Romans 5:20-21 - The Reign of Grace

Romans 5:20-21 20 The Law came in so that the transgression would increase; but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, 21 so that, as sin reigned in death, even so grace would reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Message: Grace reigns to eternal life. Sin reigns in death.

Time: The Apostle Paul wrote to the Romans from the Greek city of Corinth in AD 57, just three years after the 16 year old Nero had ascended to the throne as Emperor of Rome. Persecution of Christians wouldn't begin until AD 64. The church was experiencing times of relative peace. From where he wrote, Corinth, was a hotbed of sexual immorality and idol worship.

What the Lord is Saying:

Review
As this section ends on original sin, namely the passing of one's man sin to the entire human race, and death to all, I also think about this chapter as a whole.
The focus of this chapter has been on the results of justification. I started out looking at the peace of God.

• Peace is the result of being justified. It isn't a momentary peace, but it is a forever peace. It's true I may not always feel that peace, but the reality is the peace is there.
• I am congratulating myself of the access I now have been given to God and the certainty of my future state in God's glory. 
• I get to experience tribulations (great difficulties). There is joy in tribulations. God uses those tribulations to produce in me patience. It helps me to focus beyond the ordeal, to a future event. It proves my character and authenticates my faith. It marks hope in my life that God is there and firm in my life. They remind me overall that God does love me. 
• God loves me so much because I am helpless. Jesus died for sinners, for those not good. I am that person. 
• I am saved from God's wrath. 
• I am reconciled to God through Christ: past, present, future. 

And then it shifted to a contrast of being condemned to being justified. Sin entered the world through on man and death through sin. Sin and death spread to all men. Even without the law sin still exists. The Law helps sin be called sin, but sin still exists apart from the law (just as death exists apart from the law). Grace is much greater than sin. One man brought death. One man brought life.

Do Laws increase sin? 
I don't think so. The Law is not sin, as Paul states later. The Law exposes sin. Sin is hidden often without a law. Sin can be deemed acceptable behavior without the law stating it is wrong. We need laws in our society otherwise people would run wild. There is definitely a tension in the world today as to what is a law and what is not a law. But, I think what God wants to make clear is the conscience of man knows what is good and evil. The Law declares it sin for society at large.

Sin entered the world through Adam. This is clear. And it is also clear from the previous verses that sin was completely paid for and removed through the death and resurrection of Jesus. But, in between Adam and Christ is Moses. Paul wants to be clear that the Law was never meant to save the sinner, but rather expose the sinner.

Paul uses the word transgression 6 times in Chapter 5 and each time it is used it refers to the sin of Adam. Each time it is used in the singular, referring the sin of Adam. We all share a sin nature. Transgressions show how we have crossed the line. The Law shows us the specific acts of sin that we are rebellious on.

Sin results in huge amounts of grace
Wayne Grudem defines sin as "any failure to conform to the moral law of God in act, attitude, or nature. Sin is here defined in relation to God and his moral law. Sin includes not only individual acts such as stealing or lying or committing murder, but also attitudes that are contrary to the attitudes God requires of us."

Grace is God's generous favor to undeserving people. As I share the gospel with people, I define grace as receiving something you don't deserve. When a homeless man comes up to you and asks you for a meal, if you give it him, he has neither earned it nor can he pay it back. By giving it to him you have been gracious. As I share with people it amazes me how people don't understand grace. But, the important thing is I always wait to introduce grace after I have defined sin or rather, the breaking of God's Law.

Last week in the sermon at church, Matthew 9:37 was quoted about the harvest being plentiful, but the laborers are few. The reality is the harvest is growing more and more plentiful. Why? Because exposing sin as sin is decreasing and the people are becoming more focused on living grace than the need for grace. It is really rather tragic. The world has trained us to not defer to how they define what is right and wrong. And in the process, what God defines as right and wrong is being snuffed out. Yet, the Bible is clear, Satan is at the helm of this world.

Sin reigned in death
As sin lessons more and more in our world, God is put more and more on trial. Why? Because of death. Without sin, death has no comprehension. For the people that believe in God, they are under more and more scrutiny because death is still occurring. Kids are dying from diseases. A car crash takes the life of a father of many children. Painful deaths continue. Diseases of every kind are on the rise. Death continues. And the world does not comprehend that God can be real with all of this going on.

It actually seems like a natural progression of man as man decides that sin is less and less prominent. Paul states it clear here in verse 21, "Sin reigned in death." When Adam sinned and brought sin into the world, the result of sin in Genesis 3 was death.

People are not surprised that death occurs, but they are surprised by how it occurs. With our advancements in medicine, treating diseases, prolonging life, the reality is death still occurs in unexpected ways. And this is incomprehensible to man. It is unfortunate, but it shouldn't be a surprise. I don't think people have a problem that death occurs, but they definitely have a problem with how it occurs and when. As in everything in life, man wants to be in charge and decide the right time for life to end.

I will say that up to this point I have not felt that Romans 5:12-21 are difficult verses, but here in verse 21, when sin and death are now being talked about, this is a difficult subject. But, I think it is difficult is because as people we want so badly to understand death and why it is occurring. Everyday, new reports come out as to what may be causing heart disease or cancer or other types of death and suffering. But, when unexplained death happens and in the background, people of faith continue, the masses in life can't comprehend how faith people can continue when unexplained death occurs. But, I must move on in this text.

Grace reigns through righteousness to eternal life
God has the answer and the answer is His grace. Earlier in Chapter 5, I saw that because of being justified I have peace with God and I can exult in hope. There is a sureness of my future. And even then in tribulation, those difficulties should place my focus on the future. Grace reigns. Eternal life can only be answered by grace. It can only be answered by God and His answer for life because man is a sinner and sin results in death.

It is all because of Jesus. Mr. Repeater (Paul) tells us again that eternal life is because of Jesus. What we need to know is our life would not be as great is Adam had not fallen. We have a greater life in Christ that we could have ever had in Adam.

Promise: From Tabletalk, April 15, 2014: "For justification, the law multiplies transgression, revealing it for what it is and driving us to Christ for the righteousness that alone can justify us."

Romans 5:18-19 - Constituting us Righteous

Romans 5:18-19 - 18 So then as through one transgression there resulted condemnation to all men, even so through one act of righteousness there resulted justification of life to all men. 19 For as through the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, even so through the obedience of the One the many will be made righteous.

Message: Through on e man, sin came. Through One man, sin was paid.

Time: The Apostle Paul wrote to the Romans from the Greek city of Corinth in AD 57, just three years after the 16 year old Nero had ascended to the throne as Emperor of Rome. Persecution of Christians wouldn't begin until AD 64. The church was experiencing times of relative peace. From where he wrote, Corinth, was a hotbed of sexual immorality and idol worship.

What the Lord is Saying:

As I'm reading in various sources, it states that these verses in Romans 5:12-21 are difficult passages as well as controversial passages. I'm seeing a common theme in these verses as is very consistent with Paul's writing throughout this book. I'm seeing him repeat ideas and further expand on them. The focus in these verses has been that the sin of Adam resulted in all people being sinners. But, conversely, Jesus died on the cross one time and so when we receive Jesus into our life by believing that He died and rose from the dead, then the sin he died for on the cross, our sin, is no longer on us, but has been transferred to Christ and Christ credits to us His righteousness. Through one man, sin came in. Through one man, sin was paid for.

Adam being a type of Christ (verse 14) is an apt statement. Chris and Adam are connected. You can't have one without the other.

A terminology that is used to describe our relationship with Adam and Christ is "federal head." Federal headship is the position that the male represents to his descendants. Adam is our federal head. He sinned resulting in us all being called sinners before we were even capable of sinning. Thus, our natural self or natural seed is here because of Adam. Christ is our federal head as well. He died for sin so that we may be capable of inheriting life again. Our spiritual life or spiritual seed is available because of Christ. The difference though, in the seeds, is Adam sin's resulted in all people's sin, but the seed of Jesus must be received. God isn't simply giving the free gift of grace to all people.

I think this can be difficult for people to wrap their brains around. This is clearly what the scripture says, but we are in an age now, more and more, when just because the scripture states it doesn't mean we are accepting of it. We are more and more a questioning people. And so, we are now, more so than ever questioning these words. The questions make sense in that if we have sin because of no fault of our own, but because of Adam's sin, then if the reality is that we can be restored life not because of anything we have done, but because of Christ's life, then why doesn't this just simply fall upon all men. The answer obviously lies in the fact that in both instances, Adam and Christ, man has free will. Man is not a robot. Man has the ability to choose and make his own decision. This is what God created. And this does make sense.

From Tabletalk, April 14, 2014: We can add to Adam's disobedience and incur more legal guilt before the Lord, but we cannot add to Christ's righteousness and incur more legal righteousness. 

Promise:
One transgression = condemnation to all
One act of righteousness = Justification to all
One man's disobedience = many made sinners
Obedience of One = many made righteous

Romans 5:15-17 - The Justice of God's Choice

Romans 5:15-17 - 15 But the free gift is not like the transgression. For if by the transgression of the one the many died, much more did the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abound to the many. 16 The gift is not like that which came through the one who sinned; for on the one hand the judgment arose from one transgression resulting in condemnation, but on the other hand the free gift arose from many transgressions resulting in justification. 17 For if by the transgression of the one, death reigned through the one, much more those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.

