BIBLE STUDY on the book of Romans

Chapter 5

Peace and Joy . . . Romans 5:1-11

Paul has told us so far in this letter, that we receive salvation because we are redeemed by the Blood of Jesus. Our redemption was purchased on the cross of Calvary at a tremendous price, His life! Belief in Jesus and His Work on the cross delivers us from sin’s guilt and its penalty. What this means to us is that we will not have to stand before God and be condemned to an eternal Hell. It also means we have a home waiting for us, that Christ has prepared for us. But, this is the future . . . what about now?

I am interested in the “by and by,” for I know Heaven is there for me! (John 20:31; 1 John 5:13). But Jesus promises more! He promises something for the “here and now.” Paul will show us that when we believe in Jesus, great benefits are ours! Great blessings from God are there for us, each and every day we live! Let’s now look at the awesome benefits of salvation. My prayer is that you reach out and take these blessings and enjoy them to the fullest.

Benefits and Blessings from God, NOW . . . Romans 5:1-11

Romans 5:1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: [KJV]

There are different kinds of peace mentioned in the Bible. World peace, or living without conflict or wars will NOT happen until the return of Christ.

A tranquil soul, which is the peace Jesus promises to believers who completely trust and rely on Him, who walk with Him, rest in Him and obey Him (John 14:27). “Peace that passeth all understanding” as stated in Phil.4:7. Since this peace passes all understanding, I cannot explain it to you. No one can!

The peace mentioned in Romans 5:1 is peace with God. Without Jesus, all people are at odds with God. All people are sinners and our sin makes us enemies of God, as we will see in verse 10. To attain peace with God, we must believe and accept Christ as our Saviour and Lord. Only when we are washed in the Blood of Jesus can we ever have peace with God. PEACE is the first benefit of salvation.

Romans 5:2 By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. [KJV]

This verse gives us TWO benefits. ACCESS into this grace means we can access God in prayer. God will NOT hear an unbeliever’s prayers (Deut.31:18; John 9:31; 17:9). Only when we trust in Jesus will God ever hear our prayers. We also have HOPE. We can “rejoice in hope” knowing we have eternal life waiting for us in Heaven (Titus 1:2; 2:13). Every child of God has this hope. We have a future in eternity!

Romans 5:3-4 And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; 4 And patience, experience; and experience, hope: [KJV]

We can have VICTORY in our troubles. We can have joy (James 1:2-4) in our trials and tribulations because we know when we have troubles, we will be learning patience from the experience. I know there are those who will say: “I can never rejoice when pain or troubles overtake me.” But my friend, you have the Presence of Christ always near, walking with you through those difficulties. He has promised: “I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee” (Heb.13:5). The truth is, it always takes trouble to bring out the best in a believer.

Romans 5:5 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. [KJV]

The LOVE OF GOD shed abroad in our hearts, does not mean our love for God, but God’s love for us! This benefit is amazing! God’s love is dispersed and circulated within us. We know just how much God loves us, because He has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with His love. His love is real! The HOLY SPIRIT is also a tremendous benefit. Here we are simply told that He is given to all believers. We will learn more about the Holy Spirit in Romans 8 where He is mentioned more than 20 times. what Paul wants us to know about Him here is that it is He Who makes God’s love real to us. We need to know that God loves us, and it is the Holy Spirit who tells us.

Romans 5:6 For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. [KJV]

Paul is attempting to tell us just how much God really loves us. Christ died for the ungodly (vile, disgusting sinners). I think a verse that tells me just how much Jesus loves us is: Luke 23:34 Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots. [KJV] . . . Jesus begged forgiveness for those who had killed Him. My friend, that included you and me! He died for our sins that day too. Jesus loves us!

Romans 5:7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. [KJV]

Do you know anyone who would die for you? If it were necessary that someone take your place in death, do you know anyone who loves you enough that they would do it? There is One who has already done this for you . . . and for me! God loved you and me enough to send His Son to take our place on the cross, to pay the penalty of sin; and Jesus loved us enough that He came! IF it were necessary, He would do it again, but it is NOT necessary. He died “once for all” (Heb. 7:10-12; 9:12, 28; 10:10-12).

Romans 5:8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. [KJV]

God shows and warrants His love toward us. Jesus died for you . . . and for me! Even while we were vile, evil sinners, Jesus died for us. This is how God revealed just how much He truly loves us. We are not saved by that love, we are saved by God’s grace (unmerited favor) He bestows on all who believe. When you believe and turn to Jesus, God opens His Arms wide and says: “Come to me My child.” He saves us by His grace, and nothing we do! (Eph. 2:8-9)

Romans 5:9 Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. [KJV]

DELIVERANCE FROM GOD’S WRATH is yet another benefit! The “wrath” mentioned here refers to two things! Being condemned to Hell for unbelief (John 3:18), and the Tribulation period (Rev.3:10). Believers will NOT go through the Great Tribulation!

