Christ and its impact in our lives. But before you just assume that I am right, that the picture of Romans 5:2 is a throne room, let’s do our homework and I’ll show you why.

There are two reasons that demonstrate to us that God’s throne room is the picture presented here and is thus the key to understanding what is being said. The first one I already mentioned, and that is the context. The idea of a trespass in the end of chapter four has to do with offending a ruler, namely a king. And in verse one; peace is the opposite of being at war with God, the king. So that is the first reason, the context. The other reason comes from within our verse and it is the word “introduction” or “access” depending on which translation you have. “Through him we have also obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand.”

“Introduction” or “access.” These are both English translations from the Greek word prosagoge which specifically has to do with “a person being conducted into the presence of royalty.” In the first century when the bible was written, they did not have democracies like today. Instead there were just kings or emperors, these great rulers who made decisions about how their people would live and how their country would be run. And when someone was prosagoge(ed), they were brought into the presence of the king or emperor, who would be seated down, and that person would get down on one or both knees and then have their interaction with the king.

So that is the picture of Romans 5:2, a throne room, and all the elements of this verse sort of depend on that picture. There are a few different ways God shows himself in the bible, but this picture of him on a throne as the king over all is one of the primary pictures. lately, in the morning when I get up I’ve been reading the book of 1 Samuel and a few chapters ago I read the story where the people are telling Samuel that they want a king to rule over them and Samuel gets frustrated because God is the one who they are supposed to be following and he knows that a human king will end up making them miserable. So Samuel goes to God and tells him what the people are saying and this is how God responds to Samuel, “they have not rejected you, but they have rejected me from being king over them (1 Samuel 7:7).”

You see, God is a king, the king of the universe and all that it within it. And that is good for us to know. It is a good way for us to have some sort of conception of who this being is. Today I’m afraid that much of our conceptions about God are very vague…like God is mainly this unknown or this feeling or whatever. And there is some mystery to who God is…but in our attempts to find some way to connect with this God it will greatly benefit us to come to him recognizing that he is a king.

Justifying grace – its start and its end

And he is not only the king because everything we have ever set our eyes on in this world comes from him, but also because he is a worthy ruler. And that is what Romans 5:2 describes, how God the king shows himself to be glorious being worth of pursuing. Let’s see how.

The first thing is the phrase, “this grace.” Romans 5:2 “Through him [God] we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand…” we have learned some basic things already in Romans about grace. Namely that it is the undeserved favor of God toward humans. That is a basic definition of God’s grace, that he will act in favorable or beneficial ways towards humans who do not deserve it. But notice that word before grace here in Romans 5:2, “this,” “this grace.” With the word “this” Paul, the author of Romans is pointing backward to something he has already written about what particular grace he is talking about because God’s favor toward humans could be a number of things. But he has one particular grace in mind here, “this grace.”

So what is “this grace” in Romans? Here it is, Romans 3:22-24, listen, “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God and are justified by his grace as a gift through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.” Did you here it? All humans are screwed up. we have done screwed up things and we all have this beast inside all of us at any time can easily cause us to either erupt with or gravitate towards things that just make a mess of our lives. But despite that, despite our unfavorable condition, God has grace, favor toward us. And what kind of grace? The kind where we are “justified by” that is why it says “justified by his grace as a gift through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.” So this grace is the grace that justifies us through Jesus Christ.

And we have been learning what that means here at the resolved church. The past few months we have been returning to the act of Jesus Christ’s death and resurrection and seeing it with a deeper depth. this grace is the underserved gift of Jesus Christ who takes our place, where we belong, on a cross, and then rises again promising eternal life and joy to all those who believe that what he did physically in history does in fact have massive implications for eternity for all who trust him. Let me try and simplify it a little. Jesus Christ opens up God and his glory to us. He makes a way for us to connect with God, to know him and commune with him.

