Romans 5: 1-11 - The basis of a healthy spiritual life

• Book of Romans was written: by the Apostle Paul in AD 57, likely from Corinth
• Recipients were believers in Rome, from both Jewish and Gentile backgrounds

Questions

1. As Paul moves through his argument, his vocabulary changes.  Read through verse 1-12 looking for new ideas and words.
2. God justifies us to remove our guilt, but the purpose is to reconcile us.
   Paul now begins to tell us about the basis for living and growing in the Christian life.

   Three things are mentioned here as the outcome of being justified with God:

   • v2a: Access by faith to grace "in which we stand".  Cf. Hebrews 10:19-22.
     Why do we need faith to access grace?
     Can we approach God even after we have sinned and fallen short?
     How does grace make us "stand"?
   • v2b: The hope of the glory of God.  To see what this means, look at:
     • Colossians 1:27, 3:4, 2 Corinthians. 3:18, 1 John 3:2
     • Rev. 22:4,5
     • Romans 8:19-21

     Notice the relationship between these aspects (esp. from 1 John 3:2,3 and Romans 8:18-27).

   • v3: Redemptive meaning given to our suffering.
     How is this tied to our experience of God's love, both subjective (v5) and objective (v6-8)?
     How can our be hope strengthened by our sufferings?
     Can suffering really be turned into joy? How? (See John 7:37-39)

   Salvation is past (justification), future (glorification), and present (sanctification), and is bigger than personal issues.

   [Did you notice the "I Cor. 13 trinity of Christian gifts" here and also in Hebrews?]

3. v6-8 Note the progression of terms the bible uses to describe us.
   What was God's evaluation of us when he decided to love us?
   Note: Its important to understand what he wants from us after we are reconciled to him.
4. Salvation is an important theme through the whole bible.  Jesus uses the "Kingdom of God" as a way of speaking of salvation in its broader sense (see Mark 10:23-26).  But what is salvation?
   • What is a future aspect of salvation tied to our justification?
   • What is a current, ongoing aspect of salvation tied to our reconciliation?

Summing up: Jesus historical act of self-sacrifice is "credited to us" by God's objective act of pronouncing us innocent, which results in a present-day relational change: we have become God's beloved children.  Our reconciliation with God on the basis of Jesus' death for us, and his unconditional love continually and lavishly poured out upon us, is the basis for our personal stability and growth.