Sermon Notes
Introduction
Paul announced the settled privileges of everyone justified by faith: we have peace with God, we stand in grace, and we can even rejoice in suffering because God has poured his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit. He assured the believers, calling God's love the anchor that keeps our hope from ever putting us to shame (Ro 5:1-5). The apostle will explain that the love that was poured out was expressed through Christ’s death while the believers were still sinners. God’s love was not mere talk; it was proven on the cross. The writer gave a clear contrast. God is righteous, but He poured out His love? To whom? To the weak, the impious, sinners, and enemies.
1. Proven Love
Paul uses “For while” indicating the timing of the cross. Related to timing, the writer also uses the phrase “still sinners.” The apostle wants the leader to understand how profound God’s love is. Why would He die for the unrighteous? Such is unthinkable, but this love is real.
Romans 5:6-8: For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
2. Enemies Reconciled
Paul explains that being justified by the death of Christ, the believer is also saved from God’s wrath (Ro 1:18). Then the apostle shows the real picture: that the believer was an enemy of God but reconciled through the resurrection. So Christ’s blood (death) and His life (resurrection) save the believer.
Romans 5:9-10: Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. 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.
3. Rejoice
Paul could have stopped at "you're safe from judgment." But he says, in effect, "and not only that." Future security is not the finish line; the present joy is. The reconciled believer doesn't just wait nervously for heaven; they boast in God right now.
Romans 5:11: More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.
Application
- Many of us secretly believe God's love for us rises and falls with our behavior, that He loves us more on our obedient days and less on our failing ones. But Paul locates the proof of God's love entirely outside us, at the cross, at the moment we were at our worst.
- Let us be grateful to the Lord for dying for us while we were yet His enemies. May we always remember that Christ is the way to reconcile the believer to the Father. Through His death and resurrection, we are saved from God’s wrath and judgment.
- Reconciliation isn't meant to make you merely relieved; it's meant to make you glad. This week, build in deliberate moments to rejoice in His name out loud, in prayer or with a friend or in song. Joy is not a personality trait for the naturally cheerful; it is the natural overflow of a heart that grasps it has
Study Guide
- Explain why Paul uses "still" and "at just the right time." What do weak, ungodly, sinners describe? (Ro 5:6-8)
- What has God already done for us? Why can we be sure he'll finish it? Explain what it means to be "reconciled" to God. (Ro 5:9-10)
- Is your faith more joyful or more anxious? Explain why reconciliation gives us reason to rejoice today. (Ro 5:11)