Message: Adam sinned once for all. Christ died for sin, once for all. Adam took on one sin. Christ took on all sins.

Time: The Apostle Paul wrote to the Romans from the Greek city of Corinth in AD 57, just three years after the 16 year old Nero had ascended to the throne as Emperor of Rome. Persecution of Christians wouldn't begin until AD 64. The church was experiencing times of relative peace. From where he wrote, Corinth, was a hotbed of sexual immorality and idol worship.

What the Lord is Saying: 

We continue a discussion on sin and sin entering the world, contrasting the imputation of righteousness (in Christ) with the imputation of sin (in Adam). Yesterday, we ended with the statement that Adam is a type of Him (Christ) was was to come. There are similarities in Adam and Christ. But, Paul will now show how what Christ did was far greater than what Adam did.

Grace is greater than sin
It is true, Adam sinned once and sin was manifested to all people. He took on one sin and all people are now known as sinners. Sin entered the world.

"Much more," though, did the grace of God abound to the many. Sin results in death. Grace results in life. Grace restores life in the person. It is not about returning to life as it was before in the garden, but rather the life we have in Chris is far greater.

Grace is a free gift. But, we can't really call receiving sin a gift. Gifts should not result in death. Plus, a gift must be received.

Verse 15 uses the word transgression rather than sin. Sin is missing a mark. Transgression is crossing the line. In sin, there is a standard and sin is missing it. In transgression, there is a line, like a shoulder line when driving a car and crossing that line or boundary. Adam crossed the line. God drew the line and said, "Don't cross it."

We deserve what we got in Adam. Adam sinned, we all sin. We don't deserve grace, yet we can receive it. 

Judgment through one sin, righteousness through many
Adam carried on his back one sin. Christ carried on His back many sins. There is similarity, but what Christ did was far more significant. We are condemned because of Adam's sin. We are made righteous because of Christ justifying man. 

One man brought death. One Man brought life. 
There is one notable difference between the imputations that occurred because of the result of Adam and Christ. In Adam, sin fell on all men. Death resulted from all sinning. In Christ, people are made righteous, but this righteousness is not automatic for all people. It is through receiving the abundance of grace and the gift of righteousness. All people are in Adam, but they must receive Jesus to be in Christ.

Promise: We deserve what we received in Adam. Adam sinned, we all sin. We don't deserve grace, yet we can receive it.

Romans 5:13-14 - Counting Sin in Adam

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 until Moses, even over those who had not sinned in the likeness of the offense of Adam, who is a type of Him who was to come.

Message: Sin existed, apart from the Law; Sin Spread to All Men when Adam sinned.

Time: The Apostle Paul wrote to the Romans from the Greek city of Corinth in AD 57, just three years after the 16 year old Nero had ascended to the throne as Emperor of Rome. Persecution of Christians wouldn't begin until AD 64. The church was experiencing times of relative peace. From where he wrote, Corinth, was a hotbed of sexual immorality and idol worship.

What the Lord is Saying:

I am in the middle of studying Romans 5:12-21. I saw yesterday that sin entered the world through one man, Adam. And from that one sin, death spread to all men. All sinned. Adam began the human race. What Adam does affects everyone else. Overall, I am in the middle of an explanation by Paul of why it is necessary for man to be redeemed and justified. Why can't man just say? "I'm working on living the best kind of life I know how?"

Without the Law, sin still exists
In Chapter 4, in describing that righteousness was by the faith of Abraham. Abraham was present 430 years before the Law. Before the standard was given, therefore, Abraham was still accountable. In Romans 1:19, Paul states "that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them." God makes himself evident to man. And in Romans 2:14-15, Paul addresses that our conscience itself is a law written on our hearts. Paul is letting us know clearly that apart from the Law there is still an awareness of right and wrong.

Here in verse 13, "for until the law sin was in the world." The only thing the Law did was expose sin for what it was, but sin still was in the world. Verse 12 stated, "All have sinned."

The Law helps call sin--sin (but there is still sin without the law)
The word imputed is also the word credited that Paul speaks of Romans 3 when it speaks of man being justified (3:24), or made right with God, through gift of the grace of God, Jesus Christ. Jesus is the justifier (3:26).  Paul shows further in Chapter 4, in which he quotes from Genesis 15:6 in verses 3 and 9 to state that Abraham's faith or believe in God was reckoned (credited, imputed) to him as righteousness. It is through faith that the credit transaction of righteousness is made between Jesus and man. But imputed also represents what happened to all men when Adam sinned. His sin imputed sin to all mankind. By sinning, sin was credited to the account of man.

In Romans 4:15, it states that "the Law brings about wrath, but where there is no law, neither is there violation." In that verse the Law is a signpost in our life. But, that verse wasn't stating that there is only sin with the Law, but it is saying that Law exposes us to our sin that we have already been committing.

This verse in Romans 5:13 really is stating the same thing in that a violation of the law is not counted against man until the Law is present. Paul is not saying that No Law = No Sin.

I think what is kind of difficult here to understand is that in life we often don't change our behavior until  a Law or standard is known or been communicated to us. But, I think what Paul is saying is the Law is written on our hearts and our conscience, even before the Law is communicating to us what is right and wrong. This is hard for us because Laws and rules are so abundant in our lives. And yet I think we know the difference between right and wrong.

There are people that I have communicated with that don't know of a 10 commandments and what it says, but they still recognize sin in their life.

Nevertheless death reigned from Adam until Moses
In verse 12, Paul mentions sin coming into the world and because of it, death spread to all men. So, here in verse 14, Paul mentions that death was present from the time sin came into the world (through Adam) until the giving of the Law (by Moses). There isn't really anything difficult in this statement, sin ushered in death and we all know death was present from Adam to the giving of the Law (Moses). Thus, we don't doubt that death is present, so we also shouldn't doubt that sin is present during those years.

Death was not present because of the exact sin Adam committed
Paul goes on to say in verse 14, "even over those who had not sinned in the likeness of the offense of Adam." What is being established in verse 14 is really a connecting of the dots from verse 12 and 13. Sin was in the world before the Law. Abraham was declared righteous by faith before the Law. So obviously, to be declared righteous, sin must be there. Adam sinned. When Adam sinned death came into the world and we know death was present from Adam to Moses or from sin entering to the Law being erected.

That said, Paul feels it necessary to communicate that death is not simply present because of the exact sin of Adam not believing God. Because of what Adam did in sinning, the human race after him because like Adam, irregardless of whether a person sins or not. God is not waiting to judge man by seeing if that person will sin. This is the point of this phrase within this verse. Death is present. Death isn't waiting for a person to sin, but it is just present. Why? Because Adam sinned.

Adam was a type of Christ
As Wayne Barber reminded me yesterday, before being in Christ, we are all in Adam. So, we are either In Adam or In Christ. So, Adam is a type of Christ. "(Adam) who is a type of Him what was to come." In Christ, through believing in Him, righteousness is credited or imputed to all men. In Adam, my his act of sinning, sin is credited or imputed to all men. Adam sinned, once, for all. Christ died for sin, once, for all.

Promise: From Tabletalk, April 10, 2014: When a person is born, they are already deserving of death.

Romans 5:12 - Sin Enters the World

Romans 5:12 - Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned—

Message: Sin and death enter the world through one.

Time: The Apostle Paul wrote to the Romans from the Greek city of Corinth in AD 57, just three years after the 16 year old Nero had ascended to the throne as Emperor of Rome. Persecution of Christians wouldn't begin until AD 64. The church was experiencing times of relative peace. From where he wrote, Corinth, was a hotbed of sexual immorality and idol worship.

What the Lord is Saying:

What's next? Or What is therefore their for? 
Therefore....Based upon the text and the reading, this seems to be the beginning of the final piece of the story of justification that began in Romans 3, verse 21. I have seen justification described in 3, verses 21-31. Witnesses were then brought out in Romans 4, mostly Abraham, a little David, to testify that righteousness was by faith.  Then, in Romans 5, the benefits of being declared righteous--namely peace with God, joy in tribulation, and salvation from God's wrath, have been presented by Paul in verses 1 - 11.

Therefore, what is next? Paul appears to now clarify further the problem with man. What is it about man that he needs redeemed? I need to think about what has been presented thus far. I have seen the guilt of the Gentile in Chapter 1, starting in verse 18. Paul presents someone that knew God, but rejected Him. This man began to replace God with his own gods or his own ideas or himself. Then Paul brings the Jew to the forefront in Chapter 2 for the Jew comes before God declaring his exemption from judgment because they are the chosen ones, having awesome deeds, and circumcision. However, they don't truly obey the law like they think they do. And in conclusion, Paul lets people know that everyone is guilty before God in Romans 3 to verse 20. So, naturally justification is presented.

Yet, the skeptic or the unbeliever, has in a way not been addressed. There is a condition man is in simply because he is born. What is it about man that makes him need redemption? Yes, man is an enemy of God (5:10), helpless (5:6), unrighteous (1:18), but in a way those are acts; those are attempts. I think what Paul needs to do is present the condition of man. So, this is where I think he is headed in these verses.

If there is one thing I've learned from Paul, he is thorough.

