Comprehensive Doctrine of Justification (20)
[Romans 5:1]
We are contemplating nine sub-themes under the overarching theme of "Comprehensive Doctrine of Justification": (1) "The Necessity of Justification." Due to everyone having sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (Rom. 3:23), absolute justification is required for "all people." (2) "The Originator of Justification." The originator of justification is God the Father. He is declared righteous (v. 2). (3) "The Foundation of Justification." The foundation of justification is exclusively Jesus Christ. God the Father justifies sinners based on the atoning sacrifice and propitiation of Jesus Christ. (4) "The Method of Justification." We receive the justification provided by God the Father through faith alone (v. 22). (5) "The Universality of Justification." As God the Father is righteous, everything He does is fair. Therefore, there is no discrimination in the "righteousness of God" (justification) given to "all who believe" in Jesus Christ (v. 22). (6) "The Purpose of Justification." The dual purpose of justification is to manifest that God is righteous and to justify those who believe in Jesus (v. 26). (7) "The Exemplification of Justification." The Apostle Paul cites Abraham as an example of righteousness. Abraham did not receive righteousness by observing circumcision or keeping the law but solely through God's complete grace, as he "believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness" (4:3).
Today, I would like to meditate on the eighth sub-theme under the overarching theme of "The Comprehensive Doctrine of Justification," focusing on Romans 5:1, which is "The Result of Justification." Romans 5:1 says, "Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ." The conjunction "Therefore" connects the teachings in Romans 4 and 5. Let's briefly reflect on Romans 4:23-25. About 2,000 years ago, Abraham, the exemplification of righteousness, believed in God, and it was counted to him as righteousness (vv. 22-23; see also verse 3). This was not only for Abraham but also for us who believe in him who raised from the dead Jesus our Lord (v. 24). Here, "us" refers to not only the Apostle Paul and the saints in the Roman church but all who believe in him who raised from the dead Jesus our Lord (v. 24) [Note: Rom. 8:11 states, "If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you"]. This refers to God the Father. Acts 3:15 says, "and you killed the Author of life, whom God raised from the dead. To this, we are witnesses." Jesus surrendered Himself because of our sins (Rom. 4:25). Here, "surrendered Himself" is explained in Romans 8:32, where it says that God the Father "did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all." In other words, God the Father gave His Son, Jesus Christ, to be crucified, shedding His blood because of our sins. "Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God" (5:1).
If we look at Romans 3:21 onwards, the Bible speaks of us being justified by faith. We have been justified by faith in Jesus Christ, without discrimination (v. 22). We have received justification by God's grace, freely and without cost (v. 24). In this way, through God's grace and by believing in Jesus Christ, we have received justification, and the immediate result of this justification is to "have peace with God" (5:1). Originally, before Adam and Eve committed sin by disobeying God's command (Gen. 2:17) and eating from the forbidden tree (3:6), they enjoyed peace with God in the Garden of Eden. However, due to their disobedience, sin entered the world (Rom. 5:12), and they were expelled from the Garden of Eden (Gen. 3:23). Consequently, not only Adam and Eve but all humanity, as descendants of Adam, became enemies of God (Rom. 5:12). When we became enemies of God, God's Son, who is the "mediator between God and mankind" (1 Tim. 2:5), Jesus Christ, became the intermediary. Through His sacrificial death on the cross, we were justified before God (Rom. 5:9), reconciled with God (v. 10), and obtained peace with God (v. 1). 2 Corinthians 5:18 states, "All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation." Jesus Christ, the mediator, shed His blood on the cross to reconcile us with God, and God has entrusted us with the ministry of reconciliation (2 Cor. 5:18).
Therefore, we must be reconciled with God. We are called to love God with all our heart, soul, and mind (Mt. 22:37). This is a life that achieves peace with God. Additionally, we are commanded to love our neighbors as ourselves (v. 39). By doing so, we can live in harmony, avoiding discord and enmity with our neighbors, and instead experience reconciliation and peace. As those who have already received God's love, we are continually recipients of God's love today, tomorrow, and for eternity. Hence, we not only enjoy peace with God now but will continue to do so forever. In this way, sinners who were once enemies of God, through the sacrificial death on the cross by Jesus Christ, have been reconciled with God. Therefore, we should live by loving God and our neighbors, enjoying peace with God. We are to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ to our neighbors, aiming to bring those who have not yet believed in Jesus and received justification into reconciliation with God. We pray that God enables us to live a worthy life, proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ, so that His chosen people may hear the Gospel, believe in Jesus Christ, receive justification, and ultimately experience peace with God.