The Great Results of Justification
Romans 5:1-11
Romans 5:1-11
Typical teaching in Israel’s Journey from Egypt to Canaan as found in Romans. In the journey of the children of Israel from Egypt to Canaan we have illustrated the experience of an individual believer in all that God has done for our salvation (in the broadest sense of the word). The New Testament doctrines pertaining to salvation can be seen in the events along Israel’s journey. The book of Romans takes us from Egypt, though the Passover, though the Red Sea, and into the wilderness, but not into the Jordan (like Colossians) or Canaan (like Ephesians).
- The Passover. In Rom. 1-3 the leading features are the guilt of man, and the means by which God can righteously pass over sin; i.e. the shed blood of Christ.
- The Red Sea. In Rom. 4 we get the death & resurrection of Christ bringing us into a perfect standing before God.
- The Wilderness. In Rom. 5:1-11 we are brought into a place of peace and reconciliation, and yet experience trials as we experience His love, and learn many lessons in the school of God.
In Rom. 4-8 we get the death and resurrection of Christ for us gone over twice. The first cycle is Rom. 4-5 in connection with our perfect standing before God, and the second cycle is Rom. 6-7 in connection with practical deliverance.
- The Red Sea (again). In Rom. 5:12 – 7 we get the death & resurrection of Christ again in the aspect of deliverance from sin and Satan.
- The Wilderness (again). In Rom. 8 we are brought again into a place that is characterized by the indwelling of the Holy Ghost, the adoption of Sonship, and our cries of “Abba Father”, and above all, communion with God.
Note: We get intercession in both Romans 5:10 and Romans 8:43 because Rom. 5:1-10 and Rom. 8 are both wilderness portions!
| Phase | Section of Romans | |
|---|---|---|
| Passover | Ch.1-3… man’s guilt and the blood of Christ | |
| Red Sea | Ch.4… justification | Ch.5b – 7… deliverance |
| Wilderness | Ch.5a… peace, joy | Ch.8:1-17… communion |
Now we have arrived at the wilderness side of the Red Sea, having obtained justification by faith. This section (Rom. 5:1-11) overviews the results of that justification! Read more…
Justification and Reconciliation. Justification is the first part of a double work of God. Justification has to do with a change of thinking in God's mind. God reckons the believer as righteous. Reconciliation has to do with a change of thinking in the believer's mind. The sinner's thoughts of enmity toward God are replaced with a believer's rejoicing in God. Read more...
Result #1: Peace with God (Past) (5:1)
CHAPTER 5
¶ Therefore having been justified on the principle of faith, we have peace towards God through our Lord Jesus Christ;
v.1 Peace with God. This “peace with God” was made at the cross (Col. 1:20) but obtained for the believer by faith. It is an objective reality, not a feeling, as so many erroneously believe. We don’t even get experience until v.3. We have peace because of the finished work of Christ, because God raised Him from the dead (Rom. 4:25), and because the Spirit testifies to it in His Word.
- Peace with God (Rom. 5:1) – our standing.
- Peace of God (Phil. 4:7) – our state.
Result #2: Access (Present) (5:2a)
2a by whom we have also access by faith into this favour in which we stand,
v.2a A New Standing of Favor. We have access into a new standing of favor (Eph. 1:6). It is a positional access, not referring to entering the holiest in prayer (Heb. 10). We never lose this standing. We have been placed “in Christ”; that is, in Christ’s place before God. God looks upon us with all the favor that He has for His Son!
So nigh, so very nigh to God,
I cannot nearer be;
For in the person of His Son
I am as near as He.
Result #3: Hope (Future) (5:2b)
2b and we boast in hope of the glory of God.
v.2b Hope of Glorification. We have a hope of future glorification (Rom. 8:30; 12:12). Our actual glorification will take place at the Rapture (Rom. 8:17, Phil. 3:21) when our bodies will be changed, and the moral transformation of our souls will be complete. But this hope includes not only that moment, but also the everlasting state that follows; the prospect of being face to face with the glory of God, and being perfectly suited to that environment! Hope in scripture is a deferred certainty; totally unlike the vain hopes of the people of this world.
Result #4: The Holy Ghost & Spiritual Education (5:3-8)
¶ 3 And not only that, but we also boast in tribulations, knowing that tribulation works endurance; 4 and endurance, experience; and experience, hope; 5 and hope does not make ashamed, because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit which has been given to us:
vv.3-5 The Holy Ghost and Our Spiritual Growth. These verses present the school of God. God doesn’t take us home to heaven the moment we are justified. He is very interested in the moral development of the soul, and so leaves us here to learn His love, and our need of dependence on Him. Tribulation or passing through trials teaches us endurance; the ability to carry on in the face of opposition. James has the same message in James 1:3. Enduring a trial in faith and dependence results in gaining experience, which is practical knowledge of the character of God. This “experience” is something we can’t learn in heaven. These experiences turn our hearts toward heaven, toward our hope (v.2) of being with Him and like Him! It causes us to lose our grip on earthly things. Our hopes will never be disappointed (v.5). We have confidence, not just in His Word, but in God’s character of love. All along our path His love is spreading in our hearts. This is one of the functions of the Holy Ghost: to give us a deeper and more profound sense of God’s love for us, which was manifest especially at the cross (vv.6-8). God is more interested in the work He is doing in us than through us. The gift of the Holy Spirit is a great result of justification. He only seals those “in Christ”.