Sin entered the world through one man
Genesis 2:15-17, 3:4-11 to me presents sin coming into the world. Yes, it is true the woman took fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, but God gave directions to Adam about the tree, not Eve. Even was born after the command from Adam. What is not recorded is how well Adam communicated to Eve the command from God. And in 3:9, God comes to find Adam to ask what has happened. Man is the one responsible. So, sin entered the world through one man, Adam. It is true that Eve sinned concurrently, but Adam is the one in responsibility so the guilt is really first on Adam. If it was only Eve, then Eve would have simply died, but because it is Adam, he is the beginning of the race.

Adam brought sin into the world. He opened Pandora's box.

Wayne Barber stated that there is contrast between those who are In Adam and In Christ. 

And death through sin
Bringing sin into the world now meant man would return to the ground (Genesis 3:19). From dust to dust.

Sin and death spread to all men
One the door was opened, it was ushered in to all mankind. I often think of that scary scene in Raiders of the Lost Ark when the Ark was opened and all the people in eyesight of it were killed. One person opened it, but many were affected. It's really a sobering thing throughout history. It is something that is repeated over and over. One person starts something and many follow and many are affected.

Nobody is exempt from sin because it now lives on earth.  

What is sin? 
Falling short of any goal. It is missing the mark or standard or goal. Sin here is the Greek word hamartia and before this word is he or a definite article of the. It is "The sin." It wasn't simply that one wrongful deed entered into the world. But, instead the propensity for all people to sin. I think I could see the category or condition.

If I tried to just call this one sin, then the verse would read, "Therefore, just as through one man lying entered into the world, and death through lying, and so death spread to all men, because all lied—." It really kind of makes no sense. It's not one sin that occurred, but rather sin in its completeness. 

Promise: Death is just plain wrong. It is not right that we should die. That is not how we were created. But, we have stumbled. Jesus can save us from death.

Romans 5:10-11 - Saved by the Life of God's Son

Romans 5:10-11 - 10 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. 11 And not only this, but we also exult in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.

Message: To be reconciled with God through Jesus Christ

Time: The Apostle Paul wrote to the Romans from the Greek city of Corinth in AD 57, just three years after the 16 year old Nero had ascended to the throne as Emperor of Rome. Persecution of Christians wouldn't begin until AD 64. The church was experiencing times of relative peace. From where he wrote, Corinth, was a hotbed of sexual immorality and idol worship.

What the Lord is Saying:

Set-up
In these verses, Paul continues through the benefits of righteousness. Chapter 4 gave illustrations of righteousness, primarily through the witness of Abraham, though David was also mentioned briefly. But, Abraham more specifically was shown to be righteous apart from works, apart from circumcision, apart from the law; thus, overall, he was declared righteous by faith. Romans 3:21 got Paul started off on this complete description of righteousness by faith and God imputed Jesus' righteousness to man when man believed in Jesus, that he lived, died and rose from the dead; this places our faith in Christ, in accordance with grace. Our sins are not counted against us anymore. Christ died for us.

Chapter 5 then starts to give us benefits. We have peace with God and we have joy in tribulation. And then, starting verse 9, we have salvation from wrath. The wrath of God will come down on man at some time. Maybe it is the tribulation wrath. Maybe it is the wrath at the judgment seat. No matter when, wrath will come. And the point of these verses, 9-11, is to show that man has been saved from this wrath.

Wrath has also been described in chapter 2. The Jews were told they would be judged according to truth, by their works, and with impartiality from verse 1 to 16. The wrath of God is inescapable.

In verse 9, Paul more clearly shows me that I have been justified by Jesus blood. Blood was the means by which Old Testament saints were declared free from sin. Their sin was paid for by the blood of an animal, through a sacrifice. But, Christ's ultimately and completed covers the sin of the called out ones.

Reconciled when we were enemies
Verse 10 is a sobering truth for Paul clearly puts forth that when not in Christ, we are enemies of God. We are contrary to the ways of God. With God, it is either/or. There is no middle ground. The fact that God is impartial shows us that all people are judged fairly and consistently and all people have the same need for salvation.

Verse 6 stated that I was helpless. Verse 7 I was hardly a righteous person (I was not righteous). Verse 8, I was a sinner. But, Christ died for me. As an enemy, God did something incredible and reconciled me to God through the death of Jesus, God's son. I was not reconciled to God through Jesus while I was a good person or moving toward goodness or practicing good works or possessing church disciplines and ordinances, but I was reconciled while I was God's enemy, a sinner.

Saved by His Life
Verse 10 states another "much more then." This phrase came up in verse 9 as well. To me, it is a statement of "wait, there is more." It's a phrase that makes sense coming from Paul because Paul is all about clarifying His points and confirming them over and over.

So, now that we are reconciled. Again, belief in God resulted in being reconciled. This is a past event and a permanent event. This is a done deal. This isn't something that can just suddenly go away. This is God's covenant to man. I think people struggle with this principle because we now have so few good examples of covenants. The covenant of marriage is fleeting. It has been for 50 years as a person has clearly been show to fall in and then, out of love. What has been clearly shows is the importance of a right foundation. And so without good examples of covenants, we start to think that being reconciled to God through Christ is a revolving door rather than a known certainty. But, in verse 4 and 5 of this chapter, I saw hope being confirmed through a tribulation. We have a certainty that we are in Christ. So, I am reconciled.

I am saved by the life of Jesus. This is a future event. I will be saved by his life. Throughout Paul's explanation, there are 3 main points.

1. We have been reconciled to God. We have been declared righteous. Our belief in God imputes righteousness to us.
2. We have hope. This hope is a confidence in a future event. Right now I have hope. 
3. We will be saved by His life in the future. When the wrath of God comes, in the future, I will be saved by the life of Jesus. 

Thus, past, present, and future. Jesus lived a perfect life, and thus He became the perfect substitution. Throughout the Old Testament, substitution were made for sin, but they weren't perfect. Man's sin was being written off by an animal. In Jesus, man's was reconciled by the work of another man. There was a likeness of the same kind. I am saved by the life of Jesus.

I am rich because Jesus has reconciled me
"And not only this." Again, Paul cracks me up. No, wait, there is more. Paul testifies of more truth.  In verse 2, Paul uses the word "hope" to describe the peace we have with God in that we exult or boast in God. We have a lively and triumphant joy because of the faith that we have. We are certain of our future with the glory of God. In verse 3, I exult or have lively and triumphant joy in tribulations. I can now look at tribulations in a new light. They confirm my faith. And now here in verse 11, I exult or have a lively and triumphant joy in God through Jesus because I have been reconciled.

By faith I receive reconciliation. I was an enemy of God (verse 10). I am now reconciled (verse 10). I am a friend of God. It's a declaration of praise: "I am a friend of God."

The result of being declared righteous, of justification:

• Peace with God through Christ (Romans 5:1)
• Access into the grace & presence of God through Christ (Romans 5:2)
• Experience of Exultation and Joy in tribulation (Romans 5:3)
• The love of God poured out in our heart (Romans 5:5)
• The indwelling of the Holy Spirit (Romans 5:5)
• Deliverance from future wrath of God (Romans 5:9)
• Present continuing salvation in Christ our life (Romans 5:10)
• Reconciliation through Christ with God (Romans 5:11) 

Promise: From Tabletalk, April 8: The position we enjoy in Christ today ensures that we will fully experience all of His benefits tomorrow.

Romans 5:9 - Love Finds a Way

Romans 5:9 - Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him.

Message: Saved by grace, from the wrath of God.

Time: The Apostle Paul wrote to the Romans from the Greek city of Corinth in AD 57, just three years after the 16 year old Nero had ascended to the throne as Emperor of Rome. Persecution of Christians wouldn't begin until AD 64. The church was experiencing times of relative peace. From where he wrote, Corinth, was a hotbed of sexual immorality and idol worship.

What the Lord is Saying:

There is more. Verses 6, 7, and 8 are really important for we see the why of verse 5 and that God poured His love out for us. He did it because we are sinners.  But, there is more.

It is not simply that Jesus died for us, though that was huge. But, again, these verses continue to show me the results of justification. And in verse 9, the result of being justified by His blood is I am saved from the wrath of God through Him.

Paul is a repeater. If there is one thing I notice about Paul and this message of Romans is how much he repeats his message. He says it in a multitude of different ways. But, the message is always the same. And the message is always centered on Jesus and what He did and what He did for us and how God now accepts us because of what Jesus did and us believing in that.

And Paul just repeats that over and over. Along the way, he gives me encouragement for many different things. I am encouraged by the trials that I experience. They are there for a reason. I am getting more patient. And Paul later in Romans will talk about many more applications. But, for now, he wants us to see who we are in Christ. And again, it is all about Christ. It is all about being in Him.

I am saved by grace, from the wrath of God. That is what verse 9 is telling me. Chapter 2 was all about God's wrath. And Paul there was telling the Jews that they can't simply escape God's wrath because God chose them as His people, gave them the Law and gave them the command of circumcision and they got themselves circumcised. Those things from God don't mean that they then get a free pass or access card (as Paul will talk about in Romans 4). for God is not partial to any person. God loves us, so He sent Jesus, to die for us because we are sinners.

