Peace with God

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

Romans 5:1–11 – Romans: The Righteousness of God
Palm Sunday   – April 2, 2023 (am)

We read from Psa.118 earlier, the final and climactic expression of the Egyptian Hallel (113-118) which the Jews would sing each year at their Passover meal, two before dinner, four afterward, celebrating their exodus out of Egypt (Kidner 437).

The crowds erupted in praise as Jesus entered Jerusalem on the first Palm Sunday, awakening images of the promised Messiah as he rode on the back of a donkey (Mar.11:1-7; cf. Zec.9:9). They also used the words of Psa.118 to pour out their hearts in praise: Mar.11:9 … those who went before and those who followed were shouting, “Hosanna! Psa.118:25 Save us…, O Lord! Mar.11:9 … Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! On that day, as the initial Holy Week began, there was no limitation or lack expressed regarding Jesus’ reign as King. The people were in a virtual frenzy. And what they were calling out for as they spread their cloaks and [palm] branches on the [way] before Jesus was exactly what we just read together here in Rom.5. They were quite mistaken on what they thought would bring about salvation, but this is what they truly wanted. Let’s identify eight blessings of this salvation.

Peace with God – 1

It’s from the first one here that we get today’s title. 1 Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. H.C.G. Moule (99) wrote that peace with God literally means peace toward God. But Paul’s meaning is actually the opposite of what this could sound like: ‘in view of Him, as regards [God], we possess the security and calm of acceptance’ by Him. Practically [this] phrase thus equals, ‘He has admitted us to peace;’ He’s welcomed us into peace; ‘He is at peace with us.’ The whole previous argument shews that His reconciliation to us, not ours to Him, is the main point here; in other words, the justice of forgiveness on God’s part, not the yielding of the will on man’s part, which [is also] an all important thing, is not directly in view now. So, it’s not yet our change of disposition toward God that’s in view here, but still His toward us.

Yet, we’re spotlighting a new facet of it here. We’re not just celebrating again that God has put Jesus forward as a propitiation to absorb His just wrath against our sins so that He can remain just even as He declares a peace treaty with all who trust in Christ as Savior (3:24-26). Now he’s adding the sense that God would be unjust if He didn’t declare peace with all who trust in Christ as Savior! (cf. 1Jo.1:9) Since we’ve been justified by faith [in the work of] our Lord Jesus Christ, we [enter a state of] peace with God. Moule continues: When he ‘speaks peace’ there is a change, not in His benevolence but in His Judicial attitude: in other words, there is reconciliation. He hasn’t ceased loving righteousness or just decided that, even though we’re sinners, He loves us too much to send us to hell. Rather, He’s already poured out His wrath on Jesus for the sins of all who believe, so the just demand of His holiness has been met! So, since our sin has been dealt with justly, He would be unjust to demand further payment! We have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ (1). And that peace is rooted in—so, just as irreversible as—His righteousness (justice).

Access by Faith to Grace – 2

2 Through [Christ] we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand…. With all the relief that comes from knowing we’re at peace with God, avoiding judgment is not all we crave from Him. Fortunately, neither is it all He offers! God the Judge Who acquits us (1) becomes God the Father Who let’s us out of the doghouse! (2) He allows us to enter into His good graces! He accepts us! [Through] faith we [gain] access to [His] grace (His good favor), [and there] we stand! So, in short, not only do we not get the spanking, we’re not even grounded! Rather, we enter into the fullness of all His blessings in Christ, and that by faith! (cf. Eph.1:3-14)

Joyful Hope of God’s Glory – 2

Then, with our immediate needs addressed, we can enjoy the luxury of focusing on the future with unshakable confidence that the promised outcome is certain! Finding ourselves in a new relationship marked by limitless grace that will ultimately enable us to be free of sin altogether, we’re essentially set free to pursue as much of that blessing as we can experience while still living in a world and in a body that is bent on sinning! How does this work? As we fix our eyes on Him, we’re increasingly changed into His image from one degree of glory to another! (2Co.3:18)

That which we fall so woefully short of on our own (3:23), we receive in abundance through faith in our Lord Jesus Christ—2 … we rejoice in hope of the glory of God, and actually begin to attain it!

