- Paul's words taught us last week in Romans 4 how Abraham was justified by faith apart from works, and how that faith makes him the father of all who believe: Jew and Gentile alike.
- Paul now shows us how sin entered through one man, Adam, bringing death and guilt to all, upon birth.
- All man is guilty before God, even before the law was given to Moses.
- There is clearly a natural law written on every heart.
- While we were unrighteous, Christ died for us so that we may be considered righteous.
- This righteousness gives us hope for the dilemma Paul has presented to us thus far.
- Paul continues to build on the righteousness we receive through faith, showing us the profound results: access to grace, joy even in suffering, and ultimate reconciliation with God through Christ's sacrifice.
- Now that we are reconciled, we should expect much more than common graces. We can anticipate:
- release from our sins through repentance;
- answer to prayers;
- great rejoicing in proportion to the debt we've been forgiven, that Christ has exchanged our eternal punishment for eternal reward.
- And we should be rejoicing, because while we were still weak and sinners, Christ died for us.
- Ordained by God for the greatest good, that Christ would redeem us from the fall and justify us by His blood, saving us from wrath.
- For as we are covered by Christ's righteousness through faith, here Paul explains the results of rejoicing in that grace, especially in our suffering:
- Romans 5:3-5 "We rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us."
- Reminiscent of James 1
- This reconciliation through faith alone frees us to live in hope.