Romans, Chapter 5
© Copyright 1998 Darroll Evans-all rights
reserved
Romans 5:1 Therefore being justified by
faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:
All of Paul’s letters follow a pattern.
They may be sectioned, but they are not disjointed.
One chapter builds on what has gone before.
This verse reflects the truth of the last
verse in Chapter 4.
Romans 4:25 Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for
our justification.
Christ Jesus was crucified as the pure sacrifice
to pay for our sins. But, He was resurrected to demonstrate our justification.
Paul did not write in chapter and verse
style.
The first thing we encounter in this chapter
is justification by faith. That concept is also built on Chapter 1 Verse 17.
We have peace with God through our Lord Jesus
Christ!
We do not have peace with a sin-filled world,
but we do have peace with God.
As grace is imputed through Christ, peace and
faith are also imputed through Christ Jesus.
Romans 3:22 Even the righteousness of God which is by faith
of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is
no difference:
Galatians 2:16 Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of
the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed
in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ,
and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be
justified.
Galatians 3:22 But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that
the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that
believe.
Revelation 14:12 Here is the patience of the saints: here are they
that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.
All Godly things we now have are given to us
through Christ.
None has come to us through our efforts.
Romans 5:2 By whom also we have access by
faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of
God.
In Christ, we have access to faith and the
grace in which we stand, or abide.
Christians are continually and permanently
justified by faith.
Romans 5:3-5
3 And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that
tribulation worketh patience;
4 And patience, experience; and experience, hope:
5 And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of
God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.
We find verification of our Christ-centered
faith in the trials and tribulations of life.
In dealing with those things that are adverse
to our faith we understand that God is using even those things to strengthen
us.
We brag about victory in Jesus, but you
cannot have victory unless there has been a battle.
Our daily battles are small compared to
Jesus' victory of the cross.
Our victory comes in Christ and the victory
that He won at calvary!
The trials we face build our patience.
They are for our benefit.
The patience gained from struggles comes
through what seems to be adverse experience.
Those experiences and the victories gained
build our hope in Christ Jesus.
Biblical hope is closely associated with
confidence and trust, a joyous anticipation! It is not the same “hope” that
many English speaking people use as a throwaway word!
Some may incorrectly teach that God cannot be
glorified in a broken body.
They may teach that all Christians must be in
excellent health.
When Joni Eareckson Tada was injured God
could have healed her.
God has used her physical limitations to give
meaning to many lives that would have gone untouched by someone of lesser
spiritual maturity.
In her "handicapped" condition she
reached more for Christ than others who have no excuse.
Dr. David Ring also has a debilitating
condition.
He uses it to bring many to Christ.
Dr. Ring asks his listeners a simple
question, “I have cerebral palsy, what's your excuse?”
Christ Jesus brought salvation to earth
through His body being broken on
Those who teach that a broken body is the
same as a broken spirit shall one day beg the forgiveness from those God uses
in their supposed affliction.
If we use the Old Testament as an example,
the three young Hebrews were not saved FROM the fire, they were
saved the IN the fire of adverse circumstances!
Our hope in the return of Christ Jesus is a
strict confidence in the salvation that the Father has provided in the Son!
In our hope we know that we shall not be
dishonored, disgraced, spiritually confused, frustrated, or disappointed!
Romans 5:6 For when we were yet without
strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.
In dealing with this verse, we get a better
word picture from the NASB.
Romans 5:6 For while we were still
helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. (NASB)
Do you understand that until Christ came to
you, you were helpless to do anything about the sin you lived in?
Sin causes us to be spiritually weak.
While mankind was immersed in sin Christ
Jesus went to the cross, giving His life so that we may come to life.
Who are the “ungodly?”
All mankind!
Christ died for mankind.
1
Timothy 2:6a [Christ Jesus] “Who gave
himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.”
Hebrews
10:10 “By the which will we are
sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.”
The word “all” (Gr. ephapax-efapax) in Hebrews 10:10 is
inclusive.
Christ did not bring us a limited atonement.
Romans 5:7 For scarcely for a righteous
man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die.
Life is precious. People do not give it up
without purpose.
There was great purpose in Jesus’
crucifixion.
Romans 5:8 But God commendeth
his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
“Commandeth” means,
"He put together with."
He put us together with His love.
Think about that!
We were not cleaned up prior to being given
His love.
The process of salvation is perhaps the least
know spiritual process.
We are not saved by our proclamation.
Prior to our proclamation of Jesus as Lord,
the Holy Spirit comes to us to give us the power to give that proclamation.
