051 Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. 3 Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4 and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, 5 and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. 6 For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— 8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. 10 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. 11 More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

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EXPLORATIONRomans 5:1-11

Prepare for your group meeting by reading the passage two times.

The gospel brings

reconciliation with God to all who believe,

proving God’s love for us.

Romans 5:1-11

RIGHT WITH GOD

TRUTHCentral

Session 5 // 45

.01 Famous ConflictsPrior to your group meeting, search the internet for pictures of famous stories of conflict. Examples could include: Luke Skywalker vs. Darth Vader, Spiderman vs. the Green Goblin, Batman vs. Joker, Mario vs. Bowser, or Optimus Prime vs. Megatron, and Wonder Woman vs. Cheetah. Mix up the pictures with some that most students will know and others that are more obscure or difficult. As you show each picture, call on the first student to raise his or her hand and let them tell you what conflict is represented in the picture. After playing a few rounds, explain to students that today we are going to discuss the greatest real conflict in the world and how it was been resolved: the conflict between people and God. As we do so, we will see that the gospel brings reconciliation with God to all who believe, proving God’s love for us.

.02 Show LoveDivide your students up into teams of 3-4 students each. Give each a sheet of paper and a pen or pencil. Instruct the groups to write as many answers as they can on their sheet to answer the following prompt: “Ways to show love to a friend.” Students will write down answers like: “Help them with their homework,” “invite them to sit with you at the lunch table”, “invite them to an event,” and so on. Give students 1-2 minutes to list their answers. The team with the most valid answers will win. Acknowledge the many good answers students gave and point out that Jesus once said, “No one has greater love than this: to lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13). Today we are going to see that Jesus lived out this very love for us by offering His life for us on the cross. The gospel brings reconciliation with God to all who believe, proving God’s love for us.

OPTIONSExplore

.01 WHAT DO MOST STUDENTS YOUR AGE TEND TO GET INTO ARGUMENTS OR CONFLICTS ABOUT?

.02 WHAT DOES THE PRESENCE OF THESE ARGUMENTS AND CONFLICTS IN OUR LIVES TELL US ABOUT OURSELVES?

Talk it Out

FOCUSThis week’s

No matter what you and your friends or siblings tend to argue about, the truth is that all of our lives are marked by conflict. What’s more important than considering what we argue about, however, is to evaluate the root of the conflict in our lives. If we know what’s driving us toward conflict, then we can take steps toward making things right. James said that the driving force behind our fights with others is the “passions that wage war within you” (Jas. 4:1). In other words, our sinful desires drive the conflicts in our lives. Today, we will be reminded that we are all in a conflict with God that we cannot solve. Thankfully, God has done everything necessary to solve this conflict. As we look at Romans 5:1-11, we will see that the gospel brings reconciliation with God to all who believe, proving God’s love for us.

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Read Romans 5:1-5.

.03 WHAT DOES PAUL SAY THOSE WHO ARE JUSTIFIED NOW HAVE? WHY IS THIS GOOD NEWS?

.04 IF WE NOW HAVE PEACE WITH GOD, WHAT DOES THAT IMPLY ABOUT OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD BEFORE TRUSTING JESUS? WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE?

“Therefore” in verse 1 points us back to what Paul previously said, which centered on how people can be justified or made right before God. In Romans 3:21-4:25, Paul had made the case that right standing before God can only come through faith in Jesus Christ. No amount of good works, law-keeping, or human planning can fix our brokenness or the brokenness of others. Thankfully, God has done all that is necessary to justify us before Himself—He sent His Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins so that all who trust in Him can be saved. Our salvation results in peace with God. It is as if we have been reunited with a dear friend we’ve been estranged or cut off from, only the friend is the all-powerful Creator of the universe. In other words, at the heart of what makes the gospel good news is the fact that it accomplishes reconciliation between us and God.

The fact that we need peace with God implies that we were once at war. It’s important for you and the students in your group to acknowledge that before coming to Christ, things were not right between you and God. This is the fundamental problem Paul has been concerned with throughout what we have studied of Romans so far. And while the gospel frees us from being consumed by our past failures and mistakes, it is important to remember who we were before coming to Christ as a means of keeping us humble and appreciating more deeply the work God has done to restore us to Himself.

.05 WHAT DOES PEACE WITH GOD RESULT IN (VV. 2-5)? MAKE A LIST.

Literary Context: What does it mean to “stand” in the grace of God? For more on what Paul meant by this, see the Literary Context note in the Commentary.

