Bible Study: Romans - Justified by the Blood of Christ

Having proved his point that Abraham was justified by faith and not by circumcision and that Abraham is the father of us all and thus we are all justified by faith alone, Paul now turns to the miracle of justification itself, in chapter 5.

Now that a person is justified by faith, he or she has peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Justification comes through faith in our Lord Jesus Christ and by no other means. “I am the way and the truth and the life,” said Jesus. Jn.14:6, and no one comes to the Father except through him. Jesus has ushered us into the very presence of God. He has opened the door for us to the presence of God, and our simple trust in Christ brings us this justification.    

Being justified brings us many blessings, especially that of having peace with God. We are no longer enemies of God, but we have become God’s friends. Thus, we have peace with God, since we are reconciled with Him through Jesus Christ. We were estranged in the Garden of Eden, because of the Fall and now we are reconciled with God because of Jesus Christ’s death.

In the new status, which is the result of our justification, we have gained access by faith into His grace, and we stand now in that privileged position. Jesus had called his disciples his friends, and not servants, John 15:15, for they had learnt about the Father’s concern for mankind and are involved in His business. It is a change in the relationship that we have with God in the spiritual realm. This has come about through Jesus Christ.

This reconciliation enables us to rejoice in hope of the glory of God, the glory of God, which will be revealed in us in future. Romans 8:18. We will share in the glory, which will be that of Christ, in eternity. 2 Corinthians 4:17; Colossians 3:4. That is the legitimate hope that we can entertain once we are justified. Verses 1 & 2.

But will this peace that is promised to us, will it be with us throughout, especially when we live in this world of trouble and turmoil, sin and sickness? What happens when sufferings come our way? Will our faith be destroyed by these sufferings?

Paul says verses 3 to 5, that sufferings will only strengthen our faith. It will help us to make moral progress. Suffering produces perseverance; troubles will only produce endurance in us. Our faith will never be destroyed by worldly tribulations. 1 Corinthians 10:13. Lord will not allow us to be tempted beyond our endurance.

Perseverance in turn produces character. Character formation is most important in the spiritual realm. As one struggles to overcome temptations and tests, one builds up a strong moral fibre. Yes, as in body building, there is no gain without pain. God uses life’s difficulties and Satan’s attacks on us to build our character, like a silver being refined in fire or gold tested in fire. Isaiah 48:10; 1 Peter 1:7

Character gives rise to hope, hope of our future, salvation, justification, reconciliation and glorification. We are sure of these, because God has assured us, by pouring out His love into our beings by the Holy Spirit, whom He has given us.

We receive a deep assurance of God’s love, for “God is love,” 1 John4:8, and in giving us love, God is simply imparting to us something of His own nature. It comes to us through the Holy Spirit, for love is also a gift of the Spirit. Galatians 5:22.

Now Paul goes on to show the extent of God’s love for us that he justified us through the death of His Son Jesus Christ. When we were still powerless to bring in our own salvation, Christ came in to save us. He did this by dying for us on the cross. Verse 6. We couldn’t have saved ourselves by our merits or good deeds, and in that helplessness and weak condition, Christ came to help us.

In the real world, rarely will anyone die for a righteous man. May be for a good person, some one might think of dying. In India, a few people immolate themselves when a mass leader like M.G. Ramachandran or Jayalalitha died, which is a very emotional response and not a committed, thoughtful sacrifice. Verse 7. 

In our case, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us and God demonstrated His love for us in this manner. We were not worthy that Jesus should die in our place. We were neither virtuous or worthy that he should have died for us, yet he did. That was a voluntary sacrifice, which he brought himself to commit for our sake. Verse 8.

God loved us even before we loved Him. 1 John 4:19. “We love because He first loved us.” God made no demands on us. 1 John 4:10. It was His own initiative to redeem us from our sinful state that forced Him to go to this extent.

We have been justified, that is, declared ‘non-guilty,’ by the blood of Jesus Christ. We have been saved from the wrath of God though Jesus Christ’s atoning death. We deserved punishment for our sins, but Christ saved us by dying for us. Verse 9.

Christ’s death was the ground for our justification, the initial act of salvation, whereby we are saved. Because of that we are saved from the wrath of God, which otherwise would have fallen on us on the Last Judgment Day. We have been acquitted from our past sins and God’s love will keep us safe till the end, through the Holy spirit.

We have been reconciled to God through the death of His Son Jesus Christ; and we shall be saved by his life, the resurrected life, into eternity. John 14:19. “Because I live, you also will live.” Verse 10.

Is there need for any other guarantee to our souls?

We now can rejoice in God, through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have received reconciliation with God. God has made peace with us sinners, taking us back into His bosom, as our loving Father. What we lost in Eden in Adam, we regained in justification through Christ. It is a full circle in human history.

Are you justified? Have you been washed by the blood of the Lamb? Have you been declared ‘non-guilty’ by God? Are you sure of your salvation? Have you been reconciled to God? Are you filled with the love of God? Are you confident of your future glory in resurrection? 

To simply put, are you saved?

