The Benefits of Justification by Faith / Romans 5:1-21
The Reality of Peace
Amen. Go ahead and grab a seat. If you have your Bibles, open them to Romans chapter five. If you happen to be new with us, we’ve been cruising through the book of Romans and find ourselves trudging along through four chapters of what has essentially been a theological beatdown. But now, we finally arrive at chapter five.
If you remember from a couple of weeks ago, Shea did a great job walking through Romans 3:21, which is where you really begin to get to the heart of the gospel. Paul begins his explanation of what the gospel truly is after two chapters of describing total depravity. He says that apart from the law, the righteousness of God has been revealed. The gospel is a message of justification by faith. Justification means “to declare righteous.” In its essence, the gospel is that we are declared righteous based on the finished work of Jesus Christ and Jesus alone.
Last week, we talked about what faith really means. We walked through chapter four and explained that faith is apart from the good deeds we do. Paul used the example of Abraham to show that. Faith is also apart from the evil deeds that might otherwise disqualify us; he used the example of David for that. It is not by works at all that we are justified. Paul also mentioned that we are justified by faith apart from religious activity or participation. We don’t come into a relationship with God based on Jesus plus baptism, or Jesus plus first communion, or Jesus plus confirmation. Those external things may be acts of obedience to what the gospel has already done in our lives, but they are not salvific. The gospel is justification by faith apart from religious activity and apart from obedience to the law. It’s not as if God looked over a sea of humanity, found the ones who were going to be truly moral, and said, “Okay, there they are.” No. The gospel is about justification apart from any obedience to the Bible whatsoever. It is justification by faith alone, by grace alone, in Jesus alone. That is the heart of the message.
And because of that, we receive the promise of chapter five.
Romans 5:1 (NASB)
Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
Notice the language there: “having been”—past tense—“justified by faith, we have peace.” I don’t know what your backstory is like. Some of you may have grown up around the things of God. I came to Christ while playing football at Fresno State and living in a fraternity. That is a bad, very bad combination. I was like a 260-pound idiot. I came to faith in Jesus with no context of what it meant to know God, so the idea of peace was a very powerful concept to me. Like many of you with a similar backstory, I tried to find peace in all these other things. I tried to find it in the bottom of a bottle, in a new relationship, in the right car, or the right credentials. You pursue those things, but you find they never give you what you actually want, which is peace. Only a relationship with Jesus Christ, being justified through Him, gives you peace.
That is one of the finest theological statements you’re going to find in the Bible: having been justified, we do indeed have peace with God.
The Invitation to Enjoy
There are two things about this text that have been fascinating to me this week. First, I’m so thankful for the inspired Word of God—that it is living and active, sharper than a double-edged sword. You can read a verse a hundred times, but on that hundred and first time, it’s as if God has a message directly for you. He “bowls” it for you so that you see it differently.
The second thing is how we teach in a team here at The Well. We get together every Monday and wrestle with the text. I came in with my thoughts on Romans 5, and I leaned into advice from Jared, Shea, PJ, and Dr. Rick Taylor. Now, for those of you who’ve had the privilege of sitting under Rick Taylor, you know the guy is stinking brilliant. When Rick says, “Well, it’s interesting…” I’m usually reaching for my pen because I know something fantastic is coming.
He pointed out something in verse one that I had never seen quite like that. In the Greek text, there are different types of verbs. One is the indicative, which is a statement of fact. That’s how most of our Bibles translate it: “We have peace with God.” But many of the ancient manuscripts translate this as a subjunctive. A subjunctive is an invitation; it gives you an opportunity to participate in the fact being stated. To translate it that way, it would say, “Therefore, having been justified by faith, let us have peace with God.”
It’s as if to say the peace treaty with God was signed through the blood of Jesus. His death on your account was sufficient. If you’ve received Him into your life, the war is over. So, let’s enjoy the peace the gospel has promised us. As you look at the entirety of chapter five, I think that’s the correct way to read it. It’s an invitation to live in the reality of the peace we already possess.
The Hope of Glory
We see this same pattern in verse two.
Romans 5:2 (NASB)
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.
The phrase “introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand” carries the idea of a gate to an open field being thrown wide. We walk in and enjoy all the bounty prepared for us. And because of that, we “exult in the hope of the glory of God.”
The word “exult” means to make much of, to brag about, or to be so overwhelmed with excitement that you can’t help but talk about it. He says we should brag about the glory of God—specifically, the hope of the glory of God. In our culture, “hope” is like Vegas odds—maybe I win, maybe I lose. But biblical hope is an absolute sure foundation. It is a guaranteed reality affirmed by God that cannot fail.
“Glory” refers to weightiness or value. This passage is saying that because of what Jesus has done, let us celebrate the solid reality of the superb value of God. It’s the confidence that what God started, God is going to finish. I don’t know if you read the paper or not—I actually don’t encourage it. It’s terribly depressing. It’s always about what’s jacked up. You realize the world is a mess and it’s not getting any better on its own. But to exult in the hope of the glory of God is to recognize that God is going to fix this.
