Romans 5 v 8 – 21
8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. 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. 11 More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.
12 Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned– 13 for sin indeed was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not counted where there is no law. 14 Yet death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those whose sinning was not like the transgression of Adam, who was a type of the one who was to come. 15 But the free gift is not like the trespass. For if many died through one man’s trespass, much more have the grace of God and the free gift by the grace of that one man Jesus Christ abounded for many. 16 And the free gift is not like the result of that one man’s sin. For the judgment following one trespass brought condemnation, but the free gift following many trespasses brought justification.
17 For if, because of one man’s trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ. 18 Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men. 19 For as by the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man’s obedience the many will be made righteous. 20 Now the law came in to increase the trespass, but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, 21 so that, as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through righteousness leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. (ESV)
There are only two categories concerning mankind:
A. Spiritual Life and Liberty.
B. Spiritual Bondage and Death.
Our text in Romans 5 is about:
1. The Provision of a Saving Love (verses 8 – 11).
a. Q: Why did Christ give His life for us?
A: Because God loves us – because of who He is, not because of who we are.
b. Q: When did Christ give His life for us?
A: When we were God’s enemies.
c. Q: How did Christ give His life for us?
A: We were justified by His blood – His life that He poured out.
Christ also gives His life to us. He lives in order to liberate us. He didn’t only die, but He rose again. He wasn’t simply a Martyr who merely died for a cause. He didn’t simply die to give us a good example of sacrificial love – He rose again in order to do a powerful work in our lives.
He lives in order to live in us. His life becomes our life – not only His Principles, but His very self – His Person. He not only dismisses the charges against us, but in order to empower us to live our lives in new ways – to let all the dross and gross go and to embrace the divine and the glorious in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Salvation is ongoing and begins when we are reconciled to God, and continues until we are fully saved. The three aspects of the process of Salvation are:
a. Justification, through which we are liberated from the Penalty of sin.
b. Sanctification, through which we are liberated from the Power of sin.
c. Glorification, through which we are liberated from the Presence of sin.
2. The Problem of a Sinful Legacy (verses 12 -14)
a. Sin’s presence – came into the world through Adam’s disobedience.
b. Sin’s penalty – death in all its varieties.
c. Sin’s power – its unrelenting.
3. The Power of a Supernatural Life (verses 15 – 21)
The solution is only to be found in the power of a supernatural Life – that of the Lord Jesus Christ.
a. The power of the Gift of God
(i) Released us from our blame.
(ii) Released us from bondage.
b. The power of Grace – abundant supply
God’s amazing and absolute sovereign Grace can be ignored, but not destroyed. It is sufficient and powerful enough to deliver everyone from the power, penalty and presence of sin, and powerful enough to deliver you. And it is a matter of Life or Death.