Art Toombs Ministries
Online Bible Commentary
The Benefits of Justification
Romans 5:1 Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. 3 Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4 perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5 And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us. (NKJV)
The Apostle Paul wrote the letter of Romans to the church in Rome. These are God’s words to the Christians there, both Jews and Gentiles.
Paul wrote this letter from Corinth, Greece during a three month visit to the church there in late 56 and early 57 A.D. The letter is heavy with Christian Doctrine, Christian teaching.
In previous passages of this book, we looked at the act of Justification. Justification is the action of declaring someone righteous in the sight of God.
When we become a Christian, God’s righteousness is imputed upon us. We are declared righteous by God. We are justified.
We become “justified freely by His grace” (Romans 3:24a). We receive justification by the Judge, Jesus Christ Himself, who will one day judge the world.
We cannot earn this justification. We are “justified through faith” in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, by his grace (v. 1a).
Jesus’ judgment is to drop all charges against us. We are found innocent, His blood shed on the cross has covered all of our sins. They are cast “as far as the east is from the west” (Ps. 103:12).
In this passage, the Apostle Paul cites the benefits of Justification. Seven benefits of justification are listed.
The first benefit is peace. Paul writes “we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (v. 1b).
By the grace of God, we have been changed from an enemy of God to a friend of God. We have become a Christian, a child of God.
Adam and Eve sinned, breaking the relationship mankind had with God. Previously, God would commune with Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden “in the cool of the evening” (Gen. 3:8). They were in right relationship.
But after sin, Adam and Eve were expelled from the Garden. The relationship was broken.
We can right our relationship with God by becoming a Christian. We are no longer enemies. We have peace with God.
The second benefit is grace. Paul writes “we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand.” (v. 2a).
Justification changes our standing with God to that of grace. We walk in His grace, His strength.
Grace can be defined as undeserved and unmerited favor. We do not deserve and cannot earn grace. It is a gift of God.
The third benefit of Justification is hope. “We boast in the hope of the glory of God.” (v. 2b). We put all of our hope in God. He is the One who is able and willing to provide all that we need and want.
As Christians, we do not boast. We have not earned anything, even by good works. Instead, we boast “in the glory of God.”
The fourth benefit of Justification is perseverance. Paul writes “Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance;” (v. 3).
None of us like to suffer. God allows Christians to suffer in order to strengthen us to persevere in the faith.
So we should “glory in our sufferings”. We know that good will come from our sufferings.
The Apostle Paul suffered from “a thorn in the flesh”, (2 Cor. 12). We do not believe this was an actual thorn but a reference to a big problem of some sort.
Paul asked the Lord three times to take the thorn away and each time the Lord told him “no”. The Lord’s answer was “My grace is sufficient.”
The Lord allowed Paul to suffer. It would build perseverance in him, which was greatly needed in Paul’s ministry.
The fifth benefit is character. Paul writes “perseverance, character;” (v. 4a).
As we persevere in the faith, we build character, Godly character. We become men and women of God.
We become Christ like. We see the world, and react to it, as Christ does.
The sixth benefit of Justification is trust. Paul writes “and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame” (vv. 4c-5a).
As we walk with the Lord, and increase in perseverance, character, and hope, we learn to trust Him. We learn that we will never be put to shame.
David wrote “In You, O Lord, I put my trust, Let me never be ashamed” (Psalm 31:1). When we put our trust in the Lord we will never be put to shame. We will never regret it.
The seventh benefit of Justification is love. Paul writes “because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.” (v. 5b).
The moment we become a Christian, we are justified in the eyes of God. At the same time, we are indwelled by the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Jesus. The Holy Spirit pours out God’s love into our Hearts.
In conclusion, Justification by God is accompanied by at least seven benefits to the Christian. These seven benefits are God’s peace, grace, hope, perseverance, character, trust and love.