Mec
Here is a commentary by Pastor Chuck Smith of The Word for Today and Calvary Chapel.. I wish I would have read this earlier. It would have saved me 4 hours worth of work.. Atleast I seem to be on the same page as him.
justification
(Gk. dikaiosis) (4:25; 5:18) Strong's 1347: The Greek noun for justification is derived from the Greek verb dikaioo, meaning "to acquit" or "to declare righteous" (used by Paul in 4:2, 5; 5:1). It is a legal term used of a favorable verdict in a trial. The word depicts a courtroom setting, with God presiding as the Judge, determining the faithfulness of each person to the Law. In the first section of Romans, Paul makes it clear that no one can withstand God's judgment (3:9). The Law was not given to justify sinners but to expose their sin. To remedy this deplorable situation, God sent His Son to die for our sins, in our place. When we believe in Jesus, God imputes His righteousness to us, and we are declared righteous before God. In this way, God demonstrates that He is both a righteous Judge and the One who declares us righteous, our Justifier (3:26).
5:1 Peace here is not a subjective feeling of peace. Rather, this peace is the state of being at peace instead of at war. The hostility between God and the believer has ceased. The believer has been reconciled to God.
5:2 To have access means "to approach," as if by introduction into a king's throne room. Believers have been granted admission to stand before God. Even though they were once rebels, they do not have to face His judgment. Instead they approach His throne in the realm of grace, or in the King's favor. Rejoice means "to boast" and hope means "expectation." Believers boast in the sure expectation of the glory of God. They are confident, for God Himself has placed the Holy Spirit in their hearts (v. 5).
5:3 Glory is the same Greek word that is translated "rejoice" in v. 2. Believers can rejoice, glory, and boast not only in their future hope (v. 2) but also in their present troubles. Tribulations refers to physical hardship, suffering, and distress. Perseverance means "endurance." Trials and tribulation produce endurance when we exercise faith during those difficult times (see James 1:2, 3). Such faith produces its own reward (see Matt. 5:10; 2 Tim. 2:12).
5:4 Perseverance produces character, the quality of being approved. As believers endure tribulation, God works in them to develop certain qualities and virtues that will strengthen them and draw them closer to Him. The result is fortified hope in God and His promises.
5:5 The hope that believers have of their future glory with God will not disappoint them by being unfulfilled. They will not be put to shame or humiliated because of their hope. The reason the believer can be so confident is that the love of God has been poured out. The moment a person trusts in Christ, that person receives the Holy Spirit (see 8:9), who constantly encourages them in their hope in God.
5:6 Paul now explains the nature of God's love. God loved us when we were still without strength and ungodly. God loved us so much He sent His Son to die for us (see v. 8). God loves us just the way we are, but He loves us too much to leave us the way we are (see John 15:16; Phil. 1:6).
5:9, 10 If God loved us when we were helpless, ungodly enemies, how much more will He love us now that we are His children? By His blood . . . through the death of His Son we have been justified, that is "declared righteous," and reconciled, meaning our state of alienation from God has been changed. Believers are no longer enemies of God; they are at peace with God (v. 1). we shall be saved: Many take these verses to refer to final salvation from the presence of sin. But in this context, Paul goes on to discuss being saved from the power of sin (see ch. 6). Thus wrath here is God's present wrath (see 1:18), and His life is the life of Christ in believers (see v. 18). The point is that since God's love and the death of Christ have brought us justification, then as a result of that love, we can also expect salvation from God's wrath. To experience this truth, the believer must fully cooperate with the process that is explained in 6:1 (see John 8:32). The believer must die to sin and present himself or herself to God as an "instrument of righteousness" (see 6:14).
Word Focus
reconciliation
(Gk. katallage) (5:11; 11:15; 2 Cor. 5:18, 19) Strong's 2643: The Greek word basically means "change" or "exchange." In the context of relationships between people, the term implies a change in attitude on the part of both individuals, a change from enmity to friendship. When used to describe the relationship existing between God and a person, the term implies the change of attitude on the part of both a person and God. The need to change the sinful ways of a human being is obvious; but some argue that no change is needed on the part of God. But inherent in the doctrine of justification is the changed attitude of God toward the sinner. God declares a person who was formerly His enemy to be righteous before Him.
5:12 The one man is Adam. Through him sin entered the world. Sin brought death. The result is that death is now a universal experience. The phrase because all sinned does not mean just that "all have sinned" sometime in their lives, thus referring to individual sins. Paul takes his readers back to the beginning of human history, to the one sin that brought death upon us all. The unity of the human race is demonstrated here. In Adam, we all sinned (see 1 Cor. 15:22). The result is physical and spiritual death for everyone. From Adam we inherited a sin nature. Furthermore, as a result of our sin in Adam, we face a common judgment-death.
5:13, 14 Until the law, that is until the Law of Moses was given, sin was not imputed. Imputed means "to charge to one's account," as by an entry made in a ledger. In other words, sin was present in the world from Adam to Moses, but God did not keep an account of sins before the giving of the Law because there was no Law to obey or disobey. not sinned: Those after Adam and before Moses did not sin like Adam because there were no prohibitions similar to the Law of Moses. But they did sin, and the way we know this is that death reigned. They all died.
5:15 Through one man, Adam, death came. Yet through one Man, Jesus Christ, grace and the gift of God, eternal life, was given. much more: The works of the two men, Adam and Jesus, are not merely antithetical. Christ's work is greater, for it brings God's grace to those stuck in the sinfulness which originated in Adam.
5:16 Through Adam came condemnation, a word used only three times in the New Testament, and all three times in Romans (see v. 18; 8:1). The word refers to "the punishment following a judicial sentence." In the face of this, through Christ came the free gift that resulted in justification. That is to say, the aim or goal of the gift is justification, or "righteousness." In v. 18, the same word is translated "righteous act." In other words, the goal of the gift of eternal life is righteous living. This does not refer to justification by faith but to the practical outworking of faith through righteous acts (see 6:16). Thus this verse contrasts the penal servitude of a sinner with the righteous life of a believer.
5:18 Here Paul completes the comparison begun in v. 12 between the sinful work of Adam and the righteous work of Jesus. Through Adam came condemnation. Through Christ came justification of life, a justification that produces life.
5:19 Made means "to make," "constitute." As the result of Adam's sin, people became sinners. By Christ's death many will be made righteous (in contrast to declared righteousness, see 4:3). That is, believers are actually being constituted or made righteous. Through the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit, the believer who has been declared righteous by God is continually becoming more righteous.
5:20 the offense might abound: Law magnified sin. What was inherently wrong became formally and explicitly wrong once the Law was revealed. grace abounded much more: The Greek term Paul uses means "superabounded." Not only can sin never exceed the grace provided by God, sin loses its threat when compared to the superabounding grace of God.
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