Romans, Chapter 5
© Copyright 1998 Darroll Evans-all rights
reserved
Romans 5:1 Therefore being justified by
faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:
All of Paul’s letters follow a pattern. They
may be sectioned, but they are not disjointed.
One chapter builds on what has gone before. Paul did not write in
chapter and verse style.
We are justified by faith! We have peace with God through or Lord Jesus
Christ! We do not have peace with a
sin-filled world, but we do have peace with God. As grace is imputed through Christ, peace and
faith are also imputed through Christ Jesus.
Romans 3:22 Even the righteousness of God which is by faith
of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is
no difference:
Galatians 2:16 Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of
the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed
in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ,
and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be
justified.
Galatians 3:22 But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that
the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that
believe.
Revelation 14:12 Here is the patience of the saints: here are they
that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.
All godly things we now have are given to us
through Christ. None has come to us through our efforts.
Romans 5:2 By whom also we have access by
faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of
God.
In Christ, we have access to faith and the
grace in which we stand, or abide.
Christians are continually and permanently justified by faith.
Romans 5:3-5
3 And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that
tribulation worketh patience;
4 And patience, experience; and experience, hope:
5 And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our
hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.
We find verification of our Christ-centered
faith in the trials and tribulations of life.
In dealing with those things that are adverse to our faith we understand
that God is using even those things to strengthen us. We brag about victory in Jesus, but you
cannot have victory unless there has been battle. Our daily battles are small compared to
Jesus' victory of the cross. The trials
we face build our patience. They are for our benefit. The patience gained from struggles comes
through what seems to be adverse experience.
Those experiences and the victories gained build our hope in Christ
Jesus.
Some may incorrectly teach that God cannot be
glorified in a broken body. They may
teach that all Christians must be in excellent health. When Joni Eareckson Tada was injured God
could have healed her. God has used her
physical limitations to give meaning to many lives that would have gone
untouched by someone of lesser spiritual maturity. In her "handicapped" condition she
reached more for Christ than others who have no excuse.
Dr. David Ring also has a debilitating
condition. He uses it to bring many to Christ.
Dr. Ring asks his listeners a simple question, "I have cerebral
palsy, what's your excuse?
Christ Jesus brought salvation to earth
through His body being broken on
If we use the Old Testament as an example,
the three young Hebrews were not saved FROM the fire, they were
saved the IN the fire!
Romans 5:6 For when we were yet without
strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.
In dealing with this verse, we get a better
word picture from the NASB.
Romans 5:6 For while we were still
helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. (NASB)
Do you understand that until Christ came to you,
you were helpless to do anything about the sin you lived in? Sin causes us to be spiritually weak. While mankind was immersed in sin Christ
Jesus went to the cross, giving His life so that we may come to life.
Who are the “ungodly?” All mankind!
Christ died for mankind.
1
Timothy 2:6a [Christ Jesus] “Who gave
himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.”
Hebrews
10:10 “By the which will we are
sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.”
The word “all” (Gr. ephapax-efapax) in Hebrews 10:10 is
inclusive. Christ did not bring us a
limited atonement.
Romans 5:7 For scarcely for a righteous
man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die.
Life is precious. People do not give it up
without purpose. There was great purpose
in Jesus’ crucifixion.
Romans 5:8 But God commendeth his love
toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
“Commandeth” means, "He put together
with." He put us together with His love. Think about that! We were not cleaned up prior to being given
His love. The process of salvation is
perhaps the least know spiritual process.
We are not saved by our proclamation. Prior to our proclamation of Jesus as Lord,
the Holy Spirit comes to us to give us the power to give that proclamation.
1 Cor
12:3b and that no man can say that
Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost.
We were still sinners when Christ died for
us. It is the Holy Spirit that calls us
and empowers us to come to Christ. In His scourging and crucifixion, Jesus
showed us the ultimate action of love.
Love is experiential! In Salvation we experience the love of the Father,
Son, and Holy Ghost. Christ Jesus experienced our death! We experience His love!
Romans 5:9 Much more then, being now
justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.
The blood of Christ justifies us. Never turn away from the fact of the
blood. Several years ago a Deacon in a
large
Romans 5:10 For if, when we were enemies,
we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled,
we shall be saved by his life.
"When we were" speaks of
"being." This verse could be
translated, "Although being (God’s) enemies, we were reconciled to God
through the death of His Son, and even more, having been reconciled, we shall
be saved through His life."
We are NOT
reconciled to God due to our goodness.
Salvation is NOT of
works (Eph. 2:9). We are reconciled only
through His life. If Christ Jesus had
not risen, we could not be reconciled to the Father!
Romans 5:11 And not only so, but we also
joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the
atonement.
What does it mean to "joy in
God"? To "joy in God"
simply means to boast about what He has done on your behalf. If you have accepted Jesus Christ as Lord of
your life, you are a child of God. Is
that boasting? Of Course it is, and
rightly so!
