Book of Romans -5

January 29, 2020
0

BENEFITS OF JUSTIFICATION

MEMORY VERSE: “Therefore, being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:1).

TEXT: Romans 5:1-21 Paul, the apostle has shown, in the preceding chapters of this book, the impossibility of justification by the works of the law. He therefore hinges the hope of everyone’s salvation in the mercy of God that can only be appropriated by faith through Christ. In this chapter, he concentrates on the subject of justification and its benefits. He ends the chapter by giving a vivid contrast between the consequence of Adam’s sin and the blessings of Christ’s redemptive work for all men.

QUESTION 1: What is Justification? In legal term, justification means to declare an offender not guilty. It is the grace of God through which a sinner receives forgiveness and remission of sins and is counted righteous before God through faith in the atoning blood of Jesus Christ. It is a state of acceptance with God, who for Christ’s sake, regards and treats the believer in Christ as a righteous person. Our text reveals that justification is by faith, not by works of the law. “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:1). The basic reason for the requirement of faith for justification rests on the fact that the death of Jesus Christ is the only sacrifice acceptable to God as ransom for the sins of mankind. Thus, all that a sinner is required to do to be saved is accept and repose confidence in Him as his Substitute, Savior, Redeemer and Lord. Justified, the believer is granted righteousness and peace in his heart with the assurance of relationship with the Almighty God.

BASIS OF OUR JUSTIFICATION BY FAITH (Romans 5:1-8; Genesis 1:26-28; 2:15-17; 3:1-10; Romans 6:23a; Hebrews 9:22; Exodus 12:13; 30:10; Psalms 49:6,7; 1 Peter 1:18,19; Hebrews 10:1-6; John 1:29; Isaiah 53:111; Matthew 26:28; John 3:16).

QUESTION 2: Why is it right for God to punish sin? After the fall in Eden, man lost the privilege associated with having the image of God; as such, he is separated from God. The entire human race stands condemned and guilty before Him (Romans 5:17-19). Condemnation for sin has always brought with it defeat, despair, hopelessness, misery, pain, oppression, sorrow and all kinds of suffering. Justice demands that whoever transgresses the law should face the wrath of the law. And for every sin that a person commits, the law stipulates death as its penalty. This is because God is holy and righteous. He detests and punishes evil. His law and justice demands that a man or a worthy substitute should pay the penalty for his sin, which is death (Genesis 2:16,17; Ezekiel 18:4). Since no man can pay or help himself out of this spiritual and moral destitution, “God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). God accepted the price Christ paid for everyone to be justified freely as earlier foretold by Isaiah. “He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities” (Isaiah 53:11). Man’s justification is, therefore, entirely by grace. “For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God…” (1 Peter 3:18).

QUESTION 3: What are the deficiencies of animal sacrifice as means of atonement for man’s sins? The death of Christ on the cross is the only acceptable sacrifice for man’s redemption. In normal transactions, we purchase items with money or things equal in value to what we want to buy. To redeem man, what price is his soul worth? Sheep, goat, bull or ram were previously used for atonement in the Old Testament. The sense is that life has to be replaced with another life. But “it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins” (Hebrews 10:4). It is also not possible for an ordinary human being to atone for the sins of his friend or brother as all human beings are guilty of sin and condemned before God (Romans 3:23).

QUESTION 4: Why is Christ’s substitutionary death the only acceptable means for man’s redemption and justification? “For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die” (Romans 5:6,7). Jesus, the sinless Son of God, is the perfect Substitute who offered Himself to redeem us from sin. He bore the punishment for our sins so that everyone who believes and accept His death as penalty for his/ her sin can be forgiven and acquitted of all past sins committed. Thus, the full price for our sin has been paid; and as many as will accept Him will be justified and set free from sin.

BENEFITS OF JUSTIFICATION BY FAITH (Romans 5:1-11; Psalm 85:7-13; Luke 23:44-46; Ephesians 3:8; 1:7; 2:1-18; Hebrews 10:19-25 Romans 8:35-39; Colossians 1:26; Hebrews 7:23-25; 1 Thessalonians 1:9,10; 5:8-10). Verses 1 and 2 of our text reveal that justification procured for us by Christ pardons past sins, releases Christ’s righteousness by grace through faith for present life and guarantees a blissful eternity. Being justified then by Christ’s blood, we have “peace with God”. Before justification, every sinner is an enemy of God because he does not have the moral strength to obey God’s law. This leads to moral crisis and absence of peace (Isaiah 48:22). However, everyone who receives Christ as Savior by faith is justified and freed from guilt and condemnation. God imputes His “righteousness” in the erstwhile sinner to be able to live to please Him. No one can ever obtain righteousness and peace through “the law [that] worketh wrath” (Romans 4:15).

