18. Romans Chapter 5 Verses 1-2 - Messages In Romans – Countless Benefits And Blessings Flow From Justification - Message 18 Series

18. ROMANS CHAPTER 5 VERSES 1- MESSAGES IN ROMANS – COUNTLESS BENEFITS AND BLESSINGS FLOW FROM JUSTIFICATION - MESSAGE 18

[A]. TAKING UP FROM THE END OF CHAPTER 4

{{Romans 4:25 He who was delivered up because of our transgressions, and was raised because of our justification.”}}

It is with verse 25 that a whole new section begins. This is an example where the arbitrary chapter divisions have failed. The chapters have carried down from 1611 but here in Romans, this last verse of chapter 4 belongs in chapter 5.

Verse 25 is one of the most precise statements in the New Testament scriptures and one of the most important, and justification is a key New Testament word. It hones in on the gospel. Just a personal note here. I think it is a most sad move that so many churches have departed from sound doctrinal teaching, and lessons in theology. Doctrine and theology are the skeleton that holds faith upright so that it does not wander off or collapse. Paul wrote a doctrinal letter to the Ephesian church, as he did in Romans, and we must never shy away from the great teachings of scripture.

I think it is sad these days that so many churches have moved away from the sound doctrinal teaching into an experience theology, which is not really theology at all. This detracts from the settled assurance of the believer.

It was not merely the death of Christ that saves us, for that in isolation without the burial and the resurrection, would mean Christ was no more everlasting in the effectiveness of sacrifice than any of the animals slain on a Jewish altar. The resurrection was essential.

[A]. VERSES 1-2. WHERE WILL JUSTIFICATION NOW LEAD US?

{{Romans 5:1 “Therefore HAVING BEEN JUSTIFIED by faith, we have PEACE with God through our Lord Jesus Christ

Romans 5:2 through whom also WE HAVE OBTAINED our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we exult in HOPE of the glory of God.”}}

We pass from chapter 4 into 5 with a statement of confirmation, and with nothing “maybe” about it, but the strongest affirmation of the position of a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ. In verse 1 there are three positional statements. The first is the FACT of justification; the second is the RESULT of justification; and the third is the AGENCY of justification.

THE FACT

In verse 1 the FACT of justification is “Having been justified,” which is a past tense in the Greek and there is no doubt there as to the prospect of acceptance that some say we can’t know until the end. It is sad that a number of people who are church goers hope (wishfully) that they will be alright in the end. I have had a few in my bible study group who could never have the assurance of salvation and they hope they will be received in heaven. I think some considered their lives “not too bad”.

“having been justified”. The verb form here is in the aorist tense while the “we have obtained” in verse 2 is in the perfect tense. I won’t spend time going deeper into this but I like the simple explanation found on Dr Google – [[“What is the difference between the aorist tense and the perfect tense? The aorist tense in Greek represents a single and complete action in the past. The perfect tense represents a past action which still affects the present - the aorist has no affect on the present.”]]

Thus we have been justified, a once only action. Case closed. The aorist is used here as well – {{1Corinthians 12:13 “for by one Spirit WE WERE ALL BAPTISED INTO ONE BODY, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit”}}. When we became believers we were ALL baptised into one Body, the Body of Christ. This is the aorist, a once for all operation not to be repeated. That is why I can not accept the second baptism, “being baptised in the Spirit” that some hold to with indefinable noises. There is no second baptism of the Spirit.

Paul does not want that and emphasises to the Romans the fact of justification. There is no maybe about this. We HAVE BEEN justified if we belong to Jesus. I desire ministers and pastors to know with the greatest certainty the great doctrines and the theology of the bible. Faith is built upon these doctrines. Why do you think Paul was so precise in Romans and Galatians as to our position in Christ? Once that is confirmed, our living faith pursues from that and has the solid basis on which to proceed.

We have been justified through faith. Believing faith seals the fact of justification. It is sometimes said, “Justified means just as if I’d never sinned.” It may be a bit on the simplistic side of things but I see the point. There are some great biblical words for coming into a right state with God, and among these we have salvation, redemption, reconciliation, justification, in one sense, eternal synonyms. They are wonderful statements taken singularly.