Daily Scripture Reading Romans 4:23 - 5:17
Normal people complain about affliction and wish it would go away. Some people assume affliction is proof that God is mad at them. We will learn in today’s passage that we should actually boast when we are afflicted because affliction is good for us.
The first part of chapter 4 recounts how Abraham was told he would be the father of many nations. He knew that he and his wife were too old to have children, but he believed God was able to do what he promised.HIs belief was counted to him as righteousness.
Rom. 4:23 Now not for his sake only was it written THAT IT WAS COUNTED TO HIM,
Rom. 4:24 but for our sake also, to whom it will be counted, as those who believe upon Him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead,
Rom. 4:25 He who was delivered over on account of our transgressions, and was raised on account of our justification.
Notice the word “believe” in verse 24. We are credited with righteousness on the basis of believing upon God.
Rom. 5:1 ¶ Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
Justified means to be innocent or correct.
Faith is believing in things not seen, particularly believing in the resurrection of Jesus, even though we did not see it ourselves, and believing God will fulfill His promises at some point in the future.
In the third chapter of Romans, Paul wrote that all have sinned against God. However, if we have faith and believe in things not seen, we are justified, which means we are at peace with God despite our sins.
Rom. 5:2 through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we boast in hope of the glory of God.
The pronoun “whom” refers to Jesus.
The word “grace” means being spared the punishment we deserve.
The “grace in which we stand” refers to our permanent status of being saved from eternal damnation.
Rom. 5:3 And not only this, but we also boast in our afflictions, knowing that affliction brings about perseverance;
Rom. 5:4 and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope;
Look at the phrase “boast in our afflictions”.
Normal people complain about affliction and wish it would go away. Some people assume affliction is proof that God is mad at them. Paul wrote that Christians boast in our affliction, or at least we should.
Affliction leads to perseverance, tenacity, and resolve because it takes those characteristics to overcome obstacles and setbacks. Perseverance leads to proven character. Note the word “proven”. We don’t know if we truly have good character until it is tested. If we suffer affliction and still have good character, then our good character is proven. Once we have suffered affliction and proven that we have good character, then we have hope that we can overcome any obstacle and that God will reward us for our good character.
We should not complain about affliction. Instead, we should rejoice that affliction is an opportunity to develop character.
Rom. 5:5 and hope does not put to shame, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.
Rom. 5:6 ¶ For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.
Rom. 5:7 For one will hardly die for a righteous man, though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die.
No one will die for a righteous man because a truly righteous man does not need anyone to die for him. One will die for a good man because, even though he may be good, a good man is not righteous and only through the death of Jesus does a good man become righteous.
Rom. 5:8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
Rom. 5:9 Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him.
Rom. 5:10 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.
Rom. 5:11 And not only this, but we also boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.
The concept of reconciliation is mentioned three times in verses 10 and 11. Reconcile means to restore friendly relations. Because of sin and the evilness of every person mentioned in Romans chapter 3, there is a barrier between us and God, but the death of Jesus removes that barrier.
Rom. 5:12 ¶ Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned—
Rom. 5:13 for until the Law sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law.
Impute means to charge to an account.
From the time Adam sinned until Moses received the Mosaic Law, humans were sinful because they rejected God, did not acknowledge Him as the Creator, and did bad things to their fellow humans such as murder and theft. However, without a written law, it was hard for humans to know what is sin and how God expects us to live. Once they had the Law, then they knew.
Rom. 5:14 Nevertheless death reigned from Adam until Moses, even over those who had not sinned in the likeness of the trespass of Adam, who is a type of Him who was to come.
Even though man did not have a written law before Moses, they were still condemned because of their sin.
Look at the word “type”. The Greek word which is translated “type” is the word “tupos”. Sometimes this word is translated example, pattern, or model. Tupos is the word used in 1Cor 10: 6, 11 when Paul wrote that the events in the Old Testament are examples for us to learn from. Many times when the New Testament talks about fulfilling the Old Testament, it means that the event in the life of Jesus is similar to something that happened in the Old Testament.
There are many people and events in the Old Testament which mirror and illustrate the truths of Jesus found in the New Testament. Adam is one of them. Just as one man, Adam, caused all men to be sinners, so too one man, Jesus, provided a means for everyone to be saved.
Typology is not something that is talked about much in Christian circles today. However, it is an important concept because this concept is what gives value and practical meaning to the Old Testament. This is something that should be taught and emphasized in our churches.
Rom. 5:15 ¶ But the gracious gift is not like the transgression. For if by the transgression of the one the many died, much more did the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abound to the many.
Rom. 5:16 And the gift is not like that which came through the one who sinned; for on the one hand the judgment arose from one transgression resulting in condemnation, but on the other hand the gracious gift arose from many transgressions resulting in justification.
Rom. 5:17 For if by the transgression of the one, death reigned through the one, much more those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.
It is natural to complain about affliction, but since affliction develops our character, we should boast when we are afflicted.
How has affliction in your life made you a better person?
What are some setbacks and obstacles in your life that you resented at the time, but now you are glad they happened and would not change them if you were able to live your life again?
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“Scripture quotations taken from the (LSB®) Legacy Standard Bible®, Copyright © 2021 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Managed in partnership with Three Sixteen Publishing Inc. LSBible.org and 316publishing.com.”