The Result of Justification (10): Salvation from Wrath

 

 

"Since we have now been justified by His blood, how much more shall we be

saved from God's wrath through Him" (Romans 5:9).

 

 

Romans 5:9, which states, “Since we have now been justified by His blood, how much more shall we be saved from God's wrath through Him,” and Romans 5:1, which says, “Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,” share similarities and differences:

  1. Similarities: Both passages refer to “we” (Romans 5:1, 9). This “we” refers to the past “we” before believing in Jesus, when we were still weak (Romans 5:6), sinners (Romans 5:8), and enemies of God (Romans 5:10). This “we” indicates those whose communion with God was severed, leaving our souls in a state of spiritual death, deserving of eternal punishment in the pit of hell.

  2. Differences:

    • In Romans 5:1, we are justified through faith.

    • In Romans 5:9, we are justified by His (Jesus') blood. Here, “His blood” refers to the blood of Jesus Christ, the Passover Lamb. This is the blood that takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29).

    The blood of the Passover lamb refers to the lamb whose blood was smeared on the doorposts during the 10th plague in Egypt, where Moses instructed the elders of Israel to, “Go and select lambs for your families and slaughter the Passover lamb” (Exodus 12:21). This points to the true Passover Lamb, Jesus Christ, whose blood was shed for the world’s sins. Jesus’ blood is the sacrifice that reconciles us with God (1 John 2:2).

    Jesus, the Passover Lamb, died on the cross for us (Romans 5:8), making peace between us and God (Romans 5:10).

The Power of Jesus’ Blood

The blood of Jesus is powerful. His precious blood possesses incredible power. The power of His blood cleanses all our sins. It is the blood that justifies sinners who were once enemies of God. It is the blood that satisfies God’s wrath and forgives our sins, making us righteous. Even after this, Jesus’ blood continues to work in our lives, reigning over our actions and guiding our lives.

Here, “blood” refers to life. Now, through Jesus' blood, that is, through His life, we have been justified (Romans 5:9). Through Jesus Christ, we have received life (Romans 5:17, Modern Translation). This “life” is the eternal life God gives us freely through Jesus Christ (Romans 6:23, Modern Translation). We are no longer spiritually dead, separated from God, but now, through Jesus, we have been reconciled with God (Romans 5:9, Modern Translation).

Now, through the Holy Spirit that God has given us (Romans 5:5, Modern Translation), we are able to pour out His love into our hearts. This same Spirit, the Spirit of Jesus, enables us to call God “Abba, Father” (Galatians 4:6, New Translation; see also Romans 8:15).

The blood of Jesus Christ refers to the life of Jesus Christ. The blood of Jesus Christ is the blood of the Passover Lamb, it is powerful blood, and it is the blood that justifies the sinner who was an enemy of God. Let us look at Hebrews 9:14: "How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?" (Modern translation: "How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?").

The Holy Spirit is the one who allowed the Virgin Mary to conceive Jesus (Matthew 1:18, 20), and He was with Jesus throughout His 33 years on Earth. The Holy Spirit was also with Him when Jesus bled and died on the cross. How can we fully understand the power, strength, and work of the blood of Jesus Christ? With this blood, He has redeemed us from all our sins and set us free from sin. Through this blood, sinners who were destined for eternal punishment have been justified (Romans 5:1, 9). Through this blood, we have been reconciled with God and have peace with Him (Romans 5:1). Through this blood, we have gained access to the grace in which we stand by faith (Romans 5:2). The power of this blood continues to work in our lives, leading us to approach the throne of God. Through this blood, we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God (Romans 5:2). Through this blood, we can even rejoice in our sufferings (Romans 5:3). For example, Job, in the book of Job, praised and worshiped God in the midst of his suffering (Job 1:20-21). Through this blood, perseverance produces character, and character produces hope (Romans 5:4).

In Romans 5:9, it says, “We shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him.” Here, “wrath” refers to the wrath of God. In the Old Testament, there are more than 20 references to God’s wrath, and when these are combined, they total around 580 times. The word “wrath” in the New Testament appears twice in Romans:

  1. One is the “present wrath”, which refers to the wrath God has already poured out in the past, is continuing in the present, and will continue in the future. Romans 1:18 says: "For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness."

  2. The other is the “final wrath”, which refers to the wrath God the Father will pour out during the final judgment. Romans 2:5 says: "But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God."

The “wrath of God” spoken of in Romans 5:9 is not the “present wrath” but the “final wrath” mentioned in Romans 2:5, which refers to the final judgment of God. The "day of the righteous judgment of God" mentioned in Romans 2:5 is the final judgment day, known as the Great White Throne Judgment. In Revelation 20:12 it says: "And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works."

