“And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance” (Romans 5:3).

At first glance, the next benefit conferred upon us through faith in Christ may not seem very beneficial. That benefit is the ability to “…rejoice in our sufferings” (ESV). While this might lead some to conclude that only a masochistic personality would rejoice in suffering, the wisdom of this teaching hinges on a shift in our perspective.

To illustrate this concept, let’s consider Jesus’ parable of the two houses from Matthew 7:24-27…

“Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock. But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall.”

We should notice that the storms that battered these homes shared the same destructive characteristics. However, one remained standing while the other collapsed. The difference was in the underlying foundation that supported them. The immediate takeaway from this parable is obvious: a life that is built upon the solid foundation of Jesus’ teachings can withstand the storms of life.

However, there is a secondary aspect to this parable that relates to our text from Romans 5:3. For instance, the homeowner whose home remained intact surely did not rejoice in the storm itself. However, that homeowner could rejoice in the fact that his or her home withstood the ravages of a terrible storm and still remained intact.

With this in mind, we can say that Romans 5:3 does not lead us to “exult in our sufferings” (AMP) in the way that a masochist welcomes the application of pain. Instead, we can find satisfaction in the beneficial effects those sufferings produce. While tribulations may be a fact of life in a fallen world, we can take comfort in knowing that there is a benevolent Creator who works all things together for our good (Romans 8:28), even if we struggle to understand why things sometimes happen as they do.

As Charles Spurgeon, the famous 19th-century commentator once observed, “You cannot learn to swim on dry land, and you cannot learn to be patient without having something to endure.” ₍₁₎

(1) Spurgeon, C. H. (1901). A DOOR OF HOPE. In Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit (Vol. 47). [pg.9] Sermon #2750

“through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God” (Romans 5:2).

In addition to peace with God, Romans 5:2 also tells us that we have the extraordinary privilege of direct access to God through faith in Christ. Another translation of Romans 5:2 highlights this aspect of our relationship with God in the following manner: “Through Christ we can approach God  and stand in his favor” (GW).

In the original language of this passage, the word “access” conveys the assured demeanor of one who steps into the presence of a royal dignitary. It also expresses the idea of continual admission into that royal presence. ₍₁₎ So, much like a young son or daughter who enjoys intimate access to a parent who serves as a head of state, we enjoy access to God’s presence through faith in Christ as well.

The following source expands on this idea with a lengthy quote that illuminates this concept for the benefit of a contemporary audience…

“The word he uses for introduction is prosagoge, (G4318). It is a word with two great pictures in it. (i) It is the regular word for introducing or ushering someone into the presence of royalty; and it is the regular word for the approach of the worshipper to God. It is as if Paul was saying, ‘Jesus ushers us into the very presence of God. He opens the door for us to the presence of the King of Kings; and when that door is opened what we find is grace; not condemnation, not judgment, not vengeance, but the sheer, undeserved, incredible kindness of God.’

But prosagoge (G4318) has another picture in it. In late Greek it is the word for the place where ships come in, a harbour or a haven. If we take it that way, it means that so long as we tried to depend on our own efforts we were tempest-tossed, like mariners striving with a sea which threatened to overwhelm them completely, but now that we have heard the word of Christ, we have reached at last the haven of God’s grace, and we know the calm of depending, not on what we can do for ourselves, but on what God has done for us.” ₍₂₎

In the words of one New Testament scholar, “The French have a word for this, entree. And that is exactly what our Lord does for a believing sinner. He clothes him with Himself as his righteousness, cleanses him in His own precious blood, and brings him into the full favor (grace charis) of God the Father.” ₍₃₎

(1) See G4318 – prosagoge – Strong’s Greek Lexicon (KJV). (n.d.). Blue Letter Bible. https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g4318/kjv/tr/0-1/

(2) Barclay, William. “Commentary on Romans 2”. “William Barclay’s Daily Study Bible”. https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/eng/dsb/romans-5.html . 1956-1959.

(1) Kenneth S. Wuest, Word Studies in the Greek New Testament [Romans 5:2] Copyright © 1942-55 by Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.

“Therefore, since we have been declared righteous by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:1 NET).

As we close our brief discussion of peace from Romans 5:1, we can turn our attention to a meaningful observation from the Old Testament prophet Isaiah. In an era that was characterized by spiritual complacency, Isaiah cast his gaze toward a future monarch who would reign with righteousness. In doing so, Isaiah described the lasting impact of that leader’s reign…

“The result of righteousness will be peace; the effect of righteousness will be quiet confidence forever” (Isaiah 32:17 CSB).

