Written by the apostle Paul, Romans possesses an abundance of rich theology regarding Christ, grace, righteousness, sin, and resurrected life in Christ, among other things. Romans was written out of Paul’s desire to visit the church at Rome and encourage the Roman Christians’ journey in the faith. Ever since Paul was met by Jesus on the road to Damascus, his passion for the Lord and commitment to missionary evangelism served as the catalyst for spreading Christianity to the Roman Empire and much of Asia Minor. His letters and epistles, like this one, make up a majority of the New Testament and have contributed to our understanding of many fundamental doctrines of the Christian faith.

Particularly in Romans chapter 5, Paul discusses the significance of Christ as the one man through whom righteousness entered the world for all who would receive it. Despite sin entering the world through the one man, Adam, Jesus has come to reverse this curse of sin. And He has won. No question about it. At the point of Jesus’ death and resurrection, there existed a monumental shift in the trajectory of the human race, setting us on the path of righteousness so that we may now have relationship with God. We can receive this gift if we so choose. Paul reminds us in this passage that it is a free gift of grace. That’s right. Free. All we have to do is say… yes…I need Jesus to cover me with His perfect life and erase all my sin.

It can be easy to think that God just tolerates us as we live our lives on earth… or that He’s just enduring all of our mistakes with resentment and frustration until He takes us home to heaven. But this isn’t true whatsoever. Romans 5 declares this truth that we have peace with God. Through our faith with Christ. Not strife. Not tension. There is no animosity between us and God. No resentment. No pressure. No separation. Only peace. Because of Jesus. Only grace. Permanent and irrevocable. What a comfort!

We should be so utterly thankful for Jesus that He has selflessly died for us and was raised to life, making it possible for us to have a right relationship with God. What great news. Through Christ, we have access to this peace. Let us take hold of it and never take it for granted for one second.

And as we get to know Jesus through Romans chapter 5, may we fall more in love with the Savior who has given His very life away so that we might be given life. So that we may partake of this undeserved peace with God. So that we might be made righteous in His sight. What a gift.

Summary of Romans 5

Paul informs the audience that they have been justified by faith and thus have peace with God; Paul goes on to explain how Jesus grants us access to grace; Paul implores the audience to rejoice in their sufferings, as these sufferings will produce endurance, character, and hope, which will not disappoint; Paul declares that God’s love has been poured out already by the Holy Spirit to all believers; Paul goes on to discuss how Jesus Christ died for not just good men, but sinful men, and contrasts this kind of selfless love to the ordinary human being who might only lay down his life for another who is worthy of such; Paul describes God’s extravagant love for us in sending Jesus to die for the ungodly; Paul talks about the reconciliation that we now have received because of Jesus’ own life being given up for us on the cross; Paul starts to compare the sin of Adam, coming from the one man who allowed sin to enter the world as opposed to Jesus who now has enabled righteousness to enter the world because of his perfect life, death and resurrection; Paul proclaims that this grace abounds to whoever will receive it; Paul declares that this grace reigns in the righteous life of Christ who grants eternal life to all those who will believe.

Jesus in Romans 5

Jesus grants us peace with God (v. 1)

Jesus Christ is Lord (v. 1)

Jesus grants us access to grace by faith (v. 2)

Jesus prompts us to rejoice in hope (v. 2)

Jesus prompts us to hope in the glory of God (v. 2)

Jesus prompts us to rejoice in sufferings (v. 3)

Jesus died for the ungodly (v. 6)

Jesus died for us while we were still weak (v. 6)

Jesus died at just the right time (v. 6)

Jesus died for sinners (v. 7-8)

Jesus’ death for sinners demonstrates God’s love for us (v. 8)

Jesus justifies us by His blood (v. 9)

Jesus saves us from the wrath of God (v. 9)

Jesus reconciles us to God by his death (v. 10)

Jesus reconciled us to God while we were still enemies of God (v. 10)

Jesus saves us by His own life (v. 10)

Jesus enables us to rejoice in God (v. 11)

Jesus makes it possible for us to receive this reconciliation with God (v. 11)

Jesus is the one man through whom grace now enters the world (v. 12-15)

Jesus was foreshadowed by Adam as a type of one to come (v. 14)

Jesus reverses the sin curse initiated by Adam (v. 15)

Jesus’ gift of grace is free (v. 15)

Jesus’ gift of grace is more powerful than the trespass (v. 15)

Jesus’ gift of grace abounds to many (v. 15)

Jesus’ gift of grace obliterates condemnation (v. 16)

Jesus’ gift of grace brings justification (v. 16)

Jesus’ gift of grace makes us guiltless before God (v. 16)

Jesus is the one man who reigns with righteousness for all who will receive it (v. 17)

Jesus is the perfect Adam (v. 17)

Jesus lived the perfect, sin-free life we could never live on our own (v. 17)

Jesus’ one act of righteousness leads to justification for all who would receive it (v. 18)

Jesus’ one act of righteousness leads to life for all who would receive it (v. 18)

Jesus’ one act of righteousness replaces Adam’s one act of sin (v. 18-19)

Jesus’ one act of obedience will make many men righteous (v. 19)

Jesus’ grace abounds even more than the trespasses of the law (v. 20)

Jesus’ grace reigns through righteousness (v. 21)

Jesus’ grace leads to eternal life (v. 21)

Jesus Christ is the only one who can impart eternal life to us (v. 19 & 21)

“But God shows His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Chris died for the ungodly.”

–Romans 5:8 –

Questions for Today:

• How can I trust that I have peace with God through Jesus Christ?
• Why is it important for me to know that I have peace with God?
• What is significant about Jesus Christ dying for me while I was still sinful?
• Do I honor Jesus as the only one who has power to redeem my sin and my life?
• What next step is Jesus asking me to take in my relationship with Him today?

“Forever” by Kari Jobe