If not, go to the Author and Finisher of our faith, Jesus Christ, repent and seek forgiveness for your sins and obtain his pardon and mercy and love. As a result, let His peace flow through your whole body.

Do not neglect so great a salvation. 

Abraham is the Father of Us All

In the remaining verses of chapter 4, Paul is extending the logic of faith preceding circumcision and Law, not just for the Jews, but for the Gentiles also. In verse 16, Paul is stating the fact that Abraham is the ‘father of us all.’ Not only to those who could claim that privilege, by being the natural descendants of Abraham and having the Law of Moses, but also those who had no such claim, but had only faith, like the faith that Abraham had.

The promise of inheritance to Abraham itself came by faith. It is because of grace of God and not because of any merit in Abraham or any of his descendants. It was pure grace. This grace saw to that this inheritance by faith was guaranteed to all Abraham’s children, both the Jews and the Gentiles. Only by faith in Christ are we saved from our sins, for He forgives our sins when we ask in faith.

God had promised Abraham that he would become the father of many nations. Genesis 17:5. Paul applies this by an extension of the original meaning to mean the other nations, nations other than Jewish nations. So, Abraham would be the father of many nations, both Jewish and non-Jewish, a spiritual ancestor of all who have faith in God and his Son Christ.

Paul brings in the universality of the Christian religion, the basis of which is justification by grace through faith.

Abraham believed in God, that He could give life to the dead and call things that are not, as though they were. Verse 17. Abraham simply believed that though his body’s reproductive cells were as good as dead and so also Sarah’s womb, God who promised him descendants like the stars in the sky, was able to make the dead cells alive and make such a reproduction possible.

God, being omniscient, saw the future and was able to call to mind things that were not there at present, but which would come into existence in the future. 

Paul would bring a connection to this dead body being given life by God to the raising of Jesus Christ alive on the third day. It is the same God and the same power that raised Jesus from the dead. Verse 24.

Against all odds Abraham believed in God and because of that faith he became the father of many nations, just as God had promised him saying ‘like the countless stars in the sky shall be your offspring.’ Genesis 12:5. The promise was given to Abraham when he was 75 years old, with no child of his own. Still Abraham believed that promise made by God and it came to be. He had a whole nation of Jewish people as his offspring. Verse 18.

At the age of 100, when his body was as good as dead and Sarah’s womb was dead too, still Abraham believed in God’s promise, casting himself entirely of God’s ability and not his own ability in a humanly possible manner. He relied on God’s all sufficient power. Verse 19.

Abraham did not waver in his faith and strengthened himself by giving glory to God, because he was fully convinced that God had the power to do what he had promised. Verses 20-21. A close walk with God had convinced Abraham that God was not only powerful, but also faithful in that He would keep His word.

This is exactly why such faith was credited to Abraham as righteousness by God. This term, ‘credited to him,’ Paul says, was not written only for Abraham, but also for all of us, who believe in God that He raised Jesus Christ from the dead. To all such believers, who have faith in God’s ability to raise Jesus alive on the third day, such righteousness was credited. Verse 22, 23, 24.

Paul concludes by stating that Jesus Christ was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification. Verse 25. A beautiful exchange takes place in the life of a believer: we give our sins over to Christ, who bore it on the cross, paying the penalty due; in exchange, Jesus gives us forgiveness of our sins and his righteousness. What a glorious exchange!

To sum up, we are justified by God. We are pronounced not guilty by God. This is the source of our justification. We are justified by His pure grace, His unmerited love. It is a gift. Romans 3:24. This is the principle behind our justification. We are justified by faith. Romans 5:1. This is the method of receiving justification. We are justified by the blood shed on the cross by Jesus Christ. Romans 5:9. This is the ground of our justification. Finally, resurrection, where Jesus was raised for our justification, is the proof of it all. Romans 4:25.

Righteousness from God is a pure gift received by us by faith alone and this is based on the work Jesus did on the cross to satisfy the wrath of God. We have done nothing and we could do nothing. It is all done by Christ, and all that we can do is to appropriate that gift by faith in Christ.

How many of us have done this simple task of appropriating by faith the gift of righteousness given by God for our justification?

In case we have not done that so far, shall we hurry and obtain that forgiveness and righteousness that comes free by God’s grace and live?

Amen. 

Abraham and His Faith

Having argued for a righteousness from God, apart from the law, for our justification, Paul asks a very relevant question in Ch.3:31. If righteousness comes from faith in Christ, then what role does the law have? Does faith nullify or cancel out the law? Paul answers vehemently, ‘Not at all!’ Rather, he says, ‘we uphold the law,’ because Jesus met all the demands of the law and it is fulfilled in Christ.

In chapter 4, Paul takes the example of Abraham, forefather of the Jews, to show that Abraham was not justified by the law. God chose Abraham to pass on His blessings to all the families on the earth. Genesis.12:3. When God reassured Abraham that He is his shield and great reward, Genesis 15:1, Abraham did voice his doubt, that he is childless, so who is going to inherit all of God’s blessings?

God assures Abraham that a son from his own body will be his heir and his generations will be countless like the stars in the sky. Bible says, Abraham believed the Lord and His promise to him, and that the Lord “credited it to him as righteousness.” Genesis 15:6. This is the faith which Paul draws on now.

