THE EFFECTS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS Romans 5v1-21.
- v 1 - 11 The effects of righteousness on the individual believer.
- v 12 - 21 The effects of righteousness on the world
We have seen in chapter 3 the Godward aspect of justification, how God achieved it; in chapter 4 we looked at the manward aspect of justification, how we humans appropriate it now we have the fruits or effects of justification, and they are tabulated as follows:
- we have peace with God.
- we have access to the grace wherein we stand.
- we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.
- we glory in tribulations.
- the spirit of God floods our hearts with the love of God.
- we shall be saved from wrath.
- we shall be saved in Christ's life.
- we glory in God.
- we have received reconciliation to God.
Each of these deserves some comment, and will be explained later, but for now we understand that this chapter is a gold mine of spiritual truth. It should cause every believer to rejoice, to exult, indeed to boast. As Paul unfolds the glorious results of justification not only in the lives of individual believers, but in removing the curse on creation he uses superlative language. If the fall of man only brought misery and loss into this world, God's righteousness has brought the very reverse and much more. verse 3 "not only so" verse 9 "much more" verse 10 "much more" verse 11 "not only so" verse 15 "much more the gift by grace has abounded" verse 17 "much more the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness" verse 20 "grace did much more abound" (super abound) . In addition to this Paul enjoins the believers to boast. In the previous chapters he has been reminding people that they have nothing to boast about, or charging them that they were boasting in the wrong things. In those sections Paul was saying you have nothing to boast about of anything that contributed to your salvation, but in effect is now saying now that you are saved you have plenty to boast about.
The word for "boasting" kauchaomai which means to boast, to glory in, to rejoice is used three times in Romans chapter 5.
- verse 2 we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.
- verse 3 we glory in tribulations.
- verse 11 we joy in God.
The words underlined are exactly the same in the original language and, truly, the believer has much to boast in, to glory in, not in anything they themselves have done but in the wonder of God's salvation. Pride is the worst manifestation of sin, but pride in the things of God should be the normal. We glory in the sure hope of an exciting future , we even glory in present trials, because we know these have a purpose and we glory in God. The world has a saying " it is not what you know, but who you know." For once, worldly wisdom is right. The believer through justification knows God, and lives to get to know Him better, but the benefits of God being on their side from the very beginning are enormous and should be a source of joy and pride in every believer's heart. God wants us to boast in the things He has given us and rejoicing should be a daily part of our existence here on earth.
Join us in days to come as we explore the wonders of the benefits of God's righteousness, if you already have this blessing it will do no harm to examine again what it is you have, if you don't know it yet, perhaps the beauty of these things will attract you finally to the gospel of God which is the greatest news ever given, if only you could see it.
O Joy of the justified,
joy of the free!
I’m washed in that crimson tide
opened for me;
In Christ, my Redeemer,
rejoicing I stand,
And point to the print
of the nails in His hand.O sing of His mighty love,
Sing of His mighty love,
Sing of His mighty love,
Mighty to save!
Lord Jesus, the crucified,
now Thou art mine:
Though once a lost sinner,
yet now I am Thine;
In conscious salvation
I sing of His grace,
Who lifts now upon me
the smile of His face. O sing of His mighty love,
Sing of His mighty love,
Sing of His mighty love,
Mighty to save!
Lord Jesus, my Saviour,
I’ll still sing of Thee,
Yes, sing of Thy precious blood
poured out for me;
And when in the mansions
of glory above,
I’ll praise and adore
Thine unchangeable love. O sing of His mighty love,
Sing of His mighty love,
Sing of His mighty love,
Mighty to save!
O Joy of the justified,
joy of the free!
I’m washed in that crimson tide
opened for me;
In Christ, my Redeemer,
rejoicing I stand,
And point to the print
of the nails in His hand.O sing of His mighty love,
Sing of His mighty love,
Sing of His mighty love,
Mighty to save!
Lord Jesus, the crucified,
now Thou art mine:
Though once a lost sinner,
yet now I am Thine;
In conscious salvation
I sing of His grace,
Who lifts now upon me
the smile of His face. O sing of His mighty love,
Sing of His mighty love,
Sing of His mighty love,
Mighty to save!
Lord Jesus, my Saviour,
I’ll still sing of Thee,
Yes, sing of Thy precious blood
poured out for me;
And when in the mansions
of glory above,
I’ll praise and adore
Thine unchangeable love. O sing of His mighty love,
Sing of His mighty love,
Sing of His mighty love,
Mighty to save!
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