Now today we are going to try
to look at Romans 5 verse 1 down to verse 5, but let me make this
comment an introduction. Chapter divisions, as we read
through the Word of God, chapter divisions are added by those
who translated the scripture from the original text. into
the English language and most of the time they're helpful for
us to find our way around. Chapter divisions and verses,
they're helpful for us to find a particular verse or a particular
word. And these translators added verses
and chapter divisions to help us and this particular King James
Version that we use and that's what I recommend, was the 16,
is the 1611 King James Version that we use here, and I think
it's the best. Now, I refer to other versions
in my study to sort of help us on these different words. But
sometimes these chapter divisions are in unusual places, and I
believe that's one of the places that we find here. Because that
word, therefore, immediately goes back to what has been said. So to me, it would make a better
place to make a division back in verse 23. But that being said, we'll look at it the way
that it's given unto us. have justification, when it talks
about verse 25, who is delivered for our offenses, of course,
talking about the risen Lord Jesus Christ, who is delivered
for our offenses and raised again Because He justified us. We only
have justification before God by the blessed blood sacrifice
of Christ. We're only justified in Christ,
justified freely by His grace through the blood sacrifice.
Look right across the page at Romans 5 verse 9. much more than
being now justified by His blood. We are now justified by His blood. We shall be saved from wrath
through Him. Because the Lord Jesus Christ
was delivered for our offenses, Our sins, our transgression,
He bear our sin in His own body on the tree, who gave Himself
for our sin that He might deliver us from this present evil world. And because He was raised up
from the dead, which declares the redemption work of Christ
is satisfying to God and acceptable unto God. when he had by himself
purged our sin, he sat down at the right hand of God. Therefore, Romans 5 verse 1,
therefore being justified by faith, being justified by faith. Now that's similar to what is
said in chapter 3, Romans chapter 3 verse 28. Therefore, we conclude
that a man is justified by faith. Justifying faith without the
deeds of the law. So, justifying faith looks totally
to the Lord Jesus Christ who justified us with His blood. Many who are false preachers,
they ridicule the way of salvation by faith alone and Christ alone. The man that precedes me on the
radio, he often would make fun of those who would say that salvation
is received by faith alone. They want to add their obedience
into the equation, or they want to add their baptism into the
equation, or their church membership, or certainly their good deeds,
rather than faith alone, Christ alone, grace alone, and the Word
of God alone. God saves every sinner who he
wisely saved and justifies, the exact same way that he saved
Abraham. The exact same way he saved Abraham
is the exact same way that he has saved you, me, and every
sinner whom he has wisely saved. By grace alone with the gift
of God alone. Notice in chapter 4, verse 3,
one more time, for what saith the Scripture? Abraham believed
God. Now where did he get that faith?
It was a gift of God. Abraham believed God and it was
counted unto him for righteousness. Now, being justified, what does
that mean? It means to be cleared of all
guilt, being justified. God is the one who justifies
us, and He does so on a just basis of the Lord Jesus Christ
dealing with our sin and putting away our sin. Being justified
means to be cleared of all guilt. We're going to see in Romans
8, where the question is asked, who shall lay anything to the
charge of God the elect? It is God that justifies. Who can condemn? Christ is already
paid the sin debt. We have been cleared of all guilt.
Not only that, we have been made righteous in the sight of God. Cleared of all guilt, sin put
away, and we are made righteous in Christ. And it is only by
faith therefore being justified by Christ through his blood by
faith we have peace with God peace with God through our Lord
Jesus Christ it is only by faith faith alone someone said faith
alone stands for this or faith stands for this forsaking all
I trust Him. Forsaking all, I trust Him. It is only by Christ that we
have peace with God. We read without faith. It is
impossible to please God. Faith is that precious gift of
God. This peace with God comes only
by and through the Lord Jesus Christ who made peace with God
by His blood, by His sacrifice. If you turn, hold your place
there and find how is peace made. How do we have peace with God?
