The Blessings Of Justification Series

The Blessings of Justification

Romans 5:1–11

INTRODUCTION

Once a farmer was interviewing prospective workers. The farmer asked one young man “What makes you the best person for the job?” The young man answered, “I can sleep when the wind blows.” Now the farmer thought this to be a strange answer but hired the young man anyway because he seemed so sincere.

Just a few days after putting this young man to work a violent storm blew across the farm in the dead of night. Debris shook the farmer from his bed hitting his bedroom window. Instinctively, he ran outside to check his barns and stables, afraid of the damage that they would cause if all the doors and windows had not been secured. To his amazement, he found everything in order and there was no damage. In the last barn he checked he found his new employee sleeping peacefully on a pile of hay.

At that moment the farmer understood what he had meant when he said, “I can sleep when the wind blows.” He was fully prepared when the storms came and even when his master came to check on him, he was not put to shame.

• Paul has already explained to the Christians at Rome that God has made a Promise to them, the promise of salvation.

• They needed this promise because of the Common Bond that they shared which was Sin.

• The only way out of their predicament as condemned sinners and into The Promise was to be justified through faith. Abraham, our example of faith, shows us that this is obedient faith.

• Justified means “just–as–if–I’d” never sinned.

• Starting with the first verse of chapter 5, Paul explains the Blessings of Justification.

• As if justification alone isn’t blessing enough, God gives us so much more while we await the end result of our justification.

• In verses 1 & 2, Paul identifies three things we receive as a result of our justification.

1. We have Peace with God.

2. We stand in Grace.

3. We rejoice in Hope.

• Once one gives their life to God in obedient faith, he gives you much more than you could have ever imagined, certainly more than we deserve.

• The one thing I want you to take from this lesson is; Through justification we experience all the blessings of God’s love, not just the promise of eternal life but also in this present life!

Read Romans 5:1–11

MAIN BODY

I. We have Peace with God. Romans 5:1

A. Peace comes only through Christ. Gal. 3:14 “14He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit.”

B. Peace is Christ’s legacy to them that love and obey Him.

1. Luke 1:79b Zacharias prophesied of the Christ who would “guide our feet into the path of peace.”

2. Luke 2:14 “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.”

C. This peace comes form being reconciled to God. Romans 5:10

1. Sin makes us enemies of God.

2. Peace with God means that the fierce rebellion against God is no longer in our heart, the war is over and man has submitted to his maker. This changes everything.

3. Because of Christ we are reconciled to God and have access to God. Ephesians 2:17–18 “He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.”

a. In His death He reconciled us.

b. In His life He assures our salvation as our mediator.

(1) Hebrews 7:25 “Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.”

(2) 1 John 2:1 “My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One.”

D. This reconciliation that brings us to peace with God also brings us peace of mind. Romans 5:11

1. We Rejoice in God through Christ.

2. Philippians 4:4–7

a. This kind of peace is exactly the kind of blessing which all men need and seek.

b. This desire is never diminished until men rest IN Christ.

II. We Stand in Grace. Romans 5:2a

A. What is this grace we are standing in?

1. Romans 5:6–8 THAT’S GRACE!!!

2. We deserved to die in our sins.

3. Yet because of God’s love for us even while we were condemned sinners, Christ died so that we could live!

B. This Grace we stand in is the firm and secure establishment we have in Christ.