Romans 5:1-11
The direction of the letter changes at 5:1.
Paul has focused on establishing the reality of man’s sin and God’s justification of sinful man.
Chapters 5-8 will focus on two areas of the justified man’s life:
1) The certainty that our justification will lead to salvation in the end
2) The new power God has given the believer to continue to live this life with out being dominated by:
a. Sin
b. Law
The assurance of the believer’s salvation begins and ends chapter 5-8:
1) 5:1-11
2) 8:18-39
In the middle of these opening and closing comments we find three parts in the middle:
1) The basis of our eternal security in the discussion concerning Adam and Christ in 5:12-21
2) The threat to our assurance in chapters 6 and 7:
a. Sin
b. Law
3) God’s Spirit empowers us to overcome these threats is in 8:1-17
This opening discussion in 5:1-11 covers many topics:
1) Peace with God
2) Grace
3) Hope
4) Glory of God
5) Sufferings
6) Perseverance
7) Character
8) God’s love
9) Holy Spirit
10) Reconciliation
Some have labeled these verses: the Blessings of Justification
But, the consistent theme here and at the end of chapter 8 is the hope we now have in Christ because we have been justified.
This chapter has not yet started talking about sanctification in life or the maturing of the believer. Paul is discussing the position of the justified and the confidence we can have in this position.
Sanctification or power over sin in life will begin to be discussed in chapter 6.
Quick Summary of 5:1-11
5:1-4
We rejoice because we hope to be part of the future Glory of God.
But, also, we rejoice even today in our sufferings because these sufferings force us to look to God and live like God while we wait in hope.
5:5-8
Why can we even have this hope for the future and for today? Because of God’s love.
This was revealed when Jesus died for the ungodly and powerless so that they might be justified.
5:9-11
If we have been justified today because of Jesus we will ultimately be saved (certainty of salvation, assurance of salvation, eternal security) from God’s wrath or end time judgment.
5:1
“Therefore” indicates that the previous discussion that began in 3:21 foundational for what Paul is about to conclude.
A) 1:18-3:20 condemns all men (Jew and Gentile)
B) 3:21-4:25 reveals justification of all men (Jew and Gentile) through faith.
“Justified through faith” sums up the material in 3:21-4:25
“Peace with God” – “peace” is the Greek translation of the Hebrew shalom in the LXX
This is an eschatological term used by the OT prophets to speak of the salvation that would be brought to God’s people in the last days where the word “peace” and “salvation” where equivalent. “Peace” in the Greek meant the cessation of war but “peace” in Hebrew had a more positive meaning that included well being, prosperity, and salvation of the godly man:
Isaiah 52:7 and Romans 10:15
Ezekiel 34:25
Isaiah 54:10
Jeremiah 37:26
5:2
“access” would refer to being able to have access to the president.
But notice, this is not saying here we have access into God, but instead into grace.
5:3
Paul has to address present day sufferings quickly for his reader since he has just said we have “peace” or “shalom”.
It did not look like salvation from God to the Jews as they compared the OT promises to their present day suffering.
Suffering - - - - -perseverance - - - - - character- - - - - -hope
Thlipasis - - - - - hupomone - - - - - - dokimen
“tribulations” - - patient endurance - - -proven character
Why hope? We already have hope but we will strengthen our hope when we experience God’s power even in time. Our hope will be greater.
1 Peter 1:6-7
James 1:2-4
5:6
“Powerless” is a word that meant “weak” or “sickly” and here it refers to the inability of man to work out righteousness for himself.
Three words used to describe the unsaved man:
1) powerless
2) ungodly
3) sinners (5:8)
5:8
“die for” has been used four times in 6-8.
In each case the Greek uses the preposition “hyper” – meaning “on behalf off” (translated “for”). “Hyper” stress two aspects of Christ’s death:
a) the substitutionary sacrifice
b) the action of one person for the benefit of another
The Greek preposition “anti” – meaning “in place of” could have been used, but would only focused on the substitutionary death of Christ. The emphasis here is on God’s love and desire to benefit man so Paul’s choice of “hyper” captures his focus in more detail.
5:10
Paul uses a fourth word to describe the unregenerate state of man.
That word is “echthroi” (“enemies”).
This word refers to us being considered by God as his enemies. This is clear from:
a) 11:28 where