Who will judge? The Judge of the final judgment is God the Father. Who will be judged? "The dead" (Revelation 20:12), meaning all people from the first human, Adam, to the last person will be judged. How will they be judged? They will be judged according to the books that the Lord has written. In these books, there is a record for each person, like an autobiography, containing all their sins from the past, present, and future, from birth to death. That is why we will sing the hymn, "All I Have Done is Sin," until the day we die, because everything we have done, are doing, and will do is only sin.

Therefore, we were all sinners who deserved to receive the final wrath of God, but Jesus Christ, by shedding His precious blood on the cross, has justified us. Through Jesus' blood, we have been justified and will also be saved from the final wrath of God (Romans 5:9). Before, we were written in those books (Revelation 20:12), meaning we were those whose names were not written in the book of life, and were destined to be thrown into the lake of fire (Revelation 20:15). But only through the precious blood of Jesus Christ on the cross, we have been written in another book, the book of life (Revelation 20:12), the book of the Lamb’s life (Revelation 21:27), and therefore, we will enter the holy city, the New Jerusalem, that comes down from heaven, the city where God’s glory is (Revelation 21:10, 11, 26, 27).

Romans 5:9 speaks of "salvation." The word "salvation" appears five times as a noun and eight times as a verb in the book of Romans. An example of "salvation" used as a noun is Romans 1:16: "For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile."

Looking at the eight occurrences of "salvation" as a verb, it is used once in the past tense and seven times in the future tense. The past salvation, which means salvation that has already been obtained, is used exactly once in Romans. See Romans 8:24: "For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have?" We have already obtained salvation through hope, through the blood of Jesus Christ.

The future salvation, which means salvation that will be received in the future, is used seven times in Romans. See Romans 5:10: "For if, while 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!" Here, "salvation" refers to the salvation we will receive in the future, specifically the completion of salvation, where we will not face the final wrath in God's ultimate judgment, but will instead be saved by the power of Christ's blood (Romans 5:9).

In the Bible, salvation refers to the past, present, and future.

(1) Past Salvation:
When we believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of God, by God's grace, we have already received this salvation. See 1 John 5:12-13: "Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life." This verse clearly states that those who believe in Jesus, the Son of God, already have eternal life (salvation). Past salvation means that we have already been justified (Romans 5:9).

(2) Present Salvation:

The Bible says, "Work out your salvation" (Philippians 2:12). Salvation is not something that people can achieve, but rather something that God accomplishes. Look at Jonah 2:9: "...salvation belongs to the LORD" [(Modern translation) "Salvation is given by the LORD"]. Also, look at Revelation 7:10: "And crying out with a loud voice, saying, 'Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.'" From these verses, we can clearly understand that salvation is something that God accomplishes (gives), and that we, as sinners, cannot save ourselves through our own efforts (good works).

But why did the Apostle Paul tell the believers in the church of Philippi, "Work out your salvation"? (Philippians 2:12). To understand the meaning of this verse, we need to have a clear understanding of what "salvation" is. In the Old Testament, the word "salvation" comes from the Hebrew word "Yeshua", which means to rescue from sin and from dangerous circumstances. In the New Testament, the word "salvation" comes from the Greek word "soteria", which refers to being rescued from the punishment (penalty) of sin, from the power of sin, and from a sinful lifestyle, leading to eternal life as citizens of heaven (according to online sources).

What does salvation mean based on Romans 5:6, 8, and 10? Let’s look at Romans 5:6: "For when we were still without strength (helpless), in due time Christ died for the ungodly." In light of this verse, salvation means that, in our complete helplessness and ungodliness, God helped us, and through Christ's death, He rescued us from our weakness and made us godly.

Now, look at Romans 5:8: "But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." In light of this verse, salvation means that, as sinners, God loved us so much that He allowed His only Son, Jesus Christ, to die on the cross for us, and thus, we were justified (Romans 5:9). This means that salvation not only refers to being rescued from the penalty of sin, the power of sin, and a sinful life but also includes the fact that we are declared righteous before God.

Now, look at Romans 5:10: "For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life." In light of this verse, salvation means that, while we were enemies of God, God reconciled us to Himself through the death of His only Son, Jesus, and made us His children.

The present tense salvation, that is, "Work out your salvation" (Philippians 2:12), can be interpreted as "achieve eternal life." The reason I think this is because when we look at the Bible verses that speak of salvation in the future tense, salvation refers to the time when Jesus returns (the Second Coming), and He will lead us to the eternal heavenly kingdom where we will live forever. At the same time, according to 1 John 5:12-13, we already have eternal life (salvation) because we believe in Jesus.