Now that we have been justified or made right with God by His blood, that was shed on the cross when He died, I am saved from God's wrath. All people will see the wrath of God one day. But some people will experience it differently.

And then Paul throws in another opportunity to speak of Christ, by saying, "through Him." Just looking at that last through Him cracks me up. God wants it to be so clear, over and over, that what saves me from God's wrath is Christ, not me. It is Christ.

Promise: Through Christ's blood, we are forever beyond the divine vengeance against sin. 

Romans 5:6-8 - God's Display of His Love

Romans 5:6-8 - 6 For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For one will hardly die for a righteous man; though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die. 8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

Message: What Christ's Death accomplished

Time: The Apostle Paul wrote to the Romans from the Greek city of Corinth in AD 57, just three years after the 16 year old Nero had ascended to the throne as Emperor of Rome. Persecution of Christians wouldn't begin until AD 64. The church was experiencing times of relative peace. From where he wrote, Corinth, was a hotbed of sexual immorality and idol worship.

What the Lord is Saying:

The Set-Up
Here in Romans 5, Paul, after having shown how a person is justified by faith, credited righteousness, describes the results of that justification. I have peace with God through what Jesus has done for me (verse 1). my position has changed to one of hope, a certain future of being with God in His glory, and this makes me boast (verse 2), and now I see that the tribulations in my life are there for a reason and nurture in me patience , and overall show how much God loves me (verse 3-5).

A short gospel message
Q: Do you think good people go to heaven?
Q: Is anyone completely good because being good is not the standard, but being perfect is?
Q: I thought I was good, but then when I looked at God's standard, the Law, I saw something different. I lied. I stole. I used God's name as a curse word. I had lust in my heart toward individuals not my wife. I wanted things that belonged to others so bad that I felt like I wouldn't be happy unless I had them. I disobeyed my parents. And not only these things, but my conscience tells me when I have done wrong. Behind his back, I make my boss out to be a bad person. I change people's opinion of him based upon my words. I know that is wrong, but I do it anyway.
Q: So, I asked you, is anyone complete good and never sinned. There is Jesus. Now a lot has been said of Jesus, but this is what is significant with Him. He lived a perfect life, so he equaled God's standard. And despite being perfect, people didn't like Him and sentenced Him to die. And He submitted to this authority even though he knew He had done nothing wrong. He went to the cross, died, and then did something crazy, He rose from the dead. Christmas, we celebrate His birth and life. Easter, we celebrate His rising again.
Q: Here is what God did for you and I. He said, "Believe in Jesus and you will be saved." To Believe means I (1) believe I am not perfect; (2) believe Jesus is and His sin covers mine and (3) follow Him. When I put my trust in something like a chair, first of all, I could make my own chair, but it would be hard on me. I could do it, but I couldn't do it for a long time. So, I see the chair and trust it that it will hold me up. And then while I am sitting, I can do things. I can read, look at my phone, I can work, make a living.
Q: This is what it is to be a follower of Christ.  

Jesus died for those unable to help themselves
Verse 6 answers a person's question that could be raised in verse 5. It was in verse 5 that I saw that Christ's love has been poured out. The context of that verse was in talking about tribulations. In Christ, I can look at tribulations differently. They serve a big purpose in my life and assure me that I am in Christ. And so it is a testimony of God's love for me. And so how do I know that God loves me? Verse 6.

While I was unable to help myself, Christ died for me. Helpless is the Greek word asthenes which means without strength. Without strength I can not produce results. No matter how much I desire or want to receiving something, I can't. I may want to be a great person, a good person, get to God on my own. I may desire all these things, but the reality is, I am helpless and without strength. I don't have the ability to justify myself through my works. I am helpless.

Christ died. Again, is this the complete message of justifying the sinner? No. It's a partial message. John 3:16 starts, "For God so loved he world that He gave His son." The gave that is being talked about here is the death of Jesus. God shows his love by giving up His only Son to die for us. Jesus died for the helpless.

One may die for a good man
In verses 7 and 8, Paul further clarifies what has occurred in verse 6. There are two realities in verse 6. (1) man is helpless; on his own, man is helpless or without strength; man must see that he can't get to God on His own. (2) man is ungodly. Jesus died for the ungodly. The reality is that man is really has no respect or reverence for things of God. The issue before God isn't that I have some strength and some ability and do some good works and live some sort of good life. Jesus didn't die for good people. That isn't the focus. Man wants it to be the focus because man's pride in himself and his accomplishments is something he desires will merit him something in the after life. Man knows that being good merits good things on earth, so man thinks also that being pretty good over the course of a lifetime will merit something good in the afterlife. The problem is, this is what man thinks. The reality is, God knows we are ungodly. It's not the good that is the focus. The focus is that a person has sinned. And sin separates us from God. And our good deeds don't thing bring us back to God. That's the mistake people make. They think that what they do brings them closer to God. The reality is that man is ungodly.

Verse 7 is a great verse because, to me, it expresses the idea that most people think and that is that Jesus would probably die for someone good. It makes sense to us and it is what we want to believe in ourselves, that we are good and therefore I merit salvation because Christ died for me, a pretty good person. 

But no one would die for a bad man
But the reality is verse 8. God doesn't die for the good. God dies for the sinner. Sin must be presented in the gospel message. It is the focus of the gospel. I am helpless. I am ungodly. I am a sinner. I am without strength, I am not like God. I am a sinner. It's almost like this progression of thought. At first, I see that I am not perfect, meaning I have strength, but not completely. Then I see that I am not like God. I am ungodly. But, then I see that I am a sinner. I have broken God's commandments. I am all these three: helpless, ungodly, a sinner.

God shows His love for me by His Son dying for me. That is some great love. That is God pouring out His love for me.

Promise: God loves the weak, the ungodly, the sinner and yet promises to give them life abundantly.

Romans 5:3-5 - Our Christian Hope

Romans 5:3-5 - 3 And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; 4 and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; 5 and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

Message: We get to exult in our tribulations.

Time: The Apostle Paul wrote to the Romans from the Greek city of Corinth in AD 57, just three years after the 16 year old Nero had ascended to the throne as Emperor of Rome. Persecution of Christians wouldn't begin until AD 64. The church was experiencing times of relative peace. From where he wrote, Corinth, was a hotbed of sexual immorality and idol worship.

What the Lord Says:

The Set Up
Verse 3 begins with, "And not only this." As if verse 2 wasn't enough. Verse 2 told me that I exult in the hope of the glory of God. In verse 1, I am told that I have peace with God. I have a peace that will always be there. It is not going anywhere. In verse 2, I have been admitted into grace; I have been given the best access card ever that will get me into grace. Grace is God's Riches at Christ's Expense. I get all the blessings of grace and this realization moves me to exult--to lift up--in hope (the certainty of the future), of the glory of God.

May I never dull of giving thanks to God for what He has given me. When I think about it, I don't comprehend it. I know me and I look at me and don't know why God would give this to me and not others. I look at others, I see them and can't figure out why He would choose me. But, I stand forever amazed and grateful and pray that I would not just hold this new life to myself, but would share it with others. Prayer needs to be a daily habit in my life and often I find so many other things to fill my life. But God wants me to pray and teaches me to pray in His word and so prayer needs to be a bigger part of my life. Thank you God for moving us as a family to pray, but I still have so much more free time to spend praying. I pray right now that I wouldn't lose sight of this.

Exult in Tribulations
Now I move to verse 3 and see the words "and not only this." You mean, there is more. The word exult is to boast in a position I now possess. The dictionary says exult is to show or feel a lively triumphant joy. And Paul is showing me that I get to and will exult in tribulations. Say what? Yes, show or feel a lively triumphant joy in my tribulations. Boast in the fact that I possess now tribulations. I still can't comprehend this. I've learned this before. I've studied James and seen that I am to count it joy when I experience trials and now here I see I can exult in tribulations. But, I rarely do this. I run from tribulations. And yet tribulations often drive me to my knees to pray. Think about it. Often, I don't pray as I should and yet when a tribulation comes I run to my knees to pray about it. So, obviously, having the tribulation is a positive for it got my focus more securely on the need to pray. God should never be my last priority, but He should always be my first priority.

It is one thing to submit to and endure tribulations without complaint, but it is quite another thing to embrace tribulations with exult. Everyone wants to live a problem free life and yet what Paul is stating here is the contrary thought that we can boast in the fact we have a tribulation.

I think of all those people I converse with online and prayer requests are there due to them wanting to get out of, as quickly as possible, a trial in their life. But, what if God has them right where he wants them? Maybe their perspective is to look through the tribulation to see what God can do with it. But, it is not that their is joy in having a tribulation, but it moves us to greater dependence and expecting God's deliverance from it. Hodge states, "The Christian feels that suffering themselves are an offering and a blessing." And this is a consistent them in the Bible. Matthew states, "Blessed are those that mourn." Ecclesiastes states, "Sorrow is better than laughter for when a face is sad, a heart may be happy." 

Tribulation is the Greek word thlipsis. It is not a mile discomfort, but a great difficulty. It is derived from the word which means to crush or break together with the idea of breaking. According to the ancient law of England, those who willfully refused to plead guilty, had heavy weights pressed on their breasts, and were pressed and crushed to death. Thlipsis is uses 45 times in the New Testament. It has the idea of squeezing grapes in order to extract the sweet juice.

