The Result of Righteousness: (Romans 5:1-11)

          Chapter five continues the discussion of righteousness.  The conclusion is, "Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ" (Rom. 5:1).  The end result of righteousness is "peace with God."  This peace gives us, "access by faith into this grace wherein we stand" (Rom. 5:2).  The grace we have is not grace to sin, but grace to learn and practice God's law.  This grace means we can now "glory in tribulations," because it will lead to "patience," "experience," and finally "hope" (Rom. 5:3-4).  And this is nothing to be ashamed of, for, "the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost" (Rom. 5:5).  What is this love, but that, "Christ died for the ungodly" (Rom. 5:6).  This is a rare occurance, for, "scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die.  But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us" (Rom. 5:7-8).  Christ did not die for us when we were worthy, but not worthy.  The result is that, "we shall be saved from wrath through him" (Rom. 5:9).  This wrath is the wrath that comes from the law.  Otherwise known as the "curse" of the law (Gal. 3:10, 13).  Through faith we have the forgiveness of sins and the removal of the curse of God's law.  Even though enemies, He reconciled us back to Him, "by the death of his Son" (Rom. 5:10).  The end result is our, "joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement" (Rom. 5:11).

The Law Before Moses: (Romans 5:12-21)

           Through one man sin entered into the world, and as a result, death as well (Rom. 5:12).  The consequences of Adam's sin was upon all men, for all men die.  "For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law" (Rom. 5:13).  This adds clarity to which law is spoken of here.  This is clearly the law that was added until the Messiah came (Gal. 3:19).  The law spoken of here is the curse/penalty of the law.  The law of God has been here since the Garden of Eden.  Otherwise, how could Abraham have, "obeyed [God's] voice, and kept [His charge, [His] commandments, [His] statutes, and [His] laws" (Gen. 26:6).  Though God's law was clearly here since the beginning of time, His penal clause was not.  This was added at the time of Moses, "because of transgressions, till the seed should come" (Gal. 3:19).  Though sin was still in the world, it was not "imputed" toward men.  The Greek word for "imputed" is ellogeō, which means, "to reckon in, that is, attribute: - impute, put on account" (Strong's Concordance - G1677).  This is a legal term used to pronounce a punishment or penalty for breaking a law.  This is a direct link to the curse/penalties of the Mosaic law.  The law that was added until the Messiah came was the penal clause to the law.  Though men died from Adam to Moses, their punishment had not yet been imputed, attributed, to them.  "Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come" (Rom. 5:14).  Now that the law was added, it has now been imputed and all have been placed under sin, or, under the curse of the law.  The only way out of this curse is faith in the Messiah.

           A comparison is made between the offense of Adam and the Messiah's free gift.  Just as the offense of one man (Adam) many die, so too the "gift by grace" of one man (the Messiah) has abound unto many (Rom. 5:15).  Adam's transgression was one, but the Messiah forgives many transgressions (Rom. 5:16).  By the offense of one man judgment came into the world.  This judgment was imputed towards man when the curse of the law was added because of transgression (Gal. 3:19).  The righteousness of one man (the Messiah), "came upon all men unto justification of life" (Rom. 5:17-18).  In other words, "By one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous" (Rom. 5:19).  The curse of the law was added so that, "the offence might abound," but the result was that, "grace did much more abound" (Rom. 5:20).  God added the curses to make us sin more and see our need for a savior.  The result is that grace will abound more than sin.  This does not allow us to continue to knowingly sin, or break God's law.  The Aposle Paul will clarify this in the next chapter.  Just as sin, "reigned unto death" so too will, "grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life" (Rom. 5:21).