Therefore, both past and future salvation, when we understand "salvation" as "eternal life," can be consistently understood when we look at what Paul says in Philippians 2:12 about "working out your salvation." In other words, "Work out your salvation" can be interpreted as "achieve eternal life." If we apply this to ourselves, this verse could be understood as: "Live as those who have eternal life." In short, it means, "Live as citizens of the kingdom of heaven."

(3) Future Salvation:

The Bible also tells us that we will receive salvation in the future. Let’s look at Acts 16:31: “They said, 'Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household.'” Also, Romans 10:9 says: “If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” These two verses do not say that we have already received salvation by believing in the Lord Jesus; rather, they speak in the future tense, saying that we will be saved.

The future salvation here refers to the fact that, when Jesus returns to this earth (His second coming), He will glorify us (Romans 8:30) and lead us to the eternal heavenly kingdom, where we will live forever. Future salvation refers to the salvation that we will receive in the future (Romans 5:9). In other words, future salvation points to the completion of our salvation.

The future salvation mentioned in Romans 5:9 is even more certain than past salvation. This is why the Apostle Paul says in Romans 8:30: “Moreover, whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.” The phrase “whom He predestined” refers to those whom God loved and chose before the foundation of the world (Ephesians 1:4). “Whom He called” means that God, by His love, made the chosen people believe in Jesus Christ. “Whom He justified” means that by the blood of Jesus Christ, God justified the chosen people who believed in Him. “Whom He glorified” refers to the future salvation where, at the final judgment and the final wrath, God will save us. The reason Paul says “He glorified them” in the past tense is because our salvation (and its completion) is so certain that it is declared as already accomplished.

Let’s look at Ephesians 2:5-6: “Even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus.” We have already received salvation by God’s grace. He made us alive together with Christ, referring to our regeneration and resurrection. “And raised us up together” refers to Christ’s ascension. Therefore, we are already seated with Christ in the heavenly places, meaning that we have been saved from God’s final wrath. The certainty that we will receive the completion of our salvation and enter heaven is assured.

We have been justified by the blood of Jesus Christ (Romans 5:9). All of our sins have been forgiven, and we have been justified. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, we have been reconciled with God (Romans 5:10) and now enjoy peace with Him (Romans 5:1). Moreover, we have access into God’s holy presence and the throne of grace (Romans 5:2). We also rejoice in the hope of the glory of God (Romans 5:2) and even in tribulation (Romans 5:3), knowing that tribulation produces perseverance, perseverance character, and character hope (Romans 5:3-4). Through the eternal Holy Spirit and the powerful blood of Jesus Christ, we now serve the living God (Hebrews 9:14).

Therefore, we serve the Lord with gratitude, even without recognition, and we must spread the gospel of Jesus Christ while loving our neighbors. Even if we go through difficulties, trials, and adversities—like walking through the valley of the shadow of death (Psalm 23:4)—we must live victorious lives, empowered by the blood of Jesus Christ and the strength of God’s salvation.

We should thank God because, through Jesus Christ, we will be saved even from the final judgment and wrath. We have already received salvation through Jesus' death on the cross, and as those who will receive future salvation, we must live a life that fulfills salvation in the present. In other words, we are those who have already received eternal life, and as citizens of heaven, we will live eternally in heaven when salvation is fully realized. Therefore, while we are still on earth, we must live as true citizens of heaven.

Living as citizens of heaven means obeying the twofold command of Jesus. Let’s look at Matthew 22:37-39: “Jesus said to him, 'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.' This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'”

  1. Past love: When we were saved by believing in Jesus, God gave us the Holy Spirit, and through the Holy Spirit, God has already poured His love into our hearts (Romans 5:5).

  2. Future love: When we receive salvation at the second coming of Jesus, the Holy Spirit will fully enable us to obey the twofold command of Jesus, which is the law of heaven. He will cause us to love God with perfect love and to love our neighbors with perfect love when we enter heaven.

  3. Present love: The eschatological Holy Spirit now dwells in us, and He is bearing the fruit of love in our hearts (Galatians 5:22). The Holy Spirit enables us to obey Jesus' twofold command, and we must live according to the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:16). In other words, we must be led by the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:18) and live by the Spirit and walk in the Spirit (Galatians 5:25). When we do so, our hearts will be transformed to resemble heaven, our homes will become heavenly, and our church will become a community that reflects the kingdom of heaven.

We must boast in Jesus and proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ. In the midst of the global crisis caused by the coronavirus, as we pray for the nations and for the world, we must share the gospel with everyone who is facing difficulties. Let’s look at Matthew 24:14: “And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.” Also, in Acts 1:8, it says: “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”