Summary: After we place our faith in Christ, not only are we declared righteous by God, but we have peace with him. This peace gives us access to God’s incredible graces. Paul rejoices in three specific graces we receive. First is the grace of hope in verse 2. Next is the grace of suffering in verse 3. He clarifies that suffering is a grace because of all the benefits it leads us to such as endurance, character, and a greater hope, hope in the love of God which he demonstrated on the cross. Lastly in verse 11 we can rejoice in the grace of reconciliation with God.
Romans 5:1–11
[1] Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. [2] Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. [3] Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, [4] and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, [5] and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.
[6] For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. [7] For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die—[8] but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. [9] Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. [10] For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. [11] More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation. (ESV)
Q: Paul begins by stating that we have peace with God because of Jesus (vs. 1). Do you think all Christians are at peace with God? Or is this still anger and opposition between God and some Christians? Why or why not?
Q: If we are at peace with God, why would he send us sufferings? When we experience suffering does it feel like we are at peace with God? How might we think differently about our sufferings to remind ourselves of this peace we have with God?
Q: If you’re comfortable, share a time when you went through suffering and either remembered that you had peace with God or a time when you went through suffering and forgot you had peace with God.
Q: Verse 5 states, “Hope does not put us to shame”. Spend some time considering that phrase. What is the hope? Why would it put us to shame? Why does it not put us to shame?
Q: God’s compassion is so far beyond ours. We would struggle to give our life for someone good, but Christ willingly gave his life for his wicked enemies (vs. 6-8). How does this give us confidence when we approach him in our sin now? What does that confidence look like practically?
As we dive further into the book of Romans, watch this video from the Bible Project on Romans 5-12 as a summary of where we’ve been and where we’re going.