Find the book of Colossians. The book of Colossians chapter
1, it says this, verse 20, Colossians 1, 20. For it pleased the Father
that in him should all fullness dwell, verse 19, having made
peace through the blood of his cross, to reconcile all things
unto himself. By him I say, whether they be
things in heaven or things in earth. We have peace with God
only through the blood sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ. This peace with God comes only
through the Lord Jesus Christ. God was in Christ reconciling
the world and that's the world of his elect unto God. Now why do we need peace with
God? Why do we need peace with God?
Because we are sinners and guilty to whom God says he's angry with
the wicked every day. We need peace with God because
we are sinners. By nature, we are guilty before
God. And I know this, no vile, wretched,
guilty sinner can make peace with God. That's what the Lord
Jesus Christ did. So don't ever say, well, I'm
trying to make peace with God. You can't do that. Only Christ
can do that. God is angry with the wicked
every day. Psalm 711, God judges the righteous and God is angry
with the wicked every day. Psalm 5-5 says, The foolish shall
not stand in His sight, thou hastest all the workers of iniquity. Now, those verses describe what
we are by nature. We only have peace with God through
Christ. Only through Christ do we have
redemption, righteousness, and reconciliation. Therefore, only
in Christ do we have peace with God. We're reconciled. Now, I've
jot this verse down here on that Verse 1, right in there if you
like to keep notes. Isaiah 32, 17. Isaiah 32, 17. And that verse says, and the
work of righteousness shall be peace. Now whose work of righteousness
is he talking about in that verse? Christ. His work of righteousness
shall be peace. And the effect of righteousness,
quietness, and assurance forever. So there's the effect of it.
We only have peace through the work of His righteousness, and
the effect of that is quietness and assurance forever. Now, look at Romans 5 verse 2. Through our Lord Jesus Christ,
by whom, or in whom, we have access by faith into this grace
wherein we stand and we rejoice or we glory in hope of the glory
of God." Now this is a parallel verse to what is said in Romans
4, 16. Look right across the page. Therefore it is of faith
that it might be by grace to the end the promise might be
sure to all the seed by whom also we have access by faith
into this grace by faith into this grace therefore it is a
faith that it might be by grace wherein we stand that's our standing
what's our standing in Christ and we rejoice in hope What is
the believer's hope? Christ is our hope. And we glory
only in God, His mercy alone, by whom or in whom we have access. access by faith into this grace
only in the Lord Jesus Christ and by His grace toward us. We only believe through the Lord
Jesus Christ. We have access. That word means
entrance. We have an entrance. We have
admittance. We have acceptance. Now, it reminds
me of this verse. This is where every believer
stands or is standing. We are accepted in the Beloved. Ephesians 1 verse 6, we have
access. He said, come boldly unto the
throne of grace. We have access. Come boldly unto
the throne of grace. Come with liberty, the word boldly
means liberty unto the throne of grace. That you may obtain
mercy and find grace to help in time of need. Every believer
is standing and rejoicing in the hope we have in Christ. It is a good hope, isn't it? 2 Thessalonians 2.16 says, we
have a good hope through, not our works, we have a good hope
through His grace. He's given us an everlasting
consolation and a good hope through, a good hope through grace alone. Grace alone. This hope we have
in Christ produces joy in our heart. This hope we have causes
us to rejoice in Christ who is our hope. Christ in you is the
hope of glory. What is the hope of glory? Well,
I'm going to have a bigger mansion. What is your hope of glory? I'm
going to walk on, people say, streets of gold. But when you
read that verse, it just says street of gold. And those things
are pictures of the blessings we have in Christ. What is the
believer's hope of glory? The Lord Jesus Christ Himself.
He is our hope. He alone is all our hope. by whom also we have access,
liberty, boldness, freedom to come unto God by Christ into
this grace, this marvelous, sovereign, amazing, saving grace wherein
we do stand. And then because of all that,
we are rejoicing. We are rejoicing in this hope.
