Romans Part 6: Benefits of Justification

In Romans chapters 1-4, Paul presented the great need of all men for salvation, and the plan of God to provide that salvation by offering justification through faith in Jesus Christ. In chapter 5, he began to explain the benefits of that justification:

Rom 5:1-2 Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.

When a man realizes the wrath of God is against him because of his sin (Rom 1:18), there is nothing he longs for more than peace with God. As the Hebrews writer warns, it is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God (Heb 10:31). Being justified removes all dread. It means we have that peace with God. And it means we can joyfully anticipate the glorious eternity in heaven, delighting in the presence of Him with whom we now have peace.

The next benefit of justification in Paul's list might strike us as odd:

Rom 5:3-5 Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.

The truth is that we have to wait a while for the delights of heaven. Meanwhile we will struggle through various trials and tribulations of this life. Every person who lives faces troubles. Christians may face a few extra ones, because Satan is trying to take us down. And from time to time God decides to discipline us. Paul points out that even in these times we can rejoice--not because we have some unhealthy appetite for suffering, but because we recognize the blessings that will come as a result. When we resist evil, we are following in the footsteps of our Lord (Heb 12:3). When we suffer the discipline of God, we are being refined and made ready for greater things (Heb 12:11). We can anticipate with confidence that the God who loves us will reward us with a blessing far exceeding what we have suffered (Rom 8:18).

Next Paul explains the great security we can have in our justified state:

Rom 5:6-10 You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God's wrath through him! For if, when we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!

God loved us with an amazing devotion even when we were sinners--so much so that he sacrificed his beloved Son to save us. That was at a time when we bore the guilt of an innumerable list of sins. It was when we were enemies of God! Now, through the perfect and completely sufficient sacrifice of Jesus, those sins are no longer counted against us. The barrier is now completely removed! How much more will God bless us now, since the entire debt of sin has been taken away!

Rom 5:11 Not only is this so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

As a result of our reconciliation, we rejoice in God! We stand amazed at His love, His truth, His mercy, His holiness, His justice, and His wisdom. We delight that such a God loves us and rules our lives. And we delight that we will never be separated from Him, from now into eternity! What a wonderfully secure place to be!