Rev. David Holwick Book of Romans series
First Baptist Church
West Lafayette, Ohio
April 9, 1989
Romans 5:1-11
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I. "Therefore being justified by faith" - so what? 5:1
A. Does it really work?
B. When does it work? Only in heaven?
II. The Benefits of Believing:
A. Peace with God. 5:1
1) Not feelings...
2) So much as objective state of peace with God.
a) We are no longer enemies.
b) Fresh feeling results from this.
B. Access to God. 5:2
1) Meaning: entrance to a king.
a) Nebuchadnezzar's thrown.
b) Capitol steps. (high and lifted up)
At the very end of the Civil War, a dejected confederate soldier was
sitting outside the grounds of the White House.
A young boy approached him and asked him why he was so sad.
The soldier told how he had repeatedly tried to see President Lincoln.
He wanted to tell the President that his farm in the South was
unfairly taken away by the Federal soldiers.
But each time he tried to enter the White House, the guards crossed
their bayoneted guns in front of the door and turned him away.
The boy motioned to the soldier to follow him.
When they approached the guarded entrance, the soldiers came to
attention, stepped back, and opened the door for the boy.
He proceeded to the library where the President was resting and
introduced the soldier to his father.
The boy was Tad Lincoln.
The soldier had gained access to the President through the President's
son.
How much more should we rejoice in our access to the grace of the
King of kings. #750
1) Means: It is by faith.
2) Results: It is into grace - God's blessings.
3) Timing: We stand in it right now. "we have it"
C. Joy that results from accepting Jesus.
1) Joy in hope. 5:2
a) We have something to look forward to.
b) Many non-Christian religions have no concept of hope.
A Methodist minister from Sri Lanka spoke to a large church assembly
in Ghana in 1974.
He told the audience how he had invited some Hindu friends to tea.
While they drank, he asked his friends to explain the hope their
religion offered them.
It turned out that they had great difficulty in understanding what he
was driving at.
The Tamil language of that nation had no word for what Christians mean
by hope.
This is simply nothing comparable to the biblical concept of hope in
the great religions of the East. #227
c) Even in West there is a lack of hope.
Teenage suicide. #561
Don Nelson, only 15, was too involved with his girlfriend Susan,
so she broke up with him.
He told her on phone, "I don't want to live without you... You'd
better buy a black dress, because the next time you see me
you'll be wearing it."
Don kept his word.
Teens 4 times more likely to commit suicide now than in 1955.
d) The Bible offers hope.
Another young boy named George had a father who killed himself.
He looked forward to death and meeting his dad.
He rigged a gun with a string in his room, and carried around
2 other bullets in his pocket.
A Counselor gave him book that presents the Gospel as the foundation
of life.
George read it, went back to the counselor, and handed over his
3 bullets.
2) Joy in sufferings. 5:3
a) Still hurts, but new perspective.
b) Sufferings build us up for heaven.
1> Build our character. [KJV - experience]
c) Two results of suffering for a Christian:
1> Suffering is used by God for our growth.
We get bitter or better.
2> Suffering of the present generates hope.
As we trust God to get us out of it, he comes
through for us.
#772
3) Our hope is not illogical. [won't shame us, KJV] 5:5
a) We have evidence from God: his love for us.
III. God's love for us.
A. He showed his love by dying for us:
1) At the critical time. [KJV - due time] 5:6
2) While we were his enemies. 5:6,8
a) People rarely die for others. 5:7
1> Unless related (=good).
b) God died for us, whether we love him or not.
3) He takes away the hostility, and makes us friends.
a) Reconciliation - God alone takes the first step. 5:10
B. His love can be felt in our hearts. 5:5
("shed abroad" = "poured out")
1) By means of Holy Spirit.
a) Christians can experience God, feel his love.
b) (Reason many are turning to New Age cults.)
2) This lets us know our hope is on track.
IV. What can we do for him in return? (read 5:8)
During the Vietnam conflict, a young graduate of West Point Academy was
sent to Vietnam to lead a group of new recruits into battle.
He did his job well, trying his best to keep his men from ambush and
death.
However, one night he and his men were overtaken by a battalion of the
Viet Cong.
