Romans Study Series 11

The Results Of Your Faith

Text: Romans 5:1-12

Introduction

Verses 1-5 — Access to peace and hope

“Therefore”

With this word, Paul is saying, “Since I have made a thorough and solid case for faith alone in Christ being the key to receiving new life; justified before God, WE HAVE PEACE WITH GOD.

Lets consider some other passages about peace:

Isaiah 32:17 “17 And the work of righteousness shall be peace; And the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever.”

John 16:33 “33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.”

Isaiah 53:5 “5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities: The chastisement of our peace was upon him; And with his stripes we are healed.”

Acts 10:36 “36 The word which God sent unto the children of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ: (he is Lord of all:)”

Ephesians 2:14 “14 For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us;”

There are a couple of variants within the original languages.

Some ancient manuscripts read “let us have peace” instead of “we have peace.”

I truly believe it is not an either or, but rather “and.”

First position = speaks to a position of peace.

Second position = speaks to a daily reckoning of that position; choosing to live in the peace we have received through Jesus Christ.

Quote: “To have “peace with God” means to be in a relationship with God in which all the hostility caused by sin has been removed. It is to exist no longer under the wrath of God.” Robert H. Mounce, Romans, vol. 27, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1995), 133.

Quote: “Peace is also the joyful experience of those who live in harmony with God, other people, and themselves.” Robert H. Mounce, Romans, vol. 27, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1995), 133.

Verse 2

“we have access by faith into this grace”

John 10:9 “9 I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.”

Ephesians 2:18 “18 For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.”

Ephesians 3:12 “12 In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him.”

Hebrews 10:19 “19 Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus,”

Verses 2-3

“rejoice in hope of the glory of God”

rejoice in receiving God’s glorious ideal.

Think about this…the fall of humanity did not put an end to God’s plans!

Quote: “necessitated an eternally significant detour through the cross and the empty tomb. God’s plan that we should reflect his glory is now being realized in the lives of obedient believers.” Robert H. Mounce, Romans, vol. 27, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1995), 134.

“rejoice in sufferings”

James 1:2–4 “2 My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; 3 Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. 4 But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.”

Question — What are you exercising when being patient? What is another way of saying you are being patient?

Question — When should a believer expect to experience joy?

Question — How would you define joy within the context of a bad situation? Is it just a stoic determination to make the best out of something? Is the suffering itself a source of joy? If so, why

Verses 4-5

Once the believer exercises they confidence in God’s ability to bring them through the difficulty, their hope grows exponentially.

We are not talking about a surface level optimism.

We are talking about a confident assurance of what will come to pass.

Think about “hope does not disappoint”

Hope in humanity can lead to disappointment due to their nature of inconsistency.

The Spirit will never let a day go by that you don’t have the “love fuel” to keep your confidence burning in your hope in God.

The Holy Spirit is always at work to help us grasp the reality of what it means to be surrounded by God’s love!

1 Corinthians 2:12 “12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.”

Verses 6-12 — What love is being poured out?

Verse 6

A love that came a just the right time!!!

Not just in the sense of “history” but in the sense of humanity was unable to break the chains of sin. Humanity was unable to help themselves!

We were locked into a destiny of eternal separation from God.

Verses 7-8

Paul paints the picture of someone with sufficient courage coming to the rescue.

Here the remarkable truth, “while we were yet sinners.”

1 Peter 3:18 “18 For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:”

1 John 3:16 “16 Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.”

Jesus came while had no care in our hearts for his attention or affection.

Illustration — The Father of the prodigal.

Quote: “Love is the voluntary placing of the welfare of others ahead of one’s own. It is action, not sentiment. Love is the mightiest force in the world. It is the ethical goal of human existence. God is love (1 John 4:16), and that determines the goal toward which all redemptive history moves.” Robert H. Mounce, Romans, vol. 27, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1995), 137.

Verses 9-11

Reconciled = to be reconciled v. — to be or become restored to favorable or friendly relations with another after a presumed wronged.

2 Corinthians 5:19–20 “19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. 20 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God.”

Every person must respond in faith.

The application of faith implants an effective forgiveness to one’s own soul.

Reconciliation is equal to say person relationship.

Our part is a matter of individual decision.

“saved by His life”

Could mean more than eschatological.

Hebrews 7:25 “25 Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.”

Romans 8:34 “34 Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.”

It is a daily deliverance from the power and dominion of sin. God has made every provision for us to live out our lives in holiness. His abiding presence provides the power to break free from the control of sin (6:18). Robert H. Mounce, Romans, vol. 27, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1995), 138.