What It Means To Be Acceptable to God
February 28, 2021
Commentary
In this passage Paul lists three great blessing of our justification:
1. Peace with God (v. 1) Justification means that God has made us righteous, which is declaration of peace, made possible by Christ’s death on the cross.
2. Access to God (v. 2a). The child of a king can enter his father’s presence under any circumstance. The word “access” here means “entrance through the favor of another.” Those of us who have taken the nail pierced hand of the King’s Son have access to His throne.
3. Glorious Hope of being with God (v. 2b). “Peace with God” takes care of the past, as He will no longer hold our sins against us. “Access to Go” takes care of the present, as we can come to Him at any time for the help we need. “Hope of the glory of God” takes care of the future, as one day we will share in His glory in heaven.
Paul goes on to show:
1. How maturity is displayed by us (v. 3). To glory in tribulations is a real sign of maturity.
2. How maturity is developed in us (vv. 3b-5a). As tribulation worketh patience; and patience, experience; hope; and hope makes us not ashamed.”
3. How maturity is determined for us (v. 5b). Here we have the first mention of the Holy Spirit in this epistle. God’s purpose of the Holy Spirit is to give full assurance of our salvation.
Application
I need to take time to thank God for the three blessings of justification listed above.
Romans 5:1– 11 (NET)
1 Therefore, since we have been declared righteous by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom we have also obtained access into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in the hope of God’s glory. 3 Not only this, but we also rejoice in sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4 and endurance, character, and character, hope. 5 And hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.
6 For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 (For rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person perhaps someone might possibly dare to die.) 8 But God demonstrates his own love for us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Much more then, because we have now been declared righteous by his blood, we will be saved through him from God’s wrath. 10 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son, how much more, since we have been reconciled, will we be saved by his life? 11 Not only this, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received this reconciliation.