Romans 8:20 (NASB)
For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope
Creation was subjected to futility in hope that one day it will be set free. God will make it new once more.
John 14:2-3 (NASB)
’In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. ’If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, [there] you may be also.
Jesus said He is going to prepare a place for us and He will return. That is the hope of the glory of God. He is not done here. There is coming a day when this perishable body will be set aside. That bad knee you have will be made new. That creaky shoulder will be made new. That sin struggle you’ve fought again and again will be gone because this decaying tent will be replaced by something imperishable. So, based on our justification, let’s rejoice in the fact that God is going to finish this thing.
The Purpose of Suffering
But then Paul takes it a step further in verse three.
Romans 5:3 (NASB)
And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance;
Let us also rejoice—make much of, brag about—our tribulations. Now, you knew this was coming, but how are we supposed to rejoice in suffering? The word “tribulation” comes from the Latin term tribulum. It was a farming tool—a heavy wooden plank with pieces of stone or metal underneath. A farmer would put the wheat on a threshing floor and pull the tribulum over it. The weight and the sharp edges would separate the wheat from the worthless chaff. Then the wind would blow the chaff away, leaving only that which was of superb value.
The process of the tribulum pressing down sped up the process of revealing what was truly worthwhile. Paul says to rejoice in your suffering because God is doing something through it. God is not a vengeful God who decided on a whim to make your life miserable. He is a loving and sovereign God who allows tribulation to do something in us that could never be done in comfort.
Romans 5:3-5 (NASB)
And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; 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.
Tribulation develops perseverance—the ability to endure under weight with a singular focus. Perseverance produces proven character—character authenticated through the fires of testing. And proven character produces hope.
This is why Paul could tell the church at Corinth that “momentary light afflictions” are producing an eternal weight of glory.
Romans 8:18 (NASB)
For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us.
It’s why James could say to count it all joy when you encounter trials.
James 1:2-4 (NASB)
Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have [its] perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
We’ve all read those verses, but we often miss what comes next. James says if anyone lacks wisdom, let him ask God.
James 1:5 (NASB)
But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him.
Usually, we use that verse to ask God which college major to choose. But in context, it’s about when the tribulum of life is pressing you down and you say, “Lord, I don’t know if You noticed, but life sucks right now. Can You help me understand what You’re trying to do?” If you lack wisdom as to why the weight of a thousand years is on you, ask Him.
God has a plan in your suffering to do something He could never do in your ease. He has to make you uncomfortable to blow away the worthless chaff. This is one reason the Western church is so soft. What do we suffer for? We get upset because they put three Splendas in our coffee instead of two. We’re bummed because we have the tiny iPhone and our fingers are too big to type. We have “first world problems,” and our spiritual lives are just as shallow. We try to remove ourselves from every discomfort, but Paul tells us we are fellow heirs with Christ if indeed we suffer with Him.
Romans 8:17 (NASB)
and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with [Him] so that we may also be glorified with [Him].
I don’t know what gospel you were sold, but if someone told you that believing in Jesus means you’ll never hurt, they didn’t get that from the Bible. We are promised suffering, but in that suffering, we are unconquerable.
The Love of God Poured Out
Why are we unconquerable? Because this hope doesn’t disappoint.
Romans 5:5 (NASB)
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.
It’s as if God says, “I’m going to let you go through the furnace of testing, but so you don’t think I’ve abandoned you, I’m going to seal you with My Spirit.” He is with you through it all. Psalm 13 is a great reminder of this. David starts by crying out, “How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever?” It’s raw, confessional angst. But he ends by saying, “But I have trusted in your lovingkindness.” His circumstances hadn’t changed, but his perspective had.
Psalms 13 (NASB)
- For the choir director. A Psalm of David. How long, O LORD? Will You forget me forever? How long will You hide Your face from me? 2. How long shall I take counsel in my soul, [Having] sorrow in my heart all the day? How long will my enemy be exalted over me? 3. Consider [and] answer me, O LORD my God; Enlighten my eyes, or I will sleep the [sleep of] death, 4. And my enemy will say, ‘I have overcome him,’ [And] my adversaries will rejoice when I am shaken. 5. But I have trusted in Your lovingkindness; My heart shall rejoice in Your salvation. 6. I will sing to the LORD, Because He has dealt bountifully with me.
God has a plan for your circumstances, and it is for your good, even though I know it hurts right now. Lean into it and let Him work, knowing His Spirit is in your heart. He loves you. He has not forsaken you.
How could such a gift be given to us? It’s through what we call substitutionary atonement.
Romans 5:6 (NASB)
For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.
While we were helpless, Christ died for the ungodly. Not the “sort of” godly—the ungodly. We don’t come to the gospel with anything but our sin. And it happened “at the right time.”
Sometimes we read the Bible and it feels like a mess—Adam falls, Cain kills Abel, the flood happens, Abraham’s grandkids are a wreck, David commits adultery. It looks like God is just trying things, hoping something works. But Jesus was always the plan. He was the plan before the foundation of the world. He was the agent of creation. So when it says “at the right time,” it means exactly that. Jesus was handed over by the predetermined plan of God. It wasn’t a random shot in the dark.
