Romans 5

To cause growth.

That's what we're dealing here in Romans 5.

It's a growth process.

To teach obedience and discipline.

That's the flavor of the Greek, in a sense.

The Holy Spirit's mentioned here for the first time in Paul's epistle.

And he's going to mention it 20 times in this crescendo that we're anticipating in Romans 8.

Romans 8 is the high ground.

When he got to the top, he looked back down and asked himself, who can know if these things are so? Martin Luther did everything that the Roman Catholic Church instructed him to do to be right with God, yet he had no peace in his heart.

But in God's wise and kind providence, Luther was advised to study the book of Romans.

from the Greek New Testament rather than the Latin Vulgate, and his diligent studying of the sacred scriptures brought him to the right and biblical understanding that sinners are made right with God by faith, not by works.

This doctrine of justification by faith alone that he discovered became the material cause of the 16th century Protestant Reformation.

This revival and reformation was rooted in the message of Romans.

Romans, which is rightly called the textbook of the Christian faith.

It is so called

Because more than any other book of the Bible, Romans clearly and comprehensively explains how sinners can get right with God.

It can affect even your health.

But the key, how do we walk in victory then? How do we live free from guilt and condemnation? Well, the Bible says in Romans 5 verse 17, much more those who receive abundance of grace, all right, not a little, an abundance of grace and the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the one Jesus Christ.

You know, the word reign there means to rule as a king.

so when you are ruling as a king that means you have absolute dominion and authority sin doesn't have dominion over you depression addiction will not have dominion over you but how does it come not by trying to achieve but by receiving two things the abundance of grace and the gift of righteousness.

But when you receive these two things, the Bible says you will reign in life through Jesus, not through your efforts or your willpower, but through Jesus Christ.

Amen? Yeah.

So I want us to look at this verse here in Romans 5, verse 20.

Okay, Romans 5, verse 20, when it comes up, it says, Moreover, the law entered that the offense might abound.

But more than that, it is for our lives now.

Let's go with me to Romans 5, verse 12.

We're going to read a quite long passage.

And it's intentional.

But the Lord says, verse 57, that He is delivering us from that realm of death and sin by transferring us to another kingdom.

to the kingdom of grace, to the realm of grace that allows us to reign in life through righteousness.

Let's go back to Romans 5, 21.

So that grace also might reign through righteousness, leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ.

Yes.

Now, listen for God's word as we hear from the book of Romans, chapter 5, verses 1 through 5.

Therefore, since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we've obtained access to this grace in which we stand, and we boast in our hope of sharing the glory of God.

And not only that, but we also boast in our afflictions.

We're all afraid, Lord, come by here.

That's the call.

And that's how I hear Paul's words in Romans is, you know, hope does not disappoint us.

Because this is, you know, it's God who is the Holy Spirit pouring out this grace upon us that we don't forget that.

And God is continuing to run.

I gave an assignment this week to a couple of schools, football teams, to read Romans 5. just read the 21 verses in Romans 5.

The first two verses talk about how the law is created.

Actually, it's the last two verses, 20 and 21.

As we begin, ask God to bring his word to life in you and for you and through you by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Our scripture reading today is from the book of Romans, chapter 5, verses 1 to 5.

Listen to God's word.

Therefore, since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

In the words of the apostle Paul, For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one man's obedience many will be made righteous.

That's Romans 5, verse 19.

For he made him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in him.

2 Corinthians 5, verse 21.

And God requires something from us.

In Romans 5 and verse number 12, the Bible says, Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin, so death passed upon all men, for all have sinned.

Yes, there were sinners and we are sinners.

Why? Because of the very same Father.