New Testament Commentary - Romans 5

by Don R. Hender

Scriptural Text [& Editorial]	Commentary & Explanation	Footnotes ~ References ~ JST
CHAPTER 5 Man is justified through the blood of Christ—Adam fell, and Christ atoned that man might be saved.
1 THEREFORE being ^ajustified by ^bfaith^a, we have ^cpeace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: 2 By whom also we have access by ^afaith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.	1^a being justified by faith Natural or corruptable mortal man is fallen from the presencne of God in and through that action of transgression of Adam and Eve. As such man stands apart from God never able of his ownself to return. Only through and in the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ who is the same as Jehovah of the Old Testament, is fallen man 'justified' by the grace and mercy of that atonement able to stand again in the presence of God, and only to the extent that man does exercise 'faith in the Lord Jesus Christ'. And while the atonement and resurrection of Jesus Christ does allow man to raise again to immortality and to thus stand before God in judgment. That initial level of 'salvation' does not automatically grant exhaltation or the higher rewards which God may bestow. All men through Jesus Christ our Lord will be brought to stand before God unto judgment, there to be further judged and rewarded according to their works and faithful desires in the Lord. Even Pual, who ephasized before the Jews that they could not of their ownselfs effect their salvation through the works of the flesh alone; they could not by keeping the 613 commands of God alone expect salvation and exhaltation. Only by and through the merits of Christ the Redeemer is man made justified before God to return from the fall. And then once returned to immortality, man's further reward and position is then determind according to the true works of faith, for faith without works is dead and availeth little, only to the resurrection and the lowliest kingdom of reward and glory.
3 And not only so, but we glory in ^atribulations also: knowing that ^btribulation worketh ^cpatience; 4 And patience, experience; and experience, hope: 5 And ^ahope maketh not ashamed; because the ^blove of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.
6 For when we were yet without ^astrength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. 8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet ^asinners, ^bChrist died for us.
9 Much more then, being now ^ajustified by his ^bblood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. 10 For if, when we were enemies, we were ^areconciled to God by the ^bdeath of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. 11 And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the ^aatonement.
12 Wherefore, as by one man ^asin entered into the world, and ^bdeath by sin; and so ^cdeath passed upon all men, for that all have ^dsinned: 13 (For until the law sin was in the world: but ^asin is not imputed when there is no ^blaw.
14 Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's ^atransgression, who is the ^bfigure of him that was to come. 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 ^aone man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many. 16 And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift: for the judgment was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offences unto justification.
17 For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of ^agrace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.) 18 Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the ^arighteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.
19 For as by one man's ^adisobedience many were made sinners, so by the ^bobedience of one shall many be made righteous. 20 Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound: 21 That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through ^arighteousness unto ^beternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.