Here’s my fairly literal translation of these verses:
1Therefore, being justified out of faith, we have peace toward God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2through whom we also have gained access by faith into this grace in which we have taken a stand, and we revel on [the] hope of the glory of God.
What a string of pearls! It’s hard to imagine how one could pack any more hope into a single sentence.
In the first four chapters of Romans, Paul has clearly established the fact of justification by faith. He started out in 1:18 by presenting the problem, that “The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth in their unrighteousness.” The undeniable fact is that there is something terribly wrong with our world, and there is a sense in which it is a major occupation of the human race to resolve this problem. A few people invariably realize the problem is us, that mankind is their own worst enemy. However, for all the seemingly endless variety of solutions people have pursued, the human race goes on being rotten.
As I have observed before, what the Gospel presents to us is the truth of what is the problem and then the only real solution. The Gospel isn’t just another system of religion or some different twist on how to make our world better. The Gospel is reality. To deny it or ignore it is to “suppress the truth” in our unrighteousness. What Paul has done then in the first four chapters of this book is to present to us the most fundamental facts of our existence, a very clear exposition of what is our problem and finally what is the only answer.
He stated it clearly in those momentous and opening words: “The just shall live by faith” (1:17). Again, the first four chapters have established the only way to escape the death in which we all exist is the life offered to us by faith. If we would live, we must come to God on His terms. The wonderful news, however, is that the Lord not only fixes the problem, but that He truly would give us life itself. In fact, what we receive from His gracious hand is eternal life. He warned Adam and Eve in the Garden that if they sinned, literally “in dying you shall die.” Sin would mean their very life would be about dying. When God fixes the problem, our life is suddenly about living, and that forever!
I believe that is where we start Romans 5. The first four chapters have shown us how to be made alive. From chapter 5 on, we’ll learn about what it means to live. This chapter begins with the words, “Therefore, being justified by faith…” In other words, having stepped through this door of faith, therefore…what do we find? And look at God’s answer, this string of words themselves: peace, access, grace, standing, glory. What a string of pearls!
Notice that it all starts with peace with God. Back to 1:18, remember we learned there that is the real problem, that, underneath it all, man’s problem is his alienation from God. Reality is that we are created beings, that we need to be in constant relationship with our Creator, that without that relationship we are hopelessly doomed to a life of frustration, disappointment, and self-destruction. As Jesus said, “For without Me, you can do nothing.” Justification by faith solves the problem. Possessing it, we thereby enjoy peace with God. From that very simple yet foundational fact now flows all these other pearls, all the unspeakable blessings of a life lived with God.
(P.S. I am very aware that the NIV Bible puts a footnote on v. 1 and offers the alternate reading, “Or let us”. In other words, they are suggesting the verse could read, “Therefore, being justified through faith, let us have peace with God…” I’m quite aware of their reasons for including this, but the idea is ludicrous. The entire thrust of Romans chapters 1-11 is to present the facts of the Gospel. Only in 12:1 does Paul turn to applications when he says, “Therefore, I urge you brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices…” There are no exhortations in the first eleven chapters. In addition, in the verses before us here in chapter 5, we find one perfect tense verb after another. Perfect tense is past, completed action with continuing present results. Having been justified by faith, we have peace with God. We have gained access and we have taken a stand in grace. I don’t want to spill (waste) any more ink on the subject, but I would suggest to you the only reason anyone ever did or still does want to make this read, “Let us have peace with God,” is due to man’s incorrigible legalism. After four chapters of clearly establishing that we are justified by faith, people just can’t give up that one last little, “but, but, but, I still want to be in charge! I still want to be in control of whether or not I actually have peace with God.” Ludicrous. Peace with God is the gift we receive from being justified by faith. If your Bible includes that footnote and if you’re one to write in your Bible, I suggest you strike a line through it and be done with it).
Then notice it is “through our Lord Jesus Christ” and it is Him “through whom we also have gained access by faith into this grace in which we have taken a stand.” Here’s the good news: Your peace with God was provided by Jesus. It is through Him. That means you and I can’t screw it up! That had better be true, yes? We’ve already proven we can’t handle it. “All have sinned and come short.” We have hope precisely because He is our hope.
It is through Him that we have “gained access.” We read in Heb. 4:14-16, “Therefore, since we have a great High Priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God...Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” “With confidence. The old KJV translated it “come boldly.” I find myself constantly quoting that verse because I need so desperately to beg the Lord for help, yet am battered by the awareness of my own unworthiness. Well, it wasn’t my “worthiness” that got me to His throne to start with. It was Jesus! I have gained access through Him.
And notice it is “have gained access.” Again, that is in Greek a perfect tense: past completed action with continuing present results. In Jesus, we don’t just hope to gain access. It is our present possession. Then notice what kind of access is it? It is access “into this grace in which have taken a stand.” Grace, the place of unmerited favor. The place of God’s love. In Jesus, we have “taken our stand” in this grace. I have translated that as “have taken our stand” because, once again, it is a perfect verb. The justified person does not just hope to stand in grace. In Jesus, we have “taken our stand.”
Then it goes on to say that we “exult in the hope of the glory of God.” The word I’ve translated “exult” is the same word for boasting. I would say, obviously, in this context, that would be an inappropriate translation. However, there is without question the picture of energetically enjoying the truth we’re celebrating, and in this case, it is “the hope of the glory of God.” Hope is always a nice word. We need lots of it, that’s for sure!
However, notice it is the hope of “the glory of God.” As I pondered a number of verses referencing this “glory,” I realized I have never thought much about it. I’ve always puzzled a little over Rom. 3:23, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” What exactly does it mean to “fall short of the glory of God”? And why choose that particular wording? Wouldn’t it make more immediate sense to say something like “all have sinned and fall short of God’s holy standard”? Why would Paul say it as “fall short of the glory of God”? I remember noticing, when I studied through that verse, the commentators all offered a lot of opinions, but no one offered anything I thought satisfactory.
I think this subject of the glory of God and what it means in your life and mine is something much larger than I have ever realized. That said, I’m going to stop here on verses 1 and 2, and consider this subject of “the glory of God” specifically. Pearls are beautiful things. When I find a new one, I love to roll it around in my fingers and make sure I treasure it!
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