In Romans 5, the Apostle Paul proceeds with the case for justification by showing several major blessings or benefits the believer possesses. All of these blessings come to the believer through their faith and connection with Christ. The book of Romans shows the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, (1:16). We have been shown our total depravity and sinfulness and the extreme measures that God has taken to make us righteous and justified in His sight. As a result of the great love that God has for us, He sent His Son to become the propitiation for the whole world. (Propitiation — the price that is paid to regain or win the favor of God.) Every blessing and benefit of justification flows to the believer through our Mediator, Jesus Christ and makes possible our new life in Christ.
Romans 5:1-5 NKJV Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope. Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.
In Romans 5, the six benefits of being justified and declared righteous are tremendous.
- There is peace with God (v.1).
- There is access into God’s grace, favor and presence (v.2).
- There is hope for the glory of God (v.2).
- There is glory in trials and sufferings (v.3-5).
- The love of God has been poured out in our hearts (v.5).
- The Holy Spirit has been given us (v.5).
To help us understand the depth of these benefits, consider where and what we were before Christ our Lord redeemed us.
When God saved us, we were helpless and hopeless sinners in an ungodly world. We were without hope and without God. We did not have the peace of God in our hearts and we did not have peace with God. Our conscience condemned us.
Consider the depth of the love of God that would provide all of these benefits of justification through the gift of His Son.
2 Corinthians 5:21 NKJV For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
Justification means to count, credit, account, judge, treat, and look upon someone as righteous.
Here is the marvel of God’s gift to us. Although we were guilty sinners, as soon as we put faith in Christ, God treated and accounted us as righteous through Christ. God took action while we were controlled by a conscience that was not at peace with Him. Our inner man was constantly and consistently in a struggle. We knew that we were not right with God, and the law testified that we were guilty.
Romans 5:6-8 NKJV For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Justification is necessary because of our sin and alienation from God.
Sin and rebellion removed us from fellowship with God. God took the necessary steps to justify us and acquit us from our iniquity and guilt. He did this through the death of His Son on the cross.
Justification is necessary because of the anger and wrath of God against sin.
Sin is lawless desire that when fully matured gives birth to death. All unrighteousness is sin. Sin and rebellion always stirs up God’s anger and wrath and destroys fellowship and relationship with God. Justification deals with the alienation, anger and wrath of God against sin and restores the relationship between man and God.
Why does God justify us?
God justifies us because of His Son Jesus Christ.
When we believe in Jesus Christ, God takes our faith and counts it as righteousness. Although we are still sinners, God considers and credits our faith in Christ as righteousness. Where sin abounded, grace abounded all the more through Jesus Christ our Lord, (Romans 5:20).
Why is God willing to do this?
God loved us so much that He sent His Son into the world and sacrificed Him in order to justify sinners who believe in Christ, (John 3:16; Romans 5:8).
God is willing to do this because Jesus Christ secured our righteousness by His sacrifice.
Jesus did this by living a sinless and perfect life. He never broke the law of God or went contrary to the will of God. He stood before God and the world as the righteous representative for every man and freely offered Himself as the sacrifice for every person. Being sinless and perfect, He could take all the sins of the world upon Himself and die for every human. His death and suffering could stand for everyone. He bore the wrath of God against sin, bearing all of our condemnation.
2 Corinthians 5:21 NKJV For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
Then Jesus Christ arose from the dead to conquer death for us.
Since eternal death is the ultimate end of sin, Jesus had to conquer death. His resurrection and exaltation to the right hand of God both conquered death and makes us acceptable to God. His resurrected life provides abundant and eternal life for everyone who believes and puts their trust in Him.
When anyone believes in Jesus Christ, God takes their faith and counts it as the righteous perfection of Christ.
The believer is counted as righteous in Christ. They are counted as having already died in Christ, paid the penalty for sin, and raised with Christ into new life. As soon as one sincerely trusts and believes in Christ, God takes their faith and counts it as righteousness. God counts, judges, and treats them—as if they were innocent. God justifies the ungodly.
The first benefit of justification is peace with God.
Romans 5:1 NKJV Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
Peace with God is not the denial of our condition. Peace with God means the believer is restored to the proper or right relationship with God. We are no longer alienated and separated from God. We have been reconciled and accepted by God, free from the wrath and judgment of God and at peace with God.
Where does this peace with God come from?
