Romans 5:1-21 - Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

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We Are Assured Of Reigning In Life And Enjoying Future Glory And The Basis Of This Is What Christ Has Accomplished For Us (5:1-21).

Having been reckoned as righteous through faith we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, and are called on to ‘rejoice in hope of the glory of God' (Romans 5:1-2), and this because ‘as sin has reigned unto death, even so will grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life, through Jesus Christ our LORD' (Romans 5:21). Seen as future ‘eternal life' includes in it the experience of His glory. (The Pauline conception of ‘eternal life' is in contrast with that of Jesus and John, who speak of it as both present and future. Paul speaks of the present experiences as ‘life') In this lies our certainty with regard to the glory that is to come, the glory of which we are now constantly coming short (Romans 3:23).

But that glory comes at a cost, a cost for us in that God begins His perfect work in us shaping us for the future by His Holy Spirit (Romans 5:3-5), and a cost for Him in that He died for us, a death crowned by His resurrection (Romans 5:6-10). For although all mankind lay under the penalty of sin (Romans 5:12-14; compare Romans 1:18 to Romans 3:23), Christ has delivered us from that through His gift of righteousness (Romans 5:15-17; compare Romans 1:17) obtained for us through His own righteousness and obedience (Romans 5:18-19). Sin abounded through the power of the Law (Romans 5:20), but where sin abounded grace did much more abound, a grace which reigns through righteousness, with its consequence eternal life through Jesus Christ our LORD (Romans 5:20-21).

The passage splits neatly into two subsections, Romans 5:1-11 and Romans 5:12-21, of which we will now consider the first.

Related Commentaries of Romans 5:1

Romans 5:1-21

1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:

2 By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

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.

6 For when we were yet without strength, in due timea Christ died for the ungodly.

7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die.

8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

9 Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.

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.

11 And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement.b

12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for thatc all have sinned:

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.

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.

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.

17 For if by one man'sd 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.)

18 Therefore as by the offencee 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.

19 For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.

20 Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound:

21 That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.