Romans 5 English Standard Version (ESV)

 

 Peace with God Through Faith

¹ Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.² Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. ³ Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, ⁴ and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, ⁵ and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

⁶ For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. ⁷ For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— 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.

 

Reflection

1. Now Paul becomes exuberant as he continues this justified-by-faith life. He mentioned three “rejoices”: “rejoice in hope” (v2), “rejoice in sufferings” (v3), and “rejoice in God” (v11).
2. What does a Christian see looking back, looking ahead, and looking around? — Reconciliation. 

Looking back, we rejoice in God’s salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ that we have been saved and reconciled to God (v10, 11). 

Looking ahead, we rejoice in the glory of God and the hope that we will stand by God throughout eternity (v2, 9). 

Looking around, we rejoice in our suffering as we are being saved continually (v3).  Jesus is even now at work within us to give us the power to live a holy life. 

Our past, our present and our future are all transformed because of Him.  And when we are reconciled with God, it paves the way for us to be reconciled with ourselves and with others. This is a great cause for our constant rejoicing and praising.

1. Thank God for this Reconciliation Gospel.  Pray that God will help you to live always in reconciliation with God, with yourself and with others.