Village Schools of the Bible

ROMANS: Heart & Soul of the Gospel
A Devotional Study of Romans
by Max Frazier, Jr.

ROMANS 5:1-11 - Salvation: The Blessing that Accompanies Justification

This week our study takes us into the fifth chapter of Romans. Verses 1-11 begin a discussion on the blessings that accompany justification, namely our salvation. Justification is not only the first or initial blessing, it carried with it every other blessing of the Christian life. When a man is justified, he has everything that God has to give. In this passage there are two key phrases: "we have" - some possessions come with justification; and "we shall be".

Verse 1: "being justified by faith"

Tense of the verb indicates an accomplished fact. It occurred at the time of faith. We cannot grow into justification. We cannot be more and more justified. It is not a continuous process at all.

"we have peace with God"

Does not mean a feeling of peace (see Isaiah 48:18,23). There is enmity between God and the wicked (see Romans 5:10 and Romans 8:7). When a man is justified, that enmity is taken away and there is peace between the sinner and God. There is both an internal and external peace, the latter is what Paul is discussing (see Isaiah 53:5 - Christ was punished for our sins, and that brought peace between us and God. See Ephesians 2:14 - Christ makes peace in our relationship with God; He does not make us feel peaceful. See Ephesians 2:17 - Christ took away the enmity and He preached peace to me).

Verse 2: "we have access"

God, in Christ, has not only taken away the enmity, but He has made it possible for the sinner to have access into the very presence of God. The perfect tense indicates that Christ has achieved a complete and continuous access for us (see Ephesians 2:18).

"our standing with God"

How can a sinner stand in the presence of a holy God? (see Psalm 130:3 and Revelation 6:17 and Psalm 1:5). Our standing is in Christ Jesus, the only place any man will ever be able to stand. That standing is maintained by grace alone.

"our rejoicing in the hope of glory"

The glory of God is the likeness of God. God's glory is what God is in character, in essential power, and in external appearance. Our hope is to be like Jesus Christ in every respect (see Romans 8:29).

Glorification for the Christian is putting on fully the likeness of God Himself as it is revealed in Christ Jesus.

Verse 3: "our rejoicing in tribulation"

It does not mean "I thank God in spite of my tribulations." It does not mean "I thank God for my tribulations." It means that we praise God for the things that come into our lives (see Romans 8:17, 18 - suffering leads to glory; see also Second Corinthians 4:17). We rejoice in tribulation because we know it works patience. Tribulation in the true child of God produces steadfastness, patience, and a closeness to God. Tribulation in the professed child of God produces only hardness of heart.

Verse 4: "experience"

Experience is the proof of testing. Hope completes the circle. Hope of the glory of God (leads to) tribulations (which leads to) steadfastness (which leads to) experience (which leads to) hope of the glory of God.

Verse 5: "love of God shed abroad in our hearts" (see Colossians 1:27)

"we have the Holy Spirit" (see Acts 1:8)

Verse 6: "Christ died for us"

The proof of God's love is that we know He will not forsake us. Return to Study Notes Index

Verse 9: "we shall be saved from wrath"

Wrath would be the thing that would destroy our "hope of glory." We have immunity from wrath to come.

Verse 10: "we shall be saved by His life"

We shall be kept safe by His life (see Hebrews 7:25; John 14:19; Romans 8:32,34 - His death wiped out our sins. It is the death of Christ that wiped out all our sins and gives us justification and righteousness in the sight of God. It is His life that keeps us safe forever.

Verse 11: "we rejoice in God"

We are not afraid of Him any longer, but we actually rejoice in God.

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHTS:

Three times in this section Paul makes the statement

that his readers were to rejoice over something. Of course, we know that Paul always carried about a spirit of rejoicing. Who else do you know who would sing praises to God while sitting in a dark, damp prison cell? In almost every epistle Paul encourages a spirit of rejoicing. But for what are we to rejoice?

In verse 2, Paul said that we should rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. This comes as a consequence of our being justified through faith resulting in our having peace with God. Because we are no longer at war with God, we can anticipate a home surrounded by the glory of God. I have always wondered at what this glorious home will look like. I have come to the conclusion that Paul was right when he stated that it was beyond anything we could ever think or see. Wow! It will be amazing.

In verse 3, Paul states that we should rejoice in our sufferings. Ouch! I find it very difficult to think of rejoicing when i am not feeling well, or when my family goes through a troubling time. But I don't think Paul is telling us to get excited about the actual suffering, but to rejoice in what those sufferings can accomplish in our lives. Those times of difficulties force us to draw closer to the Lord and become more dependent upon Him so that our hope increases. But, I will be honest, that does not make the rejoicing come any easier. But it is good to know that God has a purpose for them.

Finally, in verse 11 Paul tells us to rejoice through our Lord Jesus Christ. Why? Because it is through Him that we have experienced reconciliation. What does it mean to be reconciled? The dictionary says it means to settle an argument or disagreement. Paul, in previous sections, has presented a careful case that while we were in our sins, we were at war with God. But God has settled that disagreement with the sending of His Son to die for us. Praise God we have been reconciled. No wonder we can have peace with God.

QUESTIONS TO PONDER AS ONE READS THIS SECTION:

1. What does it mean to you to have peace with God? How can our lives display this peace?

2. What does it mean to rejoice or exult in our tribulations? What are the proven results of tribulations? But why is it difficult for us to rejoice in our tribulations and what can we do about this problem? (Note: think about Job 1 and 2, and Paul in Second Corinthians 1).

3. From what wrath of God are we saved? Does this mean that God never gets angry with the believer? Why or why not?

Romans 4 Return to the Table of Contents Romans 5:12-21