Romans 5:1

CHAPTER V.

The effects of justification by faith, peace with God, 1.

The joyous hope of eternal glory, 2.

Glorying in tribulations, 3.

And gaining thereby patience, experience, and hope, 4.

And having the love of God shed abroad in the heart by the Holy

Spirit, 5.

The state of the world when Christ died for it, 6-10.

Jesus Christ is an atonement, 11.

Sin and death entered into the world by Adam's transgression,

and all became guilty before God, 12-14.

God's grace in sending Christ into the world to save fallen man,

15-19.

The law is brought in to show the exceeding sinfulness of sin,

20.

The grace of Christ is to be as extensive in its influences and

reign, as sin has been in its enslaving and destructive nature,

21.

NOTES ON CHAP. V.

Is the former chapter, the apostle, having proved that the believing Gentiles are justified in the same way with Abraham, and are, in fact, his seed, included with him in the promise and covenant; he judged this a proper place, as the Jews built all their glorying upon the Abrahamic covenant, to produce some of the chief of those privileges and blessings in which the Christian Gentile can glory, in consequence of his justification by faith. And he produces three particulars which, above all others, were adapted to this purpose.

1. The hope of eternal life, in which the law, wherein the Jew gloried, Romans 2:17, was defective, Romans 5:2.

2. The persecutions and sufferings to which Christians were exposed, Romans 5:3; Romans 5:4, and on account of which the Jews were greatly prejudiced against the Christian profession: but he shows that these had a happy tendency to establish the heart in the hope of the Gospel.

3. An interest in God, as our GOD and FATHER-a privilege upon which the Jews valued themselves highly above all nations, Romans 5:11.

These three are the singular privileges belonging to the Gospel state, wherein true Christians may glory, as really belonging to them, and greatly redounding, if duly understood and improved, to their honour and benefit.

Verse Romans 5:1. Therefore being justified by faith] The apostle takes it for granted that he has proved that justification is by faith, and that the Gentiles have an equal title with the Jews to salvation by faith. And now he proceeds to show the effects produced in the hearts of the believing Gentiles by this doctrine. We are justified-have all our sins pardoned by faith, as the instrumental cause; for, being sinners, we have no works of righteousness that we can plead.

We have peace with God] Before, while sinners, we were in a state of enmity with God, which was sufficiently proved by our rebellion against his authority, and our transgression of his laws; but now, being reconciled, we have peace with God. Before, while under a sense of the guilt of sin, we had nothing but terror and dismay in our own consciences; now, having our sin forgiven, we have peace in our hearts, feeling that all our guilt is taken away. Peace is generally the first-fruits of our justification.

Through our Lord Jesus Christ] His passion and death being the sole cause of our reconciliation to God.