A Study Of The Cross

Lesson Twenty - Justification And The Cross

TEXT: Romans 5:1 - Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

        The phrase, “Therefore being Justified by Faith,” presents Paul stating a fact. In coming to this place Paul has clearly come to several conclusions. In Romans 1:18-3:20 he proves man’s need for the Righteousness of God. In Romans 3:21-30 he shows how such Righteousness comes, and how it is appropriated. In Romans 3:31-4:25 he shows by the example of Abraham, and the Testimony of David, that Righteousness appropriated by Faith does not upset, but rather establishes the Spiritual Order revealed in the Old Testament.

        In Romans Chapter 5, to which we will now address, the Apostle now enlarges on the happiness and security of the Justified, and especially on their assurance of God’s Love and of future Blessedness (Wuest).

What Is Justification?

        It is the action of a Judge declaring a prisoner innocent. The accused says nothing and does nothing. The Judge is the sole actor — he justifies the man, i.e., he declares him Righteous (Williams).

        This Beautiful Work comes about as one expresses simple Faith in Christ and what He did at Calvary and the Resurrection.

        Paul by using the word “therefore,” points to a conclusion. In verses 1 through 8 of Romans Chapter 4, he tells us that we are not Justified by “works.” In verses 9 through 12 of that same Chapter, he adds “Ordinances,” and then “Law obedience” in verses 13-25. These three things never give Peace to the soul. Faith does! (Wuest). The phrase, “"We have Peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,"” points to Justifying Peace, in other words a legal standing with God, which does not, and in fact, cannot change. There are two types of Peace incumbent upon the Believer. They are as follows:

1. Justifying Peace: This is Peace with God, and as stated, a legal standing — that which we are now studying.

        There is an enmity between God and unredeemed man. It is because of unconfessed and unrepentant sin, and more particularly, because of the sinner’s refusal to accept God’s Plan of Redemption, the Blood Atonement of Jesus Christ (Rom. 8:7; Eph. 2:14-15).

        "Enmity” means “mutual hatred or ill will.” The sinner does not want to have anything to do with God (Rom. 1:21-23), and “God is angry with the wicked every day” (Ps. 7:11). In other words, and because of sin, there is a war going on between God and unredeemed man. However, God feels this enmity far more than the sinner, simply because it is God Who has been wronged and offended and not man. So, as a result of this war, there is no “Peace” between God and the sinner.

        Actually, this very thing (lack of Peace with God), is the cause of all guilt and no doubt contributes toward all manner of stress, mental disorder, as well as sickness and disease. As one doctor said, “I can remove the diseased physical organs, but actually that is only treating the symptoms, with the root cause being something else.”

        When the sinner hears the Word of God and is convicted by the Holy Spirit, he is made to feel his wrong against God. Consequently, this is where Repentance comes in (Acts 20:21).

        Upon Faith by the sinner, all sin is washed away by the Blood of Jesus, with the enmity instantly removed. The New Believer now has Justifying Peace, which is a result of Justification. That is what is meant by the phrase, “Making Peace with God.” This type of Peace is abiding and never changes, and is what Paul is speaking about here.

2. Sanctifying Peace: This is the Peace of God in the heart. While the first has to do with Justification, the second has to do with Sanctification (Rom. 8:6; 14:19; 15:13; Gal. 1:3).

        The first, as stated, is the result of a legal standing, the second, the result of the Work of the Holy Spirit. The first is static, never fluctuates, the second changes almost from hour to hour. The first, every Christian has, the second, every Christian may have.

An Example

        When Israel was told by Moses to apply the Blood to the doorpost, this represented “Justifying Peace” (Ex. Chpt. 12).

        One can well imagine that many Israelites that fateful night went to bed and slept well. That is “Sanctifying Peace.”

        However, one can also imagine that many did not sleep well that night. While they had “Justifying Peace,” they did not have “Sanctifying Peace.” This was a lack of trust on their part, which robbed them of this Peace. And yet, their “Justifying Peace” was not disturbed in the least, because the Blood was on the doorpost. As well, those who slept well were no less secure than those who paced the floor, or vice versa.