The source of our peace is Jesus Christ. The only way to have peace with God is through the Lord Jesus Christ Who reconciles us to God. He has made peace by the blood of His cross.
Ephesians 2:14 NIV84 For He Himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility,
The second benefit of justification is access into the grace of God.
Romans 5:2 NKJV Through Whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
Grace is an unmerited and undeserved gift or favor.
We are brought into this place of grace in which we stand. By God’s grace we are brought and made to stand in God’s presence, salvation, righteousness, favor and privileges. The grace of God opens up to us all of the promises of God.
Through Christ, we have access into this grace.
Jesus Christ is our door, gate or access into God’s royal and holy presence. This access has been torn open and we have been presented justified and clean to God.
Ephesians 2:13 NKJV But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.
Ephesians 3:12 NKJV In whom we have boldness and access with confidence through faith in Him.
Hebrews 10:19 NKJV Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus,
We have been enabled to “stand” in God’s grace, in His presence.
Christ has justified us, removing our guilt and shame, and has given us great confidence and boldness before God. We stand before the Father in the perfect righteousness of the Lord Jesus.
The third benefit of justification is hope.
The hope of the believer is for the glory of God.
Romans 5:2 NKJV Through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
Our hope is different than what the world means by hope. The world hopes—wants, desires—that something will happen. The hope of the believer is perfect assurance, confidence, and knowledge. Our hope is an inward possession that is based on the presence of God’s Spirit. The Holy Spirit within assures us of the hope of glory.
1 Peter 1:3-4 NIV84 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In His great mercy He has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade—kept in heaven for you,
The hope of glory exceeds everything that we can ask or think. This glory can only be found in God’s perfect splendor and majesty.
Matthew 13:43 NIV84 Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear.
Philippians 3:21 NKJV Who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself.
Romans 8:18 NKJV For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.
The fourth benefit of justification is glory in trials and sufferings.
Romans 5:3-4 NKJV And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope.
When we are truly justified, we are no longer defeated by trials and sufferings.
They no longer cast us into despair and hopelessness. The justified believer knows their life and welfare are completely under God’s care and watchful eye. Whatever comes — whether good or bad — we know that God is taking care of us. With every trial and tribulation, we know that God will move mountains to bring about good for us. The word “tribulations” means pressure, oppression, affliction, suffering, and distress. When we are pressed on every side, God turns it around for a blessing for us. All of our tribulations are productive in nature.
They produce perseverance (endurance, fortitude, steadfastness, and faithfulness).
This perseverance is the ability to go about conquering and overcoming. When tribulation comes against the truly justified, they are stirred to arise and face the trials head on. They set out to conquer and overcome by the blood of Jesus and by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Perseverance produces character (integrity, strength).
When a justified believer endures trials, they come out stronger than before. They come out with stronger character and integrity and know much more about the presence and strength of God.
This character strengthens our confident hope of salvation.
When we run into problems, trials, or tribulations, God uses them to build us up and strengthen us. When we get through our tribulations, we come out with a stronger assurance and hope. “Hope” means expectation, anticipation, looking and longing for, desiring, relying upon, and trusting. It is also confidence, knowledge, surety, assurance, certainty, and a guarantee. When a justified believer becomes stronger in character, they draw closer to God. As we grow closer to God, our hope for the glory of God increases. This hope never disappoints, deludes, deceives, or confuses.
The fifth benefit of justification is the love of God has been poured out in our hearts.
Romans 5:5 NKJV Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.
Whenever tribulations come, the Holy Spirit is present with us to pour out the love of God into our hearts. The Holy Spirit keeps pouring on God’s love, and gives us a deep and intimate sense of that love. When trouble comes, God wants you to know that you are loved.
1 John 3:1 NKJV Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him.
What is the benefit of all of this?
The crisis of our tribulations cannot rob us of God’s peace and love. Nothing shall be able to rob your peace, hope or love.
Romans 8:37 NKJV Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.
“I am persuaded that nothing in life or death is able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord,” (Romans 8:38-39).
The Lord is your light and your salvation. He is your defense and strong tower against the enemy. The Lord is your shield on the right hand. He is your peace. The love of the Lord will never fail. Your hope is secure in the presence of God.
- He will save and heal you.
- He will help you and supply your need.
- He will answer your cry.
- He will calm your storm.
- He will walk on the water to you.
- He will scatter your enemy.