QUESTION 5: What are the benefits of justification by faith in Christ Jesus? He that is justified has “access” to God. The Jew was kept from God’s presence by the veil and the Gentile by a wall in the temple. When Jesus died, He tore the veil and broke down the wall of partition. In Christ, believing Jews and Gentiles have access to God to enjoy His inexhaustible riches of grace (Luke 23:45; Ephesians 2:14,18; Hebrews 10:19-25; Ephesians 1:7; 2:4; 3:8). It is justification that gives us graceful Christian life (Romans 5:3,4). Though it does not provide escape from the trials of life (John 16:33), justification makes us receive grace to endure and bear the cross. Through trials, the justified believer comes off living a victorious and graceful life because no amount of suffering can separate him from the Lord (Romans 8:35-39). Suffering builds believers’ characters and toughen their spiritual muscles to overcome subsequent challenges of life. As we go through tribulations, trusting in God’s grace, the trials will be instrumental in helping to get rid of the chaff in our lives. Justification equips us with God’s abundant love within (Romans 5:5-8). “Hope deferred maketh the heart sick” (Proverbs 13:12). As we wait for the fulfillment of this hope, the love of God is poured into our hearts. Before we were saved, God proved His love by sending Christ to die for us. Now that we are His children, He will love us the more. As we go through tribulations, it is the inner experience of His love through the Spirit that sustains us. The justified are saved from future wrath (Romans 5:9,10). If God saved us when we were enemies, Now that we are His children, He will keep on preserving us; He will save us from the “wrath to come,” through His intercession (1 Thessalonians 1:9,10; 5:8-10). Paul explains that if Christ’s died for us, He will also save us by His life. Furthermore, justification brings immeasurable blessings to the believer. These include freedom from guilt, joy, the gift and abiding presence of the Spirit, fellowship with God, special knowledge and revelation, assurance of answers to prayers, and leading by the Spirit (Colossians 1:26; Romans 8:14). Through justification, saints become objects of God’s love, grace, power and purpose (Ephesians 2:4; 1:18-20,11; 3:11; 2 Timothy 1:9). They are also made fit for the inheritance of the saints since their names are written in the book of life.

CONTRASTS BETWEEN ADAM AND CHRIST (Romans 5:12-21; Hebrews 7:9-10; Romans 5:19; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Hebrews 10:10-14; I Peter 2:24; 1 Corinthians 15:20-22). The Bible reveals that Adam’s sin has affected the entire human race in a negative way. “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world.” Sin entered the world when Adam fell. As the progenitor of all humanity, his sin automatically become that of every person born into this world. Since the wages of sin is death, man died spiritually. Separated from God, man will forever be banished from Him if there is no repentance and justification by faith. The Bible speaks about death as the separation of body from the soul (physical death), separation of the soul from God in time (spiritual death) and separation of the soul from God forever (eternal death). Death is universal because sin is universal. The comparison between Christ and Adam in our text clearly portrays what one did as the opposite of the other. In Adam, God’s purpose for creating man is aborted but in Christ, His original plan is fulfilled. God’s gift to mankind in Jesus Christ does not restore us to the kind of life Adam possessed before he sinned, but to a life of incomparable quality. “The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly” (John 10:10). Justification is a free gift for all who believe in Jesus Christ, just as all men inherited sin. Every man in Adam reaped the results of Adam’s fall much as every man in Christ reaps the benefits of His redemptive work.

QUESTION 6: Compare and contrast the work of Adam for man’s condemnation and the work of Christ for man’s justification.

The contrasts can further be summed up as follows: (i) Adam was head of the old creation (Genesis 1:26) while Jesus is the head of the new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17,18; Ephesians 2:10). (ii) Adam sinned (Genesis 2:17; 3:6; Romans 5:12-21), Christ did not sin (1 Peter 2:22). (iii) Adam, by one act of sin, made many sinners (Romans 5:15), Christ by a single act of obedience made many righteous (Romans 5:19; 2 Corinthians 5:21). (iv) Adam was made a living soul but Christ a quickening spirit (I Corinthians 15:45).(v) Adam was of the earth, Christ was the Lord from heaven (I Corinthians 15:47). (vi) Adam brought death but Christ brings life (Romans 5:12,17,18; 1 Corinthians 15:21-22; John 10:10). (vii) While Adam passed a sinful nature to His offspring, Christ imparts a sinless nature (Romans 5:19; Psalms 51:5; 2 Corinthians 5:17,18; 2 Peter 1:14). (viii) Adam brought condemnation (Romans 5:16-18), Christ brings justification (Romans 5:18; 3:24; 4:25). (ix) Adam lost the grace or favor of God (Romans 5:15; Genesis 3:6-24), Christ restores grace to men (Romans 5:15-17; 3:24; John 1:17). (x) Adam offended God (Romans 5:15,1718; Genesis 3:6,17-24), Christ pleased God (Romans 5:18; Matthew 3:17; 17:5; 2 Peter 1:17). QUESTION 7: Describe the differences between justification by faith and by works. Which of them do you subscribe to? God does not only forgive, pardon or justify, He also regenerates the believer to be able to live a new life of righteousness. Justification will be of no effect if those who are justified and cleansed by His blood still continue in their old sinful life. God has made provision for the saved to continuously live a just, upright and saintly life. Since “the just shall live by faith” (Romans 1:17), everyone that has been redeemed must ensure he continues to live a holy lifestyle and do good works. “Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only” (James 2:24). We are justified by faith before God but by works before men. Continuity in His words, obedience, prayer, love, service, holy and righteous living will make us enjoy the full benefits of our justification through Christ’s blood on earth and in heaven.