        Sanctifying Peace has to do with our trust in the Lord and is, as stated, up and down.

        The more we grow in the Lord, however, the more we learn to trust Him, all which has to do with Sanctification, and our Sanctifying Peace.

        Incidentally, “The Lord Jesus Christ” is the Resurrection Name of the Saviour, which guarantees our Justification (Rom. 4:25). The Greek word for “Peace” is “eirene,” and means “to bind together that which has been separated.” In other words, and getting back to Justifying Peace, our Lord made Peace through the Blood of the Cross (Col. 1:20) in the sense that through His Atonement He binds together again, those who by reason of their standing in the First Adam had been separated from God and who now through Faith in Christ are bound again to God in their new standing in the Last Adam, The Lord Jesus Christ. This is Justification. That is, a Justified sinner has Peace facing God.

        He stands in the Presence of God, guiltless and uncondemned and Righteous in a Righteousness which God accepts, in the Lord Jesus (Wuest).

Romans 5:2 - “BY WHOM ALSO WE HAVE ACCESS BY FAITH INTO THIS GRACE WHEREIN WE STAND, AND REJOICE IN HOPE OF THE GLORY OF GOD.”

        The phrase, “By Whom also we have access by Faith,” speaks of access to the Throne of God and at any time. Jesus said, “At that day ye shall ask in My Name: and I say not unto you, that I will pray the Father for you” (Jn. 16:26).

        This Statement as made by Christ, would have probably been better translated, “When you come before the Throne of God in prayer to make a petition in My Name, please know that you have instant and constant access to the Father even as I. The Father grants you this because He loves you, because you have loved Me and have believed that I came out from God.”

        Once the sinner comes to Christ, he is then made a New Creature, and as well, a part of the Family of God. Consequently, there are many privileges, with “access” to the Throne being among that number. This speaks of prayer and more particularly of Intercession, which is instant access, which can be had on the spur of the moment, and at any place and time.

        Access” in the Greek is prosagogue,” and refers to “a landing stage.” The total idea of the word pertains to access into, and rest in, a haven or harbor.

        This of which Jesus did at Calvary and the Resurrection provides so much more for the Believer than most any of us even dare to think. Before Calvary, and due to the sin debt not yet having been paid, even the strongest of Believers at that time, did not have the privileges in Christ which are now available to even the least Child of God. Concerning this, Jesus lauded John the Baptist by saying of him, “Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater.”

        But then He said, “Notwithstanding he that is least in the Kingdom of Heaven is greater than he” (Mat. 11:11).

        John the Baptist closed out the Old Covenant, actually the last Prophet of that era. Jesus ushered in the New Covenant, with all of its greater privileges and blessings, solely because of the great price He had paid and the victories He won. So, anyone in this New Covenant is greater as far as privileges are concerned, than anyone in the Old Covenant.

The Sins Of The Believer

        The phrase, “Into this Grace wherein we stand,” refers to the fact that the Believer is set before the Throne of God in a Righteousness that is spotless, a life that is endless, and in a dignity that is glorious.

        All of the sins of the Believer are canceled by God in the Death of Christ; God has consequently no sins to impute to him. That matter has been eternally settled by Christ’s sufficing Atonement, and His Resurrection attests the fact. There is, therefore, no longer any question as to the Believer’s sins between him and God. That question — the sin question — was the looming, all-encompassing and disturbing factor in relation to God, and Christ removed it according to the requirements of Divine Righteousness. He bore infinitely all the Wrath of God due to sin and its fruit and satisfied and vindicated all the claims of the Throne of God against man as a sinner.

        Consequently, this Great Salvation is, therefore, founded upon Eternal Righteousness, and is the result of the Divine activity operating in Grace.

        As stated, Peace is the result of Justification and is, consequently, distinct from it. Faith enjoys this Peace, and glories not only in Salvation and all that it embraces, but in its Divine Author God Himself (Williams).

        Grace here is seen as a haven or harbor. The French have a word for this entrance or access. They call it “entree.” It refers to one being brought before a Potentate by a friend, who has properly attired him, in order to present him into the presence of the King. That is exactly what Jesus does for a believing sinner. He clothes him with Himself as His Righteousness, cleanses him in His Own Precious Blood, and brings him into the full favor (Grace) of God the Father. As stated, this is “entree.”