He was able to get all but one of his men to safety.
The one soldier who had been left behind had been severely wounded.
From their trenches, the young lieutenant and his men could hear their
wounded comrade moaning and crying for help.
They all knew that venturing out into the vicious crossfire of the
enemy would mean almost certain death.
But the groanings of the wounded soldier continued on through the
night.
Eventually, the young lieutenant could stand it no longer.
He crawled out of his protected area toward the cries of the dying man.
The lieutenant got to him safely and was able to drag him back.
But just as he pushed the wounded soldier into the safety of the ditch,
he himself caught a bullet in the back and was killed instantly.
Several months later, the rescued man returned to the United States.
When the parents of the dead hero heard that he was in their vicinity,
they planned to have him come to dinner.
This young man's life had cost them a great deal and they wanted to
get to know him.
On the night of the dinner party, their guest arrived drunk.
He was loud and boisterous.
He told off-color jokes.
He showed no concern for his suffering hosts.
The parents of the dead hero did the best they could to make it a
worthwhile evening, but their efforts failed.
At the end of that torturous visit, the obscene guest left.
As her husband closed the door, the mother collapsed in tears, saying,
"To think that our precious son had to die for somebody
like that."
The young soldier owed those parents the best that was in him.
It was evil for him to give so little thought to what they had lost
because of him.
Considering the price that had been paid for his life, his ingratitude
was beyond comprehension.
But we are just like him - Jesus died for us, yet we continue to sin.
We fail to reflect on the cost of our salvation. #757
V. Our response.
A. The benefits are available right now. 5:10
1) Not just in heaven.
B. But the benefits are not automatic.
1) We must have faith as a Christian.
2) We must live in a way that honors Jesus.
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Romans 5 Study Notes
I. Seven benefits.
A. Peace with God.
B. Access into grace.
C. Rejoice in hope.
1) Pagan vs. Christian view of hope.
D. Rejoice in God.
E. Possession of God's love.
F. Deliverance from wrath.
G. Reconciliation.
II. Questions.
A. Spirituality requires effort.
1) Thought and meditation.
2) Person must be prayerfully open to God.
3) Spiritual discipline.
B. How can seven spiritual benefits of Romans 5 be realized in
a Christian's life?
Cranfield, Romans
I. See NIV program notes.
Johnson, Romans
I. Differences at chapter 5.
A. From argumentative to confessional style.
B. From second & third person to the first.
C. From indicative to subjunctive.
II. Context.
A. Emphasis is on new life believers possess in Christ.
B. Flow of thought in Rom 5 is difficult.
1) Paul may be answering (unmentioned) objector who doubts the
faith method of justification is safe.
2) Paul offsets uncertainty by arguing "lesser to greater."
III. The benefits of freedom from wrath.
A. Peace.
1) Not psychological only.
2) Due to actual status of being justified. cf. 2 Cor 5:17
B. Grace and Joy.
1) Grace involves our past (forgiveness) and present.
2) We "gain access" to God's holy place.
C. Hope and Suffering. 5:3
1) Joy is in our future hope.
2) Joy is also in our sufferings.
a) It produces perseverance.
1> Perseverance is attitude that looks beyond trouble to
ultimate meaning in God. Jam 1:2-4
b) It develops proven character. 5:4
1> We are here:
A> By God's appointment.
B> In his keeping.
C> Under his training.
D> For his time.
D. God's Love for us.
1) Our hope is not misdirected, because we have love as an
installment.
2) Love is expressed by his Spirit.
3) The nature of his love:
a) It is demonstrated chiefly in the cross. 5:8
b) It is love for enemies - people who don't deserve it.
1> At best, we might die for righteous. (same as good man)
4) His love delivers us from fear of future wrath. 5:9
a) Justified - right standing with God.
b) Reconciled - enmity removed.
1> Parallel contexts, but difference in two terms.
2> Reconciliation is one way, not mutual.
A> We receive it from God.
B> He removes the obstacle to fellowship (his wrath
against our rebellion).
c) Our past, present, and future relationship with God is
wrapped up in Jesus Christ.
Copyright © 2024 by Rev. David Holwick
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