P’s and Q’s :Romans 5
“Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God.” (verses 1 & 2)
- What is the peace of God? What is the grace of God? What is the hope of God?
The peace of God is the lack of stress, anxiety, or shame in our life; as believers, we can feel God’s peace. The grace of God is God’s undeserved favor, unconditional gift-giving from God. The hope of God is “a sure confidence that what God says will happen will happen” (John Piper).
“Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.” (verses 3-5)
- How have you suffered in the last year? Why can we have hope in our sufferings?
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“You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (verses 6-8)
- Why is it so radical that Jesus died for you? The world paints a picture of what “true” love is. According to these verses, what is “true” love?
The reason this is so radical is because Jesus is God! There is literally nothing that Jesus owes to us, nothing that we have done which earned His sacrifice. According to these verses, “true” love is sacrificing your life for another person even when that person may be undeserving.
“Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him! For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! Not only is this so, but we also boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.” (verses 9-11)
- What does it mean that you are reconciled to God? Who is one person in your life who you can reconcile with?
Reconciled to God means that God forgave you of your sin and removed that obstacle (the sin) from being a barrier in your relationship with Him.
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“Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all people, because all sinned— To be sure, sin was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not charged against anyone’s account where there is no law. Nevertheless, death reigned from the time of Adam to the time of Moses, even over those who did not sin by breaking a command, as did Adam, who is a pattern of the one to come.”
(verses 12-14)
- According to these verses, sin and death have reigned since Adam. Why is that humans are prone to sinful nature? How have you seen that within yourself?
Humans are prone to sinful nature because since Adam’s fall in the garden, man tends to want to make his own decision on what is right and what is wrong, rather than obeying God.
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“But the gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died by the trespass of the one man, how much more did God’s grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, overflow to the many! Nor can the gift of God be compared with the result of one man’s sin: The judgment followed one sin and brought condemnation, but the gift followed many trespasses and brought justification. For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ!” (verses 15-17)
- What is the gift that is discussed here? How can you give to someone in your life like Christ has given to you?
The gift described is Jesus’ death and resurrection for us, despite our sin.
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“Consequently, just as one trespass resulted in condemnation for all people, so also one righteous act resulted in justification and life for all people. For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous.” (verses 18-19)
- Why is it emphasized in this passage that death and sin came through “one” man (Adam) and that righteousness and salvation came through “one” man (Jesus)? What does justification mean?
The reason this is emphasized because God is showing that He is a good and just God. If mankind forever is stained with sin because of one man, then God as a good and just God can remove that stain by one man (Jesus). Justification means that God, like in a court, proves us to be right through Jesus sacrifice by paying the debt we could never pay.
“The law was brought in so that the trespass might increase. But where sin increased, grace increased all the more, so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (verses 13, 17 & 18)
- The more you grow in your relationship with Christ, the more you see sin in your life. How have you become more aware of the sin in your life? How have you become more aware of the grace of Jesus in your life?
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Three Takeaways:
- Jesus loves you and died for you.
- Jesus wants to give you gifts.
- Jesus justifies you despite your sin.