The phrase, “And rejoice in Hope of the Glory of God,” portrays three things:

Rejoicing

1. If the Believer even halfway understands the tremendous privileges and favor afforded him, as a result of his standing in Christ, such will bring a perpetual rejoicing. Man is a spiritual being, as well as physical and mental. As such, only God can truly satisfy the hunger and thirst of the soul. When He is given His rightful place in the Believer’s heart and life, as Peter said, it is truly “Joy unspeakable and full of Glory” (I Pet. 1:8).

2. The “hope” here presented, does not mean that hope is that wherein we glory, but that, being in a state of hope, we glory (Barmby).

The idea is, that the future is guaranteed respecting these great things that God will do, but we do not know exactly when it will happen. This is our state of hope.

3. The “Glory of God” is that which is coming.

Even though we are given much evidence in the Word of God concerning that which is to come, still, it is so far beyond what we now see or know, that one is little able to properly evaluate such coming Glory. Consequently, Paul said, “For now we see through a glass, darkly” (I Cor. 13:12). The hope here is that of ultimately participating in the Glory of Heaven.


Romans 5:3 - “AND NOT ONLY SO, BUT WE GLORY IN TRIBULATIONS ALSO: KNOWING THAT TRIBULATION WORKETH PATIENCE;”

        The phrase, “And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also,” does not simply mean “when we are in tribulations,” but also “because we are,” the tribulations being the ground of the glorying. To be sure this requires Supernatural Grace supplied by the Holy Spirit. It is not that Paul was exulting, or that we are to exult because of the tribulations themselves, but because of their beneficial effect upon the Christian Life. This the Saint must learn to do. He must look at these trials and difficulties as assets that develop his Christian Character.

        Tribulations” in the Greek is “thlipsis,” and means “a pressing, pressing together, pressure, oppression, affliction, distress, straits.” In the Greek Text it is preceded by the definite article (the tribulations), marking these out as things naturally expected in a Christian’s life (Wuest).

        We are to perceive how they serve for our probation now: they test our endurance; and proved endurance increases hope.

        The idea is that tribulations test, and endurance under them proves, the genuineness of Faith (Barmby).

Tribulation And The Modern Gospel

        Much of the so-called modern Faith Teaching denies any and all tribulations for the Believer, claiming that such are basically brought about because of a lack of Faith or proper confession, etc. Of course, such Teaching defies not only the peripheral aspects of the Gospel, but actually, its very core. Not a one of these Teachers, at least of those of whom I am aware, would even think of quoting the statement of Paul concerning the “glorying in tribulations.” Or else they would define “tribulations” in an improper manner.

        The tribulations came to Paul and come to all True Believers, not because of a lack of Faith, but because of Great Faith. Actually, I think the Scripture plainly teaches “the greater the Faith, the greater the tribulations.” Job is an excellent example whom we will mention momentarily.

The Pattern And The Norm

        The tribulations of the Christian are the pattern and norm for the experience of the Christian Community. Thus, tribulations are inevitable and to be anticipated (Mat. 13:21; Jn. 16:33; Acts 14:22; Rom. 8:35; 12:12; I Thess. 3:3; II Thess. 1:4; Rev. 1:9).

        The tribulations of Israel under the Old Covenant finds its counterpart in the tribulations of the Church under the New (Heb. 11:37; 12:1). Thus, tribulations are particularly the lot of the Apostles who exemplify in a special manner the path of Suffering Discipleship (Acts 20:23; II Cor. 1:4; 4:8, 17; 6:4; Eph. 3:13).

A Participation Of The Sufferings Of Christ

        The tribulations of the people of Christ are in some sense a participation in the Sufferings of Christ (II Cor. 1:5; 4:10; Phil. 3:10; Col. 1:24; I Pet. 4:13). Underlying the New Testament Teaching here may be the notion of the so-called “afflictions of the Messiah,” a tally of suffering to be endured by the Righteous before the consummation of the Redemptive Purpose of God.

