Justified And Reconciled

INTRO

We are continuing to work our way through the book of Romans, which is a fun book and very foundational to our faith in Jesus. We will process some things you’ve learned and make it practical.

TEACHING

Romans 5:1-2: Romans 5 starts with “therefore,” so we have to stop and think about how Romans 4 led to this “therefore” statement. Romans 4:3 states Abraham “believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.” This is justification—we are justified in Jesus Christ (Romans 5:1). In Ephesians 2:8-9, Paul emphasizes we are saved through faith; salvation is a gift from God that cannot be earned. Faith is the critical step in salvation. “Without faith it is impossible to please God” (Hebrews 11:6).

When we think of how justice is enforced in our country, we often think of the court system. A case may be heard in a lower court, but if either party is unhappy with the ruling, they can appeal the case to a higher court. The appeals may continue all the way up to the US Supreme Court, but when the Supreme Court makes a ruling, it is final. One of the names for God is Judge, and He is the Supreme Judge of all the earth. God is love, but He is also just. He has to be just; because if He’s not, then He’s corrupt. The only way we can be justified is for someone to pay the price for our sins. The 1828 Webster’s Dictionary defines justification as “an act of free grace by which God pardons the sinner and accepts him as righteous, on account of the atonement of Christ.”¹ Jesus paid the price for our sins, so by faith, we receive the righteousness of Christ.

Romans 5 gives several benefits or blessings of being justified with God. First, we have peace with God (v. 1). This peace means there is no longer any enmity between us and God. Ephesians 2:13 explains those who were far away from God were brought near to Him through the blood of Christ. In fact, Jesus is our peace (Ephesians 2:14a). This peace means we are no longer enemies of God. Philippians 3:18 says, “Many live as enemies of the cross of Christ.” James 4:4 says being friends with the world makes people enemies of God. Joshua said we have to choose this day whom we will serve (Joshua 24:15).

Second, by faith, we have access to God’s grace (v. 2a). In Romans 1:16-17, Paul explains God’s righteousness is revealed through faith and those who have received His righteousness will then live by faith. Those who are justified then choose to live by faith because they have access to the Father. But it’s not enough to know we have access to God; we have to use it. We have to take a stand for our faith. We either live for Jesus or live for the world. Third, we also “rejoice in the hope of the glory of God” (v. 2b). Our hope is based on Jesus’ promise that He is coming back and we will live with Him forever. The stand we must take is a temporary stand. It lasts only until this life is over, then we’ll be with Jesus.

Romans 5:3-5: When Paul wrote this letter, he wrote to those who had to take a stand for Jesus when it resulted in persecution and suffering. If we take a stand, if we step out in faith, then we will be tested. If we walk with Jesus, there will be tribulation or suffering. But Paul told believers to rejoice even in affliction (v. 3). When we walk through suffering, it produces in us endurance (perseverance). When we persevere during hard times, it produces character and hope (v. 4). Our character is developed in hard times in ways that it would never develop in easy times. The more we experience Jesus in hard times, the more our faith becomes certain, and our hope is solidified. This hope never disappoints, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit (v. 5).

Romans 5:6-8: Paul emphasizes that while we were helpless sinners, Christ died for us. It’s important to remember what God has done for us so we can minister to those who don’t yet know Him. Paul suffered many things as a disciple of Christ. He was stoned, beaten, shipwrecked, and bitten by a viper. But he lived in reckless abandon to Christ because He knew God loved him and had a plan for his life. Faith and fear cannot coexist; faith gives us the ability to throw off fear. When tribulation comes, if you’re walking in fear, you’ll run. But if you’re walking in faith, you’ll persevere.

Romans 5:9-11: Since we have been justified by faith, we will be saved from His wrath (v. 9). But those who have not been saved by faith, those who are out of Christ, those who are enemies of God, will suffer God’s wrath. But we have been “reconciled to God through the death of His Son” (v. 10).

What’s our responsibility now that we know we have been saved? We can live our lives differently because we know Christ has done these things for us. In 2 Corinthians 5:18, Paul said God “gave us the ministry of reconciliation.” Everyone who has been reconciled to God has been given a ministry. We stand between God in heaven and people on earth. With Jesus as our Advocate, we are in the middle, making an appeal to man to be reconciled with God. When Jesus walked this earth, His goal was reconciliation—to reconcile the world back to God (2 Corinthians 5:19a). Jesus didn’t impute their trespasses and condemn them; instead, He told them how to be saved. Everywhere He went, Jesus was the messenger and minister of reconciliation to a lost and dying world. Then He did the ultimate reconciliation—He died on the cross. Now He has handed this ministry of reconciliation to us. We, the body of Christ, have been given this ministry of reconciliation. We have been given a word— the gospel—which is the power of God to salvation for those who believe (Romans 1:16). We each have the responsibility to speak about Jesus. We are ambassadors for Christ to plead on Christ’s behalf (2 Corinthians 5:20).

CLOSING

This is an amazing book about how to live for Jesus, about who we are and what our identity is. But don’t just take this as knowledge. Let the knowledge transform you so that you can go out and share this with the people around you, and they can be reconciled back to God.