7 For scarcely for the just man will one die, for perhaps for the good man some one might also dare to die; 8 but God commends *his* love to us, in that, we being still sinners, Christ has died for us. 6 for we being still without strength, in the due time Christ has died for the ungodly.
vv.6-8 Human Love vs God’s Love. Starting in v.6 Paul begins expanding on the subject of God’s love. What is its character? It cannot be compared with human love. Man’s love needs a motive to act (Luke 6:32; John 15:19); something in the object worthy of love, (e.g. a “good” or “righteous” man). Divine love acts even when there is nothing lovable in the object (e.g. an “ungodly” man, or “sinners”, or “enemies”). The first man was “still without strength” after 4000 years of testing; man cannot save himself. All rests on the sovereignty of God! We have next the character of human love; namely, it requires something in the object worthy of love (v.7). This is contrasted with God’s love (v.8). The character of God’s love is infinitely greater, not only in how much He gave (the measure: His son to die) but also the state we were in, as “enemies”. Our apprehension of this sovereign love will grow as we pass through the school of God, and also in eternity. In Israel’s wilderness journey this corresponds to the Waters of Marah; the love of God manifested at the cross applied to our sorrows.
Result #5: Future Salvation (5:9)
9 Much rather therefore, having been now justified in the power of his blood, we shall be saved by him from wrath.
v.9 Saved from Wrath. In ch.3 we found that we are justified by grace, which is the source or cause (Rom. 3:24), and now in ch.5 we have three expressions. In v.1 we are justified by faith, as faith is the means of the appropriation of justification. Here in v.9 we are justified by blood, because the blood of Christ is the foundation, the price of our justification, as well as the “power” or efficacy of justification. Finally, in v.18 we have justification of life, the possession of a righteous life: the very life of Christ, our head! Paul now shows that if the Lord Jesus paid such a price to justify us and deliver us from the wrath of God against us (shedding His blood), He will surely save us from the coming wrath of God on this world. This “wrath” is that of the coming tribulation judgments. Therefore, this “salvation” is future salvation from the tribulation judgments (see 1 Thess. 1:10). The way this will be accomplished is the Lord’s coming for His people. Seeing how Christ shed His blood for our eternal justification, we can be assured He will not leave us here for wrath.
Result #6: Present Salvation (5:10)
10 For if, being enemies, we have been reconciled to God through the death of his Son, much rather, having been reconciled, we shall be saved in the power of his life.
v.10 Saved by His Life. This speaks of present salvation through Christ on high. If His love could take care of the past (v.8) and the future (v.9) then He will take care of the present (v.10). Here it is His life on high as our High Priest (Heb. 3) and Advocate (1 John 2)! It is not His righteous life in His earthly path. It is the death of Christ that has reconciled us, past tense. Reconciliation is our being brought back to God, who demonstrated His love in “the death of His Son”. We no long are toward God as His enemies, but as those who love Him. Now, being reconciled, there is a need for something further; practical salvation. This is where the Lord’s life now comes in (Rom. 8:34). In the wilderness journey this answers to Moses on the mountain during the war with Amalek (Exodus 17). In that chapter we have a picture of the ongoing practical salvation that Christ is working for us from His seat in heaven. Christ’s action in us (Joshua) is dependent on his action for us (Moses). This work of Christ is done in two distinct roles, picture by Moses’ two hands. Moses is a picture of Christ interceding for us, sustained by His roles as:
- High Priest (Aaron the priest) – The sympathetic sufferings of Christ as a man on earth fit Him to be our High Priest. Hebrews presents Christ as our High Priest maintaining us in the pathway.
- Advocate (Hur means “white” or “purity”) – His atoning sufferings which put away sin are the basis of His advocacy. 1 John presents Christ as our Advocate restoring communion if we sin.
In addition to His intercessory work, Christ being on high as the object of our hearts will have the effect of keeping us free from defilement (John 17:19).
Result #7: The Unmingled Joy of Reconciliation (5:11)
¶ 11 And not only that, but we are making our boast in God, through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom now we have received the reconciliation.
v.11 Joy and Reconciliation. This brings us to the high point in the book of Romans. Joy in God is us finding our pleasure in Him! It is connected with reconciliation. Reconciliation means “brought back”. This is necessary due to the moral distance between men and God (alienation) and estranged relations (enmity) that came with the fall and degradation of man. The death of Christ has not only removed our guilt, but also has brought us into relationship with Himself, and removed the enmity in our hearts towards Him. This verse is talking about the joy of being in full and free fellowship with God. God doesn’t need to be reconciled to us, but we to Him. Read more… Some translations render this verse, “through whom now we have received the atonement“. Not only is this a poor translation, but it is incorrect. God has received the atonement, and we have received the reconciliation.
Four great blessings that we have received:
- Redemption (Rom. 3:24). God has bought us back and set us free from judgment. Read more…
- Forgiveness (Rom. 4:7). God has removed the guilt of our sins. Read more…
- Justification (Rom. 5:1). God has brought us into a new position before God “in Christ”, where He declared us perfectly righteous. Read more…
- Reconciliation (Rom. 5:10-11). God has brought us to Himself with all the old feelings of enmity exchanged for “joy in God“. Read more…