From a New Testament perspective, we can understand why the “…effect of righteousness will be quiet confidence forever.” The assurance we have in Christ means we are no longer burdened by the prospect of divine judgment and its associated consequences. Since He has absorbed God’s wrath for our sins, we can enjoy “quiet confidence forever.”

The Living Bible paraphrase of 1 John 4:17-18 communicates a similar idea…

“And as we live with Christ, our love grows more perfect and complete; so we will not be ashamed and embarrassed at the day of judgment, but can face him with confidence and joy because he loves us and we love him too. We need have no fear of someone who loves us perfectly; his perfect love for us eliminates all dread of what he might do to us. If we are afraid, it is for fear of what he might do to us and shows that we are not fully convinced that he really loves us.”

So, we can obtain peace with God through faith in Christ. Centuries ago, Matthew Henry made several notable observations on this subject in his commentary on Romans 5:1…

“It is sin that breeds the quarrel between us and God… Justification takes away the guilt, and so makes way for peace. …There is more in this peace than barely a cessation of enmity, there is friendship and loving-kindness, for God is either the worst enemy or the best friend. …Christ has called his disciples friends, Joh 15:13-15. And surely a man needs no more to make him happy than to have God his friend! But this is through our Lord Jesus Christ – through him as the great peace-maker, the Mediator between God and man…” ₍₁₎

In the words of another ancient commentator, “Faith gives us peace with God because it reconciles us to him by taking away those sins that had made us his enemies.” ₍₂₎

See related study from Colossians chapter three beginning here.

(1) Henry, M. (1996, March 1). Commentary on Romans 5. Blue Letter Bible. https://www.blueletterbible.org/Comm/mhc/Rom/Rom_005.cfm

(2) Ambrosiaster, Commentaries on Romans-2 Corinthians, quoted in ESV Church History Study Bible: Voices from the Past, Wisdom for the Present. (2023). Crossway. p.1692

“Therefore, since we have been declared righteous by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:1 HCSB).

There are no shortages of those who seek to portray God as a being who capriciously seeks to punish others. As we reflect on that appraisal of God’s character, it’s important to allow the Scriptures to inform our thinking regarding that type of characterization.

To begin, we should first acknowledge that “…God is angry with the wicked every day” according to Psalm 7:11. Paul the Apostle also spent a considerable portion of Romans chapter one discussing God’s wrath against those who “…suppress the truth in unrighteousness” (Romans 1:18). So, it’s clear that a substantial rift exists between God and human beings in their unrepentant state.

However, the key word in this depiction is the word “capriciously.” A capricious person is someone who is distinguished by sudden or unpredictable changes in attitude or behavior. ₍₁₎ Synonyms for “capricious” include words like erratic, impulsive, and arbitrary.

This brings us to the issue with that assessment, for our tour through the book of Romans has shown that evaluation of God’s character to be highly inaccurate. For instance, consider those who are subject to God’s wrath as described earlier in Romans chapter one. Those individuals…

• “…know the truth about God because he has made it obvious to them” (Romans 1:19 NLT).
• “…are without excuse (Romans 1:20).
• “…changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man” (Romans 1:23).
• “…exchanged the truth of God for the lie” (Romans 1:25).
• “…did not like to retain God in their knowledge” (Romans 1:28).

Thus, we can say that God does not direct His wrath towards such individuals without just cause.

While God will certainly act to punish evil, injustice, and disobedience, the Scriptures tell us that He desires to establish a state of peace and reconciliation with the members of His human creation, In addition to what we read here in Romans 5:1, the New Testament Scriptures also identify God as “the God of peace” on five separate occasions. ₍₂₎

Furthermore, God demonstrated His desire for peace with us through Jesus’ sacrificial death on the cross. The Apostle Paul expressed this idea in Ephesians 2:14 in speaking of the different ethnicities that existed within the ancient church: “Christ is our peace. He made both Jews and Gentiles into one group. With his body, he broke down the barrier of hatred that divided us” (CEB).

So, real peace is available to us through faith in Christ. Those who place their faith in Him can escape God’s justifiable wrath towards those who reject their Creator.

(1) capricious. (n.d.) Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014. (1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014). Retrieved March 23 2026 from https://www.thefreedictionary.com/capricious

(2) See Romans 15:33, Romans 16:20, Philippians 4:9, 1 Thessalonians 5:23, and Hebrews 13:20.

“Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:1 ESV).

