Romans 5:2
through whom also we have permanent access into this grace in which we permanently stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God
1 Corinthians 1:4
I thank my God always concerning you, for the grace of God which was given you in Christ Jesus.
2 Timothy 2:1
therefore, my child in the Lord, be continually strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.
From beginning to end, our entire Christian life is an immersion in the grace of God that is ours in Christ. An elementary explanation of what it means to be in union with Christ could be the example of a fish in the sea. When a fish is in the sea, the sea is also in the fish, and the fish is also totally surrounded by the sea. As a Christian, you are in Christ, and Christ is in you, and you are therefore surrounded by the atmosphere of his very existence. All this is yours as a free gift. It is all grace. Therefore it can be said that being in Christ is being immersed in the grace of God. God’s grace is infused with his glory because nothing reveals his true nature like his grace. His grace is the crème de la crème of His holiness. Ephesians 1:7 says that our entire salvation from beginning to the eternal ages is a free gift of grace, “in order that in the ages to come. He might show the surpassing riches of his grace in kindness towards us in our union with Christ Jesus.” Both our regeneration accomplished at the cross 2000 years ago, and our transformation into the image of Christ by the Holy Spirit daily is all a free gift of God’s grace. Every step that we take, and every situation we find ourselves in, we live by and are surrounded by God’s grace. According to Romans 5:2, you and I get to live in the constant, confident expectation (hope) of the atmosphere of God’s glory because we abide in the reality of the grace of God in Christ. It is an amazing renewal of our minds to respond to every situation and temptation exulting (that word literally means – “to boast in with your head held high”) in the grace and glory of God that we swim in. Growing in that consciousness is what Paul is referring to when he says that we are to be strong in the grace that is in Christ, because we are a people whose very identity is being in Christ Jesus. Instead of trying to be strong for Jesus, abundant life is having a strong conviction that we live every minute in and by the free gift of grace that is in Christ.