Romans 5:1-11 Leader’s Guide
Exposition and Notes
Chapter 4 wrapped up Paul’s defense of the doctrine of justification by Christ’s righteousness applied through faith. In this section, Paul begins to talk about some of the results of that great doctrine.
vv. 1-6
In verses 1-6, Paul talks about some of the results of justification, including how the believer deals with suffering. Note that there is the statement about justification in v. 1: since justification by faith is a reality for us, then… (results).
The first result is peace. This is a reference not only to a lack of hostility between parties (accomplished by propitiation – recall chapter 3!), but encompasses a positive relationship of peace – the kind that Adam and Eve had in the garden of Eden – the kind that God promised to his people through the prophets (as in Isaiah 26:12-15) that encompassed the joyful experience of his presence.
Verse 2 brings two more results – one present and one future. The one present is this – we stand in God’s grace. We live in the realm of God’s working to bring us happiness in him – bringing us himself in the future. His entire disposition towards us Christians is one of grace – of love. This grace has caused us to have a gift – a righteousness credited to us that isn’t ours – but by which we stand righteous before God (see 4:16, 17).
The future result has present implications. The future result is the ‘glory of God.’ The present reality is that we rejoice (or at least should – it’s arguable that this word should be ‘let us rejoice’ instead of ‘we rejoice) because of that hope. Now, hope in the NT means ‘expectation’ or ‘thing expected.’ So in other words, we are to rejoice because of the sure and coming reality of God’s glory to us. God’s glory here is the glory that he gives to us – remember ch. 2:6-10? We get glory from God – we’re made into images of Jesus, free from the stains of sin, showing the Lord off perfectly (See ch. 8:18-32ish).
In vv. 3-5, Paul goes on to say that not only do we rejoice because of our certain future – but also because of our suffering now, because we know what suffering does. It produces endurance, which produces more godly character, and the result of being godly is greater expectation of glory. So what it boils down to is this – when we’re faced with hard life stuff, it causes us to endure it. This makes us more godly. Greater godliness means expecting God’s glory more.
In v. 5 we’re informed that that expectation is based on a sure foundation. We won’t be put to shame – what we expect – the glory of God – is certain – because we have been given the love of God through the Holy Spirit. God’s love towards believers has been demonstrated and enacted by the gift of the Holy Spirit. We have become objects of God’s love because the Holy Spirit has made us such.
vv. 6-8
How is it that God has given us his love through his Spirit? Because Jesus died in our place (that’s v. 6). Or in other words – it’d be unjust for us to have the love of God guarantee us glory – we’re rebels! We’re ‘weak’ morally – incapable of earning that glory. But God in his love guarantees it through the death of his Son.
Thus ends the first section. To recap we have the results of justification – peace with God, happiness because of a certain future, and an increasing happiness that results from suffering – and it’s all on the basis of God’s love given on the basis of Jesus’ death.
Paul expounds on the basis for all this in vv. 7-8 (that basis being Christ’s substitutionary death.) His point is in v. 8 – that that love for us is the same love with which he killed his Son in the place of believers. (Note that v. 8 is about Christ’s death on behalf of believers.) It is that love for us that put Christ on the cross in our place that is poured out into our hearts through the Spirit. Christ’s death in our place is compared to a person dying for a person in v. 7. People don’t die in people’s places. His point? The only thing that could’ve put Christ’ on the tree in our place was a depth of love that we have been granted from God. We’re not righteous – we’re not good/pleasing to God. But God justified us because of love.
vv. 9-11
Verses 9-11 delve more into the future that we have because of what Jesus did for us. The verses speak of what we have now – justification, reconciliation – because Jesus died for us. This guarantees a future of being rescued from the coming wrath of God. We have already been declared righteous, and so when God judges the world, we will be spared. He has already judged Jesus in our place. Jesus’ life is evidence that judgment has been fully carried out. God has made us his friends (reconciliation). And we will be rescued from this world’s fate. But more than that – we have joy. And that joy is because of God having brought us into right relationship with him in Christ. So the foundation of that joy is the acts of God and the actual right relationship with God, accomplished by Jesus.
Bible Study Suggested Discussion Guide
At this point, your students should have a good understand of how justification happens. So it might be wise to start with some questions such as ‘what is justification?’ ‘How does it happen?’ ‘How can God remain righteous in treating ungodly people as if they were righteous’? After asking such questions, inform them that tonight they’ll be looking at some of the results of justification for us, and pray.
-Have someone read vv. 1-5
-This section is about the results of being justified. What are some of the results here?
-In Scripture, ‘hope’ is either ‘happy expectation’ or ‘the thing happily expected.’ What does this passage say about hope?
-How should we respond to justification?
-How should we deal with suffering?
-Have someone read vv. 5-8
-See that v. 6 starts with the word ‘for?’ Verses 6-8 give us the basis for the things that we have in verses 1-5.
-What do you see here about our natural condition?
-What do you see here about God’s actions towards us? (What are they? Why are they significant? What’s the cause of all this stuff?)
-How should this affect how we view daily life? How we view suffering?
-Have someone read vv. 9-11
-Verses 9-11
-What do you see going on here?
-Questions?
-What do you see about salvation?
-How would you summarize this section?
-How should this affect how we see the world? The campus? People who haven’t been reconciled yet to God?
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