I love that verse Philippians 3, 3. We are the true Israel.
which worship God in the Spirit, that rejoice in Christ Jesus,
and we have zero, no confidence in the flesh. Now, having said
that, notice carefully verse 3, Romans 5 verse 3. And not
only is that so, not only is that true, but we also, we glory,
and it's the same word that's given before, we rejoice, we
boast, Not only is that so, not only is that true, but we glory
in tribulations also knowing that tribulations work or worketh
or is working patience. Not only do we have peace, access,
and we stand in this hope we have in Christ and we rejoice
in him, but we also rejoice in tribulation. Now, that sounds
a little strange, doesn't it? Turn to James chapter one. We don't rejoice in the pain
or the sorrow or the heartache, but we do rejoice in the Lord
Jesus Christ. James, the book of James chapter
one, James chapter one, James, a servant of God, and of the
Lord Jesus Christ to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad,
greeting. My brethren, talking to believers,
count it all joy when you fall into divers' temptation, knowing
this, count it all joy, When you fall into divers trials,
temptations, knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh
patience. But let patience have her perfect
work, that you may be perfect, or mature, entire, wanting nothing. So trials that God sends our
way, they're for our good. Now back to Romans 5. We do not
rejoice in the pain or the heartache, or the sorrow, but we do as believers
rejoice in the effect that it has in our life knowing that
these trials are appointed by God for our eternal good. Our Lord said in this world you
shall have tribulation. One preacher of the past put
it this way, our disappointments are God's appointments. Our disappointments
are God's appointments. Trials, Peter calls, if you turn
to 1 Peter 1, 1 Peter 1, Peter calls these trials precious,
precious trials. Paul called them light afflictions,
which work for us. In 1 Peter 1, wherein you greatly
rejoice, verse 6, though now for a season, if need be, you
are in heaviness through manifold temptation, that the trial of
your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth,
though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and
honor and glory at the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, whom
having not seen you love, though now you seem not yet believing,
you rejoice with joy unspeakable, full of glory, receiving the
end of your faith, even the salvation of your soul." So trials are
called precious. We are told to rejoice in Christ. through these trials and then
we all know Romans 8 28 and we know that all things work together
for good to them who are loved to them who love God to them
who are called according to his purpose in second Corinthians
4 17 this is what we read the Apostle Paul who suffered many
heartache many trial much affliction he said this for our light affliction
which is but for a moment just for a moment, worketh for us
a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. Knowing that
he says here back in our text verse 3, knowing that tribulation
they work Patience patience God sends us trials to teach us by
experience to patiently wait upon the Lord Remember David
said wait upon the Lord psalm 27 and again I say wait to patiently
wait upon the Lord and a willingness to submit to to his sovereign
purpose, his sovereign will. He worketh all things after the
counsel of his own will. Now Romans 5 verse 4, and patience
leads to and comes from experience and experience brings us a brighter
hope. Patiently waiting upon the Lord
brings in experience or proof that the promise of God to bless
his people in trial is so, is true. The apostle, we remember
when he prayed three times that that thorn in the flesh would
be removed from him, remember the Lord said, my grace is sufficient
in this trial. So trials, we know this, trials
do not produce faith, do they? But trials, trials rather, trials
reveal whether faith is genuine or whether it is false. True
faith grows stronger in the trial. It learned by experience and
that brings patience. True faith grows stronger in
the trial, while phony faith will quit the gospel altogether
and walk away from it. Remember our Lord said to those
men in John chapter 6, when our Lord said to His apostles, when
many of those four or five thousand people that He fed walked away
from Him, when He said, No man can come to Me except the Father
which sent Me, draw him. And then the Lord turned to His
Apostles then said, will you also go away? And Peter said,
Lord, to whom shall we go? You see, those people went through
trials and heartache and they failed and they walked away because
their faith wasn't true. But Peter, having saving faith,
said, Lord, to whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal
life. We believe and we are sure you're
that Christ, the Christ of God. So, the second thing, trials,
And experience in trials brings hope. You see that? Verse 4.