CONVERSATION

Leader Pack / ITEM 7: For more on Paul’s focus on redemption, see the The Gospel in Romans poster.

Session 5 // 47

Romans 5:1-51-2. Therefore is a transitional word that indicates how one thing leads to another. The word appears in three significant places in Romans (5:1; 8:1; 12:1). Paul had already outlined the path to justification by faith. Now, he transitioned to the effects of justification. Paul shifted from terms like “you” and “they” (which appear more than 70 times in the first four chapters) to the first-person pronoun we. Where Paul had previously addressed those outside the faith, he was now focusing on believers who had been justified and needed to understand how that changed their lives.

The first benefit of justification is peace. This includes the absence of conflict but goes further by emphasizing completeness or unity. Those who trust Christ can experience peace with God. As a result of peace with God, believers have access to God. Instead of being in a state of hostility toward God and separated from Him, they now can approach Him as Father. Paul also reminded the Romans that this was all the result of God’s grace in their lives. They had no standing of their own, but they stood in the unmerited favor that God poured out on those who lived by faith. In addition, this grace—and the access it provides—gives individuals confidence in the hope of the glory of God. Paul had noted that the human race fell short of God’s glory (3:23). Now those who have been justified reflect God’s glory and find hope for this life and the next.

3-5. Justification will not remove all the afflictions in our lives. Paul used a Greek word that suggests suffering experienced for the sake of the gospel. In a sense, this is a specific category of suffering reserved for believers as God transforms them into His likeness. Even when we suffer, our new relationship with God gives meaning to those challenges. James offered a similar encouragement (Jas. 1:2-4). Believers can glory in affliction because they recognize the hand of God at work in those hard times. This is not simply keeping a stiff upper lip and making lemonade out of lemons. Affliction, Paul noted, creates endurance. Endurance produces character. The Greek term translated character carries the idea of something being proven through a trial or hardship. Afflictions squeeze our lives and reveal ungodly actions and attitudes. As we endure, God refines those rough edges and we become more like the people God created us to be. Then our renewed character brings us full circle, back to the hope we have in Christ.

COMMENTARY

The word Paul uses for “we stand” is in a tense that communicates a completed action, the results of which continue in full force. So Paul declared that believers receive a complete supply of God’s grace at conversion, yet its benefits keep on working throughout our lives and in whatever situations we find ourselves. In particular, God’s grace continually helps us stand strong in faith when we face life’s trials (see 2 Cor. 12:8-9). Moreover, God’s grace is sufficient to help us stand without fear before our Lord when He returns to claim His people (see 1 Pet. 1:13).

LITERARY CONTEXT

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The gospel radically changes the outlook of all who believe. We now stand in the grace of God and rejoice in the glory of God. Through Christ, the image of God in which we were made but which has been corrupted by sin is being restored. In other words, our God is making us new. He doesn’t save us by grace only to make us then try to live for Him in our own power. Sustaining grace is given to help us stand today, tomorrow, and on that future day when we will stand before His throne..

.06 HOW DOES THE GOSPEL CHANGE OUR PERSPECTIVE ON SUFFERING AND DIFFICULTY?

Perhaps the most amazing part of this passage is what Paul says about suffering. Because of what Christ has done, we can trust that the difficult situations we find ourselves in are not the last word in our lives. Further, we can trust that God is always at work in our lives to deepen our hope and shape our character, even when things are not going the way we want them to. And finally, in verse 5, Paul makes clear that our God continues loving us in the midst of our suffering. Knowing that we are secure in the love of the God of the universe gives us hope.

Read Romans 5:6-8.

.07 WHAT WOULD MOST PEOPLE BE WILLING TO DIE FOR? HOW WAS CHRIST’S DEATH DIFFERENT?

Discipleship Moment: How has your knowledge of God’s love for you changed the way you think about yourself? The way you live on a daily basis? Think of some tangible examples to share with your students as a means of encouraging them.

.08 HOW HAS GOD PROVEN HIS LOVE FOR YOU? HOW SHOULD THIS CHANGE THE WAY YOU THINK AND LIVE?

Paul demonstrated how great God’s grace is. While many people might be willing to die for someone they love and who loves them, our God redeemed us when we were at our worst. We were utterly helpless to earn our righteousness. He showed His unmatched love for us in Christ’s death. Paul described the timing of Christ’s death as “while we were still helpless” and “at the right time.” Christ did not die for us when we were worthy of being saved; He died when we were rebelling against Him. Paul focused on the greatness of grace by pointing to the fact that it is not normal for someone to die for another person, especially when that person is at war with them.