It was through the One that gave His life for
you that you received atonement. Some
describe "atonement" as at-one-ment with God. It is much more.
The English word "atonement"
appears in the KJV-NT only once, here in Romans 5:11. The Greek word from which
it is translated (Gr. katallageen-katallaghn)
appears 4 times. The other times it is
correctly translated reconciling, or reconciliation.
Atonement appears in the English version of
the Old Testament over 80 times, but only once
in the New Testament. Christ died once
for our sins. In that He reconciled us to God by His blood. No repetition is necessary under the New
Covenant.
Romans 5:12 Wherefore, as by one man sin
entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for
that all have sinned:
Adam's sin brought all humankind under the
condemnation of death because of {the} sin (Gr. hee hamartia-h amartia), the sin
nature. God had the remedy long before
"we" had the problem.
Hebrews 10:10---“By that will we have been sanctified through the
offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all” (NKJV).
Christ was sacrificed once for all! That is a spiritual fact! The spiritual fact is that “all have sinned.”
We have all taken part in sinful activity.
While the word sin is used as a noun speaking of the sin nature, the
word sinned is a verb speaking of our actions.
Romans 5:13-14
13 (For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when
there is no law.
14 Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had
not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression, who is the figure of
him that was to come.
Adam had just one commandment. He was not to eat the fruit from the tree of
the knowledge of good and evil. He could
not keep it.
God does not judge without a basis for that
judgment. He does not judge on the basis
of our abilities to keep commandments.
We are judged on Jesus’ ability!
Romans 5:15 But not as the offence, so
also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much
more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus
Christ, hath abounded unto many.
Let’s focus on something that is not evident
in the English translation. Focus on the definite article---"the."
Through the offence of one {the} many be dead. {The}
many" represents mankind,
because all have sinned and fall short (Romans 3:23).
All were dead in trespasses and sins
(Ephesians 2:1). Due to Adam’s offense,
the many---mankind was subjected to death.
Through "the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, has
abounded unto {the} (Gr. tous-touV) many.
The first "the many" represents
mankind. The second group is the same
group as the first. All have sinned! All
shall be affected by God’s gift!
Romans 5:16 And not as it was by one that
sinned, so is the gift: for the judgment was by one to condemnation, but the
free gift is of many offences unto justification.
Do you know that sin is no match for
grace? As Christ defeated death, grace
defeats sin! “Justification” speaks of
a judicial pronouncement, a declaration of innocence. God’s free gift is a declaration of innocence
through the grace that is in Christ Jesus.
Romans 5:17 For if by one man's offence
death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of
the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.)
Once again the Greek definite articles are
missing. “{The} one man’s offense”
points to Adam’s rebellion against God’s instructions. Later in this verse, “{the} One” obviously
points to Christ Jesus. Due to Adam’s
sin, death reigned over mankind! Life
comes to us due to the superabundance (Gr. perisseian-perisseian) of grace, and the gift of righteousness in Christ
Jesus!
Romans 5:18 Therefore as by the
offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the
righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of
life.
This verse is where many commentators start meandering
around the Bible looking for an out.
However, the language is plain and it is correct.
Romans 5:18-19 cannot be explained using
mainstream theology. It must be
explained the counsel of the Bible, not tradition. Due to one offense, or deviant act,
condemnation came to all people. That
fact is accepted by all Christians. Due to the righteous action of one,
justification of life has come to all.
That fact is not accepted by most Christians.
Romans 5:19 For as by one man's
disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be
made righteous.
Again, let me add the definite articles {the}.
Romans 5:19 For as by {the} one man's disobedience {the}
many (Gr. hoi polloi- oi
polloi) were made sinners, so by the
obedience of {the} one shall {the} many (Gr. hoi
polloi- oi polloi) be made righteous.
I highlighted the definite article, “the”.
This section and in particular this verse is a
comparison. Compare the two groups to see if there are really two groups.
“The many” is actually just one group,
mankind. Both Adam and Christ had
extreme effects on mankind.
Shall
be made (Gr. katastatheesontai-katastaqhsontai) is future
indicative indicating what the Author feels shall happen. While Paul may be the scribe in the writing
of Romans, God the Holy Spirit is the Author.
Adam brought death to “the many.” Christ brought “the many” life. That truth shall be apparent in due time.
1 Tim 2:6 [Christ Jesus] Who gave himself a ransom for all, to
be testified in due time.
The Holy Spirit has been sent to reprove the
world, to point out sin to all.
John
16:8 And when he is come, he will
reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:
Is that reproving and act of futility? Or, is
it an act of compassion to show those who live in denial the way to Christ?
The invitation to come has gone out to
all. How “the many” responds is an
individual and personal act.
Romans 5:20-21
20 Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin
abounded, grace did much more abound:
21 That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through
righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.
The job of the Law is to highlight the sin in
our lives! Sin only abounds, but grace
super-abounds. Sin brought death,
through Adam. Grace brings life, through Christ Jesus. Sin is no match for grace.