Tribulation breeds patience
Patience seems to be the one trait that all people struggle with the most. Our culture, of late, has bent itself more and more on the notion that immediate gratification is the norm. Movies are a great example of this. Often my children will sit down to watch an old movie with me and the story will move slowly. There will be dialogue and discussion. It will slowly build up to a climax. I contrast this to the action adventure movies they often watch where their is excitement at every turn. There are fights and explosions constantly. The push to video games is a push to enjoy things more immediately. Learning often needs patience and many are not patient. Books are not being read anymore because they take too long. We'd rather have a quick summary. I don't think that it is that learning is despised as much as there is a desire to get on with the things in life we state we enjoy and entertain us. All of these things and more I feel are breeding impatience in people.

And yet, from these verses we see that tribulation breeds or brings about patience. It has been said that the best way to learn patience is to go through a difficult situation. Can you imagine praying that a person would experience toil so that they may learn patience? "Oh Lord, would you send a trial into this person's life?" That prayer would never be prayed. A person would be laughed out of church for praying this.

Tribulation brings about perseverance
At the end of verse 3, it states that tribulation brings about perseverance. Perseverance is to abide or remain under a discipline. Or subjecting myself to something that I would naturally rebel. In tribulation, I experience pressures, but perseverance is to not focus on the pressures, but to focus beyond them. It is the realization that out of evil God brings good.

The difficulties in our lives,
The obstacles we face,
Give God the opportunity,
To show His power and grace.

Do I accept God's dealings with me as being good? Do I desire to get out of a tribulation as quickly as possible or do I trust God through it, asking for His timing in the deliverance? Do I have confidence in God that He will deliver me or do I try to find my own ways of getting out of the trial?

Perseverance, proven character
In verse 4, Proven character is the Greek word dokime and in secular Greek it was used to describe metals that had been tested and determined to be pure. How do we know that our faith is real? Take it through a trial and see what comes out on the other side.

I know of many people that I thought were formerly of the faith of Christianity, but are not now. I wonder if what happened in their lives is trials came there way or questions about their faith came and rather than enduring them and coming out stronger on the other side, they instead punted their faith.

People punt so many things in their life that were once a commitment. Marriage is something that seems to have really been hurt over the last 50 years. It seems that marriage often happens for the wrong reasons. I remember counseling a man a couple of years ago and his marriage was barely hanging on, it wasn't surviving the trials, and when I discovered how the marriage began, he told me that they were attracted to one another and had sex quickly, the wife got pregnant and they got married. It started on a shaky foundation. It was a marriage by name, but when trials came it got weak. I'm not saying God couldn't save it and purify it, but without two people submitting to the Lord, at all, it failed.

Proven character, hope
In these verses, it has gone from tribulation, joy, patience, perseverance, proven character, and now it comes to hope. In our faith, we can almost welcome tribulation because we know it is going to cause us to depend on God. And through it, it will breed patience in our life. And I can work it out in my life because I can persevere or focus not on the pressures that I am experiencing, but the result that will come. And through this process I can know that, by depending on the Lord, I will be shown as the real thing. And this gives me hope.

When I know that I am pure and know that I can make it through trials, it confirms that I am child of God. Getting through the trials gives me that hope and assurance that God is there and in control. It anchors me in my faith.

I talk to so many people online that state, "I don't feel like a Christian. Things aren't working out in my life." That a testimony right there that a person has believed something different from the Gospel of the Bible. It is not to make life easy, but to move us to depend on our Lord and thereby confirm our faith and our future in Christ.

Do I accept everything that comes into my life as coming from the Lord? Do I give thanks (Ro1:20)?  And not only accept it, but rejoice in it?

Hope does not disappoint
Hope is the desire for some future good with the expectation of obtaining it. Psalm 40:1 has always been a favorite verse to me (Mostly because U2 introduced me to it in the song "40" on the War album). It states, "I waited patiently for the Lord, and he inclined to me and heard my cry." The Lord did not disappoint. He was there. And He came through. That passage later says, "He put a new song in my mouth."

I am a Christian. I know this. God has taken me through trials. And has confirmed Him in me. And this confirmation does not disappoint. In future times, it continues to show me that He is actually what I need.

Faith, Hope, and (now) Love
Here in verse 5, Paul culminates the look at tribulations to show us that they are there because God loves us. His love is being poured out on us and the testimony we have of that love is tribulation.

We want the patience of Job. But, we don't want the trials that Job faced. And yet, Job is a great testimony of how much God loved him. That's amazing. God pours out his love on us in the form of tribulations. God showed us His great love for us by sending His Son. And now God showers us and waters us more, pouring His love out to us. In verse 1, it was peace. verse 2, it was joy and now God confirms His love through training us to be patient, to confirm His love, our hope in the future, because God is there for us.

Through the Holy Spirit
So much is made of the Holy Spirit and the sensationalism of Him, to bring about riches and abundance and healing in our lives. And yet here, the Holy Spirit is working through tribulations. Through pressures. God's love is poured out into our lives through the Holy Spirit. This is the first mention of the Holy Spirit by Paul. And it comes on the heals of Paul showing us what the believer has received in being justified. He has received the Holy Spirit. He didn't have to ask for him or pray for him, he received it upon being justified.

Promise: The Holy Spirit entered my life because I was born of God. And He has the best in store for me.

Romans 5:2 - Access by Faith

Romans 5:2 - through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God.

Message: Jesus introduces us to grace and now I have hope

Time: The Apostle Paul wrote to the Romans from the Greek city of Corinth in AD 57, just three years after the 16 year old Nero had ascended to the throne as Emperor of Rome. Persecution of Christians wouldn't begin until AD 64. The church was experiencing times of relative peace. From where he wrote, Corinth, was a hotbed of sexual immorality and idol worship.

What the Lord is Saying:

The Set Up
After Paul has clearly explained the righteousness we receive by faith, believing that Jesus died and rose from the dead, Paul now answers the question, "So what does being declared righteous in Christ mean to me now?" In verse 1, Paul let me know that there is peace with God. There is shalom with God. I was separated from God because of my sin, because being a sinner in the eyes of God made me unholy. But, now I have peace.

Contrasting Standing and State
The emphasis here is on my access by faith or my standing. Paul elsewhere will often speak of our current state. This is a contrast worth noting because I think, in my conversations with people, it is a source of confusion and often the two are viewed to be synonymous at one time in the life of a believer when in actuality they are different. My standing has been eternally settled. It is the new place in which I am. It is my condition based upon grace which justifies me before the throne of God. I am in Christ beyond the reach of the judgment. My state is the condition of my soul. It varies. Standing does not vary. State fluctuates and varies during my walk with God. My state varies as I either walk in the flesh or walk in the Spirit. In standing, the veil is torn and I have been given access to walk in the Holy of Holies and boldly approach the throne of God in prayer.

My admission ticket
Verse 2 begins with "through whom also we have obtained our introduction." Introduction is the Greek word prosagoge which means to bring near or bring toward. It is providing admission or access. I think it would be better translated as "through whom also we have obtained our admission." Admission ticket is something we all know. Or receiving a special access card, like I did when I worked at the airport, that gave me special access through a door that is normally off limits to the public traveling. This speaks clearly of what has occurred in being justified. I have been given access into the King's presence, into the king's presence, into peace with God.

My admission ticket came about by my faith. It was my faith into grace and that is what I stand on. Now I have hope in the hereafter and I have victory over sin today.

Exult, Hope in Glory of God
Exult is to boast over a position I now possess. The standing that I receive elicits a response in me and that is a sincere gladness for what has been gifted me. And because I am exulting in a finished work, the exulting should never go away or cease, but should always be present in my life. In essence, I am congratulating myself. But, again, I am pleased and honored, but it is not of my own doing. I haven't done anything unique. I'm just glad about what this means to me.

From PreceptAustin.org: Hope is defined as a desire for some future good with the expectation of obtaining it. Hope is confident expectancy or the confident anticipation of that which we do not yet see. Hope is the looking forward to something with a reason for confidence respecting fulfillment. J B Phillips paraphrased the believer's hope as "happy certainty"!

I am thrilled and overjoyed to have what I have in Christ. I have a confident expectancy and can be certain of my future sharing with Him one day in His glory. Glory is a manifestation of God's true nature, His presence, His likeness. Christ's work on the cross has altered my standing forever. What a thrill.

Promise:  I have assurance of my salvation and my eternal destiny.

There is no person who is justified but is not at peace with God; nor is there a person who is at peace with God but is not justified. -- Tabletalk, April 2, 2014

Romans 5:1 - Peace with God

Romans 5:1 - Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,

Message: Because of justification, we have peace with God through Jesus our Lord

Time: The Apostle Paul wrote to the Romans from the Greek city of Corinth in AD 57, just three years after the 16 year old Nero had ascended to the throne as Emperor of Rome. Persecution of Christians wouldn't begin until AD 64. The church was experiencing times of relative peace. From where he wrote, Corinth, was a hotbed of sexual immorality and idol worship.