Paul’s argument is, if Abraham were to be justified by works, he had something to boast about before God. But, it was not so. Rather, Abraham believed God and that was counted as his righteousness. Verses 1, 2 and 3.

Paul goes on to explain the concept behind labourer and his wages. A man works and the wages are due to him, and he must be paid for the work he has done. It is not a gift or gratis. If human beings can work their own salvation by their deeds or works, then salvation which God gives to them is not a gift, but are wages, an obligation. Verse 4.

In case a man does not depend on work, but trusts God to justify him, believing that God justifies even the wicked, then this faith is credited to him as righteousness, just as it was done in the case of Abraham. God offers salvation as a gift, if we have faith in Christ and what He did on the cross. Verse 5.

Next, Paul takes another example from the Old Testament times, David, by quoting Psalm 32:1,2. David is talking about people, whose transgressions or sins are forgiven by God and whose sins are covered by God’s mercy and grace and exclaims how blessed are such people. “Blessed is the man whose sins the Lord will never count against him.” Verses 6-8

Such a man is blessed because, though he does not possess righteousness of his own, yet has righteousness accounted to him or credited to him by God, in His mercy. David had committed adultery, murder and tried to cover it all up, but when pointed out by the prophet Nathan, he realized his wickedness and was quick to admit his sin. 2 Samuel 12:13

David cries to God seeking His forgiveness, beautifully expressed in Psalm 51. He was forgiven, for Nathan says, ‘The Lord has taken away your sin.’ Psalm 32 was also written in this context only. David writes in Psalm 32:5, ‘I acknowledged my sin to you … I said, “I will confess my transgression to the Lord” – and you forgave the guilt of my sin.” It is a different matter that David still had to go through the consequences of his sin and suffered.

1 John 1:9 gives us the same assurance. “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” In faith when we seek forgiveness, God is faithful enough to forgive us and make us righteous.

The next question is, this blessedness of being credited with righteousness by faith, is it available only to the circumcised Jew or also to the uncircumcised Gentile believer? Under what circumstances was Abraham’s faith credited to him as righteousness? Was it before he was circumcised or after, askes Paul. Verses 9, 10

Abraham lived 430 years before the law was handed over by Moses to the new nation of Israel at Mount Sinai. Circumcision itself was introduced only after the promise of blessings were given to him by God as an everlasting covenant. The promise included the promised land, descendants, and God who will be their God forever. Genesis 17:7-8. Abraham was 75 years old when he received the promises, and was 99 years old when circumcision was introduced. Clearly faith preceded circumcision.

God introduced the rite of circumcision as a personal seal on the body of the covenant people, to claim them as God’s special people. They were set apart from all the other nations, who worshipped other gods. It was an outward sign of the covenant, which was to be adhered to by faith and trust.

Similarly, the church has rituals, introduced by Jesus Christ, the Head and the Lord of the Church. Water baptism is one of them. This again is an outward sign, a reminder of our faith, but has no special merit before God. Focus should always be on the inward transformation by the indwelling Holy Spirit and the saving grace of God. Water baptism will not bring us salvation, but faith in Christ will.

Much before circumcision, Abraham, by faith, had received righteousness, which was credited to him. So, when his faith was counted as righteousness to him, he was uncircumcised, much as a Gentile. Verse 11

Paul now concludes that by this Abraham becomes the father of all those who believe, but not circumcised; and righteousness was credited to them as well. Abraham was also the father of the circumcised, who shared the faith of their forefather and walked in the ways of faith. Verse 12

Reiterating his point, Paul says, it was not through law that Abraham and his descendants received the promise that they would be heir of the world, but through righteousness that came by faith. The promise was Abraham will inherit the world, that is, all the families of the earth will be blessed by him. Verse 13

Further as Paul mentions in Romans 8:17, we, those who believe in Christ, are the children of God and thus are also the heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ. This privilege comes only by faith and not by any merit earned by us by our works or services. It is a gift and not a wage.

In the next two verses, 14 and 15, Paul argues that law brings forth the wrath of God and so, if those who live by the law are to become heirs, then faith has no value and the promises are worthless. In Galatians 3:17-19, Paul develops this argument in a clearer manner. If the inheritance depends on the law, which came later, then it no longer depends on the promise, which was given much earlier to Abraham. Thus, if the law is the deciding factor, then the promise is worthless, but that is not the case.

Law brings forth the wrath of God, because human beings transgressed the law. Where there is no law, then there is no transgression also. Law, in Paul’s view, brought the consciousness of sin and thus invoked the wrath of God, when it was transgressed. Where there is no law, the question of transgressing it does not arise and hence no wrath of God too.

Today, we live by faith, faith in the work Christ did on the cross at Calvary, where he paid the penalty for our sins, by shedding his own blood as an atonement. Abraham becomes our father, as he was also declared righteous, because of his faith. Not only the Jews, the direct descendants of Abraham, but also every one of us, who believe in Christ, is declared as the children of God. And we have the privilege of calling God our “Abba Father.”

Praise be to Him for granting us this privilege as a precious gift.