Romans 5:1-11 – Outline and Summary

Paul discusses the blessings which we now have as a result of our having been justified by faith - blessings which assure us of complete and final salvation.

(Romans 5:1-11)

• Paul begins by showing the immediate, continuing, and ultimate effect of our justification by faith (Romans 5:1-2)

– The immediate effect of our justification is peace with God (Romans 5:1)

– The continuing effect of our justification is God’s grace in which we now stand (Romans 5:2a)

– The ultimate effect of our justification is our heavenly glory (Romans 5:2b)

• Because we have been justified, we are able to rejoice in our sufferings (knowing that suffering is the pathway to Christian growth and final glory) (Romans 5:3-5a)

• Note the cause-and-effect relationship between suffering and Christian growth:

– Suffering produces perseverance (endurance, patience) (Romans 5:3b)

– Perseverance produces (proven) character (Romans 5:4a)

– Character produces hope (Romans 5:4b)

• With our justification comes the assurance that God loves us. God’s love for us is confirmed in two ways (Romans 5:5b-8):

– The subjective ground for our assurance that God loves us is the inward testimony of the Spirit. (Romans 5:5b)

– The objective ground for our assurance that God loves us is the fact that Jesus died a sacrificial death on our behalf while we were still ungodly sinners:

• Romans 5:6 - You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly.

• Paul goes on to show how great a love God had for us by contrasting the love God had for us with the kind of love men demonstrate towards other men:

• Romans 5:7 - Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man [a just man, one who does what is required of him], though for a good man [a benevolent man, one who does more than what is required of him] someone might possibly dare to die.

• Romans 5:8 - But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

• Since we have been justified by Christ’s blood, we have assurance that we will be saved from God’s wrath on the Day of Judgment. (Romans 5:9-10)

– Paul’s argument for the certainty of final salvation is this: Christ has already done the greater work by His death.

– Christ justified us and reconciled us to God at a time when we were God’s enemies.

– How much more certain it is then that Christ will save us from God’s wrath now that we have been reconciled (to God) and Christ is alive and interceding for us at the right hand of God.

• Our justification, in addition to bringing assurance of final salvation, also brings joy in this present life. (Romans 5:11)

• Christianity is not just a matter of looking back to justification and on to glorification. Christian faith produces present joy on this earth.

• Three times in this passage Paul speaks of the joy which belongs to the justified:

– Romans 5:2b - We rejoice in the hope of [sharing] the glory of God.

– Romans 5:3 - We also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know [the good they produce]

– Romans 5:11a - We also rejoice in God [in all He has done] through our Lord Jesus Christ