“Peace” is generally defined as a state of well-being or contentment. This may involve the absence of external disputes (ranging from armed confrontations to interpersonal disagreements), to internal struggles with various forms of worry, anxiety, and/or insecurity. A person who experiences freedom from these internal and external conflicts is likely to be someone who is “at peace.”

The problem is that peace is something that often proves to be elusive. In fact, peace can be so elusive that many simply abandon the pursuit. For example, some attempt to anesthetize their lack of peace through alcohol and/or substance abuse. Others attempt to fill that gap with a never-ending quest to accumulate financial wealth or material possessions. Then there are those who pursue a variety of self-help strategies that seem beneficial but may neglect the root causes that ultimately lead to an absence of peace.

Our text from Romans 5:1 thus suggests two points of application:

• We can trace the ultimate cause of a lack of peace to the unresolved conflict that exists between human beings and their Creator (as discussed extensively in Romans chapter one).
• Since “…we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,” we can say that the road to genuine peace begins with faith in Christ.

As Jesus once told His disciples, “I am leaving you with a gift– peace of mind and heart! And the peace I give isn’t fragile like the peace the world gives. So don’t be troubled or afraid” (John 14:27 TLB).

We should also recognize that “peace” and “happiness” are not the same. For instance, we often find happiness in acquiring the things we desire. Those aspirations often fall into four broad categories: power, money, relationships, and possessions. The problem is that power structures change, monetary wealth can disappear, relationships fail, and material possessions break down or become obsolete. When these setbacks occur in the lives of those who invest in such things, it often ruins their sense of happiness.

However, peace is something different, for the source of genuine peace is not something but Someone–God Himself. This peace is not like the type of peace that might exist between two rival nations. Such nations may peacefully coexist, yet still maintain a state of mutual antagonism and hostility. On the other hand, peace with God through faith in Christ is a lasting peace that signifies an end to all hostilities and the presence of fellowship with God.

“Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:1).

Paul the Apostle devoted a substantial portion of Romans chapter four to a discussion of Abraham’s faith. Here in chapter five, Paul will now offer another Biblical example to support his teachings. But this time, Paul’s investigation will lead him to events that took place long before Abraham’s birth. In fact, he will return to the origin of human existence to illustrate the enormous value of Jesus’ atoning work on our behalf.

But before we get into that portion of Romans chapter five, Paul will build on the concept of justification by faith that he established in the preceding chapters. That discussion will center on the benefits that accrue to those who place their faith in Christ. Paul will begin this chapter by listing several of those blessings, such as…

• Peace (verse one).
• Access to God (verse two).
• The development of positive characteristics such as perseverance, character, and hope, even in the midst of tribulation (verses three and four).
• The love of God through the indwelling Holy Spirit (verse five).
• Deliverance from God’s wrath (verse nine).
• Reconciliation with God (verse ten).
• Rejoicing in God through Christ (verse eleven).

We begin this chapter with a now-familiar reference to the word “Therefore.” This transitional word links Paul’s teaching from the closing verse of the previous chapter with the catalog of blessings he will chronicle for us over the next few verses. We should also note the specific construction of this passage: “…since we have been justified by faith” (ESV). Much like a final verdict rendered in a human court of law, justification by faith results in a judicial declaration of one’s right standing before God.

That assurance brings us to a quality that is often elusive for many: peace. On a personal level, the fear of death may be the greatest impediment to peace that most human beings face. However, those who have been justified by faith can face the afterlife without apprehension. As Jesus reminded us in the Gospel of John…

“Let not your hearts be troubled. You are trusting God, now trust in me. There are many homes up there where my Father lives, and I am going to prepare them for your coming. When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you can always be with me where I am. If this weren’t so, I would tell you plainly” (John 14:1-3 TLB).

We’ll continue this discussion concerning the peace that justification by faith brings in our next study.

“God gave Jesus to die for our sins, and he raised him to life, so that we would be made acceptable to God” (Romans 4:25 CEV).