1 Cor
12:3b and that no man can say that
Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost.
We were still sinners when Christ died for
us.
It is the Holy Spirit that calls us and
empowers us to come to Christ.
In His scourging and crucifixion, Jesus
showed us the ultimate action of love.
Love is experiential!
In Salvation we experience the love of the
Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Christ Jesus experienced our death!
We experience His love!
Romans 5:9 Much more then, being now
justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.
The blood of Christ justifies us.
Never turn away from the fact of His
blood.
Several years ago a Deacon in a large
That man may have been a Deacon, but he was
as lost as any heathen in the world.
It is impossible to separate Christ's
sacrifice from the shedding of His blood.
Romans 5:10 For if, when we were enemies,
we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled,
we shall be saved by his life.
"When we were" speaks of
"being."
This verse could be translated,
"Although being (God’s) enemies, we were reconciled to God through the
death of His Son, and even more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved
through His life."
We are NOT
reconciled to God due to our goodness.
Salvation is NOT of works (Eph. 2:9).
We are reconciled only through His life.
If Christ Jesus had not risen, we could not
be reconciled to the Father!
Romans 5:11 And not only so, but we also joy
in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the
atonement.
What does it mean to "joy in
God"?
To "joy in God" simply means to
boast about what He has done on your behalf.
If you have accepted Jesus Christ as Lord of
your life, you are a child of God.
Is that boasting?
Of Course it is, and rightly so!
It was through the One that gave His life for
you that you received atonement.
Some describe "atonement" as
at-one-ment with God.
It is much more.
The English word "atonement"
appears in the KJV-NT only once, here in Romans 5:11.
The Greek word from which it is translated
(Gr. katallageen-katallaghn)
appears 4 times.
The other times it is correctly translated
reconciling, or reconciliation.
Atonement appears in the English version of
the Old Testament over 80 times, but only once
in the New Testament.
Christ died once for our sins.
In that He reconciled us to God by His
blood.
No repetition is necessary under the New
Covenant.
Romans 5:12 Wherefore, as by one man {the} sin entered into
the world, and {the} death by {the} sin; and so {the} death
passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:
Adam's sin brought all humankind under the
condemnation of {the} (second) death because of {the} sin (Gr. hee hamartia-h amartia), refers to the sin nature. I have added the Greek article where it
appears to clarify the meaning.
God had the remedy long before "we"
had the problem.
Hebrews 10:10---“By that will we have been sanctified through the
offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all” (NKJV).
Christ was sacrificed once for all!
That is a spiritual fact!
The spiritual fact is that “all have sinned.”
We have all taken part in sinful
activity.
While the word sin is used as a noun speaking
of the sin nature, the word sinned is a verb speaking of our actions.
Romans 5:13-14
13 (For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when
there is no law.
14 Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had
not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression, who is the figure of
him that was to come.
Adam had just one commandment.
He was not to eat the fruit from the tree of
the knowledge of good and evil.
He could not keep it!
God does not judge without a basis for that
judgment. Prior to the giving of the Ten there was no basis for negative
judgment against sin. God gave the ten to establish His judgment.
He does not judge on the basis of our
abilities to keep commandments.
We are judged on Jesus’ accomplishment on the
cross!
Gal 3:13
Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law,
being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:
Notice that for us our redemption is past
tense. But, our redemption comes about in a specific sequence with our
resurrection to life as the final action in that sequence.
When Christ led captivity captive (Ephesians
4:8), all those in Paradise were held captive by death.
1 Peter 3:18-20
18 For Christ also hath
once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God,
being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:
19 By
which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison;
20 Which
sometime were disobedient, when once the
longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing,
wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.
When Christ preached to those being held as
“spirits in prison” He was preaching to those who had been “disobedient” in the
days of Noah!
The
just Christ died for the unjust of all ages!
Heb. 10:10
By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus
Christ once for all.
We are sanctified through the offering of
Christ Jesus on the cross, and not through that we have struggled to
accomplish.
Why did they die?
Due to Adam’s transgression in the matter of
the tree of the knowledge of good and evil they had been denied a presence in
Eden. That meant that they no longer were surrounded by pollution-free nature
and they began the death process. But even with that living to well beyond 700
years in age was normal.
Romans 5:15 But not as the offence, so
also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much
more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus
Christ, hath abounded unto many.
Let’s focus on something that is not evident
in the English translation.
Focus on the definite
article---"the." That is true
in both appearances of “many” in this verse. “The many” when used in Scripture
is a euphemism referring to all of mankind.