CONVERSATIONcontinued

Leader Pack / ITEM 5: Remind your students of the power of God’s love by looking at the Romans 5:8 poster.

Session 5 // 49

The hope God produces in our lives through affliction, endurance, and character never disappoints. It always meets us right where we are with exactly what we need. That’s because it is rooted in God’s love. When we come to Him in faith, we move from being the objects of His anger and wrath to being the recipients of His love. Paul wrote that God pours out His love on us, completely covering us. Our afflictions lead to hope, which gives us a keener sense of His love for us.

God’s love is poured out on us through the work of the Holy Spirit. In any circumstance, the Spirit will guide and direct us in the right way, helping us endure hard times and grow stronger in our faith.

Romans 5:6-86. Not only are humans in a perpetual state of war with God before being justified through Jesus, they are actually helpless to change their situation. No human can achieve a right relationship with God.

God’s response to our helplessness was to send Jesus to die in our place. He poured out His love on us, and the tangible proof of that lavish gift was the sacrifice of His Son.

Sin required the penalty of death. Without divine intervention, we would be forced to pay that price ourselves—both in this world and throughout eternity. But as He did for Abraham in Moriah (Gen. 22:1-19), God provided a substitute at the right time. Paul made a similar comment in Galatians 4:4-5. The relative peace of the Roman Empire, combined with a common language (Greek) and a general curiosity about religious ideas, created a perfect historical environment for the Messiah’s arrival. But it was also the perfect time because humanity was helpless.

7-8. God did what no one could have predicted. He sacrificed His Son to rescue individuals living in rebellion against Him. That’s unheard of in human logic. A few heroes might voluntarily suffer for someone they care about, but who would endure pain to help an enemy? That’s exactly what God did. God’s radical commitment to our salvation can be traced to one motivation: his own love for us. He demonstrated that when Jesus died on the cross.

Sometimes, people are tempted to think they have to “get right” before God will accept them. But Paul was clear: We don’t have to become good enough; we can’t become good enough. Instead, God took the first step while we were still at war with Him. Even though we were still sinners living under His wrath, Christ died for us.

The benefits of justification are great. But the cost was great as well. We must never forget that sacrifice. If we ever wonder about God’s love for us, the cross should be all the proof we need.

COMMENTARY

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Read Romans 5:9-11.

.09 WHY DID WE NEED TO BE RECONCILED TO GOD? WHAT SEPARATED US FROM HIM? WHAT VERSE FROM OUR STUDY CAN YOU RECALL THAT EXPRESSES THIS?

Theological Context: What does it mean to be reconciled to God? For more information, see the Theological Context note in the Commentary.

.10 HOW DID JESUS ACCOMPLISH THIS MINISTRY OF RECONCILIATION? WHAT IMPACT DOES THIS HAVE ON OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD? WITH OTHERS?

Paul explained that by being declared just before God through faith in Jesus, believers have then been reconciled to God. Believers are no longer enemies but are now saved from the wrath of God and granted life.

In light of the great work that Jesus did, we are called to rejoice in God and praise Him for the grace we’ve received. Paul emphasized that Christ’s sacrifice was the demonstration of nothing less than divine love for sinners. God’s plan of redemption was a demonstration of grace from start to finish.

CONVERSATIONcontinued

Leader Pack / ITEM 6: To help students better understand what it means to be reconciled to God through Christ, look at the 14 Words in Romans poster and the definitions of “righteousness,” “justification,” “salvation,” “atonement,” “faith,” and “gospel.”

Session 5 // 51

Romans 5:9-11Because we know we have been justified by God through faith, we can know just as surely that we will avoid His wrath. Through the death of Jesus on the cross, we have been saved from our sins. We also have been released from the condemnation that comes from living at war with God. Believers will never suffer the wrath of God because Jesus suffered as their substitute on the cross.

By its very nature, the term reconciled indicates something was broken. We have been given an opportunity to begin a new relationship with God through the death of Jesus. But reconciliation involves action on both sides. We must accept God’s offer by faith. If we refuse, the relationship remains hostile.

Paul reminded the Romans that Jesus’ death was only part of the story. Jesus also rose from the dead. Because He is alive, our lives can be different. Salvation has both “now” and “later” aspects that reach into eternity. We are saved from the consequences of our sins by His death. But we are saved to walk in holiness through His power working in us.

