Romans 5

a restored relationship

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

Pastors often emphasize and make jokes regarding any therefore in Scripture; however, at the risk of being cliche, in the fifth chapter of Romans, Paul provided significant therefore statements. In his logical walkthrough of theology and Biblical exegesis, he now transitioned to the alternative side: the deductive proofs (if this, then that); if righteousness is bestowed by faith and not obtained through works of pious doctrinal works, if the message of faith being counted to Abraham as righteousness was indeed a message intended also for us, then… The if statements of the fourth chapter now come to the resolution of then statements (using the word therefore) in the fifth chapter. And, the resolution is eternally significant.

To be justified is to stand in righteousness; both concepts signify being in right standing. Throughout Romans, Paul intertwined Hebraic and Greek understandings (perhaps another subtle display of the beautiful cultural intermingling present in the first century church to which he was writing) particularly around the concept of justice and the justice of God (in Greek: dikaiosune). Through faith in Christ there is bestowed upon us legal right-standing (righteousness, justification); but, Paul did not allow his readers to stop at an intellectual understanding of the Gospel and miss the miraculous implications. He moved from the presentation of evidence (if statements) to the incredible conclusion (then statements).

If it is true that we are offered through faith in Christ a righteousness that presents us as justified, then we are also invited to consider the expanse of this grace and the why behind its availability. Paul, again emphasizing that the gift of the Gospel is not obtained through works, highlighted the expanse of the Gospel of Christ.

“But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8)

“For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.” (Romans 5:6)

The free gift of grace was offered to us while we were still—“haters of God,” “inventors of evil,” rebellious enemies of heaven staging a coup on the throne—sinners. The blood of Christ was clearly not poured out upon us as a reward for an achieved piety; so none can boast, Christ died when we were in the depths of our poverty and depravity.

“Now the law came in to increase the trespass, but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more.” (Romans 5:20)

Sin was prevalent from the beginning and the provision of the law laid bare the depth of our insufficiency; now able to proceed with knowledge, the understanding that all fall immensely short of the provided standard becomes abundantly evident. But, the work of Christ did not merely provide us with legal right-standing. Paul used the word peace in the first verse, and the Jewish audience to whom he was currently focused would understand the meaning to be perfect relational wholeness (shalom). Peace is not the absence of conflict but is rather the presence of complete lasting healing within a relationship. By grace we are not shielded from wrath but are instead ushered into an incredible relationship described by many allegories: friends, sons and daughters, heirs, brides. If we accept grace, then we must also accept that it was for far more than a second chance with a clean slate. The righteousness experienced by those in Christ is the experience of eternal reconciliation.

While almost entirely up until this point making an argument through the Torah, Paul made his audience aware that Christ provided (or, rather, is) a major shift in the timeline. Righteousness was always bestowed by faith, but the reconciliation that Christ provides is a severing of the hostility (and resulting curse) that began with Adam. Christ is enough to completely turn the tide and, instead, bring about an entirely new existence.

“Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men.” (Romans 5:18)