What the Lord is Saying:

Background
In Chapter 4, Paul clearly put forth how a person is justified by faith, in accordance with Grace, where a person believes that Jesus died and rose from the dead, where in turn, Christ's righteousness was credited to a person, and the person's sinful life was transferred to Christ. No matter how good a person, a person's life will always be tainted by sin. Therefore, works can never save a person. But, the Law was never meant to save, but rather call attention to specifically how the Law has been broken. And we know this, not simply because of words spoken of by a New Testament convert, Paul, but the credit of righteousness by faith was upheld by Abraham and David.

In Chapter 3, the stage was set for this justification by clearly showing that no one is righteous. The need for believing in Christ is based upon the idea that man is a sinner. Paul also explains that God's faithfulness is not contingent upon man's obedience. God is who He is plain and simple.

In Chapter 2, Paul lays out that God's will judge man; God's wrath will occur. And the Jew will not escape this because of their connection with the Law nor because they have been circumcised. An inward change is what is key in the life of a person. The problem with the Law is the Jews broke the Law. God looks at every person the same. No one is given a free pass. God is impartial.

In Chapter 1, Paul introduces himself to the the Romans and his introduction is all about the Gospel of God. It's all about the change that has taken place in his life and the life of those he is speaking to. Paul never mentions works as the basis for his love but it is their faith. And Paul sets up that the Gospel is all about man's unrighteousness that he needs the righteousness of Christ. And what Paul shows clearly is how man, specifically the Gentile, has moved away from God, though God is known in man, man seeks his own path for being justified.

Now, in chapter 5, we behold peace with God. This is what every person is after in life: to have peace with God. Sin brings about separation from God. But Jesus brings peace.

Therefore - we are guilty; we are sinners
Paul has completely shown with all clarity that the only way I can be right with God is by believing in Jesus so the righteousness of Christ can be imputed to me. It is not through obedience to the Law nor is it through a special act like circumcision or even baptism.

And now in Chapter 5, I can see the clear result of this in my life. I have peace with God.

We are justified by faith
This is the culminating theme of the first 4 chapters. The conclusion of being separated from God because of my sin is I am justified or made right with God by faith. Paul summarizes his entire message by stating I am justified by faith. Justification happened. It was a one time event. It is not a process, but an event.

And this justification came from someone outside of man. I am justified by an outside force.

Faith is resting my whole weight on God. 

I have peace with God
The peace I have is not a one time thing, but continual. I have been justified and so now I have peace. So many people have written me to tell me that they don't feel like they have peace with God. But, this is clear. Peace is not a feeling. Peace is a fact.

Wayne Barber states this: That means that I have it today. I will have it tomorrow. I will have it the next day. I will always have it. Present tense means continuous duration of action. Indicative mood means that is a fact, take it to the bank. Active voice means the subject is acted upon or doing the acting. We have peace with God. I don’t know about you, but that completely blows my mind because there are a lot of people today who try to tell me I can lose my salvation. But the Word of God says when I put my faith into Jesus Christ, I eternally have peace with God. What does it mean to put my faith into Jesus Christ to get this peace with God? I have to realize my guilt before God. I have to realize I cannot do one single thing to justify myself. I have to realize what Christ came to do for me. Then when I put my faith into Him, when I surrender to Him, I have peace with God.

Peace means to bind together what has been separated. And I have peace because of a past event. And so peace is not predicated on something that I will do in the future. Having been justified, I have peace.

Through our Lord Jesus Christ
I am a sinner. I have been justified by faith. I have peace with God. And it is through Jesus Christ. All of my praise in my life is to Jesus Christ and for what he did for me. I give praise to Jesus because he made it possible for me to have peace with God. 

Promise: I possess peace because I have been justified.

The apostle Paul wrote to the Romans from the Greek city of Corinth in AD 57, just three years after the 16-year-old Nero had ascended to the throne as Emperor of Rome. - See more at: http://www.insight.org/resources/bible/romans.html#sthash.VYInq9Fk.dpuf

The apostle Paul wrote to the Romans from the Greek city of Corinth in AD 57, just three years after the 16-year-old Nero had ascended to the throne as Emperor of Rome. - See more at: http://www.insight.org/resources/bible/romans.html#sthash.VYInq9Fk.dpuf

The apostle Paul wrote to the Romans from the Greek city of Corinth in AD 57, just three years after the 16-year-old Nero had ascended to the throne as Emperor of Rome. - See more at: http://www.insight.org/resources/bible/romans.html#sthash.VYInq9Fk.dpuf

The apostle Paul wrote to the Romans from the Greek city of Corinth in AD 57, just three years after the 16-year-old Nero had ascended to the throne as Emperor of Rome. - See more at: http://www.insight.org/resources/bible/romans.html#sthash.VYInq9Fk.dpuf

The apostle Paul wrote to the Romans from the Greek city of Corinth in AD 57, just three years after the 16-year-old Nero had ascended to the throne as Emperor of Rome. - See more at: http://www.insight.org/resources/bible/romans.html#sthash.VYInq9Fk.dpuf

The apostle Paul wrote to the Romans from the Greek city of Corinth in AD 57, just three years after the 16-year-old Nero had ascended to the throne as Emperor of Rome. - See more at: http://www.insight.org/resources/bible/romans.html#sthash.VYInq9Fk.dpuf

Romans 4:24b-25 - Raised for our Justification

Romans 4:24b-25 - 24b as those who believe in Him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead, 25 He who was delivered over because of our transgressions, and was raised because of our justification.

Message: Jesus Delivered and Raised

Time: The date of the book is probably 60 A.D. written from Corinth on Paul's third missionary journey. The church in Rome seems to be established and Romans does not speak of any one error in the church that he is addressing. The church had a large Jewish element, but also filled with Gentile converts from paganism, both free as well as slaves. 

What the Lord is Saying:

Chapter 4 concludes the message of righteousness by faith. Chapter 4 has been the faith chapter and what faith really means in the life of a believer. The patriarchs of our faith, Abraham and David, had this faith and every person can later have it as well. Our faith doesn't make us righteous, but our faith brings the righteousness of Christ to us. 

Faith gets personal here. Faith has been descriptive and faith has been a story thus far, but now faith gets descriptive. 

And how is this done?

Verse 24b - Believe in God who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead
Faith is centered on God and his work of raising Jesus from the dead. Jesus is our sacrifice. His sacrifice is possible because of his perfect life. His perfect life is necessary because man is sinner and never does good. Death had to be conquered and my believing in God then allows the righteousness of Jesus to be transferred to me; and all the sin I commit is transferred to Christ. But, it begins with belief.

Belief is not a work. It is analogous to a drowning man holding up his hand to be saved by someone pulling him to safety. And yet belief is not just in a story, but it is placing faith, in accordance with Grace. Belief transforms a person. It is intellectual consent followed by a surrendered life that then transforms a person.

Thus, Jesus is our Savior. We recognize what Jesus had done on the cross to save us. But, Jesus is also our Lord. What he has done transforms us. 

Raised is to awaken from sleep.

Verse 25a - Our lawlessness delivered Christ over to death
Delivered up means, in the Greek, to give alongside. It is to give up and hand over to another person. From the Amplified, he was handed over to die because of our sins, and He was raised from the dead to make us right with God. 

And he was delivered because of my transgressions. To transgress is to depart from the intended path.  God delivered Christ over because of my lawlessness. Jesus accepted his lot, but he did not choose his lot. As fully man, he accepted it, but it was God who delivered over Jesus.

So what is a Christian? A Christian is a person who personally believes in God who delivered over Jesus to pay for our sins and raised Him from the dead to confirm our justification.


Verse 25b - His resurrection justified us
This verse states it all. Our lawlessness or our sin Delivered Christ to Death. Our justification or being made right with God raised Jesus from the dead. Jesus was not merely a good prophet that lived a good life. The resurrection culminates it all. The resurrection must be real otherwise Jesus is a lunatic. If his life is only perfect as a standard then that standard can never be met.  

Faith is complete. It is all done. Once and for all.  

Promise:  I can be confident that my sin has been fully and finally atoned for because of the resurrection of Christ. There is nothing left to be done to pay for sin. If I trust in Jesus, I am covered by His blood forever. 

Romans 4:22-24a - Declaration Versus Transformation

Romans 4:22-24a - 22 Therefore it was also credited to him as righteousness. 23 Now not for his sake only was it written that it was credited to him, 24 but for our sake also, to whom it will be credited,

Message: Abraham credited and every person believing is also credited.

Time: The date of the book is probably 60 A.D. written from Corinth on Paul's third missionary journey. The church in Rome seems to be established and Romans does not speak of any one error in the church that he is addressing. The church had a large Jewish element, but also filled with Gentile converts from paganism, both free as well as slaves. 

What the Lord is Saying:

Preface
Every day that I read a new set of scripture for that day, I am once again reminded that Paul wants his readers to understand more completely what he is saying. Chapter 4 has all been about defending the faith and explaining righteousness by faith. The gospel was clearly put forth at the end of Chapter 3 where after Paul showed that all people had sinned, it was a person's faith that made them right with God. For in faith, God transfers Christ's perfect righteousness to man. And all of the sin in a person's life is transferred to Christ. Yesterday, the definition of faith came more clearly, that God makes a promise and I believe completely that it will occur. But, in chapter 4, Paul wants his reader to really understand what is meant by this faith that credits righteousness to a person. He uses Abraham and then David's lives to show people today how their lives were a testimony of this truth. The imputation of our sin and Christ's righteousness is not a new thing, but rather an old truth that, now in Christ, has been fulfilled and more clearly seen. 