Tribulations And The Likeness Of Christ

        The tribulations of the people of Christ are instrumental in promoting their moral transformation into the Likeness of Christ (Rom. 5:3; II Cor. 3:18; 4:8-12, 16). In particular the experience of tribulations promotes the up building of the Christian Community through enabling the comforting of others in similar experiences (II Cor. 1:4; 4:10; Col. 1:24; I Thess. 1:6). The tribulations of the people of God are Eschatological, meaning that they point to the last age, the Kingdom of the End Time.

        As such, they are a witness to the in breaking and presence of the Kingdom (Mat. 24:9-14; Rev. 1:9; 7:14). In other words, tribulations tell us that a better time is coming, when there will not be such to endure. A certain intensification of these tribulations will prelude the return of Christ and the consummation of the Kingdom (Mat. 24:21; Mk. 13:24; II Thess. 1:5-6; II Tim. 3:1).

        Actually, this speaks of the Coming Great Tribulation, before which the Church will be raptured (I Thess. 4:16-17; 5:9). That tribulation, the greatest of all, will pertain to many things, but most of all the humbling of Israel, in order that she finally come back to God and the acceptance of her Messiah and Saviour, The Lord Jesus Christ (Jer. 30:7; Mat. 24:21).

        The phrase, “Knowing that tribulation worketh patience,” points to the characteristic of a man who is unsevered from his deliberate purpose and his loyalty to Faith and piety by even the greatest trials and sufferings. Worketh” in the Greek is “katergazomai,” and means “to accomplish, achieve, to do that from which something results.” So, the “tribulation” is to generate or “produce patience.”

“        Patience” in the Greek is “hupomone,” and means “steadfastness, constancy, endurance.” It also has reference to “remaining under,” thus, to remain under trials in a God-honoring way so as to learn the lesson they are sent to teach, rather than an attempt to get out from under them in an effort to be relieved of their pressure.

        So we can see from all of this, how that the Holy Spirit is directing and orchestrating all events, some which seem to be hurtful to the flesh, but all which are invigorating to the spirit.

Romans 5:4 -  “AND PATIENCE, EXPERIENCE; AND EXPERIENCE, HOPE:”

        The phrase, “And Patience, Experience,” points to an end result.

        Experience” in the Greek is “dokimen,” and means “the result of trial, approvedness” (Phil. 2:22). It is a “tried integrity, a state of mind which has stood the test.” This is done for the purpose of approving, and finding that the person tested meets the specifications, in order for approval to be put upon him. Its results are a spiritual state which has shown itself proof under trial.

        The spiritual metal of the Believer must be tested exactly as any product is tested respecting its veracity. The idea is not that God is to see what the test brings forth, for He already knows. The test is carried out for the benefit of the Believer. It shows us where we are, and we generally find that we are much weaker than we thought.

        The problem of self-reliance rears its ugly head in the Believer just as it does in the unbeliever. Unfortunately, this ever-present problem cannot be rooted out by the laying on of hands, or by the manifestation of any of the Gifts of the Spirit.

        In the natural, these things are somewhat similar to a computer program which says that an instrument or piece of equipment should function in a certain way. Irrespective, the equipment still must be put to the test before it can be released to the public.

        Spiritually we know what Salvation does. The instructions are given to us in the Word of God. However, it is only when we are put to the test that we actually know how well that we have allowed these great qualities to function within our lives. Finding out our weaknesses, which tests will always bring out, keeps the Believer humble and on his knees.

        The phrase, “And experience, hope,” presents the natural product of an approved experience. The experience of what God can do, or rather of what He does, for the Justified amid the tribulations of this life, animates into new vigor the hope with which the Life of Faith begins (Denney). A disapproved experience generates no hope whatsoever, as would be obvious. However, when one is put to the test, and there finding that the Grace of God is sufficient for all things, such causes “hope” to spring forth.

        Job illustrates the discipline of verses 3 and 4. He exercised patience and so had the experience, or proof, that the issue of the Divine action is that God is full of pity and of tender mercy (James 5:11), so that he could boast of the tribulations which had disciplined him, and rejoice in the hope that made him not ashamed (Williams).