I thought since we have been doing assignments on Romans 5:12-21 and 6:1-14, an interesting discussion would be what lead Paul to write what he did. My question today is what is so significant in Romans 5:1-11 that Paul would write the passages we were engaging with. Obviousl y to properly engage in this discussion we have to consider the whole conversation of Romans, but we do not have the time nor the resources to create such a discussion today.
Note: this blog reflects my opinion of the text, not that of the commentators, Paul or God. Whilst i might sound like i know what i am saying i actually have no idea
Note 2: I have not used the word justification in this blog to mean the entire saving act of God as one piper might want to put it, my interest in justification is not how we get in but how we can know who is in which one mr wright (not darren) would be more inclined to use.
Romans 5:1-11
Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.
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. 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. More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation." (Romans 5:1-11, ESV)
This passage is generally used in two halves the suffering half and the reconciliation half, often used to tell people why their suffering is worth it or why they need Jesus. However a closer reading of the text reveals that these two halves can be reconciled.
Where does this fit in Paul's letter?
The discussion of Romans up until this point has been about the faithfulness of God and how Jesus has fulfilled the covenant. It is Christ's faithfulness to the covenant that has led to the justification of God's people and this covenant was totally fulfilled with Christ's work at the cross. In Romans 4 Paul begins to expand on how justification is obtained and what that justification means. He declares that faith in Christ is the new way that has replaced following the Torah. Through this Paul has actually declared that jusitification is available not just to the Jews but to everyone including the gentiles. He shows how this has been made possible and that is through faith in Jesus Christ.
What is Paul saying?
In Romans 5:1-2 Paul is listing the benifits of justification, which are:
- Peace with God
- Grace on which we stand
- The hope of the glory of God
Then the passage takes an interesting twist in v3 Paul where he begins listing the benifits of suffering and saying why the Roman church should rejoice in their suffering.
One reason Paul may have done this is that it immediately follows the v2 where Paul rejoices in the hope of glory. So Paul lists then an unexpected reason to rejoice because the roman church has been jusitified which is suffering. He then takes some time to really explore why suffering can actually be benefitial. His reasons that they are benifitial are that suffering will produce endurance, character and hope. He goes onto to expand on what this hope will not disappoint, that God will not shame them for this hope. Paul then goes onto to say why this hope cannot disappoint which is that God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. Which links this text together, by saying that the Holy Spirit in the present age gives the people love over-flowing to prove that the future glory is worth the hope put in it.
What Paul could be saying here is that in this age it may not seem like your sufferings are worth it, but if you suffer it will further reveal the great glory to come in the new age and this great glory will not disappoint you, it will all be worth it. Want proof God gave us the Holy Spirit who has poured God's love in to our hearts so that its over flowing. Nothing can stop you getting this future glory now!
But my question today is how does Paul go from talking about suffering to the theme of reconciliation. For some there would be considered a jump in logic here. My answer is short is that to narrow down the focus of v 1-6 to a theme of suffering is to identify the wrong theme. Perhaps the theme is justification and part of that theme is that when we suffer we know that we cannot be seperated from the love of christ. The problem as i can see it, is that we have come to this text with a question here that Paul is not answering or even attempting to answer. To quote Stephen, if we are getting the wrong answers then obviously we are asking the wrong questions. Often this text has been eisegeted to answer why is there suffering if there if God is all good and all powerful.
my next blog if it ever arrives will attempt to answer the question that i started asking but i thought this is already to long, so i will spare you. i have not even started answering the question i was asking in the beginning which is what paul does to you. maybe next time...
peace out fellow bloggers, john nes
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