Romans 5:1-11

Eleventh Passage (5:1-11). The Certainty of final Salvation for Believers.

The title which we have just given to this piece suffices to indicate the difference between the idea which we form of its scope and aim, and that which prevails on the subject in the commentaries. Commentators, except Meyer to some extent, and Th. Schott more completely, see in the following piece the exposition of the fruits of justification by faith; to wit, peace, Romans 5:1; the hope of glory, Romans 5:2; patience, Romans 5:3 et seq.; and the feeling of the love of God, Romans 5:5, et seq. But, first, such a juxtaposition of effects so diverse would not correspond with the nature of Paul's genius. Then chaps. 6-8 are intended, as all allow, to expound Christian sanctification as the fruit of justification by faith. But if the piece Romans 5:1-11 were the beginning of the description of the fruits of justification, why interrupt the delineation by the parallel of Adam and Christ, which does not naturally belong to it? One cannot be surprised, if it is so, at the judgment of Reuss, who alleges that in the matter of systematic order our Epistle leaves something to be desired (Gesch. d. N. T. Schr. § 108). To escape this difficulty, Lange and Schaff, following Rothe's example, think we should close the exposition of justification at Romans 5:11, and make the parallel of the two Adams the opening of a new division, that relating to sanctification. We shall state the exegetical reasons which absolutely prevent us from referring the passage Romans 5:12-21 to the work of sanctification. Here we merely call the attention of the reader to the particle διὰ τοῦτο, wherefore, Romans 5:12, by which the second part of our chapter is closely joined to what precedes, and which makes the following piece not the opening of a new part, but the close of that which we are studying (Romans 1:18 to Romans 5:11). As to the disorder which Reuss attributes to the apostolic doctrine, we think we can show that the author of the Epistle is entirely innocent, and that it is solely chargeable on his expositors. The apostle never thought of explaining, in the piece which we are about to study, the fruits of justification; he simply finishes treating the subject of justification itself. What good, indeed, would be served by an argument in regular form like that which we find in Romans 5:6-8 and in Romans 5:9-10, which are real syllogisms, to demonstrate what is obvious at a glance: that peace with God flows from justification? Was it not enough to indicate the fact? The view of the apostle is therefore entirely different. From this point he turns his attention to the future which opens up before the justified soul. It is not at its goal; a career of trials and struggles awaits it. Will its state of justification hold good till it can possess the finished salvation? The apprehension of divine wrath exists in the profound depths of man's heart. A trespass suffices to reawaken it. What justified one will not sometimes put the anxious question, Will the sentence by which my faith was reckoned to me for righteousness be still valid before the judgment-seat; and in the day of wrath (Romans 5:9) will this salvation by grace, in which I now rejoice, still endure? It is the answer to this ever-reviving fear which the following piece is intended to give. We are still, therefore, engrossed with the subject of justification. The exegesis, I hope, will prove the truth of this view, which makes this piece an essential waymark in the progress of the Epistle. As is usual with Paul, the theme of the whole passage is expressed in the first words, Romans 5:1-2.