Romans 5:1–11 — What Changes When We Are Justified?
Romans 5 begins with an important word:
“Therefore.”
Whenever we see “therefore,” we should ask what it is there for.
Paul has spent the opening chapters of Romans building an argument.
Gentiles are under sin.
Jews are under sin.
No one can boast before God.
God's righteousness is revealed through faith in Jesus Christ.
Abraham himself was counted righteous by faith — before circumcision and centuries before the Law of Moses.
Then Romans 4 ends with Jesus:
“who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification.”
— Romans 4:25
Now Paul says:
“Therefore, since we have been justified by faith…”
Something has changed.
What?
We Have Peace With God
Paul begins:
“Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
— Romans 5:1
Notice that Paul does not merely say we feel peaceful.
He says we have peace with God.
That is different.
Earlier in Romans, humanity stood guilty before God.
Now Paul describes people who have been justified.
The relationship has changed.
Hostility has given way to peace.
And that peace comes:
“through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Paul never allows us to separate justification from Jesus.
We Stand in Grace
Paul continues:
“Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand.”
— Romans 5:2
That is a wonderful picture.
We have access.
And where do we now stand?
In grace.
Paul does not describe the Christian as someone desperately trying to earn enough favor from God to remain acceptable.
We stand in grace because of what God has done through Christ.
And because of that:
“we rejoice in hope of the glory of God.”
Earlier, Paul said:
“all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”
— Romans 3:23
Now those who once fell short of God's glory rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
Something truly has changed.
Then Why Do Christians Still Suffer?
At this point we might expect Paul to say that everything becomes easier.
He doesn't.
Instead, he says:
“Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings.”
— Romans 5:3
That can sound strange if we read it by itself.
Paul is not saying pain feels good.
He explains what suffering can produce:
“knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope.”
— Romans 5:3–4
Look at the progression:
Suffering → Endurance → Character → Hope
The Christian's hope does not mean suffering disappears.
It means suffering no longer has the final word.
God can use even suffering to form people who continue trusting Him.
Hope Will Not Put Us to Shame
Paul continues:
“and hope does not put us to shame.”
— Romans 5:5
Why can Christians have that kind of confidence?
Paul does not point to our strength.
He points to God:
“because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.”
Once again, the emphasis is upon what God has done.
God justifies.
God gives access to grace.
God gives hope.
God gives the Holy Spirit.
And now Paul turns to the greatest demonstration of God's love.
When Did Christ Die for Us?
Paul carefully describes our condition when Christ died:
“For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.”
— Romans 5:6
Notice the words:
weak
ungodly
Paul does not say Christ waited until we became worthy.
Then he gives an illustration:
“For one will scarcely die for a righteous person — though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die.”
— Romans 5:7
We can imagine someone sacrificing his life for someone he deeply loves or respects.
But God's love goes much further.
“While We Were Still Sinners”
Here is one of the best-known statements in Romans:
“but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
— Romans 5:8
Notice when God loved us.
Not after we cleaned ourselves up.
Not after we proved ourselves worthy.
Not after we accumulated enough good works.
While we were still sinners.
Christ died for us.
God's love begins with God.
Paul Keeps Describing Who We Were
Paul is not finished.
In this short paragraph he describes the people for whom Christ died in several ways.
We were:
weak — verse 6
ungodly — verse 6
sinners — verse 8
And then:
enemies — verse 10
That last word is especially strong.
“For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son…”
— Romans 5:10
Paul is describing reconciliation.
Two parties who were separated have been brought back together.
And once again, God acted when we were His enemies.
From Enemies to Reconciled People
Paul says:
“while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son.”
Then he adds:
“much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life.”
— Romans 5:10
Paul uses a “much more” argument.
If God acted for us when we were His enemies, how much more can those who have now been reconciled trust Him?
Paul repeats the idea:
“More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.”
— Romans 5:11
Look how far Paul's argument has brought us.
We were enemies.
Now we have peace with God.
We were separated.
Now we are reconciled.
We were under sin.
Now we stand in grace.
Notice the Past, Present, and Future
There is something interesting in Paul's language.
He speaks about what has already happened:
“we have been justified”
“we have obtained access”
“we have now been justified by his blood”
“we were reconciled”
But he also speaks about something still ahead:
“we rejoice in hope of the glory of God”
and:
“we shall be saved”
Paul does not squeeze salvation into only one moment.
God has already acted decisively for us in Christ.
We now stand in grace.
And we still look forward in hope to what God will finally accomplish.
That pattern will become important as Romans continues.
What Does “Justified” Produce?
Sometimes theological discussions become so focused on defining justification that we forget to keep reading.
Paul tells us what follows justification.
Peace with God.
Access into grace.
Hope.
Endurance through suffering.
The gift of the Holy Spirit.
Confidence in God's love.
Reconciliation.
And all of it comes:
“through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Justification is not merely a theological word to argue about.
It describes a changed relationship with God.
Notice Where Paul Puts God's Love
Paul does not tell us to measure God's love by whether life is presently easy.
That would make little sense after he has just talked about suffering.
Instead, he points us to an event in history:
“while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
When suffering makes us wonder whether God loves us, Paul points us toward the cross.
That is where God's love has been demonstrated.
Our circumstances change.
The cross does not.
Read Paul Before Reading a System Into Paul
Paul began Romans by showing us humanity's problem.
Now we are beginning to see the results of God's solution.
Those who were guilty can be justified.
Those who were enemies can have peace with God.
Those who were separated can be reconciled.
Those who fell short of God's glory can now rejoice in hope of that glory.
And none of this begins with human worthiness.
Paul says Christ died for us while we were:
weak, ungodly, sinners, and enemies.
The initiative belongs to God.
The means is Jesus Christ.
And the result is reconciliation.
Before You Leave
Read Romans 5:1–11 for yourself.
Then ask:
According to Paul, what changed when we were justified?
And notice where Paul tells us to look when we wonder whether God really loves us:
Not to our circumstances.
Not to our worthiness.
But to this:
“While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
TEXT B4 TRADITION
Read First. Conclude Later.
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