Strengthened Hope through Sufferings – 3-4

Martin Luther (88-9) wrote concerning this passage: Since God has justified us by faith, and not works, we have peace with Him both in heart [89] and conscience, though not with man [nor] with the flesh, nor with the Devil. Believers rather have all the more trials. We can miss this!

These trials, this suffering doesn’t undo our peace or remove us from grace or rob us of hope. Rather, it produces endurance and character which just strengthen our hope! And this hope is not just an anticipation of future blessing, but a confidence and courage that our actions, behavior, thoughts, and attitudes will truly grow to reflect more and more clearly the character of the One Who gave His life for us, to reflect His glory more and more.

The Holy Spirit – 5

And we won’t be disappointed (niv) by this hope—5 [it will] 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. The third Person of the Trinity (co-equal and co-eternal with the Father and the Son) has been given to us as God’s Own Reassurance that our hope will be realized! The Holy Spirit is like an engagement ring from God the Son assuring His Bride that He will not leave her at the altar!

[Interlude]

In vv.6-8, the work of the gospel through the death of Christ is reviewed once again. This text means exactly what it says without much subtle embellishment hiding just below the surface. It’s a picture of grace (getting what we don’t deserve) and mercy (not getting what we do deserve). In Tit.3:3-7, we see another Spirit-inspired commentary on this same truth using expanded terminology that echoes our passage. Tit.3:3 For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another. 4 But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, 5 he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, 6 whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. This is the gospel!

Deliverance from God’s Wrath – 9

And the blessings just keep going! 9 Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. The blessing of propitiation (3:25) returns to the spotlight. But here we’re under the topic sentence in 5:1. And v.9 here is almost the same language. 1 Therefore, since we have been justified by faith… is restated as 9 Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood…. The focus simply moves from how we receive justification (by faith) to what achieves our justification (his blood). And since it is archived by the shedding of Jesus’ blood, His sacrifice, our sin problem has been addressed. God’s wrath has been absorbed on our behalf. [We’ve been] saved from [it], almost certainly meaning ultimately, at the final judgement (Moo 2018 338).

Reconciliation to God through Jesus’ Death – 10

10 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. The parallelism between [v.10] and v.9 renders the differences between them all the more significant (Moo 2018 338). And, that parallelism makes the differences easy to see. The key difference is Paul’s move from justified to reconciled in his description of our standing before God, from our judicial standing, ‘acquitted of all guilt by faith in Christ’, to our relational standing, ‘restored from mutual hostility to peace’. The language of reconciliation is seldom used in other religions because the relationship between human beings and the deity is not conceived there in the personal categories for which the language [of reconciliation] is appropriate (Moo 2018 339). That said, all of this is accomplished for us by the death and resurrection of [God’s] Son, our Lord Jesus Christ.

Salvation through Jesus’ Life – 10-11

But that moves us directly into our final blessing. It begins in v.10 and extends into v.11. 10 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. Here’s where the resurrection comes in—the completion of Jesus’ work that accomplishes our reconciliation to God, and so, in summary of all he’s written thus far, our [salvation] (saved 10). And that leads to our bottom line and very present [joy] in this [saving] work of Christ 11 More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation. So, in v.1 God was reconciled to us. Now in vv.10-11, we’re reconciled to Him. And we rejoice in that!

Conclusion

Could there be a better description of all Jesus accomplished for those whose faith is fixed in Him, all He provided that is wrapped together in the word [salvation] (saved 10)? It’s so much more than the people understood as they called out: Save us [now]! Hosanna! (Psa.118:25; Mar.11:9) when Jesus entered Jerusalem on the back of a donkey. They knew the promises, but they didn’t understand what was required to accomplish the fulfillment or all that fulfillment would entail! But Paul explains it here, and he does so in such vivid language that surely we today can leave here saying: Hallelujah! Blessed is He who [has come] in the name of the Lord!

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Resources

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Sproul, R. C. 2005. The Gospel of God: An Exposition of Romans. Ross-shire, Great Britain: Christian Focus.

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NEXT SUNDAY: Easter Sunday— Eternal Life through Jesus Christ, Romans 5:12–21