Through the offence of one {the} many be dead.
{The}
many" represents mankind,
because all have sinned and fall short (Romans 3:23).
All were dead in trespasses and sins
(Ephesians 2:1).
Due to Adam’s offense, the many---mankind was
subjected to death.
Through "the gift by grace, which is by
one man, Jesus Christ, has abounded unto {the} (Gr. tous-touV) many.”
The first "the many" represents
mankind, therefore the second group is the same group.
All have sinned!
All shall be affected by God’s gift! God’s
grace overwhelms all sin in any amount! The Bible tells us explicitly that
where {the} sin abounds {the} grace abounds much more, or super abounds (Gr. huperperisseuō-ὑπερπερισσεύω/Romans
5:20)!
Romans 5:16 And
not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift: for the judgment was by one
to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offences unto justification.
Do you know that sin is no match for
grace?
As Christ defeated death, grace defeats
sin!
“Justification” speaks of a judicial
pronouncement, a declaration of innocence.
God’s free gift is a declaration of innocence
through the grace that is in Christ Jesus.
Romans 5:17 For if by {the} one man's offence {the}
death reigned by {the} one;
much more they {the ones} which receive {the} abundance of
{the} grace and of the gift of {the} righteousness shall reign in
life by one, Jesus Christ.)
Once again the Greek definite articles are
missing.
“{The} one man’s offense” points to Adam’s
rebellion against God’s instructions.
Later in this verse, “{the} One” obviously
points to Christ Jesus.
Due to Adam’s sin, death reigned over
mankind!
We are “the ones” receiving
the abundance of the grace of the righteousness through the One
Christ Jesus.
Life comes to us due to the superabundance
(Gr. huperperisseuō-ὑπερπερισσεύω) of grace, and the gift of righteousness in Christ
Jesus!
Romans 5:18 Therefore as by the
offence of
{the} one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the
righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of
life.
This verse is where many commentators start meandering
around the Bible looking for an out.
However, the language is plain and it is
correct.
Romans 5:18-19 cannot be explained using
mainstream theology!
It must be explained by the counsel of the
Bible, not tradition.
Due to one offense, or deviant act,
condemnation came to all people.
That fact is accepted by all Christians.
Due to the righteous action of one,
justification of life has come to all.
That fact is not accepted by most Christians.
Romans 5:19 For as by {the} one man's
{the} disobedience {the} many were made sinners, so by the obedience
of {the} one shall {the} many be made righteous.
Again, let me add the definite articles {the}. The disobedient one is Adam
(affecting mankind), and the Obedient One is Christ Jesus (affecting mankind).
Romans 5:19 For as by {the} one man's disobedience {the} many (Gr. hoi polloi- oi polloi) were made sinners, so by the obedience of {the} one shall {the} many (Gr. hoi
polloi- oi
polloi) be made righteous.
I highlighted the definite article, “the”.
This section and in particular this verse is
a comparison.
Compare the two groups to see if there are
really two groups.
“The many” is actually just one group,
mankind.
Both Adam and Christ had extreme effects on
mankind.
Shall
be made (Gr. katastatheesontai-katastaqhsontai) is future
indicative indicating what the Author feels shall happen.
While Paul may be the scribe in the writing
of Romans, God the Holy Spirit is the Author.
Adam brought death to “the many.”
Christ brought “the many” life.
That truth shall become apparent in due time.
1 Tim
2:6 [Christ Jesus] Who gave himself a
ransom for all, to be testified in due time.
The Holy Spirit has been sent to reprove the
world, to point out sin to all.
John
16:8 And when he is come, he will
reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:
Is that reproving and act of futility?
Or, is it an act of compassion to show those
who live in denial the way to Christ?
The invitation to come has gone out to
all.
How “the many” responds is an individual and
personal act.
Becoming a sinner does not require grace or
faith, but becoming a saint requires both!
Romans 4:3 For what saith the scripture?
Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him
for righteousness.
Romans 5:20-21
20 Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where {the} sin abounded, {the} grace did
much more abound:
21 That as {the} sin hath
reigned unto death, even so might {the} grace reign through righteousness
unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.
Where THE sin nature merely abounded, THE
GRACE OF GOD super-abounded! No matter what sin or how much sin God’s grace in
Christ Jesus always overwhelms it!
The job of the Law is to highlight the sin in
our lives!
Sin only abounds, but grace
super-abounds!
Sin brought death, through Adam.
Grace brings life, through Christ Jesus.
Sin is no match for grace!