Patience, experience, and experience hope. Experience in trials brings
hope. That is, our hope is strengthened
also. And one writer said this, as
the genuineness of our faith is manifested and confirmed by
trial, and as we grow in grace and in the knowledge of Christ,
our hope of enjoying the glory promised in Christ is strengthened. Our hope is strengthened. Our
faith is strengthened. Now, verse five, and hope that
we have in Christ, this hope we have in Christ, This hope
maketh not ashamed, because this love of God is shed abroad in
our hearts by the Holy Spirit, which is given unto us. What does the Holy Spirit reveal
unto the believer? He revealed unto the believer
in salvation, Christ is everything. Christ is all and in all. Our
brighter and good hope in Christ will never be ashamed. Believers
will never be ashamed of our good hope we have in Christ in
this life or in the life to come. Now, a couple of scriptures there.
If you'll find 2 Timothy, 2 Timothy 1.12, 2nd Timothy 1.12, where in 2 verse 11 it says,
I am appointed a preacher, an apostle, and a teacher of the
Gentiles, for the which cause I also suffer these things. Paul
suffered much for the gospel. Nevertheless, he says, I am not
ashamed. Ashamed of Jesus, the songwriter
said, can it be a mortal man ashamed of thee? His people are
not ashamed of the hope we have in Christ. For I know whom I
have believed, and I'm persuaded He's able to keep that which
I've committed unto Him again that day. We're not ashamed of
the gospel of Christ. Now, in Roman chapter 1, turn
over there. This verse is very familiar to
you. In Roman chapter 1, verse 15, For as much as in me is,
I'm ready to preach the gospel to you that roam also. that are
at Rome also, Romans 1, 16, for I'm not ashamed of the gospel
of Christ. I'm not ashamed of the gospel
of Christ. It is the power of God, because it is the power
of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth, to the Jew first,
and also to the Greek. Therein is the righteousness
of God revealed from faith to faith, as it is written, the
just shall live by faith. Now, one of the scriptures I
want you to look at, turn to the book of Philippians, Philippians
chapter 1. on this thought here, that the
hope we have in Christ maketh not ashamed. Philippians chapter
1 verse 20. Philippians 1 verse 20. According
to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall
be ashamed. in nothing I shall be ashamed,
but with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ may be magnified
in my body, whether it be by my living, my life, or by my
death. For to me, to live is Christ,
but to die is gain." We have nothing to be ashamed of. Christ
with glory in Him. Now back at Romans 5, 5. Hope
maketh not ashamed, because the love of God, the love of God,
the love of God, nothing can separate us from the love of
God, which is in the Lord Jesus Christ. The love of God is shed
abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit, the Holy Spirit. comforts us with Christ because
the love of God is shed upon our heart abundantly through
the quickening of the Holy Spirit, to the revelation of the Holy
Spirit, the Holy Spirit reveals Christ unto us, you hath he quickened
who were dead, the Holy Spirit seals us unto the day of redemption,
whereby we know that the love of God in Christ is shed abroad
in our heart. As the apostle said, behold what
manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should
be called sons of God. I thought about this scripture
in closing. We've talked about faith, hope, and love in these
verses, right? Faith, justified by faith we
have peace with God. The hope we have, it's a good
hope through grace. And then he talked about this
love of God is shed abroad in our heart. I thought about this
verse, 1 Corinthians 13, 13. Now by this faith, hope, and
love. Right? The greatest of these
is love. Now, how so? One day faith will
end in sight. Hope will end in reality when
we see Him face to face. But love? Love will never end. We sing unto Him who loved us
and washed us from our sin in His own blood. And we love Him
only because He first loved us. The greatest of these is love.
Love. Love for Him. And this is something
by nature, by our sinful nature, we love darkness rather than
the light. But when God does that work of
grace in our heart by the power of the Holy Spirit and reveals
the love of God unto us in Christ Jesus, that hope maketh not a
shame. And our love we have in Christ
grows stronger and deeper and fuller. And one day we'll love
him like we ought to. We love him like we want to. One day we'll love him like we
should in eternal glory.