The Benefits of Being Made Right with God Through Faith (Romans 5:1–5)
Paul echoed what the book of Genesis said about Abraham, the father of the Jewish people, namely that he believed God and was declared righteous because of that faith. That is the number one benefit each and every one of us who place our faith in Jesus Christ receive: being right with God.
It has been said that the word justified as Paul uses it in his letter to the Romans means that when God looks at those who have put their faith in Jesus Christ, He sees perfection because He sees only His own righteousness, which was lived out perfectly in the life of His only begotten Son.
But there are many other side benefits that flow out of that one, and they are all important for us to enjoy as we grow and mature in our faith in Christ. According to Paul in his letter to the Romans, when we are “made right in God';s sight” by placing our faith in Jesus Christ, we have the benefit of:
being at peace with God (Romans 5:1);
being in a position to receive undeserved blessing and freedom (5:2);
confidently and joyfully looking forward to sharing in God';s eternal glory (5:2);
knowing that everything we go through, including trials and problems, helps us to mature (5:3);
knowing that all we endure develops character, which strengthens our confidence in our salvation (5:4);
knowing how dearly God loves us, simply because He';s given us His own spirit (5:5);
being called “friends of God” (5:10–11).
All of these things flow out of God';s unmerited favor, which has been seen as the very definition of His grace. It is also reflected in these words Paul wrote about the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ: “When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners. Now, most people would not be willing to die for an upright person, though someone might perhaps be willing to die for a person who is especially good. But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners” (Romans 5:6–8).
Romans tells us that when Christ did those things for us, he made us right with God, and that he will certainly save us from the condemnation that has come upon all humankind because of the sin of Adam.
Study Questions
What does it mean to you to be at peace with God?
What benefits have you personally received through your faith in Jesus Christ?
