A Power That Is Stronger Than Sin
Romans 5
Romans 4:24-25 - Raised for our justification
The primary business of the gospel is to reconcile man to God. To put us in the place where we can again just ask God to take care of us. It puts us back in the garden of Eden.
Romans 5:1-11
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Well, okay. But I was talking to someone the other day who’s going through some pretty tough times. Husband’s unemployed, hardly enough money on the dole to keep food on the table. Arguing all the time cause they’re under financial pressure. And it just doesn’t look like it’s going to get any better. And she said to me, well, we can’t fix the marriage till we fix up the money problems. And we can’t do anything about that, cause of this. And we can’t do that cause of something else. So life’s just one misery after another.
Which is a funny thing, cause I’ve known other people who’ve got absolutely nothing. And are just FULL OF JOY.
WE CAN REJOICE IN OUR COMPLETE ASSURANCE (5:1).
We have a new spiritual position before God.
We have been justified by faith.
Paul restates the great truth of Romans chapters three and four. “Therefore having been justified by faith . . .” (5:1).
It is a once and for all act of God whereby He declares us righteous in His sight.
In Galatians 2:16 Paul makes the greatest statement of salvation by grace through faith as opposed to a salvation by works. He writes, “a man is not justified by the works of the Law but through faith in Christ Jesus, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the Law; since by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified.”
How do we become a child of God? “For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:26).
Justification by faith illustrated
We have “peace with God” (v. 1).
Since we have been justified by faith, the first result Paul says is we have peace with God. If you have really believed on Christ, you will have peace with God. If you are justified you are a member of His family. There is no longer any hostility between you and God. You are at peace with Him. We are no longer held in fear of God. We don’ t have to worry about dying and facing God.
Why do Christians have this deep inner peace with God?
What can you do when you lose that sense of peace? The way to get back on track is not by working on your feelings. Open your Bible and review your justification. Go back over the facts from God’s Word. Remind yourself of what God has declared about you. God is able to perform what He has promised. Satan will always accuse you and try to destroy your peace with God. Talk to yourself. Remind yourself of this great truth in God’s Word. “My acceptance with God does not depend upon me. It all depends upon Him. My sin does not cancel out my justification. God has dealt with all my sins in Christ’s death and resurrection. Jesus died for me on the Cross. I rest upon that great fact. God has reckoned or imputed His righteousness to me because I believe He has death with my sin in the work of Jesus Christ. God has acquitted me. The Bible says, ‘There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:1).” Reckon upon God’s promises and the fellowship will be restored. That experience of peace will be restored, as you trust Him.
How do you restore the fellowship? God has provided us a bar of soap and He wants us to use it daily. “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar and His word is not in us” (I Jn. 1:9–10). Keep short agendas with God. Deal with sin daily. Don’t let sinful behavior, thoughts or attitudes rob you of that sense of peace. Cultivate that sense of peace. Unconfessed sin, unrepented sinful behavior, bad attitudes will rob you of experiencing peace with God. Keep your heart tender toward God and you will experience His deep peace. We can rejoice because we have complete assurance.
V2 We have free unlimited access (Once for all) to God. We were the out side crowd now we are the in crowd.
Grace is here present as a field into which we have been introduced and where we stand and we should enjoy all the privileges of this grace about us.” Moreover, it is perfect tense. He has taken us into the presence of the king and introduced to Him! We now have a permanent access into the grace of God. It is a permanent possession. Now that we have been introduced to the king and we can go into His presence anytime we desire. We have a constant supply of His grace available to us. It is daily. It is moment by moment.
Ephesians 2:18–19 further elaborates on this same introduction to the Father and continuing access into His presence. Paul says, “for through Him we both have our access in one Spirit to the Father. So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God’s household . . .”
Furthermore, Paul says, “we exult in hope of the glory of God” (5:2b). The word “exult” means to rejoice greatly, or leap for joy. There is only one thing worth boasting about. It is Christ! The word of “exult,” or “rejoice” here means, “to boast, to glory, is rendered to rejoice in hope of the glory of God. In v. 3, we “exult” in tribulation and in v. 11 we “exult” in God.
The Apostle John writes, “Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is. And everyone who has this hope fixed on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure” (I John 3:2–3).
v3. He says you can even rejoice when things are tough. You can even rejoice in your sufferings. Because you’ve got a guarantee things are going to get better. And there’s even a benefit in the suffering - cause he says suffering produces perseverance. And perseverance produces character. And character produces an even deeper HOPE. A “looking forward to heaven” that’s not distracted by the things of the world.