Romans Chapter Four – Epilogue

“In chapter 4, Paul presented several irrefutable reasons why justification is by faith: (1) Since justification is a gift, it cannot be earned by works (vv. 1-8). (2) Since Abraham was justified before he was circumcised, circumcision has no relationship to justification (vv. 9-12). (3) Since Abraham was justified centuries before the Law, justification is not based on the Law (vv. 13-17). (4) Abraham was justified because of his faith in God, not because of his works (vv. 18-25).” ₍₁₎

“In this chapter, Paul clearly demonstrated that in no way does the Old Testament contradict the gospel of salvation by grace through faith. Instead the gospel is the fulfillment of the Old Testament, and Abraham – justified through faith – is our pattern.” ₍₂₎

“What can we learn from this chapter? The noun faith occurs ten times in this chapter and the corresponding verb believe occurs six times. Together the idea of believing faith is found no less than sixteen times in Romans 4. The words count, reckon, or impute, all of which mean to charge to one’s account, occur eleven times in Romans 4. The word righteousness occurs in one of its forms eight times in this chapter and the corresponding verb justified occurs in one of its forms three times. Together the idea of righteousness is found no less than eleven times in Romans 4. It is significant that, apart from the common words of our language, these three words occur so frequently. The application of Romans 4 is simple: faith imputes righteousness. There isn’t a thing anyone can do to become clothed with God’s righteousness except have faith in Jesus Christ as his Saviour from sin. ₍₃₎

“In Rom 4:1-25, Paul presented several irrefutable reasons why justification is by faith: (1) Since justification is a gift, it cannot be earned by works (Rom 4:1-8). (2) Since Abraham was justified before he was circumcised, circumcision has no relationship to justification (Rom 4:9-12). (3) Since Abraham was justified centuries before the Law, justification is not based on the Law (Rom 4:13-17). (4) Abraham was justified because of his faith in God, not because of his works (Rom 4:18-25).” ₍₄₎

“Anyone who believes in salvation by works must answer at least three questions: How do you know when you have done enough good works to be saved? How can you ever be sure of your salvation, and if you could save yourself by your good works, why did Jesus die on the cross?” ₍₅₎

(1) Witmer, John A. “The Man with Two Countries.” Bibliotheca Sacra 133:532 (October-December 1976) [pg.455]. Quoted in Dr. Thomas L. Constable, Notes on Romans 2026 Edition https://soniclight.com/tcon/notes/html/romans/romans.htm

(2) Guzik, D. (2025, April 3). Enduring Word Bible Commentary Romans Chapter 4. Enduring Word. https://enduringword.com/bible-commentary/romans-4/

(3) Edward E. Hindson and Woodrow Michael Kroll, eds., KJV Bible Commentary (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1994), 2227.

(4) John F. Walvoord and Roy B. Zuck, Bible Knowledge Commentary (1983), David C Cook. [Romans 4:25].

(5) Dick Woodward, Mini Bible College Booklet Thirty-Two The Book Of Romans Verse By Verse (part 4) [pg.45] https://mbc.icm.org/

“He was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification” (Romans 4:25 HCSB).

Just as the Apostle Paul opened this portion of his letter to the church at Rome with a reference to justification, he now touches upon that topic again in the closing verse of this chapter. As discussed earlier in our look at the first three chapters of Romans, “justification” describes the manner in which sinful human beings are made acceptable to a holy God.

Justification involves a divine act of God that eliminates the guilt and penalty of sin for those who trust in Christ. It also represents a legal concept that pertains to one’s standing before God. When God justifies a sinful human being, He legally attributes (or confers) the positive righteousness of Christ to those who place their faith in Him, while His atoning work on the cross satisfies the death sentence imposed by the Law.

Nevertheless, this correlation between Jesus’ resurrection and the doctrine of justification may not seem readily apparent. The New Testament epistle to the Hebrews can help us make that connection by linking Jesus’ resurrected life with His priestly intercession on our behalf…

“But He, because He continues forever, has an unchangeable priesthood. Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them” (Hebrews 7:24-25).

This priestly ministry hinges upon Jesus’ resurrection from the dead, for only a living Savior could fulfill that role. The following source approaches this question from another perspective…

“How does the resurrection of Jesus relate to our justification? …Jesus’ death without a resurrection would have indicated that his atonement was not acceptable to God. But the fact that God raised him shows that God is satisfied. This is the verdict of the Judge of heaven and earth: The atonement has been made, and all who trust in it will participate in the benefits of the righteousness of Christ.

Thus, the resurrection is the last step in God’s work to justify us. By raising Jesus, God shows that he is satisfied with his work. Because God’s wrath has been satisfied, he can accept us as sinners and justify us. Had Jesus not been raised, we could not be justified.” ₍₁₎

As another commentator adds, “The denial of the propitiatory death of Christ, or of his resurrection from the dead, is a denial of the gospel It is refusing to be saved according to the method that God has appointed.” ₍₂₎

(1) Sproul, R. C. (1992). Before the face of God: Book 1: A daily guide for living from the book of Romans (electronic ed.). Grand Rapids: Baker Book House; Ligonier Ministries.

