(Rom 5:1 NASB) Therefore having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
(Rom 5:2 NASB) through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God.
Rom 5:2: When Paul uses the word “hope,” he does not mean it in the same way that we usually mean it today. Paul means “expectation.” The Greek word is elpis, el-pece’; from a prim. elpo (to anticipate, usually with pleasure); expectation (abstr. or concr.) or confidence:–faith, hope.
In reading this passage, it sounds good and all that we are justified by our “faith” or even our “faithfulness.” But the more I read this, the more I realize that is not the case at all.
In Romans 3:3-4, Paul was speaking of the faithfulness of Elohim. Why should we think that Paul is not speaking of that here also? With that being the case, look at this passage, and the rest of the chapter, with the fact that we are saved by grace through the faithfulness of the Father (Eph. 2:8-10).
(Rom 5:3 NASB) And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance;
(Rom 5:4 NASB) and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope;
(Rom 5:5 NASB) and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.
Rom 5:5: We can rest assured that we can exult in our tribulations because it is through His faithfulness that we have expectation that will not disappoint. We have this expectation because of His Breath (Holy Spirit) within us.
It is through our tribulations that Elohim shapes us into something that He can use for His glory.
(Rom 5:6 NASB) For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.
(Rom 5:7 NASB) For one will hardly die for a righteous man; though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die.
(Rom 5:8 NASB) But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
Rom 5:8: Yeshua died for us when we were totally helpless and worthless. Not many would die for a righteous man. For some good men, someone might dare to die. But Elohim demonstrated His love for us by sending His Word made flesh to die for us when we were totally worthless sinners.
(Rom 5:9 NASB) Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him.
Rom 5:9: We are justified through the blood of Messiah. It is through His blood that we are delivered from the wrath of Elohim (His judgment). It is through the faithfulness of the Father (who promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob that He would save their people) that He sent Yeshua Messiah to justify His people through His blood.
While all people will still have to give an account for all that we do, His chosen ones avoid the wrath of total destruction caused by sin.
(Rom 5:10 NASB) For if while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.
(Rom 5:11 NASB) And not only this, but we also exult in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.
Rom 5:11: Paul is still making the case against the Jewish belief of salvation through bloodline or through affiliation of a certain group. We are only reconciled to Elohim through the sacrifice of Messiah. It is through the sacrifice of Messiah that we receive the Spirit of the Father which gives us faithfulness to Him. He is our only hope.
(Rom 5:12 NASB) Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned–
Rom 5:12: In this section of chapter 5, Paul is going to make a contrast between the life of Adam and the life of Messiah.
Paul says that sin entered the world through one man, Adam. Sin entered into the world because Adam ate of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, which exposed his sinfulness (Gen. 3:19-24). The Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil is the Torah itself, which showed Adam (and consequently all those after him) to be sinful, and therefore had to die.
Scripture equates lack of knowledge with evil (Hosea 4:6). Paul also tells us that he would not have known sin if not for Torah and that death came through Torah (Romans 7:7-10).
(Rom 5:13 NASB) for until the Law sin was in the world; but sin is not imputed when there is no law.
Rom 5:13: Paul is stating that before Adam partook of Torah, his sin was not imputed upon him and his descendants.
This is a very interesting passage. Paul is expressly stating that Torah has been in effect since the beginning of time. Disobedience of any command of Elohim is breaking Torah and results in death.
Virtually the entire Torah of Elohim can be found in Genesis. Men in that day were responsible for keeping the Torah of Elohim also.
However, sin is not imputed when there is no Torah. Then are those without Torah safe because they do not have sin imputed upon them? No. They have a conscience which tells them enough about Torah that they stand condemned (Romans 2:14-16).
(Rom 5:14 NASB) Nevertheless death reigned from Adam until Moses, even over those who had not sinned in the likeness of the offense of Adam, who is a type of Him who was to come.
Rom 5:14: Death reigns in the world even among those who are too small to be responsible for their actions. Death came into the world to all of mankind through Adam. Death is a consequence of all life through the sin of Adam because now all of the descendents of Adam are responsible to Torah.
(Rom 5:15 NASB) But the free gift is not like the transgression. For if by the transgression of the one the many died, much more did the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abound to the many.
(Rom 5:16 NASB) And the gift is not like that which came through the one who sinned; for on the one hand the judgment arose from one transgression resulting in condemnation, but on the other hand the free gift arose from many transgressions resulting in justification.
Rom 5:16: The contrast between Adam and Yeshua continues. Through the one transgression, death and much more transgression followed. From the many transgressions, arose the free gift of the Grace of Elohim, resulting in justification.
Through Adam came the gift of the curses of the Torah that they were not able to follow on their own efforts. Through the blood of Yeshua comes the gift of the Spirit of the Father which gives His chosen ones a heart and desire for His Torah.
(Rom 5:17 NASB) For if by the transgression of the one, death reigned through the one, much more those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.
Rom 5:17: Death reigned over mankind through Adam. But the abundance of grace and the gift of righteousness will reign in life through Yeshua Messiah.
(Rom 5:18 NASB) So then as through one transgression there resulted condemnation to all men, even so through one act of righteousness there resulted justification of life to all men.
(Rom 5:19 NASB) For as through the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, even so through the obedience of the One the many will be made righteous.
Rom 5:19: Through one man’s disobedience all men were made sinners because Torah was alive and condemned their sin. On the other hand, through one act of obedience, justification can come to men.
Through Adam’s disobedience, many were made sinners and condemned. Through the obedience of Messiah, many are made righteous and have life.
(Rom 5:20 NASB) And the Law came in that the transgression might increase; but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more,
Rom 5:20: When Elohim’s Torah was given to man, transgression increased. Sin increased because, if for no other reason, man’s awareness of his sin increased. Adam immediately realized this and tried to cover up his nakedness. But with the increase of sin, grace abounded even more. But do not forget the words of Paul two verses later (Romans 6:1-2).
(Rom 5:21 NASB) that, as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Rom 5:21: The contrast between Adam and Yeshua is blatant. We are either in Adam in our sin which leads to death, or we are in Yeshua in righteousness, leading to life.
Patrick McGuire
Copyright 2014 Patrick McGuire and Beit Yeshua Torah Assembly All rights reserved, no portion of this Lesson may be reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations in articles and reviews. Beit Yeshua Torah Assembly Fort Smith, Arkansas