“If we believe on Him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; who was delivered for our offenses, and raised again for our justification. Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: by whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also; knowing that tribulation worketh patience; and patience, experience; and experience, hope: and hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given to us” (Rom. 4:24-25; 5:1524But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; 25Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification. (Romans 4:24‑25)
15But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many. (Romans 5:15)).
We commence with, “If we believe on Him that raised up Jesus our Lord.” We believe on Him who is God, the source of all, acting in divine power, raising the One who was delivered for our offences. This act is God’s approval and satisfaction of the work of Christ on the cross, answering to the type of the Red Sea. The “therefore” of Romans 5:11Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: (Romans 5:1) is the first consequence of this — justification. This is righteousness imputed to us. A righteous God imputes righteously His own righteousness to us on the principle of faith. Not only are our sins forgiven, but He looks upon us in all the perfection of Christ Himself. Through the work of Christ, like the prodigal, we are given the best robe. Merit, acquirement or works on our part have no place here. This constitutes the believer’s standing before God, based on Christ’s work, and is therefore settled and unchanging.
The passage now sets before us seven blessed results of this justification which are divided into two parts — the first three and the last four. The first three, “We have peace with God,” “access by faith into this grace wherein we stand,” and “rejoice in hope of the glory of God” apply to our past, present and future.
#1: Peace With God
“We have peace with God,” the first consequence of justification, is that God removed, and eternally removed, the reproach of guilt on our consciences before Him who is holy. Not only are we justified before a holy God, but that God against whom we had sinned has Himself justified us. Old Testament saints had forgiveness governmentally, and thus only in a temporary or limited way. The three instances of forgiveness during the Lord’s life would go further than that of the Old Testament saints. The man with the palsy in Luke 5 certainly teaches governmental forgiveness, but may also have been judicial. The other two cases, the woman who was a sinner in Luke 7 and the disciples in John 20:2323Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained. (John 20:23), were judicial and anticipated the true Christian position—the work of Christ, His ascension and the descent of the Holy Spirit. But we who live in the Christian era are eternally and judicially forgiven, and God will never raise with us the question of our sins. Indeed, He looks at us now as “in Christ.” This is peace with God.
#2: Access to True Grace
“By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand.” Our present standing before God is in grace, and the favor and love of God rest uninterruptedly upon us. Nothing can impair or impeach this. We got into this position by faith and certainly not by our own works. This is not enjoyment, for had it been enjoyment it would have said “by the Spirit.” No doubt this standing gives us great enjoyment, but we enter this standing by faith. This is the true grace of God wherein we stand (1 Peter 5:12).
#3: the Hope of Glory
This brings us to the third result. The first had more to do with the past, the second is our present standing, and undoubtedly the third has the future in view. “And rejoice in hope of the glory of God.” The future display of kingdom glory is where Christ will have the central and prominent place — God’s answer to the cross. This is our hope and we now rejoice in this bright future prospect when we shall be with and like Christ.
The first three results of justification have to do with the soul’s relationship with God, but the last four have more to do with God entering into our wilderness experience on our behalf. These last four are presented as normal Christian experience with development of soul maturity and a deep sense of God’s love by the indwelling Spirit. These begin with, “And not only so.” Justification has already given us blessed results, but more follow.
#4: Tribulation Works Patience
“But we glory in tribulations also.” The “but” suggests something contrary to what is normal. Why so? Because of His great work on the cross, we are able thus to glory in the midst of scenes of opposition and personal stress. There are cases when we look back with gratitude and praise at God’s past deliverance, and there are many examples of this in the Word. But this is not the case here. This passage informs us that when we are actually in these adversities, we glory. We rise above the plight and sorrows when we are in them and glory not with self-satisfaction, but in the One in whom we have been consciously sustained. “Who passing through the valley of Baca make it a well” (Psa. 84:66Who passing through the valley of Baca make it a well; the rain also filleth the pools. (Psalm 84:6)).
Knowing that “tribulation worketh patience [or endurance].” It is a deeper experience to go through the storm with the Lord in the boat than to see the Lord exercise divine power in quelling the storm. Having been with God in the many and various trials that we are called on to encounter, endurance is the outcome. Trials which in earlier times would have distressed and perplexed us are now entered into with God, and this gives the valuable moral trait of endurance. The words, “Thou art with me” (Psa. 23:44Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. (Psalm 23:4)), have had their reward with us. We now know that endurance has been acquired by passing through tribulation with the Lord, and this is valuable in soul history. All this is based on justification.
#5: Patience Works Experience
“And patience experience.” This does not mean that we are occupied with experience so much as it teaches us what experience produces and indicates a deeper acquaintance with the God whom we have been brought to know, a more intimate communion with Him whose wisdom, power and love we have learned to know in all adverse circumstances and who has only our richest blessing in view. This brings us nearer to a God whose ear is always ready to listen to us and whose ceaseless presence with us is a constant comfort. It is not now a question of trials, vicissitudes, anxieties and sorrows, but the God whose love we have learned so well in all these and above all these. In fact, it is Himself and His presence which gives us experience of the richest value. We know Him that is from the beginning, that is, Christ.
#6: Experience Works Hope
“Experience, hope.” Passing through the many and varied trials, exercises and sorrows of the wilderness with God, we learn what the world is like without God, and we long for a better one. This engenders hope; then again, having passed through the wilderness with God and having been accustomed to His support and presence, hope looms before us of being with this One whom we now know so well, only in a more congenial environment and atmosphere.
#7: Not Ashamed of Our Hope
“Hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given to us.” The hope of coming glory of which Christ is the center is assured to our hearts; therefore, we are not ashamed. Being confident regarding this hope and knowing that we shall not be put to shame gives assurance in our testimony before men. The love of God is the source of all. This, in the first place, brought about our justification in Christ. There this love is set forth objectively, but now, blessed be God, His love is shed abroad in our hearts. Here it is subjective — what an experience! What a reality! The first time in this wonderful epistle the love of God is mentioned, it is shed abroad in our hearts. It tells us it is by the Holy Spirit which is given to us. Here it is not new birth, but the indwelling of the Spirit, the result of the acceptance of Christ’s work. The scriptural principle is “washing [with] water,” “sprinkled with blood,” “anointed with oil.” This is a divine principle and concludes the seven results of justification.
R. H. Craggs, adapted