Romans 5 is a transitional chapter where Paul shows us the importance of moving salvation adjustment to the justice of God to maturity adjustment to the justice of God. Paul begins this chapter reiterating the fact that everyone is justified by faith alone in Christ alone. Paul gave us four results of justification.
Verse 1 – Result #1 Peace
Therefore having been justified by faith begins with the Greek conjunctive particle “oun,” which introduces the conclusion of the previous context in the four previous chapters. Plus we have the Greek word for justified “dikaioo,” meaning to make righteous or to vindicate. This, of course, is a reference to salvation adjustment to the justice of God by faith in Jesus Christ and the resultant imputed righteousness that follows justification. Salvation adjustment is always based on faith, which is the Greek word “pistis” meaning to believe. The source of salvation is Jesus Christ, which is stated clearly in this verse. There is no merit in faith; the merit is in the object of faith the Lord Jesus Christ.
We have peace with God is the Greek word “eirene,” for peace, which means harmony, health, welfare and prosperity. Peace with God is a positional truth that is permanent and sets up the potential for peace from God. Peace with God comes by means of a one time decision to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation. Peace from God comes as a result of a decision to grow spiritually by the execution of the Christian Way of Life under the filling of the Holy Spirit. Both are non-meritorious grace functions of God.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ is the Greek word “kurios” for Lord indicating the deity of Christ and the Greek word for Jesus, “iesous,” which is the title of His humanity literally meaning savior. The Greek word for Christ is “cristos” meaning the Anointed One or the King. Jesus Christ is the means of our salvation adjustment to the justice of God and emulating the character of Christ by means of the filling of the Holy Spirit.
Verse 2 – Result #2 Security
Through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace begins with a reference to the Lord Jesus Christ. We have also set up the potential for blessing because of the imputation of divine righteousness. The fulfilment of this potential requires the capacity for blessing which comes as a result of applied Bible doctrine resident in the soul. But in addition to blessing we have something which is even more fundamental. Blessing is a result of something but the fundamental concept is security. Behind all of this is the perfect security provided by God. Then we have the Greek noun “prosagoge” for introduction, which means a bringing or a leading into the presence of. To bring face to face with means access, approach, admission into the presence of. It has the connotation of approaching something greater than you are —approaching God or coming into the presence of someone who is greater. This phrase emphasizes the fact that salvation adjustment to the justice of God is an accomplished fact and that we now have access into the presence of someone who is infinitely greater than ourselves. This fact should be the source of our security. Our security is not in the possession of materialistic things or having power in this life. Whatever is designed for human security is not our security. It is the Lord Jesus Christ in whom we believe for salvation. With salvation comes access into the presence of God and the access is the basis of security.
In which we stand and we exult in hope of the glory of God begins with the Greek verb “histemi,” which means to stand or to set in place. Then we have the Greek verb “kauchaomai” for exult meaning to boast, to glory, to pride one’s self in or about a person, a thing or a group. In this case the group is the Trinity. Therefore, when we boast it is about God not ourselves. Standing firm in God’s grace brings security to the believer. As a result of eternal security given to us at the moment of salvation, we are called upon to have certain attitudes in the Christian life. When you have security it should change your attitude in life. To know that you have security should eliminate a lot of negative attitudes in the spiritual life in our relationship with the Lord. We should never have a fear of failure or that we can lose our salvation. A believer who understands eternal security and knows that he stands permanently in relationship to the integrity of God has developed his own security in time as a result. Paul is encouraging all believers to join him in his boast about the hope we have in Christ.
To boast in the hope or to glory in the hope that we have in Christ is the beginning stage of occupation with the Person of Christ where the integrity of God comes into sharp focus. Remember that Biblical hope means full confidence.
Verse 3 – Result #3 Blessing in Time of Suffering
And not only this, but we exult in our tribulations means that the apostle Paul is exhorting us to join him in a course of action. The course of action is the demonstration of boasting in the pressures, the tragedies, the heartaches and the adversities, which he knew a lot about. Why would Paul boast about his trials and his tribulations? Paul knew the principle that we grow spiritually from pressure and a certain amount of adversity and that it is often necessary for our spiritual advance.
Knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance uses the Greek word “thilipsis” for tribulation and it means pressure, affliction, persecution, mental distress, etc. Plus the Greek word “katergazomai” for brings about, which means to achieve, to produce, to create or to prepare someone for something. Pressure in life for the maturing believer should bring about endurance, fortitude, steadfastness or honourable courage under pressure, which is the meaning of the Greek word for perseverance “hupomone.” It means courage, honour and integrity from resident doctrine to depend upon divine solutions while using divine viewpoint in life. It is directed toward man and toward the world where it connotes honour, courage, integrity under pressure, persecution, oppression and adversity (mental or physical).
It is during pressure, suffering, adversity, testing and distressing circumstances that the advancing believer has the opportunity to utilize the doctrine in his/her soul to develop courage, honour and integrity. Little adversities prepare the believer for bigger ones. Under great adversity Bible doctrine resident in the soul of the mature believer not only produces courage, honour and integrity, but while it is doing so it intensifies hope (full confidence in God), which is occupation with the Person of Christ. (1 Peter 1:6-7)
Verse 4 – Result #3 Blessing in Time of Suffering
And perseverance, proven character uses the Greek word “hupomone” once again for perseverance meaning steadfastness. A believer who has gone through or is going through a time of great pressure and adversity and utilizes God’s resources to make it through will develop a steadfast attitude toward God. This believer will also develop proven character, which is tantamount to exhibiting the character of Christ. The development of the character of Jesus Christ in our lives brings great confidence (hope) in God and His provisions for us.
Verse 5 – Result #4 Ministry of the Indwelling of the Holy Spirit
And hope does not disappoint uses the Greek verb “kataischuno” for disappoint, which means to put to shame, to dishonour or to disgrace and with the negative it means “never disappoints.” With the strong negative it means that there is no way that the integrity of God can ever disappoint. So great is the integrity of God, so perfect, so stabilized in its immutability and so powerful from its omnipotence, it is impossible to be disappointed in any relationship you have with the integrity of God.
Therefore, when disappointment comes it is when the believer fails to utilize the resources that God has placed at his/her disposal. Under grace man cannot do anything or perform anything by which he could be disappointed in himself. Under grace man does not depend on man, so he is not disappointed when man fails and turns against him. Under grace the believer depends upon the integrity of God which is the source of all blessing and never a source of disappointment.
The righteousness of God demands blessing for the believer and the justice of God provides what righteousness demands. In carnality and reversionism the righteousness of God demands punishment which the justice of God administers. When the believer is in fellowship under the ministry of the Spirit and positive toward doctrine, then the righteousness of God demands blessing from the justice of God. The justice of God never provides blessing without first of all providing the capacity for that blessing. No blessing in life can be a disappointment because the capacity comes first. Therefore, occupation with the source removes the disappointment.
Because the love of God is poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit Who was given to us refers to the fact that love for God is a gradual process. The more you know about God the more His love is poured out within our hearts. You know more about God only through the study of Bible doctrine. The same Holy Spirit who converts doctrine into cognisance in our souls converts it into love for God. When doctrine in placed into the soul, and properly applied, it comes out as love (personal and impersonal), but both are the ministry of God the Holy Spirit.
This verse emphasizes the ministry of the Holy Spirit related to our thinking, the ministry of the Holy Spirit in perception of Bible doctrine, the ministry of the Holy Spirit in the application of our divine viewpoint thinking to life (applying the Word of God) and superimposing the reality of God over the reality in life. This is the stability in life when the reality of God’s Word (divine viewpoint) is superimposed upon the reality of life.