God’s work on our behalf through the death and resurrection of Christ is a lot to take in. He has done so much and provided so much. We can never repay His grace and love. But we can live differently. We can live out our right relationship with Him each day for the world to see.

Salvation does not make us perfect. Christians still sin and miss the mark of God’s design. But that does not change our standing. Christ is still our substitute, and we are still righteous in God’s eyes. That, Paul said, is reason to rejoice. As we demonstrate the genuine joy God has given us, unbelievers will take notice and be interested in learning more. Joy makes our witness to the world much more effective.

COMMENTARY

God showed His love by saving sinners when we were at our worst: helpless and ungodly. Since this amazing display of divine love is true, how much more can we trust the promise that we will be saved through Him from wrath? As believers, we have nothing to fear about the end-time judgment because we are no longer under God’s wrath. Our sin-debt has been paid in full by a loving God who gave His only Son to die in our place (see 1 Thess. 1:10; 5:9).

THEOLOGICAL CONTEXT

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CENTRALTRUTH

The gospel brings reconciliation with

God to all who believe, proving God’s love for us.

.11 WHEN ARE YOU MOST TEMPTED TO THINK GOD DOESN’T LOVE YOU? WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNED IN THIS SESSION TO COMBAT SUCH WRONG THINKING?

.12 THINK ABOUT A DIFFICULT TIME YOU OR YOUR FAMILY HAS RECENTLY FACED. WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNED FROM THIS? HOW HAVE YOU GROWN?

.13 WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE RECONCILED TO GOD AND HOW SHOULD THIS SHAPE HOW WE THINK ABOUT OURSELVES? HOW WE THINK ABOUT GOD?

.14 HOW SHOULD BEING RECONCILED TO GOD THROUGH JESUS SHAPE HOW WE TREAT OTHER PEOPLE, PARTICULARLY THOSE WE FIND HARD TO GET ALONG WITH?

NOW WHAT?

The Student Leader Pack is available for purchase on lifeway.com/

explorethebible. It includes valuable posters that are referenced throughout

the Leader Guide, Family Connection guides that equip families to discuss

the Bible together on-the-go, a Midweek expository verse-by-verse study

of Exodus which complements this study, and PowerPoint templates with

graphics from the quarter study to help prepare slides for teaching.

Session 5 // 53

DEVOTIONSDaily

The first few verses of Romans 5 give a detailed list of all the benefits of the righteousness we receive by faith: peace with God, access to His grace, and the ability to rejoice in hope as well as afflictions. On top of that, we understand that even our difficult times are molding us with endurance and character. Pour on the love of God; what an amazing list of blessings!

Repeated words, phrases, or concepts in scripture hold the same meaning as when we repeat a part of a story: that’s the important part. In this passage, Paul spells it out over and over: you were helpless. Christ died while you were still sinful. God loves you so much. The love of God and the sacrifice of Jesus give us the power to have a relationship we could never earn.

Sin is powerful and brings death along with it. When sin entered the world through the first humans, it entered all mankind. You’ve seen it; you’ve experienced it; you’ve lived it. Every time you have heard a rule or law, you’ve been tempted to break it. Sin is knowing God’s standards and choosing to say “no.”

We have no need to fear sin; though sin entered the world through Adam and spread to all humanity, the gift of grace came through Jesus. Jesus’ gift is more powerful than sin; it enables us to live in overflowing grace and righteousness. Sin led to our condemnation, but the gift of Jesus covers it and enables us to be justified by God. This is really good news!

Drawing this illustration to a close, Paul contrasts Jesus and Adam: One trespass led to one condemnation; one righteous act led to justification. Adam’s sin spread, but the grace of Jesus has the ability to spread even more. Even though we’re tempted by sin and the law reveals our brokenness, Jesus’ grace leads us to righteousness.

ROMANS 5:1-5

ROMANS 5:6-11

ROMANS 5:12-14

ROMANS 5:15-17

ROMANS 5:18-21

Day One

Day Two

Day Three

Day Four

Day Five

TO LEADERS

Memorize.Romans 5:8

Connect.Send out a group message encouraging your students to complete this week’s Daily Devotions. Be sure to complete the 5 Bible readings yourself so that you might set an example for your students of making God’s Word a priority.

Challenge

Challenge your students to choose five days this week to set aside time to dig deeper into God’s Word in the devotions included in their Daily Discipleship Guides (item 005646504). These devotions are perforated so that your students can tear them out if you prefer to hold on to their Daily Discipleship Guides for them. A summary of their devotions is provided below so you can review what they will be studying on their own.