1Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,2through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. 3Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.
6You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. 7Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. 8But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
9Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him! 10For if, when we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! 11Not only is this so, but how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.
12Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned— 13for before the law was given, sin was in the world. But sin is not taken into account when there is no law. 14Nevertheless, death reigned from the time of Adam to the time of Moses, even over those who did not sin by breaking a command, as did Adam, who was a pattern of the one to come.
15But the gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died by the trespass of the one man, how much more did God’s grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, overflow to the many! 16Again, the gift of God is not like the result of the one man’s sin: The judgment followed one sin and brought condemnation, but the gift followed many trespasses and brought justification. 17For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ.
18Consequently, just as the result of one trespass was condemnation for all men, so also the result of one act of righteousness was justification that brings life for all men. 19For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous.
20The law was added so that the trespass might increase. But where sin increased, grace increased all the more, 21so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
What a remarkable chapter of God’s word and revelation of the gospel of Jesus Christ. I have taken the liberty of highlighting phrases and words that jumped out me as I read and reread Romans 5. The resulting emphasis is amazing and wonderful. There is a series of causes and results as follows.
v1 “We have been justified…we have peace”
vs 2,3 “We have gained….we now stand” “we rejoice in hope….we rejoice in sufferings…..because we know”
v5 “God has poured out His love…He has given”
vs6-8 “Christ died for the ungodly….died for us…..God demonstrates”
v9 “we have now been justified….how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath?”
v10 “We were reconciled….we have been reconciled….we shall be saved through His life
v11 “how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath…have now received reconciliation.
v15 “God’s grace….the gift….overflow”
v16 “The gift….brought justification”
v17 “those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness….reign in life”
v18 “One act of righteousness….life for all men”
v19 “through the obedience of the one man…. the many will be made righteous”
v20 “grace might reign through righteousness… to bring… eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
This is the justified sinner’s declaration of dependence. At least a dozen times in this rich chapter Christ is referenced. He came, His death, His life, His obedience, His gift…
The story of redemption and the grace of God toward wicked sinners is not about a partnership. It is about a benevolent God who in grace and mercy obeyed in the sinners stead, He died in the sinners place, He was raised again because of the sinners justification, and we reconciled sinners are alive forever by His life.
God is a lover of sinful, wicked people…and he loves you. He spoke and things lept into existence from nothing except His power. He needs no help to make sinful men and women fit for heaven. The work was done before we got here. Our decree of pardon has been signed, sealed and delivered. The gospel extends God’s offer to receive the gift and live.
This is the love of God, this is the grace of God, this is to the glory of God alone.
Royce
I am a Church of Christ guy and in our tradition the word “gospel” is heard often. The context in part is “gospel preacher”, an often used term on a preacher’s resume’, many of our churches have annual “gospel meetings”, and perhaps one of the most heard in our circle of friends is “obey the gospel”, meaning responding to the gospel by being baptized.
Grace Digest 