Romans 5:7-8 (NASB)
For one will hardly die for a righteous man; though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
Think about that. While we shook our fists at God and said, “I don’t want You, I don’t need You, I won’t serve You,” Christ died for us. That is the nature of the gospel.
Romans 5:9-10 (NASB)
Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath [of God] through Him. 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.
We’ve been justified by His blood. How much more shall we be saved by His life?
Romans 5:11 (NASB)
And not only this, but we also exult in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.
This is the final invitation: “Let us exalt in God through Christ.” Let us overflow with the joy of what God did for us. That is the heart of evangelism. It’s not about memorizing an outline or leaving a tract instead of a tip at a restaurant—please don’t do that, tip big! Evangelism is the overflow of a life that has to tell people what Jesus did. He has reconciled us; He has brought us back into a right relationship.
A Tale of Two Families
In verses 12 through 21, Paul shifts the focus to a contrast between the transgression of Adam and the free gift of Jesus.
The older I get, the more frustrated I get that I look and act like my dad. In high school, I swore I’d never be like him. I wouldn’t say the corny things he said or listen to his music. But now, I am my father’s son. I look at his wedding pictures and think, “Who let you dress like that?” Then I look at mine and realize my haircut was just as bad. I am becoming Roy.
We are our parents’ kids, but Paul’s argument is that if you trace the family tree all the way back, we are like our first parents, Adam and Eve.
Romans 5:12-13 (NASB)
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– for until the Law sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law.
Adam and Eve were our federal representatives. Because of them, we are born sinners. We aren’t just sinners by deed; we are born with the tendency. If you have kids, you know this. You have a sweet little angel, and then one day they look at you, scrunch their forehead, and say, “No!” Who taught them that? They were born with it. They are convinced the world revolves around them. They grab a toy from a friend and try to beat them with it. They are brought forth in iniquity.
Romans 5:14 (NASB)
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.
Death reigned from Adam to Moses. Even before the law was given, sin was there. The law just showed us exactly what the problem was, like a radar trailer showing you how fast you’re actually speeding.
This brings us back to the word “imputation.” To impute means to credit to an account. When you place your faith in Jesus, all your sin is imputed to His account. And His righteousness is imputed to your account.
Romans 5:18 (NASB)
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.
When God sees you, He doesn’t see your sin; He sees the righteousness of Jesus. This is why I get concerned when I ask people about their relationship with God and they say, “Oh, we’re good. I go to church,” or “I was baptized as a kid,” or “My dad is a deacon.” You can go to a Christian college, listen to Christian music, and have every Awana patch available, but if you haven’t embraced Jesus Christ personally, you don’t understand the gospel. You don’t impute your sin to a concept; you impute it to a Savior.
The Abundance of Grace
Paul concludes by showing that Jesus’s obedience far outweighs Adam’s disobedience.
Romans 5:19 (NASB)
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.
Then he makes this fascinating point: the law came in so that transgression would increase. The Bible isn’t meant to make you feel great about yourself; it’s meant to pin you to the wall so you realize you aren’t great, but He is. You realize you’re a dirtbag and He died for you anyway. That’s when grace becomes beautiful.
Romans 5:20 (NASB)
The Law came in so that the transgression would increase; but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more,
Where sin increased, grace abounded all the more. Now, some of you are thinking, “That sounds great! If I sin more, I get more grace! Let’s go on a four-day binge!” Paul knows you’re thinking that.
Romans 6:1 (NASB)
What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin so that grace may increase?
He says, “No stinking way!” That’s not the gospel.
Romans 5:21 (NASB)
so that, as sin reigned in death, even so grace would reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Grace reigns through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
To review: justification by faith allows us to participate in four key things. Let us enjoy peace with God. Let us rejoice in the hope that He isn’t done yet. Let us rejoice in our sufferings because God has a plan for them. And let us exalt in God because He has reconciled us.
We need a new family. Because we are of Adam’s seed, we are born into sin. The only way to get a new family is to be adopted, and the only way to be adopted is to die first—to be crucified with Christ so He can live in us. You have to be born again into a new family with a new Heavenly Father.
We could have kept this simple and just said, “God loves you, isn’t that nice?” But that’s weak. We want to pop the hood of the gospel and let you see how it works. We want you to see that Jesus is the propitiation for wrath, the redeemer who bought you back, the reconciler who restored the relationship, and the imputation of righteousness. The gospel is like a diamond. The more you spin it, the more the light refracts, and the more you see the beauty of grace alone, by faith alone, in Christ alone.
Let’s pray together.
Father, as we look at the gospel, I wonder if there are some here who are religious or moral but have no clue who Jesus is. They know about Him, but they haven’t had their sins imputed to Him. I pray their hearts would be moved to yield, to confess their sin, and to invite Christ to be their righteousness. I pray they would stop pursuing peace in bottles or relationships and find it in the gospel. Thank You that we are no longer enemies, but children of the living God. In Jesus’ name, Amen.