Romans 5:1-21

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

These are matters of fact; not of fanatical delusion, but of logical conclusion, for Paul begins with a «therefore.» God's people are justified on solid grounds, on reasonable grounds, on grounds that will bear the test even of the last great judgment day. «therefore, being « now, at the present time, this very moment, « justified by faith, we have peace:» not only we hope to have it, and trust we shall have it, but we have it. «We have peace,» not only peace of conscience, and peace with our fellow-men, but «we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.:' Mark that; we have it. O dear people of God, do not be satisfied unless you can talk in this confident fashion: «therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.»

Romans 5:2. By whom also

What! is not that first verse all? Oh, no! there is more to follow. When you get a hold of one golden link of the blessed chain of grace, it pulls up another, and then another, and then another: «By whom also «

Romans 5:2. We have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand,

We come into this grace by Jesus Christ, and to this heavenly standing, this justified condition, through Jesus Christ who is the door.

Romans 5:2. And rejoice in hope of the glory ofGod.

Our joy is in the past and the present in some measure, but it is still more in the future: «We rejoice in hope of the glory of God.» We have three windows. the one out of which we look back with gratitude upon the past, the one out of which we look with joy in the present, and the one out of which we look with expectation upon the future.

Romans 5:3. And not only so,-

There is for every child of God grace upon grace; every line of the apostle's writing tells of more blessing: «And not only so.» Is not that enough? Justified, enjoying peace, having access into grace, rejoicing in hope of the glory of God; what can there be more? Why, there is something on the road as well as at the end of it: «And not only so,»-

Romans 5:3. But we glory in tribulations also:

We are not only acquiescent in the divine will; but, tutored by the Spirit of God, we come even to «glory in tribulations also: «

Romans 5:3. Knowing that tribulation worketh patience;

«Knowing.» Paul was no agnostic, he was a «knowing» man, and all God's people ought to be the same. they are a very dogmatic people when they are what they ought to be; they have nothing to do with «ifs «, and «ands», and «butt», and «peradventures»; but they believe and are sure: «Knowing that tribulation worketh patience.» the natural tendency of tribulation is to work impatience, it produces peevishness in many; but where the Spirit of God is, there is a heavenly counteraction of natural tendencies, and «tribulation worketh patience;»

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

Again I cannot help observing how we seem to go through one door just to pass through another. We get into a silver chamber that we may go into a golden one; and before we can take stock of all the gold, we are ushered into a gorgeous palace of pearls and rubies and diamonds of priceless value.

Romans 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.

If you have the Holy Ghost given unto you, then the love of God fills your nature like a sweet perfume. As when the woman broke the alabaster box, and the house was filled with the odor of the ointment, so, when the Spirit of God comes, and brings the broken alabaster of the Saviour's sacrifice, and we feel the love of God poured out among us, what a delightful perfume there is! «thy name is as ointment poured forth, therefore do the virgins love thee.» the way to make us love God is for the love of God to be shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost.

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

Are not these very wonderful words? «Christ died for the ungodly.» Pick out all those who are the naturally good people, and this text has nothing to do with them; but find out the ungodly, the sinful, the wicked, and here is a text exactly suitable for them: «Christ died for the ungodly.»

Romans 5:7. for scarcely for a righteous man will one die:

He is very righteous, but he is very stern; nobody cares much about him.

Romans 5:7. Yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die.

He is «a good man « benevolent, kind, and tender.

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

While we were neither righteous nor good, «while we were yet sinners, Christ» did the most he ever could, or ever can do for us, he «died for us.» this is the best gift for the worst of men, and that best gift given to them when they are at their worst state: «While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.»

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

«Much more.» Paul has been giving us «alsos» and «ands»; now he takes a bigger leap still, for he says, «Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.» If he saved us when we were sinners, he will certainly save us now that we are justified. If he called us when we were dead, he will not leave us now we are alive.

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.

You see, there are three points here. When we were enemies, he blessed us; much more, now that we are reconciled, will he do so. If, in the second place, when we were enemies he reconciled us, how much more, after he has reconciled us, will he save us! And, thirdly, if he did all this for us by the death of his Son, much more will he do for us by his life; reconciled by his death, we shall be saved by his life.

Romans 5:11. And not only so,-

there is no end to the blessing, dear brethren and sisters. the apostle seems to be always going up, and up, and up. this Paul, calm and cool and logical as he is, makes the fire burn most wondrously: «And not only so,»

Romans 5:11. But we also joy in God

We are glad that he is God, glad that he is such a God as he is; we would not wish to have him altered. the God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob, the God of the Old testament, and the God of the New testament, we love him altogether just as he is, and «we joy in God

Romans 5:11. through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement. Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned.. (for until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law. 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. 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. 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. 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.) 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. For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous. Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound: that as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.

I have not expounded the latter part of the chapter, as time fades me, and I shall dwell upon it somewhat in the sermon.

This exposition consisted of readings from Jonah 3:1; Jonah 4:1; and Romans 5:1.