PEACE WITH GOD
Romans 5:1-5
Seventeenth in the sermon series, “Romans: Gospel Blueprint.”
Paul establishes a hard truth: everyone, Jew and non-Jew alike, has rebelled against God and stands guilty before Him, and that rebellion has justly earned His wrath. There is no hope apart from faith in Christ Jesus. To show that this justification is for Jew and non-Jew alike, Paul points to Abraham, whose faith was a full confidence in the promises of God, and such is the faith we too must place in Christ Jesus. From here the apostle unfolds the good news: God, in His grace, makes guilty people right with Himself through faith in Jesus. Having repeated the phrase “justified by faith” and emphasized “grace,” he now introduces a series of rich new themes, “hope,” “peace with God,” and “God’s love.”
Justified, then Peace
Paul, once again, used the phrase, “justified by faith.” The phrase is a courtroom term. God declares those who believe as not guilty. The apostle then introduces a lofty idea: “peace with God.” Peace with God is the result of justification by faith. It means no more war with God.
Romans 5:1, ESV: Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.
This peace is not first of all a feeling; it means the war is over, for we were once God’s enemies.[1] Notice that it comes “through our Lord Jesus Christ”; it is peace Christ purchased, not peace we negotiated. The rebellion is over.
Faith Into Grace
Paul writes that through Jesus we “have obtained access” into grace, and in that grace “we now stand.” Picture being escorted into a king’s throne room; Jesus brings us all the way in, and there we stand, secure and permanent.[2] Then Paul adds that “we boast in the hope of the glory of God.”
Romans 5:2: Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
Because of sin, there was no hope of sharing God’s glory, but now, through Christ, there is a way through faith. This boasting is not proud, self-centered boasting; it is rejoicing in what God has done and promised. Christian hope is not wishful thinking but confident expectation, as certain as God is trustworthy.
God’s Love Amid Suffering
Paul explained God’s wrath in the earlier part of the letter. Now, for the first time, he explains God’s love. Through suffering and hardship, He builds our character, producing hope.[3] This hope does not put the believers to shame. The reason is God’s love in our hearts through the Holy Spirit.
Romans 5:3-5: Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4 and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, 5 and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.
The word hope reminds the reader of Abraham who hoped against hope. The word poured pictures a lavish flood, not a trickle.[4] Even in the middle of suffering, the Spirit assures us that God truly loves us, so our hope will never end in disappointment.
Application
1. After understanding the wrath and justice of God, we must now understand that the justification through faith leads to peace with God. This is not necessarily about inner peace, although it is part of it. It is about no longer becoming enemies of God.
2. When suffering abounds, remember where we stand, firmly in the grace of God. That security should lead us to rejoicing as we hope for His glory. We live by faith, meaning we are convinced of the promise despite the various trials.
3. Let us rejoice that God’s love is poured in our hearts by the Holy Spirit. Note that Paul did not begin with God’s love; he began with God’s wrath against sin. In every season of life, let us meditate on God’s love in the context of His justice, and the justification by faith in Christ.
[1] Frank S. Thielman, Romans, Zondervan Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2018), on 5:1. Thielman notes that “peace” here is foremost a cessation of hostility between God and believers, though it also carries the subjective sense of a serene conscience. Cf. Douglas J. Moo, The Letter to the Romans, 2nd ed. (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2018), on 5:1.
[2] Thielman, Romans, on 5:2, observes that the perfect-tense verbs “we have obtained” and “we stand” emphasize the continuation of this new, gracious situation for believers. On the term “access” as entry into a king’s presence, see also Colin G. Kruse, Paul’s Letter to the Romans, Pillar New Testament Commentary (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2012), on 5:2.
[3] On the rhetorical “chain” (climax/anadiplosis) that builds step by step toward hope, see Thielman, Romans, on 5:3–4; cf. Thomas R. Schreiner, Romans, 2nd ed., Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2018), on 5:3–4.
[4] Thielman, Romans, on 5:5, notes that the verb “poured out” emphasizes the lavish, abundant nature of God’s love; the genitive “the love of God” is best read as God’s love for believers, confirmed by 5:8. Cf. James D. G. Dunn, Romans 1–8, Word Biblical Commentary 38A (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2018), on 5:5.
Poem
PEACE WITH GOD
by Ed Pilapil Jr
We’re justified by faith alone
By grace, believing, that we know
War is over, the debt is paid
Through Christ alone, this peace is made
We have access, an open door
Let us rejoice forevermore
Our hope is sure, He made us whole
Eternally sure in our soul
We dare hope despite the trials
No doubt and there’s no denial
Every promise, we dare believe
Assured of the love we received
This hope will never bring us shame
For God poured His love like a flame
Through the Spirit, He floods the heart
A love from which we’ll never part
Study Guide
1. Paul begins with “Therefore.” Explain the connection to chapters 3-4. Then explain the peace of God. (Hint: it is not inner peace) (Ro 5:1)
2. What do the verbs “obtained access” and “stand” reveal about the believer’s position, and how does “the hope of the glory of God” relate to Romans 3:23? (Ro 5:2)
3. Why does Paul arrange the chain in verses 3–4 (suffering → endurance → character → hope) to end on hope, and what reason does verse 5 give that this hope “does not put us to shame”? Ro 5:3-5)
