Paul's original readers would have had another question because of what he had written in chapters 1-4. Is this method of justification safe? Since it is by faith, it seems quite unsure. Paul next gave evidence that this method is reliable by explaining the results of justification by faith.145
"In the first eleven verses we have the blessed results of justification by faith, along with the most comprehensive statement in the Bible of the pure love and grace of God, in giving Christ for us sinners."146
5:1 "Therefore"signals that what follows rests on what has preceded. Paul now put the question of whether justification is by faith or by works behind him. He had proved that it comes to us by faith.
"We must note at once that the Greek form of this verb declared righteous,' or justified,' is not the present participle, beingdeclared righteous,' but rather the aorist participle, having beendeclared righteous,' or justified.' You say, What is the difference? The answer is, being declared righteous' looks to a state you are in; having been declared righteous' looks back to a fact that happened. Being in a justified state' of course is incorrect, confusing, as it does, justification and sanctification."147
The first of the blessings "that came spilling out of the cornucopia of justification"148is peace (cf. 1:7; 2:10). However this is peace withGod (i.e., reconciliation), not just a subjective feeling of tranquillity that is the peace ofGod (Phil. 4:7). Paul had been speaking of God's wrath being poured out on sinners (1:18). Those who stand justified need not fear God's wrath since Jesus Christ has made peace between them and God by His death (cf. Col. 1:20; Eph. 2:14). Note that references to peace and reconcilation frame this pericope (vv. 1, 11).
"Our peace with God is not as between two nations before at war; but as between a king and rebellious and guilty subjects."149
"It is well known that Romans lacks any extended christological discussion per se, but Paul's repeated insistence in these chapters [5--8] that all the believer experiences of God's blessings comes only through Christ develops a very significant christological focus in its own right. Christology, we might say, is not the topic of any part of Rom. 5-8, but it is the basis for everything in these chapters."150
5:2 The second benefit is access (Gr. prosagoge). The idea here is that Jesus Christ enables us to enjoy continuing relationship with God (cf. Eph. 2:17-18; 3:12). Paul spoke of "this grace in which we stand"as the realm into which Christ's redeeming work transfers us. He stressed the fact that our being in this state is an act of God's grace. Our present position in relation to God is all grace, and our justification admits us to that position.
The last part of the verse focuses on that part of our reconciliation that we can look forward to with joyful confidence. Paul had in view the glory that we will experience when we stand in the Lord's presence.
5:3-4 The third benefit of justification is joy in sufferings. Peace with God does not always result in peace with other people. Nevertheless the fact that we have peace with God and a relationship with Him with hope of standing before Him acceptable enables us to view present difficulties with joy. We can rejoice in tribulations because God has revealed that He uses them to produce steadfast endurance and proven character in those who relate to their sufferings properly (cf. Job 23:10; James 1; Heb. 12).
"Our English word tribulation' comes from a Latin word tribulum. In Paul's day, a tribulumwas a heavy piece of timber with spikes in it, used for threshing the grain. The tribulumwas drawn over the grain and it separated the wheat from the chaff."151
"The newborn child of God is precious in His sight, but the tested and proven saint means even more to Him because such a one is a living demonstration of the character-developing power of the gospel. When we stand in the presence of God, all material possessions will have been left behind, but all that we have gained by way of spiritual advance will be retained."152
This quotation helps us see how character produces hope. Hope of glorifying God with our characters when we see Him is in view. Our progress in character development will then testify to God's grace in our lives.
5:5 This hope, the focal point of this pericope, will not suffer disappointment because God loves us and enables us to withstand tribulations. He does this by His Holy Spirit whom He has given to indwell every justified sinner living during and after the time Paul wrote (cf. Acts 2:33; Rom. 8:9). Paul developed the Holy Spirit's ministry to the believer later (ch. 8). The fourth benefit of justification therefore is the indwelling Holy Spirit. Note the progression in these verses from faith (v. 1) to hope (vv. 2-5) to love (v. 5; cf. 1 Cor. 13:13).
"The confidence we have for the day of judgment is not based only on our intellectual recognition of the fact of God's love, or even only on the demonstration of God's love on the cross (although that is important; cf. vv. 6-8), but also on the inner, subjective certainty that God does love us."153
5:6 The depth of God's love (v. 5) becomes clearer in this verse and those that follow (vv. 6-10). Four terms that are increasingly uncomplimentary describe those for whom Christ died. The first is "helpless"or "powerless."The idea expressed by the Greek word (asthenon) is that we were "incapable of working out any righteousness for ourselves."154At that very time Christ died for us.