In verse 18 and on, Paul shows from Abraham's life what faith really meant as Abraham believed God would provide an offspring to Abraham and his wife in order to fulfill the promise God had made to him that He would be the father of many nations. Again, through this explanation, Paul once again shows that the answer is not keeping the Law or even having the Law nor is it circumcision, but that Abraham was made right with God while uncircumcised. 

Verse 22 - Therefore, faith
From yesterday, the message in those verses was:

1. Abraham had hope and believed in the impossible 
2. Despite what he saw and knew, Abraham did not become weak in faith 
3. Abraham's faith grew 
4. Abraham's faith was defined completely  

Believe, Faith, Faith, Faith. This is how a person is credited with righteousness. But it is not faith that merits salvation, but it is through faith that we receive salvation for the performance of salvation was completely and only by Christ.

Verse 23 - This faith is not just for Abraham
Paul now turns a corner. He has described the faith of Abraham. David told us that all of our sins were transferred to Christ. Paul has given the clear examples of 2 patriarchs of our religion. But, these are not just to describe what happened to other people. This transaction of being credited with righteousness is not just to Abraham.

Verse 24 - But faith or credited righteousness is for every other person.
Faith is not just for Abraham, but it is for everyone. So, just like Abraham, it is for our sake as well to be credited. The Old Testament is not just a record of facts, but it is a description of what can happen in every person's life. Paul clearly puts forth that there is personal application in these verses. Yes, it was true for Abraham and receiving God's promise of offspring. But, what occurred in Abraham being credited as righteous is also for us today and every person in the future. 

And Paul wants it be clearly understand that a person is credited. It is a done deal. It is not a process or a growing process of making a person righteous (sanctification), but it is a done deal, in that a person is justified. The righteousness of Christ is transferred to the believer, who has faith, in accordance with grace. Faith connects us to God's righteousness. 

An illustration:
Suppose I say to Barnabas, my sixteen-year-old son, “Clean up your room before you go to school. You must have a clean room, or you won’t be able to go watch the game tonight.” Well, suppose he plans poorly and leaves for school without cleaning the room. And suppose I discover the messy room and clean it. His afternoon fills up and he gets home just before it’s time to leave for the game and realizes what he has done and feels terrible. He apologizes and humbly accepts the consequences.To which I say, “Barnabas, I am going to credit your apology and submission as a clean room. I said, ‘You must have a clean room, or you won’t be able to go watch the game tonight.’ Your room is clean. So you can go to the game.” What I mean when I say, “I credit your apology as a clean room,” is not that the apology is the clean room. Nor that he really cleaned his room. I cleaned it. It was pure grace. All I mean is that, in my way of reckoning—in my grace—his apo­logy connects him with the promise given for a clean room. The clean room is his clean room. I credit it to him. Or, I credit his apology as a clean room. (From PreceptAustin.org)

Promise: Crediting Righteousness is available to every person, in Christ. 

 

Romans 4:18-21 - Persevering, Strengthening Faith

Romans 4:18-21 - 18 In hope against hope he believed, so that he might become a father of many nations according to that which had been spoken, “So shall your descendants be.” 19 Without becoming weak in faith he contemplated his own body, now as good as dead since he was about a hundred years old, and the deadness of Sarah’s womb; 20 yet, with respect to the promise of God, he did not waver in unbelief but grew strong in faith, giving glory to God, 21 and being fully assured that what God had promised, He was able also to perform.

Message: Faith continues; sustains

Time: The date of the book is probably 60 A.D. written from Corinth on Paul's third missionary journey. The church in Rome seems to be established and Romans does not speak of any one error in the church that he is addressing. The church had a large Jewish element, but also filled with Gentile converts from paganism, both free as well as slaves. 

What the Lord is Saying: 

At the end of verse 17 it states that God gives life to the dead and calls into being that which does not exist. Yesterday, I wasn't sure what that meant, but now reading these verses (19) it does show that what he was talking about is God giving life to something that, from all appearances, was dead. 

Romans 4 continues to be re-delivering the message of the Old Testament, and specifically Abraham, the father of the Jews, but even more notably the father of us all. God made Abraham a promise and this promise was not momentary, but a blessing for all time for him to be the father of many nations. But, why is Abraham important? He is clearly important to the Jew, but why is he important to me? I think, he is one example, God used of a man who was declared righteous by his faith, not by works. So, Abraham is an example to me.


Verse 18 - Abraham had hope and believed in the impossible
The reading today begins "in hope against hope he believed." What Paul now shows and continues to show is that this act of crediting a person with righteousness and declaring a person alive is supremely an divine act. It is not human effort. Hope is complete assurance of a future good. But, it is also clear that what Christ does seems impossible to man. And thus the reason for the word "believe" to continually be repeated. Romans has 20 references to the word believe. And that I think is the meaning of the phrase "in hope against hope." It is an oxymoron statement, but against all of the hope of believing, in hope Abraham believed. Hope is the desire for something to happen. Faith is the confidence that is will happen. 

It was 25 years from the time Abraham received the promise that he would have a son and when he actually had a son. 25 years. I struggle waiting 25 minutes or even 25 days. 

The rest of verse 18 is a repeat of the fact that Abraham held tightly to the promise God had given him, that he would be the father of many nations. Abraham's offspring would be a result for future generations. 

Verse 19 - Despite what he saw and knew, Abraham did not become weak in faith
Abraham did not get weak in his faith. 25 years of waiting and Abraham did not become weak in faith. I have teenagers in the house who are often not in the house, but off, doing things. Life is changing. The kids are no longer in the house, by our side, in the other room playing why I am in one room, outside in the neighborhood, with us. More and more there time is spent not near us. Pamela and I have longed for the day in the past of being alone and now we are and we wish we weren't. My wife and I are secure in our marriage, but we miss having our kids nearby. When they are near, I know what they are doing. As they leave, I don't know. And yet, I just want to know all is okay. The boys don't seem to have a problem communicating where they are at, but my daughter is a different story. She doesn't want to have to tell us, but just wants us to trust her. And it is hard. It is hard to not know. It's easy to her because she knows herself. We know her but she is also changing and we also remember what life was like at that age. Life is so fragile as well. It can be gone in an instant, and yet, our hope (desire) and faith (certainty) must be in the Lord. 

Without becoming weak Abraham looked at himself and Sarah. Abraham was 100 years old. Sarah's womb was dead. And yet Abraham did not become weak in his faith. The evidence before him was not strong that anything would happen as far as fulfilling the promise God had given him. But, with Abraham, he did not become weak. 

Verse 20 - Abraham's faith grew
In the face of all that Abraham saw in himself, he not only did not get weak in his faith, but his faith grew? I can't help but put a question mark after the statement that this faith grew. What in the world? His faith grew? The evidence showed him that nothing would happen, but for Abraham, his faith grew? It grew because of 1 thing: He believed. He believed God. 

Right now, with teenagers, will my faith grow? Will my thirst for knowing where they are at cause me to shrink in faith or will my faith remain or will my faith grow? 

And growing faith means we glory in God. I always go back and remember Romans 1:21 that "even though they knew God, they did not honor God or give thanks." The first thing that happens when we begin to flee God is not giving thanks. Knowing God is honoring God and thanking Him, giving glory to God. Glory gives a proper opinion of who God is. To glorify God is to state with my life that God is real. That God is complete and can handle anything. And that understanding can cause my faith to grow because I then don't doubt. 

Verse 21 - Abraham's definition of faith
Why don't I doubt? Because I am fully convinced in God and what He will do. This is a more complete definition of faith: "being fully assured that what God had promised, He was able also to perform." Abraham is not saying that he knew how God would perform his promises. Old in age, as he prayed, he was confident in God, but that didn't mean he understood how God will do something. I don't need to understand completely, my faith tells me that God will do it. He is able.

Promise: Faith doesn't mean that we know all the answers, but faith does mean that God knows all the answers.

Romans 4:16b-17 - The Assurance of Faith

Romans 4:16b-17 - 16b not only to those who are of the Law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all, 17 (as it is written, “A father of many nations have I made you”) in the presence of Him whom he believed, even God, who gives life to the dead and calls into being that which does not exist.

Message: Faith is for all and Abraham is the father of us all.

Time: The date of the book is probably 60 A.D. written from Corinth on Paul's third missionary journey. The church in Rome seems to be established and Romans does not speak of any one error in the church that he is addressing. The church had a large Jewish element, but also filled with Gentile converts from paganism, both free as well as slaves.

What the Lord is Saying:

The Gospel
A person is not made righteous by doing good works because good works only affirm in a person obedience to a Law or standard and these rules are not intended to save a person. Why? Because no one is perfect. No one is good; no one is righteous (Romans 3). Instead, we are to have faith in Christ, trust in Him and His righteousness. All of our wrong behavior is then imputed on Christ or transferred to Christ and Christ then credits us with righteousness. He takes the good that He is (actually the perfect) and transfers it to the believer. The believer trusts God and does good works. Good works are automatic in the life of the believer. A surrendered heart to God will do good works. 

