Sermon Outline

Prepared by

Dr. Joseph P. Metoyer, Jr., Pastor/Teacher

November 11, 2001

Text:  Romans 5:1-11

Subject:  The Blessings of Justification

Introduction:  Paul now turns his message to the believers only and says

I.                   The Blessings of Justification

A.     We have peace (v.1)

The word peace can certainly mean “rest” from war.  Some are at war on the outside, with someone else and some are at war on the inside and in need of an inward peace.  Jesus said, in His presenting the first of the Gospel invitations, (Matthew 11:28-30) come to me [He calls] all you that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you and learn of Me; for I am meek and lowly in heart; and you will find rest unto your souls.  For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.  Please notice that there are two “rest”:  One rest is given and the other rest is found.  Peace with God is given to us as a blessing in justification but the peace of God is to be discovered as we experience God in sanctification.  Sinners are enemies of God (v.10) but war between God and the sinner is ended forever as a result of justification.  The external reality of this is that the sinner is declared reconciled to God (v.10).  This does not mean that man is calm and at peace with himself and his God on the inside. 

B.     We have access to God (v.2a)

The doctrine of access concerns man’s way to God.  Make no mistake about it every man does not have access to God.  I know (Psalm 46:1) God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.  Access to God must be through Jesus Christ, who set it forth in unequivocal terms, “I am the way, the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but by me” (John 14:6).

      We have two types of people who are confused about this access:

1.      Those who deny Christ entirely do not have access to the Father (Hebrews 10:29-31) Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace?  For we know Him who said, Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.  And again, the Lord will judge His people.  It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

2.      There is another more confused group.  What about those who pay lip service to God, and even Christ, but deny the doctrines of access to God?  The “Watch Tower Group”, Miss Cleo, Heaven’s Gate, Those that believe that Jesus Christ is a “Way-shower” and not “The Way”.  Some even put other mediators between God and man and they deny that Christ is the only mediator between God and man.  Some say that Mary is such a mediator but Jesus in addressing the Pharisees called them white sepulchers, sons of snakes, dirty cups in (Matthew 12).  Someone must have summoned Mary and when she and her other children arrived they told Jesus and He responded in away to let everyone that He could not be approached by any earthly tie.  After He refused the intercession of His mother (Mat.12: 49-50) He turned to His disciples and said, “Behold My mother and My brethren.  For whosoever shall do the will of my Father in heaven, the same is my brother, sister, and mother.”  Paul told Timothy (I Tim. 2:5) There is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.      

C.     We have hope (v.2b)

We are to literally “stand in this grace and rejoice in hope of the glory of God”.  The salvation that Christians enjoy is the very grace that we stand in as we look to the Hope of our soon coming King, Jesus Christ.  We stand through storms because we are rooted and established in the Word of the Lord.  The unsaved person cannot stand in the grace of our Lord.  The very blessing a believer receives flows from grace and it is the “hope of the glory of God”.  The hope of every Christian is threefold:  The far distant hope, the hope of our life with God in heaven forever.  The intermediate hope of our position in Christ immediately after death until the Lord ushers in the permanent, eternal state; and there is the present hope concerning all that may befall us in this life while we wait for death or the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ.  Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine O what a foretaste of glory divine, Heir of salvation, purchased of God, Born of His Spirit, washed in His blood.  This is my story; this is my song, Praising my Savior all the daylong…   

D.    We have daily confidence (vv.3-4)

We glory in testing [tribulation].  The true Christian cot only has a hope for the future, but he has confidence in the present trials of life.  The formula goes like this:  Testing + Christ = patience; patience + Christ = character [experience]; experience + Christ = hope.  Note that we do not glory over trials, or about trials, but in trials.  Paul said when he gave the Word out it was given out with much affliction but he said with the joy of the Holy Spirit (I Thess. 1:4-6).

E.     We experience the love of God (vv.5-11)

Paul’s argument is this:  If God did all that for us while we were His enemies, how much more will He do for us now that we are His children!  We are saved by Christ death (v.9), but we are also saved by His life (v.10) as the power of His resurrection (Phil. 3:10) operates in our lives.  We have received reconciliation (atonement v.11), and now the love of God is experienced in our lives.[1]

Application:  “Rejoice in God through Jesus Christ”.  When a person realizes the blessings they have received through “Justification” they should be moved to “Rejoice”. 

Paul told young Timothy “As for you, always be steady, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry” (II. Tim. 4:5). 

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