Jul31-Aug6: Expounding the Faith

Teaching Points

1. What is the result of justification by faith?

ANSWER:

• Rom. 5:1—Peace with God.
• Harmony or unity with God—reconciliation or atonement. 

2. By whom does this gift of grace, peace and hope come?

ANSWER:

• Rom. 5:1, 2—through our Lord Jesus Christ.

3. Where do we stand when we have peace with God which comes from justification?

ANSWER:

• Rom. 5:2—we stand in grace.

4. Define hope?

ANSWER:

• Rom. 5:2—G1680—to anticipate, to expect, to have confidence in.
• Hope is a future event. We stand in grace rejoicing and anticipating a future event.   

5. What future event are we anticipating?

ANSWER:

• Rom. 5:2—the glory of God.  

OBSERVATION:

• Justification brings us into harmony with God. We are reconciled to God.
• Because of this reconciliation we are able to stand in grace by faith.
• And while standing in this grace we are rejoicing in anticipation of a future event.
• This future event is the glory of God.
• All of this is possible because of Jesus Christ. 

6. What is the “hope of the glory of God” that Paul is speaking of?

ANSWER:

• 1 Cor. 15:19-21—Hope in Christ is not just in this life because the resurrection of the dead (in Christ) brings immortality or eternal life.
• This glory is more than character. The idea Paul is presenting here is that justification by faith brings hope of immortality or eternal life.  
• Rom. 5:9—justification brings salvation from wrath.
• Rom. 5:10—being justified we shall be save by His life (resurrection).
• Rom. 5:11—justification brings atonement. 

7. What is the problem and solution is Paul presenting?

ANSWER:

• Problem: Rom. 3:23—All have sinned. Rom. 6:23—Sin brings death.
• Solution: Rom. 5:1—Justification brings peace with God. Rom. 5:9, 10 Justification brings salvation from wrath and we are saved by His (Jesus’) life (resurrection)—eternal life.  

8. What does the word glory mean in verse 3?

ANSWER:

• Rom. 5:3—glory in tribulation: G2744—joy or rejoice. This glory means to rejoice. 

9. Why do we rejoice in tribulation as well as in the hope of the glory of God (immortality)?

ANSWER:

• Rom. 5:3-5—Hope comes when we rejoice in tribulation.
• When we do this we are developing patience which develops experience and because of our experience we have hope.
• When we rejoice in tribulation it shows that our character has been changed and because of that we can have hope of immortality. 

10. Why does hope not make us ashamed?

ANSWER:

• Rom. 5:5—The love of God works in our hearts and gives assurance that we will receive eternal life—this comes from the Holy Spirit.

OBSERVATION:

• This hope of the glory of God is speaking of immortality because Justification brings freedom from God’s wrath, peace with God, and salvation through Christ’s life after His death (resurrection) which gives us the hope of immortality.
• This hope of immortality or eternal life (possible through justification) answers the problem of death caused by sin.
• Patience and experience is character development revealed and developed by tribulation or trials. We must have evidence of character development before we can receive eternal life. This is why we should rejoice in tribulation as well as hope of eternal life.
• The Holy Spirit sheds God’s love in our hearts as assurance that we will receive immortality. 

11. The next few verses summarize the whole problem and solution. What gift did Adam give to every person that has ever lived and what evidence does Paul give that the law existed prior to Moses?

ANSWER:

• Rom. 5:12-14—The (arbitrary) gift of death because of Adam’s sin.
• Sin existed—if there was no law there would be no sin. V. 13 until the law (was given to Moses) sin was in the world.  

12. What is the solution to this problem or what is the contrast Paul is presenting?

ANSWER:

• Rom. 5:15—Grace; the free (choice) gift of grace vs. the (arbitrary) gift of death. 

13. By “One man” death has reigned over all people or held all people in bondage to die, but another “one Man” offers the free gift of eternal life so that we can reign in eternal life. How does He do this?

ANSWER:

• Rom. 5:16-17—justification; those who receive the aboundant grace and gift of righteousness (justification) shall reign in life by Jesus Christ. 

14. How many are affected by Adam’s sin? How many are affected by grace? How many choose to accept the grace and be made righteous or justified? 

ANSWER:

• Rom. 5:18, 19—All are affected by Adam’s sin and all are affected by Christ’s grace (All are given opportunity for justification) but only many accept this grace and experience justification which brings eternal life.

15. Outline Paul’s conclusion.  

ANSWER:

• Rom. 5:20—The law reveals sin.
• Rom. 5:20—Where sin abounds grace abounds (our realization of sin leads us to accept God grace).
• Rom. 5:21—Sin brings death. Grace brings righteousness which brings eternal life by Jesus Christ. 

OBSERVATION:

• Death caused by sin is the problem all people face. The law existed from the beginning because sin did—the law reveals sin.
• One man gave us the gift of death and one Man offers us the gift of eternal life.
• Death reigned—all were subject to die
• Those who receive grace and righteousness shall reign in life: gain victory over death—immortality. 
• This victory over death is possible by justification or receiving grace and righteousness by or through Christ.
• All are given the opportunity for justification and are shown God’s grace but not all accept His grace and righteousness.
• Adam’s gift was given to all regardless of their own choice. God’s gift of life is free; we must choose to take it. 

SOP

• Whoever consents to renounce sin and open his heart to the love of Christ, becomes a partaker of this heavenly peace. There is no other ground of peace than this. The grace of Christ, received into the heart, subdues enmity; it allays strife and fills the soul with love. He who is at peace with God and his fellow men cannot be made miserable. Envy will not be in his heart; evil surmisings will find no room there; hatred cannot exist. The heart that is in harmony with God is a partaker of the peace of heaven and will diffuse its blessed influence on all around. The spirit of peace will rest like dew upon hearts weary and troubled with worldly strife.  {HP 35.3} 
• … Sin has destroyed our peace. While self is unsubdued, we can find no rest. The masterful passions of the heart no human power can control. We are as helpless here as were the disciples to quiet the raging storm. But He who spoke peace to the billows of Galilee has spoken the word of peace for every soul. However fierce the tempest, those who turn to Jesus with the cry, "Lord, save us," will find deliverance. His grace, that reconciles the soul to God, quiets the strife of human passion, and in His love the heart is at rest. "He maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still. Then are they glad because they be quiet; so He bringeth them unto their desired haven." Psalm 107:29, 30. "Being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ." "The work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance forever." Romans 5:1; Isaiah 32:17.  {DA 336.4}

CONCLUSION:

• Justification brings peace with God (reconciliation).
• Because we have peace with God we can enter into God’s grace where we stand.
• Then we can rejoice because we have hope of immortality.
• We also need to rejoice in tribulation because through grace we can endure the tribulation which brings patience, which brings experience which must precede immortality.
• Adam gave all death. Jesus gives all life –if they accept.
• This life is possible through the work of grace and being made righteous by Christ.
• Those who accept God’s grace and righteousness reign over death (i.e. – have immortality.)

APPLICATION QUESTIONS:

• Do you desire to have peace with God?
• Are you accepting God’s grace and free gift of righteousness being offer to you?
• Do you realize that you need to experience justification so that you will no longer have to pay the penalty for sin—death?
• Are you allowing the influence of “one Man”—Jesus Christ—to change your life by grace and bring you into peace with God by wiping away your record of sin?