Romans 5
Romans 5 is a chapter that explains the results and meaning of being declared righteous ('justification')—obtained by the apostle Paul through Jesus Christ. This chapter emphasizes the peace, hope, and God's love experienced by those who have received justification, and it reveals the essence of the gospel by contrasting Adam and Christ.
1verseBeing therefore justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ;
2versethrough whom we also have our access by faith into this grace in which we stand. We rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
3verseNot only this, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces perseverance;
4verseand perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope;
5verseand hope doesn’t disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.
6verseFor while we were yet weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.
7verseFor one will hardly die for a righteous man. Yet perhaps for a good person someone would even dare to die.
8verseBut God commends his own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
9verseMuch more then, being now justified by his blood, we will be saved from God’s wrath through him.
10verseFor if while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we will be saved by his life.
11verseNot only so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.
12verseTherefore, as sin entered into the world through one man, and death through sin, so death passed to all men because all sinned.
13verseFor until the law, sin was in the world; but sin is not charged when there is no law.
14verseNevertheless death reigned from Adam until Moses, even over those whose sins weren’t like Adam’s disobedience, who is a foreshadowing of him who was to come.
15verseBut the free gift isn’t like the trespass. For if by the trespass of the one the many died, much more did the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, abound to the many.
16verseThe gift is not as through one who sinned; for the judgment came by one to condemnation, but the free gift followed many trespasses to justification.
17verseFor if by the trespass of the one, death reigned through the one; so much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one, Jesus Christ.
18verseSo then as through one trespass, all men were condemned; even so through one act of righteousness, all men were justified to life.
19verseFor as through the one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, even so through the obedience of the one, many will be made righteous.
20verseThe law came in that the trespass might abound; but where sin abounded, grace abounded more exceedingly,
21versethat as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Verses 1-11: The Results of Justification
- Verses 1-2: We were made righteous through faith and gained peace with God. We also entered into God's grace and can look forward to God's glory.
- Verses 3-5: The reason we can rejoice even in suffering is that we know suffering produces endurance, endurance produces character, and character produces hope. This hope is not put to shame because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit.
- Verses 6-11: When we were weak and sinners, we received confirmation of God's love through Christ's death, and now we have become those who enjoy reconciliation.
Verses 12-21: Adam and Christ
- Paul emphasizes that sin and death entered the world through one man (Adam), and that righteousness and life also came to all people through one man (Jesus Christ).
- Just as many became sinners because of Adam's transgression, many are made righteous through Christ's obedience and righteousness.
- The law was introduced so that sin might become even more clearly defined, and where sin increased, grace also abounded even more.
Reflection Points
- Consider how 'justification'—made righteous because of Jesus Christ—relates to my life today.
- Think about the attitude of living that sets hope in God even in suffering.
- Reflect deeply on how Paul's argument contrasting Adam and Christ connects to the essence of the gospel.
Apply It to Me
- Check how the peace and hope you experience within your relationship with God are showing up in my daily life.
- Make a commitment to trust in the hope and love God gives even in hardship, and to put into practice a life that moves forward with endurance.