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#23.
Boasting in hope of the glory of God (5: 1-11).
pp. 36 41
We now approach the closing section of this great opening up of the basic doctrine of
the gospel, viz., Justification by faith. The battle for the first important phase of the truth
has been fought, and now the blessed fruits are brought to light. Upon the basis of
justification by faith the apostle proceeds to show its result in the blessed fruit of the
Spirit:--
"PEACE with God, through our Lord Jesus Christ."
"ACCESS by faith into grace."
"STANDING."--"Wherein we stand."
"HOPE."--"We rejoice in hope of the glory of God."
Fortified therefore by all that this new relationship means, the believer finds new
strength. He can even rejoice in tribulation, for he has learned that "all things work
together for good, to them that love God". The love of God is shed abroad in his heart,
and he begins his first lesson in the school of divine logic: "Much more therefore"; "For
if when we were enemies . . . . . much more . . . . ." He begins to taste the blessedness of
an ever-present salvation flowing from an ever-living Saviour:--
"For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son,
much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by His life" (Rom. 5: 10).
Perhaps the most important, or at least the first lesson to learn, is the essential relation
between the two states suggested by the verbs "to be", "to have", and "to receive".
"Therefore BEING justified by faith, we HAVE peace . . . . . we HAVE access"
(Rom. 5: 1, 2).
"Much more, BEING reconciled . . . . . we HAVE now received the reconciliation"
(Rom. 5: 10, 11).
There in MS authority for the R.V. rendering of Rom. 5: 1: "Let us have peace with
God." If this rendering be accepted, the teaching of the apostle instead of being
weakened is strengthened, for he now assumes justification by faith to be establish
beyond argument, and is exhorting the believer to press forward and enjoy its fruits.
There are a good many reasons, however, for rejecting it, one, that can be followed by
most, being the coupling of di'ou kai ("through whom also") with the words ten
prosagogen ("we have access"), which would demand the words, "let us have access" for
which no MS authority exists. It is truth for which we can never be too grateful that as a
result of being justified by faith, we have peace with God, and can well heed the
exhortation, "Let us have peace" (experimentally).
Rom. 5: 1-11 (the closing portion of this outer section) accomplishes a transition by
introducing reconciliation. While it is unwise to generalize, speaking broadly we might
say that Rom. 1:-4: deals with the justification of sinners, the transition; Rom. 5: 1-11