Dead From Sin: (Romans 6:1-4)

           Paul then asks the question, "What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound" (Rom. 6:1)?  The answer immediately follows, "God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein" (Rom. 6:2)?  Remember, the biblical definition of sin is "the transgression of the law" (1 John 3:4).  This is like saying, "What shall we say then? Shall we continue [to break God's law], that grace may abound?  God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to [breaking God's law], live any longer therein?"   We are dead to breaking God's law.  Since we are dead to sin we are no longer to break God's law.  This death is alluded to with our baptism, for as, "many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death" (Rom. 6:3).  Our baptism is a symbol of us dying with the Messiah.  This death represents us dying to breaking God's law.  Once we place our faith in the Messiah of Israel, we are to start practicing God's law.  Fortunately for us, our faith brings grace to learn God's law, then practice what we learned.  The end result of our, "baptism into death" is that we can be, "raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father."  Now we, "walk in newness of life" (Rom. 6:4), or should I say to, "walk, even as he walked" (1 John 2:6).

Resurection Unto Life: (Romans 6:5-14)

           The result of our death with the Messiah is that we will be resurrected like Him.  Since we have been identified, or, "planted together in the likeness of his death," we will also be resurrected as He was (Rom. 6:5).  The "old man" of sin has been crucified with Him, "that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin" (Rom. 6:6).  This is more evidence that we should practice God's law after we have been justified.  "For he that is dead is freed from sin" (Rom. 6:7).  Remember, sin is "the transgression of the law" (1 John 3:4).  Our "body of sin" has been destroyed so, "we should not serve sin."  We have been forgiven of all our sins and should no longer continue a life of sin.

           Since we have died with the Messiah, we shall also live with Him (Rom. 6:8).  For the Messiah will no longer die because, "death hath no more dominion over him" (Rom. 6:9).  The Messiah, "died unto sin once," so that He can live unto God (Rom. 6:10).  We also, ought to, "reckon ... [our]selves to be dead indeed unto sin" that we might live unto God (Rom. 6:11).  Therefore we should, "Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body" (Rom. 6:12).  Neither should we, "yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin" (Rom. 6:13).  Why? This is because, "sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace" (Rom. 6:14).  The result of our justification by the death, burial, and resurrection of the Messiah should be a life lived unto God, which is one where sin (breaking God's law) does not rule our lives.

Not Under Law, but Under Grace: (Romans 6:15-23)

           The result of the Messiah's sacrifice for our sins is that we are, "not under the law, but under grace" (Rom. 6:14).  This does not mean that we have grace to sin, but grace to learn how to practice God's law.  As Paul asked, "What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid" (Rom. 6:16).  As a result of this grace we have been given, we should all the more seek God's law.  After all, "to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness" (Rom. 6:17).  Thankfully, the Romans, "obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.  Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness" (Rom. 6:17-18).  The obedience spoken of is clearly that of following God's law, which is the opposite of sin, or breaking God's law.

           They once yielded their, "members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity," and they should now yield their, "members servants to righteousness unto holiness" (Rom. 6:19).  The Greek word for "iniquity" is anomia which means, "illegality, that is, violation of law" (Strong's Concordance - G458).  They are to move from anomia (violation of law) to the opposite which is "righteousness" and "holiness."  This is even more evidence that we are to practice God's law after our justification.  We have grace to learn God's law and practice it, not grace to sin.  When we were, "servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness" (Rom. 6:20), the result of which is fruit we are ashamed of and death (Rom. 6:21).  Now, however, we are, "free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life" (Rom. 6:22).  This fruit unto holiness is a result of practicing God's law.  The law does not make us righteous, but it does define righteousness.  The bottom line is that we have a choice.  We can choose sin, which leads to death, or we can choose the gift of God, which leads to eternal life (Rom. 6:23).

           Chapter six clearly supports the practice of God's law.  In fact, the first five chapters do as well.  Remember, the Apostle Paul is well educated in the Mosaic law, which makes some of his writings hard to understand (2 Pet. 3:15-16).  The next chapter is one such chapter.  Many use chapter seven as a means to remove God's law from our lives, but a careful study will reveal the opposite.  To continue this study in Romans chapter seven please click here.

By Steve Siefken

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Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth

not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

2 Timothy 2:15 KJV