Romans 5:1. Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:
Do not let us simply read these words, but let us each one say in our hearts, «That is true; I have believed in Christ, therefore I am justified in the sight of God, and therefore I have peace with God through Jesus Christ our Lord.» There is nothing in the world that is half as valuable as the two precious gems in this verse, justification and the peace which follows it.
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.
See what we owe to Christ, not only justification and peace, but we have access into the grace in which we stand; for, when a man is at peace with God, then he longs to get to God, and to speak with God. Christ is the door, and Christ is the way; we come to God by Jesus Christ. This is no small privilege. Oh, you who have ever felt what it is to be shut out from God, let your heart sing as you know that you now have access by faith into this grace wherein you stand! Well may the apostle add, «We rejoice in hope of the glory of God;» or, if there is any man who may and must rejoice, it is the man who has peace with God, and expects to dwell with God for ever, having access to God by Jesus Christ.
Romans 5:3. And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also:
Paul is going upstairs, as it were, rising from one platform to another. There is enough of glory in Christ to wrap up all our troubles in; it makes the black white, and the dark bright.
Romans 5:3. Knowing that tribulation worketh patience;
A man who never suffers does not know what patience means; but trial works patience, yet not of itself. Trials work peevishness and murmuring and discontent; but grace brings sweet out of bitter, and «tribulation worketh patience;»
Romans 5:4-45. And patience, experience and experience, hope: 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.
Do you know what this means, dear friend, or is it all Greek to you? The Lord make it indeed plain every-day English to you! May you understand it, feel it, know it, prove it, taste it, enjoy it! If you do so, happy indeed are you.
Romans 5:6. For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.
Not, «Christ died for saints, because the saints were such gracious people.» No, no; but, «when we were yet without strength,» when we could lift neither hand nor foot to help ourselves, «in due time Christ died for the ungodly.»
Romans 5:7. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die:
For a man who is perfectly just, there are few who would be willing to die for him.
Romans 5:7. Yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die.
For a generous, noble-hearted man, some might be willing to die; yet there is a peradventure even about that.
Romans 5:8. But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
When we were not righteous, when we certainly were not good, when the whole description of our character could be summed up in that one word «sinners» rebels offending against God: «while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.»
Romans 5:9. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.
He died for us when we were unrighteous; so, now that he has made us righteous in his own righteousness, he will never cast us away. That doctrine of believers falling from grace, and perishing, is clean contrary to Scripture: «Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.»
Romans 5:10-11. 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. And not only so, but we also joy in God
See, the apostle has gone up to another platform. The gospel is a tale that we may be always telling, but it can never be fully told. It is a light that keeps on breaking upon us more and more; and even when we have come to what we suppose is the fall noontide of it, there is still seven times as much glory yet to be revealed. Yes; we go «from strength to strength:» «and not only so, but we also joy in God «
Romans 5:11-21. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement. Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin/ and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: (for until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law. 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. 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. 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. For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.) Therefore as by the offence of 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. For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous. Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded grace did much more abound: that as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.