The Epistle of ROMANS

Chapter Five *

 

[ * It is recommended that you begin this series of teachings with Romans Chapter One. ]

*** This is a continuance of the previous chapter which ended with Romans 4: 25:  "Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our  justification [when we were justified]."  The key to understanding this is the word 'Therefore' in Romans 5: 1 which is a conjunction. Here again, it is important to remember that chapters, chapter headings, verses, center references, and all punctuation is added by man, and is not  a part of the original God-breathed Word of God.

1 & 2. 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.

Literal 1 - 2: Having been justified therefore by faith (the believing of Jesus Christ), we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: By whom (the Lord Jesus Christ) also we have access also into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice or boast in hope of the glory of God.

The words "by faith" in verse two must be deleted since they are not found in the oldest texts. Because of what Christ did for us, we stand in grace. There is no other way to stand in grace which is God' s divine favor. If you think your stand and approval comes from good works, you will never stand because you will always be bowed over with this burden. Not only do we stand, but we rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

Going back to the latter part of verse one, "we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:" There is no true peace without the prince of peace and what a message this is to our time! To have this peace, Christ must be settled in the innermost resources of our souls AND WE MUST HAVE RENEWED OUR MINDS TO KNOW THAT WE HAVE AND WE ARE WHAT THE WORD OF GOD SAYS. This is what you are doing right now and must continue to do. When the whole world is full of confusion and aggravation, you have peace. Don't let the world drag you into a negative existence. Always remember this analogy as I do when trying to help someone with God's Word.

If the world has gotten a person in a deep hole, you must reach into that hole WITH GOD'S WORD and the love of God in the renewed mind in manifestation. Reach out with the arms of Christ and make every attempt to teach that person God's Word and to pull them out of that pit -- that hole they are in. Pull them out -- UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES SHOULD YOU LET THEM PULL YOU IN THE HOLE WITH THEM!! This can happen to you if you are not spiritually sharp. If you are sharing God's Word with a person who needs help, and they REFUSE to act on what you are teaching them, beware. Believe it or not, some people do not want to get delivered or are simply not ready to believe. Remember, keep that picture in your mind: Your hand is reaching in as deeply as it can holding onto that person and you are pulling them out of the trap they are in, with God's Word. Make sure you do not lose your footing and that person pulls you into that trap with them.

Example: A person has a spirit of negativism and is always condemning and complaining about everything. You share God's Word with them about being thankful, and Philippians 4: 8 and many other Bible principles regarding positive believing and the importance of it. That person REFUSES TO BELIEVE AND ACT on what the Word teaches. God tells you to move on, but your emotions kick in and you go back and try again and again but to no avail. Before you know it, you are also becoming negative and you too find yourself condemning others and constantly complaining. That's the trap. Watch!

You stay peaceful and that settles it. We have peace with God and that is what man's soul is really hungering for. That's why he is looking in all the other fountains but he cannot satisfy the thirst. ONLY TRUTH QUENCHES THIRST!!  And the only truth in the world is God's Word. I cannot help but share this tremendous Scripture with you from Jeremiah about God's fountain compared to man's broken cistern.

Jeremiah 2: 13 -- For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me the fountain [unlimited supply] of living waters, and  hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns [religion, idol worship] that can hold no water.

3. And not only so,  but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience;

Literal: And not only so, but we glory or boast in tribulations also, knowing that tribulation (pressure from evils, affliction, distress) achieves patience or endurance.

We don't look for tribulations by any means but if the adversary loads it on us because of people's unbelief, we don't complain about it. Verse three (3) explains why. Tribulation makes us stand because if we never had an enemy, we wouldn't know what it is to stand. There would be no opportunity to use the power that we have. This is the challenge of tribulation and it builds patience and endurance, experience and hope as seen in verse four.

4. And patience, experience; and experience, hope:

Literal: And endurance achieves experience or proof (tried, approved integrity); and the experience or proof achieves hope.

And the hope of the return of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ is what motivates us to go on. So as a result of tribulation, when endured according to God's Word, it achieves endurance, and endurance achieves proof or experience and that proof or experience achieves hope which we must have to be motivated to do anything.

5. And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is [was] given unto us.

Literal: And the hope of the return of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ does not make one ashamed, disgraced, or dishonored because the love of God in the renewed mind in manifestation is poured out in our hearts by the Holy Ghost (pneuma hagion) which was given unto us. As a result of God giving us Holy Spirit when we believed, by it, the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts.

6. For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.

Literal: For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.

Remember that 'ungodly' is he who actually practices the opposite of what God demands. The term 'without strength' is to be infirm, weak, feeble, impotent, sick. God's timing is perfect and Christ died at the perfect moment in time.

7. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die.

Literal: For scarcely (hardly) for a just (righteous) man will anyone die; yet perhaps on behalf of a good man, some one even might dare to die.

8. But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

Literal: But God favorably introduced His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners (dead in trespasses and sins, without God and without hope), Christ died for us.

9. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.

Literal: Much more then, having been justified now by his blood (Jesus Christ's), we shall absolutely be saved through him from wrath.

There is a difference between tribulation mentioned in Romans 5: 3 and wrath mentioned in the Book of Revelation. We are not going through the wrath period as clearly stated in Romans 5: 9. The wrath period will start after the gathering together. You should review the teaching on THE SEVEN ADMINISTRATIONS once again if you still do not understand this most important point concerning the rightly divided Word of God. With the love of God, I can only share God's Word with you -- I cannot believe it for you.

10. For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.

Literal: For if, being enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled (brought back together with God), we shall be saved by his life.