Sort of like if you’re living in a run down one bedroom shack when you find out you’ve got that winning lotto ticket. I mean, you’re not too worried about the broken windows and the creaky floorboards anymore if you know next week you’re going to have everything you need. You can even rejoice in your suffering, says Paul - because you know you’re heading somewhere better.
V3 Tribulations - help us fight the flesh - expose our weaknesses.
How can this be? God uses the terrible pressures in life to perfect patience in us. For those of us who are terribly impatient God allows the intense burdens of the spirit in our circumstances to teach us patience.
Did you notice the chain of growth experience? This growing patience produces strength of character. It tests our character and proves it to be solid. It proves that we have stood the test. The Holy Spirit causes the love of God to overflow. When that happens you can not help but be a statement to a watching world.
The goal of progressive sanctification is our being conformed to the image and likeness of Jesus Christ. How does God make us holy?
V4 Perseverance - endurance - face opportunities to bring God glory.
Character - tested to see if genuine
Hope - firm foundation
V5 Poured out - a flood, abundant
Benefits of Justification:
1. Peace with God
2. Access to God
3. Rejoice in God
4. Glory in God
V6-11
V6 with strength - no power to save self
-ungodly was us.
His love came while we were “helpless” sinners unable to save ourselves. “For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly” (v. 6). And it came just in the nick of time. It was in God’s perfect timing! Verse eight says, “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”
His death is substitutionary meaning someone else died in our place to pay our sin debt (vv. 6b-11). Christ died for (huper) instead of, on behalf of the ungodly. This is the only way to bring lasting peace in our world.
V8 Sinners - living independent, to self and not God’s glory
V9 Much more - saved from the wrath of God
V10 If God saves His enemies, what will He now do with His friends?
V11 The bringing together two opponents - God and man.
V12-21 In the face of a world where it looks like death and sin are totally in control, Paul tells us things aren’t the way they seem.
It’s a simple point, and he makes over and over again. It’s a contrast between Adam and Christ. And in both cases, it’s all about how the actions of THE ONE can overflow to the many. That’s the principle he keeps comparing.
But the point is, there was another ONE MAN. And instead of bringing SIN and JUDGEMENT, he brings the absolute reverse. A GIFT. Of JUSTIFICATION. Of RIGHTEOUSNESS. Of LIFE. ONE MAN who lived perfectly. And GAVE HIMSELF UP TO THE CROSS to pay for our sin. And the gift overflows as well. So instead of DEATH and JUDGEMENT, we’ve got the offer of ETERNAL LIFE. Instead of being dragged DOWN into sin, we’re lifted up.
So what’s he saying? He’s saying Adam blew it. Adam gave sin and death a foothold. But Jesus has REVERSED IT. And GOD’S KINDNESS, God’s GRACE, it’s STRONGER THAN SIN AND DEATH. Which means if you’re a Christian, you can have a ROCK SOLID CONFIDENCE IN THE FUTURE.
12-21 One is used 11 times. Reign is used 5 times. Paul sees two kingdoms, one with Adam reigning in death (separated from life) and one with Christ reigning (giving life eternal).
Much more is used 5 times to stress the better kingdom in Christ.
Was it fair to condemn a whole world because of the sin of one?
Was it fair to save a whole world by the death of one man?
V12 - worst than the aids virus - 100% infected with sin
V13 Death - not physical but spiritual death
V14 reigned - was king.
Why did people die if there was no law? Because there was the law given to Adam which is prove we are in Adam.
V15 Adam’s offence is contrasted with Christ’s free gift.
John 10:10
V16 The effect of Adam’s sin is contrasted with the effect of Christ’s obedience.
Adam’s sin brought judgement and condemnation, Christ’s death brought justification.
V17 The two reigns are contrasted.
In Adam death reigned.
In Christ life reigns.
V18-19 The two acts are contrasted.
Adam was tested once and sinned
Offense means trespass, crossing over the line.
Gen 2:16-17
Our justification places us in a living union with Christ.
Our union with Adam made us sinners, our union with Christ makes us saints.
V20-21 Law and grace contrasted.
God’s plan was always grace but the law crept in.
The law was to reveal man’s need for grace. Law is temporary, grace is eternal.
