Paul’s Epistle to the Romans
May 16, 2021
Opening Prayer
Psalm 119
113 I hate the double-minded,
but I love your law.
114 You are my hiding place and my shield;
I hope in your word.
115 Depart from me, you evildoers,
that I may keep the commandments of my God.
116 Uphold me according to your promise, that I may
live,
and let me not be put to shame in my hope!
117 Hold me up, that I may be safe
and have regard for your statutes continually!
118 You spurn all who go astray from your
statutes,
for their cunning is in vain.
119 All the wicked of the earth you discard
like dross,
therefore I love your testimonies.
120 My flesh trembles for fear of you,
and I am afraid of your judgments.
Prolegomena
Romans 5:1-5
Therefore, since we have been justified by
faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Through
him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in
which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of
God. 3 Not only that, but we rejoice in our
sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4 and
endurance produces character, and character produces hope, 5 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.
Verse 1
“since we have been justified” – this is a passive
participle
-
This is one of those “dikaio” words – “having
been made righteous”
-
The book of Romans focused on God’s righteousness
being given as a gift, and chapter 5 is furthering that argument.
By faith – literally “from faith.”
-
The idea is that from faith we receive
righteousness.
We have peace with God.
-
Genesis 3:15 – “I will put enmity…”
-
Haggai 2:9 – “The latter glory of this house
shall be greater than the former, says the LORD of hosts. And in this place I
will give peace, declares the LORD of hosts.”
-
Sin places us in God’s wrath – look ahead to 5:9.
-
Jesus puts us at peace with God.
-
Romans 4:25 -
he was betrayed/handed over for our trespasses and raised for our
righteousness. (He was raised to make us righteous.)
-
This is no small thing!
o
Do we underestimate the severity of sin’s impact
on people?
o
Do we think that our behavior after we’ve been
made righteous does not matter?
o
Consider the concept in Luther’s explanations to
the Ten Commandments: We should, fear and love God so that we would not … but
we would ….
-
While it is not obviously mentioned, peace
certainly fits in the explanation of the 2nd Article of the
Apostles’ Creed – “…that I may be His own and live under Him in His kingdom in
everlasting righteousness, innocence, and blessedness….”
(emphasis mine)
Verse 2
Through Jesus we have (a passive verb) access
-
We have the privilege of entrance (because of
faith) into grace.
o
Remember that grace and gift are related words.
o
Theologically speaking, grace is God’s attitude
toward us and his determination to love, forgive, and save us despite our
sinfulness through Jesus’ death and resurrection.
In grace we stand and rejoice.
-
Rejoice can also be “boast.”
o
Boasting is not always negative. It is a
proclamation of the good that has been given to you.
o
Rejoicing is, perhaps, too often seen as a
private activity.
o
Boasting makes something known.
-
This rejoicing/boasting is in hope of the glory
of God.
o
Glory – doxa (as in doxology) and kavöd
§
The Hebrew idea of glory includes giving honor, recognizing
power.
§
It is often associated with bright light.
§
Emphasizes God’s “other-ness”.
o
Hope that we will participate in God’s glory,
that is, become like Him.
§
Resurrection
§
Forgiveness – sins removed to be declared holy.
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