It was not through the law that Abraham and his offspring received the promise that he would be heir of the world, but through the righteousness that comes by faith. For if those who depend on the law are heirs, faith means nothing and the promise is worthless, because the law brings wrath. And where there is no law, there is no transgression. Therefore, the promise comes by faith so that it may be by grace and may be guaranteed to all Abraham’s offspring—not only to those who are of the law but also to those who have the faith of Abraham. He is the father of us all. As it is written: “I have made you a father of many nations.” He is our father in the sight of God, in whom he believed—the God who gives life to the dead and calls into being things that were not. Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, “So shall your offspring be.” Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead—since he was about a hundred years old—and that Sarah’s womb was also dead. Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised. This is why “it was credited to him as righteousness.” The words “it was credited to him” were written not for him alone, but also for us, to whom God will credit righteousness—for us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification.

When applying for and interviewing for an open position, one topic that may come up or be presented by the interviewer is the idea of a benefits package. 'What are the benefits that come with this job?' you may ask. 'What things go along with the salary for this position?' It might be health insurance, a retirement plan, or even a gym membership, and sometimes, the benefits can be better than the salary. The benefits can determine if the position is worth it and greatly play into our final decision to take the job or turn it down. The point here is that benefits can be very important and should never be overlooked.

In today's passage, Paul presents the benefits of salvation, not only in heaven but right here in this life as well. Very soon after the writing of Romans, the church would be intensely persecuted by the Roman emperors, and it would seem that being a Christian had no benefit to it at all. So, in advance of that quickly approaching horror, Paul, being led by the Holy Spirit, writes to strengthen the faith of new converts by reminding them of what exactly they now have in Christ and how that new possession is far greater than anything they could ever lose. Paul explains that through salvation, Christians now have peace with God and stand in grace. These are very important benefits that the average reader of Paul's letter (both then and now) might not fully grasp. Paul takes a moment to explain why he would often end or begin his letters with the phrase "grace and peace be with you" and the significance of those words. Martin Luther is quoted as saying this concerning that very phrase: “In the whole Bible, there is hardly another phrase that can equal this triumphant text." Peace with God is the first benefit because the price owed for sin has been paid in full by the work of Jesus on the cross, and God’s justice and potential wrath towards us is eternally satisfied. This is not the peace of God spoken of in other passages, such as Philippians 4:7. This is peace with God, and there is a significant difference. The battle between God and our flesh self is finished – and God won, winning and purchasing us in the process. Some never knew they were out of peace with God, but they were like drivers ignoring the red lights of a police car in their rear-view mirror; they are in trouble even if they don’t know it, and that trouble will soon catch up to them with serious consequences. This peace with God saves us from God's wrath, and this peace can only come through Christ. Ephesians 2:14 even tells us Jesus himself is our peace. We have peace with God because we have Jesus, and when God looks at us, he only sees Jesus. The Bible doesn’t tell us we have peace with the devil, peace with the world, peace with the flesh, or peace with sin. Life is still a battle for Christians, but it is no longer a battle against God himself. It is now us fighting for Him and with Him instead of against Him! We have peace with God because we are now in His Kingdom instead of the domain of darkness, and this is an amazing benefit of salvation.

The second benefit we have in Christ is a standing in grace. This unmerited and undeserved favor is given through Jesus and gained by faith but is also continued in faith. Many Christians begin in grace but then think they must go on to perfection and spiritual maturity by dealing with God on the principle of law and works, with the ideas of earning, performing, and deserving. Standing in grace means I don’t have to continually prove I am worthy of God’s love and mercy. Standing in grace means that God is my friend, and the door of access to Him is permanently open. We do not come into the presence of God out of our own strength or accomplishments but in the strength and accomplishments of Jesus, who acts as our 'introducer' to God. The perfect verb tense of 'have access' also indicates that this is a standing of permanent possession and privilege. We will always have access to the Father because of Jesus, and it cannot and will not be stripped away at a later time. We do not need to fear that God will suddenly become angry with us, change his mind, and take away the benefits He had previously given. In this passage, Paul also speaks of many tribulations that he knew were soon coming and could potentially act as a counterbalance to the benefits. However, tribulations can also be beneficial. Paul lived a life full of tribulations and knew the truth of this better than anyone. A runner must be stressed to gain endurance. Sailors must go to sea. Soldiers must go to battle. For Christians, tribulation is just part of their lives, and in tribulation, we can be refined in the fire and come out looking more like Jesus on the other side. As Christians, we should not desire or hope for a tribulation-free life, especially knowing how God uses those tribulations for his glory and also for our spiritual growth and maturity. One virtuous quality builds upon another as we grow in the pattern of Jesus. Most Christians want to develop character and have more hope, but these qualities spring out of perseverance, which comes through tribulation. We may wish to have better character and more hope without starting with tribulation, but that isn’t God’s pattern and plan. And in any tribulation, no matter the circumstance, we can hold our heads high, knowing that's its worth it and the benefits and blessing on the other side far outweigh anything we could ever lose in this life.