Now, all of that about “this grace” is sort of review about what we have been learning. Here are the new things that this passage says about “this grace,” two things. First, it has a beginning point. And second, it has a never-ending point.

The beginning point…there is a point in which one, deep down in the soul, makes a transition. they transition from being an object of wrath, one that God despises and closes himself off to for its raw ugly sinfulness and then they transition into being an object of grace, whom God puts Jesus Christ’s perfect work over them so that they are right or okay when God sees them.

And there is a point in which transaction occurs in a person. Look at again at the word “access” or “introduced.” I said earlier this word describes one being brought before royalty. so “this grace” is the one that gives us Christ on the cross and thus when we are brought before God the king, he can freely lavish us with glory because he sees that our sin and its eternal punishment has been taken care of by his eternal son Jesus. Through grace we are brought near to God, we are given access or introduced to him.

That is the beginning point, when you start to believe that God is what you want and you realize you have a problem and you recognize that Jesus Christ is what you need and you trust Him to save you. And at that moment, “this grace” happens and our standing begins. Look at the Romans 5:2 again where it says that this grace is “one in which we stand.”

This word “stand” is interesting word. First of all it is interesting because we as we have been studying Romans we have said many times that the overall picture of the book is of a courtroom, where God is the supreme judge and that all of humanity is on trial and that each person has a guilty sentence or standing before Him. Today we are seeing God as king and that the gospel can bring us near so that we can stand before him by having the justifying grace of Jesus Christ.

But there is something else here in the word “stand” that communicates something about grace. And that is how long we get this access. We are introduced and given access, but there is a question of how long we get to stay there? How long “this grace” lasts? And the answer is forever. It is an unending grace. There are three reasons why I say this.

One, grace as we said earlier is undeserved so it doesn’t begin by being dependant on who we are or what we have done. And if it doesn’t begin because of us it will not end because of us. It is from the free favor of God alone. Grace does not depend on human action or affection but on God alone. So grace lasts forever because it is grace.

Two, is the word “obtained.” Notice it is past tense. It is something one has or possesses. You own it as it was even though it was something given to you. It is a permanent possession and cannot be taken back or stolen. God is not one who changes his mind. Once he decides to impart grace to a person he will not stop. His loving grace is wholly not conditional upon how we treat him or each other. He imparts it freely when it is underserved.

Three, is back to this word “stand.” There is a sense that what is being communicated here is that this access or introduction to God is just the beginning and once you are there you are state of relationship with him that will not change, it is as it were, a permanent standing. “this grace” is one in which a transaction occurs inside of us so that we receive a standing with God and from that point on are free to come to him whenever we desire. Listen to the words of Hebrews 4:17, “Therefore, let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”

Okay, so let me summarize the last 10 minutes. “This grace” is justifying grace, which means it makes us just or right before God through enabling us to trust in the person and work of Jesus Christ. This grace is given to us in a specific moment in time. We experience it when we discover for the first time that we do in fact trust that Jesus Christ act on the cross takes care of our sin problem. This grace brings us into the presence of God the king. And this grace grants us an ongoing standing with him which is ours and it cannot and will not change.

Our action in God’s activity – experiencing the gospel

now, I’m guessing that some of you may have some lingering questions or maybe all of this just sort of seems “out there” because so far I have mostly just been talking about God…that he’s a king, that he grants grace, that grace is about Jesus, and that it doesn’t start with us or end with us. Notice I haven’t really said much about us, you and me, how we participate in this, what our role is.

It is at this point where much of popular Christianity will put a huge emphasis on your personal decision. they will have these wonderfully crafted, story filled sermons, all geared toward the end when these preachers will try to get people to make a “decision” for Jesus Christ and to demonstrate it in some way, by coming up front or praying a prayer or something. And the problem is that what is described here in Romans 5:2 is something different and it is a verse in the bible which specifically refers to the point in which a person becomes a Christian.