(2) Charles Hodge, Commentary on Romans, quoted in ESV Church History Study Bible: Voices from the Past, Wisdom for the Present. (2023). Crossway. p.1689

“… It will be counted to us who believe in him who raised from the dead Jesus our Lord, who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification” (Romans 4:24-25 ESV).

Having explored the negative repercussions that stem from a denial of Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection, we can now turn our attention to the ideas presented to us in the closing verses of Romans chapter four. One of those ideas involves an uncomfortable subject: death.

In a broad sense, we can characterize “death” as a state of separation. Physical death is distinguished by the separation of one’s spirit from his or her body, for “…the body without the spirit is dead…” (James 2:26). The Biblical book of Revelation describes another type of death known as the “second death” in Revelation 20:14. This second death involves eternal separation from God in a place of torment and remorse. In essence, God will grant the desire of those who do not care to acknowledge Him in the form of this second death.

In the context of our text from Romans chapter four, we should note that death was not a component of God’s original creation. Instead, the Scriptures tell us that Adam’s transgression brought forth God’s judgment and the subsequent imposition of a death penalty. The following chapter of Romans will discuss Adam’s role in bringing death to humanity at greater length. This leads us to several foundational conclusions…

• Death, by its nature, is the inherent result of sin. As Romans 6:23 will later confirm, “…the wages of sin is death.“
• Jesus was the only sinless human being who ever lived.
• Since Jesus was unblemished by sin, death held no justifiable authority over Him.
• As such, Jesus died because our sins were imputed (or charged) to Him.
• He thus absorbed the wrath and chastisement that we deserve.

Therefore, He “…was delivered up for our trespasses” as we’re told here in Romans 4:25. The following author summarizes these ideas and their ramifications…

“By raising Christ from the dead, God the Father was in effect saying that he approved of Christ’s work of suffering and dying for our sins, that his work was completed, and that Christ no longer had any need to remain dead. There was no penalty left to pay for sin, no more wrath of God to bear, no more guilt or liability to punishment—all had been completely paid for, and no guilt remained…

When the Father in essence said to Christ, ‘All the penalty for sins has been paid and I find you not guilty but righteous in my sight,’ he was thereby making the declaration that would also apply to us once we trusted in Christ for salvation. In this way Christ’s resurrection also gave final proof that he had earned our justification.” ₍₁₎

(1) Wayne Grudem, Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Biblical Doctrine, Second Edition. (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Academic, 2020). [pp. 35-36]

“…It shall be imputed to us who believe in Him who raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead, who was delivered up because of our offenses, and was raised because of our justification” (Romans 4:24-25).

This portion of Scripture and its reference to Jesus’ resurrection serves to underscore some essential spiritual truths. For example, these verses highlight the importance of acknowledging the factual nature of Jesus’ crucifixion and subsequent resurrection, for those historic truths are indispensable to our salvation. As our text from Romans 4:24 reminds us, Jesus was “…delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification” (NIV).

Paul the Apostle addressed this subject at greater length in the Biblical letter we know today as 1 Corinthians…

“…if Christ has not been raised from death, then we have nothing to preach and you have nothing to believe. More than that, we are shown to be lying about God, because we said that he raised Christ from death—but if it is true that the dead are not raised to life, then he did not raise Christ.

For if the dead are not raised, neither has Christ been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, then your faith is a delusion and you are still lost in your sins. It would also mean that the believers in Christ who have died are lost. If our hope in Christ is good for this life only and no more, then we deserve more pity than anyone else in all the world” (1 Corinthians 15:14-19 GNB).

In these verses, Paul addressed a number of serious repercussions that arise from the notion that Jesus’ death and resurrection were not literal, historic events……

• “…all our preaching is useless and your trust in God is empty, worthless, hopeless;” (TLB).
• “If the dead won’t be raised to life, we have told lies about God by saying he raised Christ to life, when he really did not” (CEV).
• “if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either” (NIV).
• “And if Christ has not been raised, then your faith is useless and you are still guilty of your sins” (NLT).
• “and what’s more, those who have died in Christ are gone forever” (CEB).
• “If we have put our hope in Christ for this life only, we should be pitied more than anyone” (HCSB).

Therefore, we can say that our affirmation of Jesus’ historic death and resurrection is comparable in importance to a proper understanding of His life and teachings.

Image Attribution: Eugène Delacroix, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons