CHAPTER 5

1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:
2 By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

"Therefore" refers to what has been written in Romans 3.
(If you haven't read it....DO!)

"Justified by faith" is simply surrendering to Christ, and becoming justified in God's sight.
(See Romans 4:5)

Having been justified by faith through surrender to Christ, a sinner receives "peace with God!"
UNTIL a person surrenders to Christ:
1) There is animosity toward God's law,
2) There is anger toward an inevitable judgment,
3) There is agitation toward Gospel preaching.

When a person IS surrendered to Christ, two tremendous benefits influence the remainder of his/her life: "GRACE" and the "hope of the GLORY of God!"

1) "Grace" is translated from the Greek charis which means favor; and in this case DIVINE favor!
We LIVE by Divine favor!

Were it not for the grace of God, none of us would be alive!
God "formed man out of the dust of the ground!" (Genesis 2:7)
And God GAVE man and woman the honor of propagation ... producing children.

Were it not for the grace of God, sinners would never be saved!
God CALLS to sinners hearts and convits of sin, convinces of the Savior Jesus, and calls us to a commitment to Christ.
"For by GRACE are ye saved...." (Eph. 2:8)

2) "The hope of the glory of God" is a realization!
It is a realization that comes to a saved sinner.
The saved sinner knows the promises of God.
The promises of God include an eternal life WITH God in a glorious heaven without sickness, sorrow, crying, or dying because there will be no sin in that place! (Revelation 21:4)

No eye has seen, nor ear heard the wondrous glory God has prepared for those who trust in Christ!!
(See Isaiah 64:4 and 1Corinthians 2:9)

That "hope" is secured in Christ Himself!
He rose from the dead and ascended into heaven!
And so shall all those who believe and trust in Him!

3 And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience;
4 And patience, experience; and experience, hope:
5 And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.

When a person is saved, "tribulations" are not as difficult, because we know what comes NEXT!

My dad used to say, "Be careful what you ask for. If you ask for patience, you will first receive tribulation!"

God knows how to weave the sweater of life perfectly!
When the thread of "tribulation" enters, He also weaves in patience to endure and overcome.
This gives us experience, and experience produces hope.
Having endured and overcome one trial, we have hope that we can also endure and overcome the next one.

And, this is done by GRACE, because God's Holy Spirit works in our hearts toward this end!

That's the same GRACE that brought Christ into the world!
He came to LIVE perfectly, DIE perfectly and RISE from the dead perfectly; so that He can offer STRENGTH to sinners!

6 For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.
7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die.
8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

You and I weren't even born when Christ died for us!
But God knew we WOULD BE born!
AND, He knew we would be "ungodly"!

Very few people would die for another person.
We do see it happen, but "scarcely".

But God DEMONSTRATED His love for us in this manner:
He sent Christ to DIE for our sinful souls before we were ever born!

God did that so that He can offer us eternal salvation through what Jesus accomplished!

9 Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.

Having surrendered to Christ then, you are "justified by His blood!"
His blood is GOD'S blood!
His blood is HOLY blood offered for UNholy mankind!
His life was a PERFECT Life offered for IMperfect people!

And it is through surrender to Jesus that we shall be "saved from wrath!"
There WILL be a judgment day!
Christ will sit on the seat of judgment for ALL mankind! (See Romans 14:10 and 2Corinthians 5:10)

On that day God's wrath will be poured out upon all those who have NOT surrendered to Jesus.
God's wrath is ETERNAL!
That wrath will endure FOREVER!

I'm so glad to know I have surrendered my life to Jesus!
On that judgment day, I will be acquitted because of His blood shed for me.

Can YOU say the same?

10 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.

The Bible declares that the "carnal mind is enmity against God".
The carnal mind is a fleshly mind; endowed with all the selfish frailties, and without influence of God's Holy Spirit in salvation.
That mind is "enmity" or AT WAR with God!

Yet when that person is surrendered to Christ, he is made a NEW CREATURE! (See 2Corinthians 5:17)
He is BORN AGAIN, and begins being made into the image of Christ. ( 2Corinthians 3:18)

And, that person is "reconciled" to God through surrender to Christ!
He is made one with God through the atonement that Christ already made.

Therefore the saved person will be "saved by HIS life!"
I'm not saved because of MY life; I'm still a SINNER!
But, I will be totally and perfectly saved by HIS life; because He is ever living!
Christ is the eternal Son!

"Because He lives, I can face tomorrow,
Because He lives, all fear is gone;
Because I know He holds the future,
And life is worth the living,
Just because He lives!"
((From BECAUSE HE LIVES, written by Bill and Gloria Gaither))

THEREFORE.....

11 And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement.

Through knowing Christ, we can have "JOY in God through our Lord Jesus Christ!"

Christ has MADE the "atonement"!
Those who have surrendered to Him have RECEIVED the "atonement"!

Atonement is translated from the Greek katallage.
It means restored to oneness with God!

A saved sinner has CLOSENESS with God!
He/she can:
PRAY anytime!
STUDY the Bible and KNOW God will perform the miracle of granting understanding!

ATONEMENT -- which I label "At One Ment"!

12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:
13(For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law.
14 Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come.
15 But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many.
16 And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift: for the judgment was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offences unto justification.
17 For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.)

The "law" was not given until Moses (many, many years after Adam). But "death reigned from Adam to Moses" and still reigns today! That's because "...the wages of sin is death!"
From Adam to the very last person, death is the ultimate result of sin!

The word "offence" is translated from the Greek paraptoma, which has the sense of FALL. When Adam & Eve sinned, they fell from the grace of God, and received the penalty of sin -- death. But the "free gift" of God is eternal life through Christ our Lord.
He came into the world bringing God's grace back to man!

Though the "offence" was by "one man,"Adam (and fell upon all mankind);
the "gift" through Jesus Christ covers ALL "offenses", and is also given to all mankind.

Jesus is the "God-man" Who PAID for our offenses with His own blood.
And all that receive Him as Lord also receive the gift of eternal life (John 3:16).

Death (by sin) "reigned"; But LIFE by Christ REIGNS!
And it reigns even OVER death!

PRAISE GOD!
When a person surrenders to Christ, immortal death is taken AWAY, and immortal LIFE is given!

18 Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.
19 For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.

Through Christ, and through Christ ALONE, man can be JUSTIFIED before God!

When one surrenders to Christ, he/she receives the BLOOD that atones for ALL sin!
Through Jesus' "obedience" we are made RIGHTEOUS before God!

20 Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound:
21 That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.

The "law" was given so that sin would be KNOWN!
And, the sense of sin in so many forms was revealed to man.
Indeed, in many forms of evil sin ABOUNDED, because men are sinners all, and all the time sinners.

But Christ entered the world to bring the mercy and grace of God to man!
And through Him, we can have "eternal life".

Physical death is the result of sin against God.
It is God's punishment for not living in the manner He planned for us to live.
Yes, it is brought upon us by ONE man's choice.
But, we must realize that one man represented EVERY man.
And, sin is EVERY man's choice!

Praise God for His mercy and grace toward sinners!
He is willing to substitute Jesus' sacrifice for ALL our sins!
He is will to accept us in the Beloved, and adopt us (through Jesus) as "sons of God!"
(See Ephesians 1:6, and John 1:12.)

PLEASE CONTINUE WITH US IN BIBLE STUDY TOMORROW.
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