So here is my question, according to this passage it is all by “this grace” from God to us, it is all God’s activity, so what are we to do? Just look at the verse, is there anything implied that we are to do? As I did this in my study time what I found instead of a call to do something in order to get introduced to God, was rather an experience of what happens when one is introduced to God.

And it seems like there are three main experiences and that they are really more like discoveries. And they seem to be presented as universal for all of us because of the word “we.” “We have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand and we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.” So here are the points in which I believe we as humans experience the gospel, it’s about as close as I can get to me saying what our part is.

First is guilt. Jonathan Edwards argues strongly and convincingly that guilt of conscience and fear of death are universal human experiences and that they are therefore the chief points in which someone will first find in themselves the need for the gospel of Jesus Christ. Guilt is easy to find within us. Just at the mention of it I can easily start remembering things I have done wrong, people I have hurt, wicked affections within me. If you start to think about them even for a moment we start realizing our massive need for the gospel.

Second is this sense of obtaining. We obtain access. It is true that there is a very personal involvement in becoming a Christian where you sense something different, you sense yourself moving out from a place of uncertainty and distrust to a place of confidence and assurance and acceptance from God. This is where it the idea of a decision makes some sense because when “this grace” comes we find ourselves wrestling internally with our souls. That may be happening with some of you even tonight. You may feel a longing for God and for the satisfaction that comes from knowing Him and you may find yourself wrestling with your will which has many objections that attempt to hinder you from being moved into the presence of God the king.

Third is the experience of joy and the longing for more of it. When our souls wear out and God’s spirit floods in and we find solace in his acceptance of us and his provision in Jesus Christ, we discover relief and with that joy. It is not always joyful laughter though it may be; it seems most often to come with feels of satisfaction like finally being able to breathe after not having air. And then after awhile these feelings subside because God has much he wants to work in us after we first encounter him. And when they subside we will undoubtedly hit the trials of life which can even cause us to want to abandon God and run away. And that is when we discover hope. The assured longing for joy to return and for it not to leave.

There is a good analogy that helps me understand what happens with this whole thing and it is that when we are introduced into this standing with God…it is as though our spirits are actually brought into the very presence of God in heaven way up there, but we feel it while we remain down here in our bodies. And between now and the time when we either die or when the end of everything comes we are longing to be physically present with God. I long to see God face to face. I long to be in heaven when there will be no more struggle or pain. I long to see beauty and to be joyfully amazed unceasingly. I long to be happy forevermore. I long for the glory of God.

The glory of God. The hope of the glory of God. Let me quote john piper here,
The greatness of the joy of this experience is beyond all imagination. That’s what Paul says in 1 Corinthians 2:7-9, “we speak God’s wisdom . . . which He predestined before the ages to our glory. . . .’What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man conceived, God has prepared for those who love him.’” When Paul was caught up into heaven to see it, he was forbidden to put it into words. He says he “was caught up into Paradise and heard inexpressible words, which a man is not permitted to speak” (2 Corinthians 12:4). In the midst of his sufferings he said that this “momentary, light affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison.” According to Romans 9:23 the final goal of all creation, judgment, and salvation is this: “To make known the riches of His glory upon vessels of mercy, which He prepared beforehand for glory.” Not just glory, but “riches of glory.”
We were made to enjoy the riches of the glory of God.

Conclusion

Here is my conclusion. People of the resolved, rejoice! Rejoice that you have obtained a standing with the king. Rejoice that the king imparts grace to you. Rejoice that you get Christ so freely through faith. Rejoice that this standing with God is one that will not change, that his grace is permanent. Rejoice in finding satisfaction in the many many reflections of God’s glory in this world he has made. Rejoice in hopefully longing for the day when you will see God himself with your eyes in that throne room. As your pastor i would err not to tell you that there are days when you will find no joy. In that hour, when you have done everything to stand firm, stand. Know your standing and return to this book and this verse and discover the depth of God once again. God is a glorious God my friends and in Him alone will we find what we long for.