The Set-Up
Verse 16a tells us that because the Law and circumcision do not save a person, it is faith that makes us right with God. And this faith is in accordance with grace. God has done it all and simply erects faith as the instrument by which the transaction takes place in a person's life. We are saved by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8). And in so doing, the promises of God for his people are guaranteed to His people; His offspring.

Today's Text
And now here I am at today's text. And Paul continues to repeat to drive home his points. In essence he confirms once again that faith is for all people. It is not only to those who are of the Law. It is not only to the Jewish people. But it is also to those who are the faith of Abraham. And what did I see is the faith of our father Abraham? Romans 4:11-12 spoke of this. Abraham is the father of all who believe without being circumcised.

What Paul is saying is monumental. The Jew held to the Law and circumcision. Romans 3:2 told the Jew that they had been entrusted with the Law. But, the Law came 430 years after Abraham had been declared righteous by faith. And so Abraham is even more so the Father of those that are not Jews because Abraham was made righteous before the Law was present.

Romans 4:12 tells me that "yes", Abraham is the father of all those of circumcision. But Abraham is also father of all those of the uncircumcised. I believe this is a very apt and necessary reminder to all people.

Verse 17, "as it is written." Paul wants to be clear that he is not presenting new material. New Testament theology is not new theology, but affirming and clarifying the Old. And what was written is not old news that has no applicability today. It is a permanent record that continues to express truth today.

Genesis 17:5 states that when God changed Abraham's name from Abram, he told him that he would be the father of a multitude of nations (circumcised and uncircumcised). The word "made" is in the perfect to show us that this promise is permanent and still relevant today. In fact, it was a done deal. It is really something that has always been.

"in the sight of Him" or "in the Presence of Him who he believed" -- This is interesting. The focus of these verses is "those." It is those that have faith. Those can be Jews (circumcised) and non-Jews (uncircumcised). And to me what it leads up to in verse 17 is that the faith that they had was in the presence of Him whom he believed; "he believed" tends to be talking of Abraham and "Him" I think is Christ. But, I am not sure. I have looked at a very commentaries but don't understand this little phrase and what it means here. I guess what I wonder is the declaration that God made to Abraham as the father of us all, was that declaration done here in the presence of Christ? Is that what Paul is saying?

Continuing on in verse 17, Paul states that God (1) gives life to the dead and (2) calls into being that which does not exist. According to the commentary I read this speaks of God giving Abraham and Sarah a son, in Isaac, at an old age. My first impression is God gives life to those who are dead in their sin. He gives man eternal life and a fulfilled life. And God calls into being, into life that which does not exist. Both statements have similar ideas.

Promise:God's message does not change and His promises to His people remain for all times.

Romans 4:16a - Resting on Grace

Romans 4:16a - For this reason it is by faith, in order that it may be in accordance with grace, so that the promise will be guaranteed to all the descendants

Message: The Promise of God comes about by faith

Time: The date of the book is probably 60 A.D. written from Corinth on Paul's third missionary journey. The church in Rome seems to be established and Romans does not speak of any one error in the church that he is addressing. The church had a large Jewish element, but also filled with Gentile converts from paganism, both free as well as slaves.

What the Lord is Saying:

Background
It is always good to look back from where we have come. And the focus of chapter 4 has chiefly been to communicate that the righteousness of God is received apart from the Law and apart from Circumcision. By practicing or doing what the Law says, we affirm it and ourselves. By breaking the Law or not doing what it says, we show ourselves we are guilty and disobedient. The Law is a mirror. Circumcision is an act of obedience and a picture of the removal of sin in the life of the believer. It is a picture of the inward change that has occurred. Abraham and David, from the Old Testament, testify of this. Abraham received the faith of righteousness before the Law and David received is apart from the Law. David was shown that the righteousness puts to death sin. The Wrath is what the Law exposes.

It is not by the Law. It is not by Circumcision.

Verse 16a tells me what it is by therefore that a person is saved or made right with God. It is by faith. It is so simple. Why do people make it so hard? And Paul here also shows us that it is Faith in accordance with grace. Paul has hammered through to us the point that it is by faith.

I was sharing God's truth with an atheist friend and his remark on some of these points was, "Well, of course that is the doctrine. Of course the doctrine would be all about God." And of course it is, is the answer. The problem is people don't want to accept the simple.

So, why faith? Because of God's grace. It is only through the Power of God.

Interesting illustration of this from Steven Cole -- In 1947 a rumor spread that the Ford Motor Company would give a Ford (car) in exchange for every copper penny dated 1943. The rumor spread so fast that Ford car dealerships throughout the country were jammed with thousands of requests for information. The U.S. mint also received a large volume of inquiries. It all turned out to be a hoax. The statistics of the mint show that in 1943 there were over one billion pennies minted from steel-zinc, but due to a copper shortage, the number of copper pennies was exactly zero. There has been a rumor abroad in the human race for centuries that entrance into heaven can be obtained by good works. But it’s not true. The fact is, there are no works made on earth that are acceptable in heaven. All of our works are tainted by sin. The only righteousness that gains entrance to heaven is the righteousness of Jesus Christ graciously imputed to sinners who believe in Him.

"For this reason" - what did we just learn? The Law cannot save. Because of this, it is by faith. But Law and Grace are not opposed to one another. We need the Law to show us our need for grace. We do not need the Law to bring us to grace through our obedience. That is the error today. Many have been led to believe that it is through obedience that we are given the opportunity of grace. 

Promise: Justification by faith alone preserves the principle of grace alone (Tabletalk, March 18, 2014).

Romans 4:13-15 - Becoming Heirs of the Kingdom

Romans 4:13-15 - 13 For the promise to Abraham or to his descendants that he would be heir of the world was not through the Law, but through the righteousness of faith. 14 For if those who are of the Law are heirs, faith is made void and the promise is nullified; 15 for the Law brings about wrath, but where there is no law, there also is no violation.

Message: The Law brings about wrath and shows us more clearly God's standard and thus, our sin or disobedience from this standard. No way can the Law save us. (1) We are not perfect. (2) That is not the Law's purpose. 

Time: The date of the book is probably 60 A.D. written from Corinth on Paul's third missionary journey. The church in Rome seems to be established and Romans does not speak of any one error in the church that he is addressing. The church had a large Jewish element, but also filled with Gentile converts from paganism, both free as well as slaves.

What the Lord is Saying:

What we have Learned
Righteousness is reckoned or credited to a person through the means of faith, believing in what Christ did for that person on the cross, taking punishment for our sins, which results in a life transformed. This is for the circumcised and the uncircumcised. And this happens in the life of a person while they are uncircumcised. The visible circumcision is a sign of the circumcision of the heart which occurred when the person was uncircumcised. There is no distinction then, all people have the same standard and being circumcised doesn't make a person saved nor does baptism or church membership but those signs are needed today nevertheless. Chronology then is important. For Abraham was credited righteousness 430 years before the Law was given.

Paul has mentioned circumcision before, in chapter 2, and further clarifies what it means now in the life of the believer in Christ was has been credited with righteousness. Verses 9-12 spoke of this and now in verse 13 Paul shifts back to the other thing that the Jew possessed, the Law. This was also spoken of in chapter 2. Paul's presentation in chapter 2 was about the wrath of God and the message that having the Law and/or circumcision didn't excuse people from the wrath. And now in chapter 4, there is also the declaration that having the Law and/or circumcision doesn't mean that people don't need faith.

Verse 13 expresses that the promise that Abraham received from God to be heirs was not because they received the Law, but occurred because God gifted them with righteousness through faith.

Verse 14 states that if the Law was indeed the instrument that God used to save people and the Law made us heirs then faith is not necessary and the Law is what saves. And the promise is nullified. In Old Testament times, faith in God was the instrument or vehicle that credited righteousness and it was faith in a promise that would be fulfilled in Christ. The Old Testament people focus on a promise for we have been shown that before the Law (Abraham) and after the Law (David) people were credited with righteousness by apart, apart from the works of the Law. After Christ, we rest on the testimony of what occurred. After Christ, we look back.

But, the Law wasn't given to save anyone, but the Law was given, verse 15, to point us to our need and expose our sin. The Law exposes the wrath of God. This is why we use the Law of God through the witnessing practice of the Way of the Master. The practice is to go through the 10 commandments to help people simply see that they are law-breakers (as we all are) and by breaking the Law they deserve a punishment and that is hell or separation from God. Thus, the Law leads to the wrath of God. 

Paul doesn't say that without the Law there isn't sin. He states that without the Law there isn't a violation of the law. The law is a sign post in our life that shows us we have sinned. How do we know the speed limit has been broken? Because we know the speed limit and when we exceed it we know that we have not met the standard. But this doesn't mean that we must have a speed limit sign to be unrighteous in our driving.

But, Paul is also not saying that the Law is necessary to sin. Paul has already spoken of in Romans 1 and 2 that the Gentile without the Law still had a law in themselves. They possessed an internal law or conscience where they knew wrong and right. And yet when the commandment came, it declared more clearly and specifically what was wrong. And the Law increases lawlessness because when someone tells me to do something, my natural inclination is "No." People don't like to be told what to do. And so when the standard goes up, we want to shirk away from it. 

Promise: We receive God's promises only through the righteousness of faith.