Romans Chapter 5 is a beautiful picture in letter form of the unmerited grace of God that became available to all men, because of grace. Grace because of Grace. Now that we live in the grace of God through salvation, we must learn to be empowered by this grace to have joy in doing what it is He has called us to do.

Golden text 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.

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

…….Notice, the writer did not say being justified by doubt. Other than a Christian falling into and entertaining tangible sins, “doubt of our salvation” is one of the most damaging and mind destructive sins to overcome. If our minds are doubting, we are not praying. And if we are praying, there’s no way we can doubt…….

No one can say they have truly experienced peace with God prior to being justified by salvation. This lack of peace not only comes from a separation from God as our creator, but also from having an inward unsettled desire of searching for peace. Peace is the opposite of misery, and as long as a person does not have God he will never find true peace, and will become miserable in the search for it. If a person ever finds Christ, the first attribute that will follow is peace! Honestly, some of us just need to be saved all over again, and there is nothing wrong with that!

5:2  By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope (expectation, confidence) of the glory of God.

…….Prior to salvation, Gods grace bestowed on a man was not that of personal access. Prior to a person being saved, there is a God enforced grace because He loves the sinner and desires to save. After salvation, with Jesus Christ being our access, we can now live in and have access to the grace that brings peace. The great commentator Mathew Henry stated this concerning grace within salvation: (This is a further privilege, not only peace, but grace, that is, this favour. Observe, The saints’ happy state. It is a state of grace, God’s loving-kindness to us and our conformity to God; he that hath God’s love and God’s likeness is in a state of grace.) That is the miraculous change in a persons life at salvation. Grace brings the realization of peace and happiness. There is a contentment within self, an appreciation of self and what God has now done in the inward of the man.

5:3  And not only so, but we glory (joy, rejoice) in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation (pressure, affliction, persecution, burden, trouble) worketh patience;

…….How many of us can say “I joy in tribulations”? The only way to have joy in the midst of tribulation is to have the hope of God through the grace of God. After seeing the outcome of enduring tribulations, and knowing that the Lord is steadfast in keeping us through the trials, it becomes easier to have hope in the midst, and patience is then produced. As hard as it is at times, it is at our disposal to remember how our Lord and His Spirit pulled us through every single trial we have ever faced!

5:4  And patience, experience; and experience, hope:

…….Not only does tribulation produce patience, but the result of patience brings experience, hope and expectation that God will see us through, because He always does!

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.

…….At salvation, the Holy Ghost instills a love for others that can not be produced by any other natural ability. Some may call it a burden for the lost, but in truth, it is a love for those who have not experienced what you now live in.

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

…….It amazes me how the very one great sacrifice can continuously change every person at a completely different moment in time. So many people can testify that salvation came in right at the nick of time! That’s the power of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, It’s sacrificial power is still just as strong today as it was the day it happened!

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

…….How many people would lay down their lives for a man that has never noticed you?……think on that for a moment.

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

…….Christ didn’t come to save that which was already found, but came and died for all of us who were at some point lost. We overlook the true point in this scripture often. If Christ came to save that which is lost, how much more should we love those who are without?!!!!!!!!

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

…….Do you truly remember the lift and release that was felt at the moment of salvation?! I do, and I’ll never forget!….There was a death sentence hanging above my head that showed me all of my guilt and sin. I was at my lowest point and though it was the contrary, it was almost as if Satan himself knew that the Lord was setting me up for salvation. He tried all he could do in setting me up for destruction! At the moment of salvation, that guilt and sin totally vanished, leaving behind a man who was now miraculously changed and made clean! Not only was I inwardly made clean, but I was left with an inward desire for more of what had just happened! That’s how the Spirit works. At salvation we receive exactly what we can handle, and that in itself produces a desire for more. In the middle of searching, our inward man takes inventory on those activities and ideas that need to be eliminated, and what needs to change. In the desire for more of the Lord, we choose to live with less self. That is a vessel that the Spirit can dwell in!

…….What was exchanged for dirty rags is now reason to live! That reason produces a testimony that can not be silenced! That’s the power of the blood!

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.

……. The believers salvation lies in Christ’s blood and his resurrection life, whereby the believer is forgiven and reconciled to God. This experience is initial salvation. The believer continues to be saved by a living faith and union with the living Christ. If God loved us enough to send his son to die for us while we were sinners and enemies, how much more, now that we are his children, will he make every provision to save us from the wrath to come through our present faith in his son. Think about that. If His grace was bestowed on us prior to salvation, how much more can we live in and enjoy this grace that saves and keeps us daily.

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 (exchange, restoration).

…….Because God loved us, He exchanged corruption for perfection.

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

…….The writer give his thorough explanation of verse 12…..

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

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.

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.

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.

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.)

…….He is explaining that Adam’s single failure brought forth an eternal offense which created sin in every form! But Jesus!!!! Through His single sacrifice, the atonement was made and forgiveness of all sins can and will be exchanged when we ask for forgiveness and believe on Him!

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.

5:19  For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.

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

…….The law entered to show us how far from God we truly were, and how sin had its hold on our lives. But where the law labeled and exposed our sin, the grace of God exchanged it for His righteousness. The power of His grace goes beyond any power of sin.

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