"At the right time"refers to the fullness of time, the right time from God's perspective (cf. 3:26; 8:18; 13:11; Gal. 4:4). The second term is "ungodly,"a strong pejorative term in Paul (cf. 1:18; 4:5). Even though some people who are lost seek the things of God, everyone neglects God and rebels against God. This is ungodliness.
5:7 This verse prepares for the next one that contrasts with it. Paul used "righteous"here in the general sense of an upright person, not in the theological sense of a person made right with God. People appreciate a good person more than an upright person. Goodness carries the idea of one who is not only upright but loved for it because he or she reaches out to help others.155
5:8 The third term used to describe those for whom Christ died is "sinners"("wicked"; cf. 3:23), neither righteous nor good. Paul here was contrasting the worth of the life laid down, Jesus Christ's, and the unworthiness of those who benefit from His sacrifice. Whereas people may look at one another as meriting love because they are righteous or good, God views them as sinners. Nevertheless God loves them. His provision of His own Son as our Savior demonstrated the depth of His love (John 3:16).
The preposition in the clause "Christ died for (huper) sin"stresses the substitute character of His sacrifice. It also highlights the fact that God in His love for us provided that sacrifice for our welfare.
5:9 So far Paul had referred to four benefits of justification. These blessings were peace with God (v. 1), access into a gracious realm (v. 2), joy in tribulations (vv. 3-5a), and the indwelling Holy Spirit (v. 5b). Still there is "much more"(cf. vv. 10, 15, 17, 20). What Paul next described are benefits that justified sinners will experience in the future. The first of these is deliverance from the outpouring of God's wrath on the unrighteous (cf. 1:18). Jesus Christ's blood is the symbol of His death and the literal expression of His life poured out as a sacrifice (cf. 3:25). Having done the harder thing, namely justifying us when we were yet sinners (v. 8), how much more will He do the easier thing, namely delivering us from coming wrath.
5:10 The fourth and worst term used to describe those for whom Christ died is "enemies."People are not only helpless to save themselves (v. 6), neglectful of God (v. 6), and wicked (v. 8), but they also set themselves against God and His purposes. Even though many unsaved people profess to love God, God who knows their hearts sees opposition to Himself in them. Their antagonism toward Him is the proof of it.
Jesus Christ's death reconciled us to God (cf. 2 Cor. 5:18). The Scriptures always speak of man as reconciled to God. They never speak of God as reconciled to man.156Man has offended and departed from God and needs reconciliation into relationship with Him. It is man who has turned from God, not God who has turned from man.157There are two aspects of reconciliation: one for all mankind (2 Cor. 5:19), and another for the believer (2 Cor. 5:20). Jesus Christ's death put mankind in a savable condition, but people still need to experience full reconciliation with God by believing in His Son.
Jesus Christ's death is responsible for our justification. His continuing life is responsible for our progressive sanctification and our glorification. Having done the harder thing for us, delivering Christ to death to reconcile us to Himself, God will certainly do the easier thing. He will see that we share Christ's risen life forever.
We experience continuing salvation (sanctification) and ultimate salvation (glorification) because of Jesus Christ's ongoing life. These present and future aspects of our salvation were not the direct results of His death, but they are the consequences of His life after death and resurrection (cf. 6:8-13). We have salvation in the present and in the future because our Savior lives. He is still saving us. This verse shows that we are eternally secure.
5:11 Jesus Christ's death reconciled us to God with the effect that one day in the future we will stand before Him complete (cf. vv. 5-10). However we also enter into the benefits of that reconciliation now (cf. vv. 1-4). "This"probably refers to our future salvation, the closest antecedent.
In this section we have observed the following benefits of justification by faith.
1. Peace with God (v. 1)
2. Access into the grace of God (v. 2)
3. Joy in tribulation (vv. 3-5a)
4. The indwelling Holy Spirit (v. 5b)
5. Deliverance from future condemnation (v. 9)
6. Present continuing salvation (v. 10)
7. Union with God (v. 11)
This section of the argument of the book should help any reader realize that justification by faith is a safe method. It is the doorway to manifold blessings that obedience to the Law could never guarantee.
"Totally apart from Law, and purely by grace, we have a salvation that takes care of the past, the present, and the future. Christ died for us; Christ lives for us; Christ is coming for us! Hallelujah, what a Savior!"158
