Romans 5:1-5
1Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. 3And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; 4and perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.
Peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ
After Paul explained in detail how all the world, (Jews and Non-Jews) were in need of Salvation, and could be saved through faith in the work of Christ, he uses the word, ‘therefore,’ meaning that there is something more that his readers need to take note of. He goes on to say that since we have all now been justified (made righteous) by faith in Jesus, we now have ‘peace with God.’ This is something that the entire world is searching for in more ways than one. All people are desperately seeking to be at peace with God. Since the fall of man, man has been seeking to get right with God, and he has tried several ways and means to be at peace with God, but in vain. Nothing that we do or don’t do, say or don’t say, can help us accomplish this peace with God. But now that we have been justified by God Himself, we are now at peace with Him. He reminds his readers that this peace with God came through nothing we had done, but rather through the work of Jesus Christ alone.
Access to this Grace
Not only do we now have peace with God, by believing in Jesus, but we also have access into this grace of God in which we now stand. Paul is referring to God’s unmerited favour as a place we have now arrived at. God is now pouring out His favour on those who put their trust in Him. His favour includes His acceptance, His love, protection, provision, joy, presence, and so much more. We do not deserve any of this, but God has given it all to all of us freely – that’s why it’s called grace.
Hope of the glory of God
He goes on to say that because of these privileges that we enjoy with God, we can now rejoice in the hope that we have, the hope that we will see God one day, and live with Him forever. There’s no greater hope a human can ever possess. When he uses the word, ‘hope,’ he’s not using it in the context of wishful thinking. The word, ‘hope,’ here, refers to a strong sense of assurance. We now have the assurance that we will behold God Himself, and live with Him forever, when we pass from this world, or if the Lord returns before we pass on. He seems to be telling them that there’s no longer a need to fear death. That’s the one thing that’s on most people’s minds, especially during these days of the pandemic. Death is merely a step from this world to the next, where we will live forever with God Himself.
Rejoice in the Hope-Perfecting Process
Paul goes on to say that there’s more to rejoice about. He says that not only do we not need to fear death, but we can also rejoice in the process we go through in perfecting this assurance that we possess.
1. Tribulation
Every Christian will go through tribulation in life, and instead of grumbling about it, or trying to avoid it or praying it away, he says that we need to glory (rejoice) in it. At first read, this might sound strange that he’s telling us that we need to rejoice in tribulation. It seems especially strange in today’s context, when there’s so much false, yet popular teaching that’s prevalent, where preachers are promising a life of ease and comfort, and persecution-free living. But as we read on, we’ll understand the process better.
2. Perseverance
He tells us that we need to know (remember, realise, bear in mind) that tribulation doesn’t just do something to us as much as it does in us. Let’s look at what it does in us. Tribulation produces perseverance. We now get a glimpse of the fact that there’s something more that the Lord wants to see happen in our lives. Not only does He want to see us justified through faith in His Son Jesus, but He also wants to transform our lives into His image as well. That image of God that was destroyed in the Garden of Eden, is being renewed all over again, so that we may once again enjoy that wonderful relationship with God. By image of God, it refers to the character or nature of God, where we begin to reflect God’s character in our lives.
The word, ‘perseverance,’ by its very definition, seems to suggest that it’s about going through a tough time, and sticking on in it until it’s over. There would be no need for perseverance if things were going well. An athlete would not need to persevere in a race, if he were not struggling in it already, overcoming any temptation to quit. He seems to say that the only way one can develop perseverance is for one to go through, and overcome tribulation. We cannot overcome what we do not undergo. It’s when we persevere, that we learn the lessons we need to learn in life. There’s no short-cut around persevering through tribulation, just as there’s no short-cut around a seedling pushing through the soil to grow into becoming the fruit-bearing plant or tree that it was meant to be.
3. Christ-like Character
The third step in this process of developing this hope in us, is Christ-like character. One’s character is not formed in a day, just as no real, lasting change takes place in a day. It takes time and effort to develop Christ-like character. When one goes through tribulation and perseveres under it, one develops this character that reflects the Master – Jesus. This kind of character cannot be shaken, no matter what happens in one’s life. When one goes through the fire, the mill and the sifter in life, and still remains strong in the Lord – what’s left is Christ-like character. Deep down most of us want to be people of good, strong Christ-like character, so that we reflect the Master in every way. If we give up during the persevering stage of tribulation, we run the risk of failing to develop the character of Jesus in our lives. Even Jesus, the Bible says, had to be made perfect through suffering. (Read Hebrews 2:10).
Unshakable Hope (Assurance)
Paul goes on to say that when that strong Christ-like character is formed in us, we have perfected this hope (assurance). Have you noticed how often, when we’re going through times of temptation, trouble or tribulation, we find ourselves questioning our salvation, our relationship with God and maybe even His love for us? That’s because we’re still in the process of perfecting that hope in our lives – that assurance in our lives. Once it’s perfected, we will never have such doubts or questions again. We will be sure that no matter what happens in our lives, nothing will change God’s love for us.
God will not disappoint us
He then assures us that if we possess this assurance in God, we will not be disappointed by Him and he goes on to give us proof for it. If God, has so poured out His love into our lives by His Holy Spirit whom He has given us, we can be sure that He will not disappoint us in the end. It was with this goal in mind, of seeing us live with Him forever that God created us in the first place. It was with this in mind that He prepared the way of salvation, that we might be saved, and it is with this goal in mind, that He will see us through this journey between now and the day when we behold Him face to face. And if this was God’s goal, we can be assured that this promise of eternal life will be fulfilled, just like Abraham’s promise was fulfilled by God, to become the Father of many nations.
Romans 5:6-11
6For when we were still without strength in due time Christ died for the ungodly. 7For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. 8But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. 10For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. 11And not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.
If we were Justified, we will also be Saved
Paul goes on to say that if, while we were still without strength (unable to do anything to save ourselves from sin, and its consequences), God, in His perfect time, sent Jesus to die for us ungodly people, then how much more, after being justified by His blood (His death), will we be saved from the wrath of God through our faith in Jesus. He takes a little detour and says, that it’s a very remote possibility that anyone would die for a righteous man, and then adds that someone might choose to give his life to save a good man. He then goes on to say that God was quite different, in that He demonstrated how much He loved us when He sent Jesus to die for us humans, while we were still sinners. That’s divine love. No earthly form of love can match that. This love caused Jesus to give His life to save us from the pangs of hell, and separation from God forever, and it caused us to be reconciled back with God.
He then asks a question. If when we were sinners, we were reconciled to God through Jesus’ death on our behalf, how much more won’t be we saved, now that He has been raised to life, and lives to intercede to the Father on our behalf? It’s like the Lord Jesus is saying to the Father – that’s one person I died for – He’s one of us – be merciful to him/her.
Rejoice in God along with Jesus
He adds one more reason why we should rejoice. He says that we need to rejoice in God Himself, along with Jesus, as it was because of Jesus, that we have now been reconciled with God. If not for God’s plan, if not for Jesus’ willingness to die on our behalf, this process of reconciling us to God would not have been initiated, let alone accomplished.
To summarise today’s study
Since we have been justified by God, we now have peace with Him. We have access into His Grace, and can therefore rejoice in the assurance that one day we will see Him face-to-face, and be with Him forever. We can also rejoice in the process of perfecting this assurance that we possess, the steps for which are tribulation, perseverance, and Christ-like character. We will then be unshaken in our assurance. We will also be sure that God will not disappoint us. He who began the work in us, will bring it to completion. For all of this, we can now rejoice in God, and with Jesus, through whom we received all these blessings.
