Romans - The Hope of Salvation
We've been going through Paul's letter to the Romans, and the
topic today in Romans 5 fits right into the Christmas theme. But
first let us review. The first two and a half chapters of Romans
speak about the human condition, namely that we have all sinned
and come short of the glory of God and that it is not in our
nature to do what is right. In such a state we were enemies of
God, separated from him due to the guilt of our sin and our
unholiness. Thus Isaiah says,
"your
iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have
hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear you."
Is 59:2
But God in his mercy sent His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ who
atoned for sin, satisfying God's judicial nature, and opening
the way to heaven through the forgiveness of sins.
Then in Romans 4 we learned that there is but one condition he
places upon us to receive salvation as a free gift. That one
condition is simply to believe in Jesus, to believe the promise
of God. And thus it is by faith alone that we are saved, apart
from any other regulations. It says in
Romans 4:4-6 "Now when a man works, his wages are not
credited to him as a gift, but as an obligation. However, to
the man who does not work but trusts God who justifies the
wicked, his faith is credited as righteousness. David says the
same thing when he speaks of the blessedness of the man to
whom God credits righteousness apart from works: 'Blessed are
they whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are
covered. Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord will never
count against him.'"
And now we're in Romans 5 which starts,
"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."
Notice - we have been justified. That's a done deal for those
who believe God. Such people are already saved. And consequently
we are at peace with God. And this is not simply of a sense of
tranquility, but rather an ending of hostility. God no longer
has a posture of hostility towards those who believe Him. And
this was accomplished through the cross and activated by your
faith in Jesus Christ. Consequently,
"In
him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom
and confidence" Eph 3:12 As we stand in the
grace of God having been saved by faith.
Now for those who have come to embrace that truth, we rejoice in
the hope of the glory of God. By "hope" the Bible doesn't mean
what people often refer to as "hope" today. Today people may say
"I hope that will happen". What they mean "I wish that will
happen" or "I wish that were true". That's not the hope the
Bible is talking about. Rather hope refers to the feeling of
anticipation of that which you are confident will occur. It's
like the feeling kids have on Christmas Eve in anticipation of
what presents they may have when they wake up in the morning. So
also for those who have put their faith in Christ, we anticipate
a joyful awaking from the dead unto glory. Put your faith in the
blood of Jesus to redeem you and put your hope in the promise of
eternal life and you will not be disappointed.
And you find this even in the Old Testament, like when the angel
told Daniel,
"Multitudes who sleep in the
dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others
to shame and everlasting contempt. Those who are wise will
shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead
many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever."
Dan 12:2,3 or in the book of Job who declared,
"I know that my Redeemer lives, and that in
the end he will stand upon the earth. And after my skin has
been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God; I myself will
see him with my own eyes— I, and not another. How my heart
yearns within me!" Job 19:25-27 Does your
heart yearn within you for the glory to come? That is the
Christian's hope.
And this even despite the sufferings we face now. For the
sufferings we face now only serve to enhance our convictions.
Thus Paul continues in Romans 5 to say,
"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 gift of the Holy Spirit is yet another part of the whole
salvation package we have received. But that I'll get into more
in chapters 6 to 8. But of sufferings we believers experience in
this life, James likewise writes,
"Consider
it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many
kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith
develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so
that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything."
Jam 1:2-4
The Christian's hope is not primarily about this life. In view
of his sufferings Paul writes,
"If only
for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more
than all men. But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead,
the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep." 1Cor 15:19,20
As we continue in
Romans 5:6-8 Paul goes on to say,
"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." And this goes along with the point he made in
Romans
4:5 saying,
"to the man who does
not work but trusts God who justifies the wicked, his faith is
credited as righteousness." This is the ultimate in
graciousness. And let us not belittle God's graciousness by
assuming our salvation were a matter of some ritual or some acts
of goodness on our part. God went through alot to make salvation
free to the glory of His gracious nature.
Paul's own jailer once asked him,
"What
must I do to be saved?" He responded, "Believe on the Lord
Jesus Christ, and you will be saved." You who have
believed in Jesus for salvation, you have been saved, and no one
can take that from you. And if there are those who have yet to
believe, believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be
saved.
And Paul continues in
Romans 5:9-11
"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! Not only is this so, but we also
rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we
have now received reconciliation."