The word 'saved' means to be made sound or whole and to bestow everlasting life as a result of the resurrection; to bring all positive blessings in the place of condemnation. Verse 9 tells us we are justified and verse 10 says we are reconciled. The very deep meaning of these two words is that JUSTIFIED MEANS TO BE FREED FROM BLAME, TO BE DECLARED GUILTLESS. That is why you should never condemn yourself! How could you when you are not even to blame? When you break fellowship, get right back in and move on. It's always a trick due to a weakness in your renewed mind. Who tricks you? Now how can you ever condemn yourself again?

'RECONCILE' means to bring back together from having been separated. After Adam's fall, man was separated from God; but now, in Christ Jesus, we are brought back together with God.

11. And not only so,  but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement.

Literal: And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom now we have received the atonement (reconciliation).

When we know we are justified and reconciled, we really have joy. Everything is taken care of by Christ Jesus. When you believe the Word of God, you know that your life is in Him; then no fear, worry or guilt can frustrate and defeat you. For a believer there is no want, there is no poverty, there is no sickness, there is no defeat because these were overcome by way of Jesus Christ. Remember, as long as your heart is not condemning or accusing you, then you will have confidence toward God and your prayers will be answered. You should know that you are righteous by now and you have no reason to fear. Keep studying and pounding it into your heart -- the innermost part of your being. You learn by repetition. That is why God goes over a point many, many times. So you do the same and you will see results. Remember, the adversary is often just a big roar -- no bite -- no teeth -- paralyzed power. THE KEY TO YOUR POWER IS THE RENEWED MIND. God will prove this to you not only from His Word, but by actual experiences in your life.

12. Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:

Literal: On this account, as by one man (Adam), sin entered into the world, and through sin, death (thanatos), and thus pervaded (to be prevalent throughout; passed through) all men or the whole human race, inasmuch as all men have sinned.

[The greater part of verses 12 through 17 are taken from the New English Bible Translation.]

The fall of man came in Genesis 3: 6; the death of man in the spirit is in Genesis 2: 17 and 3: 19. What died in Genesis 2: 17? Their SPIRITUAL CONNECTION with God! God took the spirit back. This point is so misunderstood, but you have no shortage of "guessers". When you understand BODY, SOUL, SPIRIT [a teaching available to you], you will have no problem with this verse. The Word of God flows like two bodies of water going in the same direction and meeting at one point. When you renew your mind to the accuracy of the Word of God, your thoughts will also flow in the same manner.

Verses 13 through 17 are a parenthesis which is a figure of speech - in this case meaning an explanation.

13. (For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law.

Literal: (For sin was already in the world before there was the law, though in the absence of law, no reckoning (it is not imputed) is kept of sin.

Why?! Because where there is no law, there can be no transgression. Remember this from Romans 4: 15? However, sin was still in the world before there was the law. It seems that people sinned and weren't aware of it so God is not imputing that sin to their account. This is quite an interesting point. Maybe you can begin to see the importance of understanding The Seven Administrations** and the different set of standards that apply to each one. [** Once again, this important teaching is available to you.]

14. Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come.

Literal: But death reigned from Adam until Moses even upon those who had not sinned in the likeness of the transgression of Adam (disobeying a direct command), who is a figure or overshadows the man who was to come.

The Greek word for 'figure' is tupos from which we get the word 'type'. Adam was the first man and the type; Christ, who came, was the second man.

[ Explanatory Note: With certain sections of Scripture, the New English Bible* does an excellent job giving an understandable translation as compared to the King James version. Also, the NEB* does present many sections of God's Word rightly divided -- which is what matters most. I see no point on trying to improve on that translation in the following 7 verses -- 15 through 21, which will conclude Chapter Five.]

15. But 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.

Literal: But God's act of grace is out of all proportion to Adam's wrongdoing. For if the wrongdoing of that one man brought death upon so many, its effect is vastly exceeded by the grace of God and the gift that came to so many by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ .

16. And not as it was  by one that sinned, so is  the gift: for the judgement was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is  of many offences unto justification.

Literal: And again, the gift of God is not to be compared in its effect with that one man's sin; for the judicial action, following upon the one offence, issued in a verdict of condemnation, but the act of grace, following upon so many misdeeds, issued in a verdict of acquittal.

There is a figure of speech in this verse that is called an ELLIPSIS where a word or words are left out or omitted. As you should remember by now, God marks important points in His Word with figures of speech. This figure, as with all figures of speech, is designed to arrest your attention. It makes you stop and think. I have decided to include a literal translation here from Bullinger's Figures of Speech Used In The Bible, page 111.

Figure of speech literal translation: And not, as the judgement came by one that sinned, does the free gift come by one who was righteous: for the judgement was death after one offence to condemnation, but the free gift is pardon after many offences, unto justification.

17. For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.)

Literal: For if by the wrongdoing of that one man death established its reign, through a single sinner, much more shall those who receive in far greater measure God's grace, and His gift of righteousness, live and reign through the one man, Jesus Christ.)

[This verse concludes the parenthesis. Now, verses 18 through 21 sum up the entire chapter.]

18. Therefore as by the offense of one judgement came  upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came  upon all men unto justification of life.

Literal: It follows, then that as the issue of one misdeed was condemnation for all men, so the issue of one just act is acquittal and life for all men.

19. For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.

Literal: For as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous.

20. Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound:

Literal: Law intruded into this process to multiply law-breaking. But where sin was thus multiplied, grace immeasurably exceeded it.

21. That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.

Literal: In order that, as sin established its reign by way of death, so God's grace might establish its reign in righteousness, and issue in eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

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