Romans 5:10 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. [KJV]

Christ Jesus died here on Earth to save us, but He now LIVES in Heaven, to keep us saved. Only belief in Jesus can reconcile us to God! Without Jesus in your life, your are God’s enemy!

Romans 5:11 And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement. [KJV]

We JOY IN GOD! Beautiful! Wherever you are, whatever your problem, you can rejoice because God has provided a Way that you may be saved! The tremendous benefits “born again believers” receive cannot be had by unbelievers! Peace, access to God in prayer, hope of eternal life, victory in our troubles, love of God, the Holy Spirit, deliverance from God’s wrath, and joy! As for me, I can’t imagine ever trying to go through life again without Jesus! I praise Him and I thank Him for all He has done for me.

Headship Of Adam . . . Romans 5:12-14

Romans 5:12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: (KJV)

Sin came into the world through one man, Adam; and his sin brought death with it (Gen.2:17; 3:19). Because of this, death has spread to the whole human race because everyone has sinned (Rom.3:10, 23). We are sinners by nature and because we sin. Can we be declared guilty of something Adam did thousands of years ago? Is it right for God to judge us because of Adam’s sin? If you seriously consider your life, you must agree that you sin each and every day. We are born with a rebellious nature, and we are judged for the sins WE commit. We need mercy!

Romans 5:13 (For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law. (KJV)

People sinned long before the Law was given by God. ALL people belong to a lost and hopeless race without Jesus. They are alienated from God because that is the choice they make.

Romans 5:14 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. (KJV)

From the time of Adam until Moses, death ruled like a king over all human beings, even those who did not sin the same way Adam did. Even before the Ten Commandments, people were sinners. What a contrast between Adam and Christ, who was yet to come!

Headship Of Christ . . . Romans 5:15-21

Romans 5:15 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. (KJV)

What a difference between our sin and God's marvelous gift of forgiveness. Because of Adam, death was brought to many through his sin of disobedience. But this other Man, Jesus Christ, brought forgiveness to many through God's bountiful and merciful Gift. There is NO comparison between God's Gift and Adam's failure. Humanity died as the result of one person's failure, but the grace of God and the Gift given through the mercy and grace of one Person, Jesus Christ, has been showered on all humanity. Because of this we can look forward to something much better than the Garden of Eden! (Heb.11:13).

Romans 5:16 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. (KJV)

This is a difficult section of the Bible, and this verse is the most difficult. There is a world of difference between God's awesome Gift and the sin of one man. After Adam sinned, the verdict of "Guilty"came; but after his sin and so many more, comes the undeserved Gift of Christ and the ruling: "Not guilty!"

Romans 5:17 For if by one man's 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.) (KJV)

The sin of that one man, Adam, caused death to rule over us like a king, but all who receive God's wonderful, gracious Gift of righteousness (through Jesus) will live in triumph over sin and death through this one man, Jesus Christ. We can rejoice because Jesus brings us victory over the kingdom of death. We now belong to the kingdom of life!

Romans 5:18 Therefore as by the offence 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. (KJV)

Adam's one sin brought condemnation (damnation) upon everyone, but Christ's one act of righteousness makes all people right in God's eyes and gives them life, once they accept Christ and His work. Adam’s one sin was imputed (assigned) to ALL people, but the righteousness of Jesus is imputed (credited) to us when we accept Him and His work on the cross. Thus it cancels that sin within us. Adam was the head of sin and death. Jesus is the Head of righteousness and life!

Romans 5:19 For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous. (KJV)

Just as ALL people were made sinners as the result of the disobedience of one man, Adam; we ALL can be put right with God as the result of the obedience of the one Man, Jesus. Through Adam’s disobedience humanity became sinful, and through Jesus’ obedience humanity will receive God's approval. God gave us a Way out!

Romans 5:20 Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound: (KJV)

God gave His Law so that people could see how sinful they really were. But when people sin, God's marvelous grace becomes more abundant. God gives us a chance to be delivered from the guilt of our sins, not the nature of sin.

Romans 5:21 That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord. (KJV)

Just as sin ruled by the way of death, so too does God's grace rule by means of righteousness, leading us to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. We CAN overcome the world! 1 John 5:4-5 For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. 5 Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God? (KJV) . . . 1 John 4:4 Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world. (KJV)

We live today in a world where sin reigns, and Satan is the prince! 1 Peter 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: [KJV]

The Book of Romans

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