Click HERE to read the passage.
My pondering focused largely on one verse out of this section – verse 20…
“The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.”
“The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet” – You will note that up to this point there has been no mention of Satan in Romans at all. And yet here in his closing remarks Paul reminds his Roman friends of the spiritual battle they are in. John Piper comments on this verse by saying three things: 1) Satan has been decisively defeated in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ 2) Satan is being defeated now by Christ through Christians who believe 3) Satan will be vanquished and thrown into the lake of fire never to deceive or torment the world again.
Past. Present. Future. Satan’s defeat is a done deal. And yet the battle is still being waged. But the good news, yea, the great news, is that victory is secure. A classic analogy of this is its parallel to the end of WWII. D-Day was June 6, 44 – The Allied forces invaded Normandy, breaking the back of the enemy and ensuring their total victory. Yet, the war lingered on even though the Nazis were defeated. Yet, it wasn’t till V-Day (May 7, 45) that the peace treaty was actually signed. Sadly, more people were killed during that period of D-day and V-day than any other period of the war.
Like that period between D-day & V day, we are living in a period where we know that our victory is secure yet we must continue to fight the good fight of the faith. There will be casualties as we fight but we press on knowing that our God will triumph and that the victor’s spoils are ours to eternally enjoy. So even as Paul reminds us of the battle, he follows up with this encouragement…
“The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you” – It is by God’s grace that we have been saved and it is by God’s grace that we will be sustained in the battle. God’s grace is indeed amazing!
Marvelous grace of our loving Lord,
Grace that exceeds our sin and our guilt!
Yonder on Calvary’s mount outpoured,
There where the blood of the Lamb was spilled.
Grace, grace, God’s grace,
Grace that will pardon and cleanse within;
Grace, grace, God’s grace,
Grace that is greater than all our sin.
Sin and despair, like the sea waves cold,
Threaten the soul with infinite loss;
Grace that is greater, yes, grace untold,
Points to the refuge, the mighty cross.
Grace to sustain us through all our days,
Grace for the long and lingering fight;
God in His triumph is worthy of praise
As the battle reveals His infinite might.
(From the Hymn ‘Grace Greater Than Our Sin’ – I took license by adding the last verse)
I will not post next week due to Thanksgiving but will finish up Romans the following week by pondering verses 16:25-27.