Just as if I Never Did It

Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God (5:1a). "Justified" means "just as if I never did it." The first result of justification by faith is peace with God. If justification depended on my works, some days this peace would be present and some days not, depending on my performance.

We have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: by whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand (5:1b-2a). The second result of justification by faith is access to God. The door is always open. If we were righteous by our works, then the door would usually be closed because of our failures. Our relationship with God is established on His faithfulness to His promises and on our belief that He'll keep His word.

Satan has bound up many people by accusing them of a lack of righteousness by works. When we begin to pray for a need, he comes and says, "A fine one you are! You pray when you're in trouble, but where were you all week when things were going well? You ought to be ashamed of yourself. God isn't going to listen!" Satan troubles us constantly by claiming that the door is closed. "God doesn't want you to come. You failed to be righteous."

However, my righteousness isn't based on keeping laws but on my belief in Jesus Christ. The door is never closed, even after I've been a miserable failure. I come to Him through the righteousness given me by faith in Jesus Christ, and I can be confident of my standing with God.

And [we] rejoice in hope of the glory of God (5:2b). God's glory will be revealed in my life, and I rejoice in that!

And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also (5:3a). This verse defines real spiritual growth. To rejoice in the hope of His glory is much easier than rejoicing in tribulations. Can I be glad even in hardship? Yes, when I know that my life is governed by God and that this hardship is producing patience, one of the greatest needs in my life. "Ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise" (Hebrews 10:36).

I've heard people advise others against praying for patience because God will then send them tribulations. If that's the way patience comes then, "God, bring on the troubles." I need patience!

Difficult times cause me to seek God. When all is well, I don't always respond to Him immediately; but when I'm in trouble, I want God now. David prayed much the same way when he was in difficulty. "Answer me speedily" (Psalm 102:2b).

Tribulation worketh patience; and patience, experience; and experience, hope (5:3b-4). In my difficulty I begin to realize that God will provide relief, perhaps not as soon as I'd like, but in His time. Thus, the experience of trusting in Him during tribulation produces hope within me.

And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us. For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly (5:5-6). It's important for us to note our condition when God loved us and allowed His Son to die for us "ungodly." We find it difficult to get away from the idea that we must be good so God will love us. God's love for us stems from His nature, not our lovableness.

For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure [perhaps] for a good man some would even dare to die. But God commendeth [demonstrates] his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us (5:7-8). If Christ had died only for good people, we could understand His dying for them. However, Jesus didn't die for the honorable and upright. He died for the ungodly and sinners. By this act God displayed His unconditional love for us.

Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him (5:9). If Christ died for us while we were still sinners in rebellion against God, how much more is He willing to save us from the wrath to come?

For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life (5:10). These "much mores" are wonderful. While still an enemy of God I was reconciled to Him through the blood of Jesus Christ. If His death could reconcile me as an enemy, how much more will His life establish this loving relationship between God and me.

And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement (5:11). The Old and New Testament words translated "atonement" differ in meaning. Atonement in Hebrew is "kaphar", which means "covering." The Old Testament sacrifices of goats and bulls covered sin but didn't put away sin. The Greek New Testament word for atonement, "katallage", literally means "making one" and would be better translated "reconciliation." Becoming one with God was impossible through the Old Testament sacrifices; it took the sacrifice of Jesus Christ to reconcile man with God.

Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned (5:12). The word "have" is added in the King James Version; the original Greek reads, "...because all sinned." Paul is saying that when Adam sinned, he sinned for the whole human race. Just as Adam became a sinful creature, spiritually dead and separated from God, so did his children. Adam couldn't pass along any fellowship with God to his children, because he had lost it; and because he acted as our federal head, we came into this world separated from God.

(For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law (5:13). Though sin was in the world before Moses gave the Law, it wasn't imputed to men until then.

Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come (5:14). Physical death came as the result of spiritual death. Though God wasn't imputing sin to men before the Law, sin was present through Adam. Death reigned because he sinned for us all.

A dangerous doctrine taught by Jehovah's Witnesses and other groups is that Adam only sinned for himself. This view takes away the truth that Paul brings out: since by one man's sin all could be made sinners, then by one man's righteousness all can be made righteous (see Romans 5:19). This corollary is the basis of the doctrine of justification by faith. One man can act for an entire body of people, as Adam acted for the entire human race when he sinned. Even so the second Adam, Jesus Christ, acted for all of us in His righteousness. It is imputed to all of us who believe in Him. If one man couldn't have sinned for all, then one man couldn't be righteous for all. If that were the case, we would have to establish our own righteousness. That would leave us out in the cold, because "our righteous acts are as filthy rags" in the eyes of God (Isaiah 64:6).

The doctrine that sin passed upon all of us by one man, Adam, is vitally important. I continually warn against the pernicious heresy that says a man is a sinner because he has sinned. Such a concept implies that a man could possibly live and die without sinning. Thus, he wouldn't need Christ. The biblical revelation teaches that a man has sinned because he is a sinner. "By one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned" (5:12).

But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many (5:15). If one man can make us guilty before God, then how much more can Jesus Christ through God's grace make us righteous.

And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift: for the judgment was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offences unto justification. For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ) (5:16-17). Death reigned from Adam. Life reigns from Christ. If one man can cause the world to die, then how much more can the triumph of Jesus over death bring life to those in Him. "And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?" (John 11:26).

Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life (5:18). Adam's sin brought condemnation to all men. Christ's sacrifice brought justification to all who believe.

For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous. Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound: that as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord (5:19-21).

Thank God for the abounding grace! One version translates verse 20 as "Where sin did abound, grace overflowed." We seem to have great difficulty accepting the grace of God. We're always trying to give God a reason to love us, accept us, or forgive us. But God loves, accepts, and forgives those who are miserable, rotten, and without merit. All we must do is cast ourselves upon Him and cry, "God, be merciful to me a sinner." To him who does not work but simply believes, God imputes his faith for righteousness (Romans 4:5). God accounts me just as righteous as His own dear Son.