Series Title:

Justification: Man’s Relationship with God”

Series Text: Romans 5:1-21

Sermon 1: “The Results of Justification”

Sermon 1 Text: Romans 5:1-5

Jacob Anderson

May 10, 2026

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​​What is Justification?

Justification is a legal pronouncement where God declares us righteous in His sight.

 

It is through Jesus’ death on the cross that we are justified.

 

Christianity is about having a relationship with the Creator of this amazing universe, and it is through that relationship we learn obedience to the Word of God.

 

Why were we justified?

Before justification, we were enemies of God, we didn’t want a relationship with Him, we had no desire to obey Him.

 

We have been justified and now we have a relationship with God, and that is what justification did for us.

 

I Corinthians 1:30 “It is because of God that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption.”

 

Romans 5:1 – 5 “Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we also have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we celebrate in hope of the glory of God. And not only this, but we also celebrate in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; 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.”

 

Verse 1 “Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

 

First, we see Paul writing “Therefore”, and as I have said several times before, when we see the word “therefore” we need to ask, what is it there for? In this instance Paul is referring back to Romans chapters 3 and 4.

 

In chapter 3 Paul tells us that we are justified by faith and not by works of the Law.

 

Romans 3:28 “For we maintain that a person is justified by faith apart from works of the Law.”

In chapter 4 Paul talks about the faith of Abraham, and how Abraham wasn’t justified by the Law because the Law didn’t exist yet, instead Abraham was justified by faith.

 

Romans 4:13 “It was not through the law that Abraham and his offspring received the promise that he would be heir of the world, but through the righteousness that comes by faith.”

 

So, when Paul opens up chapter 5 with “therefore”, he is saying, as a result of justification being by faith.

 

It is by faith alone that we are justified, and not by obedience to the Law, or obedience to doctrine, or obedience to man’s rules.

 

We are justified by faith in Jesus Christ

 

What benefit arises from our faith in Jesus Christ? Paul tells us “We have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

 

This peace that Paul is speaking about isn’t a feeling that just comes and goes, but rather it is actual peace with God.

 

Romans 5:10 “For if while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son.”

 

We are no longer enemies of God, but we now have peace with God. We no longer have to worry about the wrath of God falling on us.

 

Peace means there is no longer a fear of punishment, there is no longer guilt and anxiety over past sins, and there is no longer fear of condemnation and hell.

 

Romans 5:2 “Our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in the hope of the glory of God.”

 

Hebrews 4:16 that we can “draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and may find grace to help in time of need.”

 

The reason it is possible for man to approach the throne of God is explained in

Matthew 27:50 – 51 “And Jesus cried with a loud voice, and yielded up His spirit.

And behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom.”

 

The Spirit of God is no longer hidden behind a curtain in the Holy of Holiness, now it is at our disposal every day to help us live holy lives.

 

Paul says in Romans 5:2, it is through our faith in Jesus that we are justified and able to enter into the grace of God. It is the grace of God, which allows us to stand before the throne of God with confidence and know we have a right relationship with God the Father.

 

Sola Fide by Sola Gratia for solus Christus “Faith alone by grace alone for Christ alone.”

 

It is our faith in Jesus that opens the door to the presence of God, but it is purely on the basis of God’s grace that we are justified and made right.

 

We have a hope that our salvation will ultimately and powerfully reveal God’s glory to the world. Everything God does in our lives and everything God will do in our lives is solely for the purpose of revealing His glory.

 

John 17:22 – 24 “The glory which You have given Me I also have given to them, so that they may be one, just as We are one; I in them and You in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, so that the world may know that You sent Me, and You loved them, just as You loved Me. Father, I desire that they also, whom You have given Me, be with Me where I am, so that they may see My glory which You have given Me, for You loved Me before the foundation of the world.”

 

We’re not redeemed for our sake, but we are redeemed for the sake of God and to the glory of God.

 

Going on in Romans 5:3 – 4 “We also exult in our tribulations knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance proven character; and proven character, hope.”

 

The next benefit we receive from Justification, we are given the ability to endure tribulations and actually grow in our faith through them.

 

II Timothy 3:12 Paul said to Timothy, “All who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.”

 

John 15:20 Jesus said, “A slave is not greater than his master, if they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you.”

 

Romans 8:18 Paul said, “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us.”

 

I Thessalonians 3:3 “So that no one would be disturbed by these afflictions; for you yourselves know that we have been destined for this.”

 

Jesus said, “we will be persecuted”. John tells us, “You are no greater than Jesus, and he was persecuted”. Paul tells us “We have been destined for this”.

 

In spite of this certainty, we have a benefit given to us when we are justified by God, and that benefit is the ability to persevere in the face of tribulations.

 

Paul tells us:

Tribulation brings about perseverance

Perseverance brings about proven character

And proven character brings about hope

 

What is perseverance?

The ability to keep moving forward in spite of opposition.

 

Tribulations help us learn to trust God; we persevere through tribulations, knowing God always is in control.

 

What is proven character?

How we react in tribulations tells us whether or not we are truly faithful to God.

 

When we face tribulations, we are put in the heat, and pounded out, and if we are strong then we will come out of the tribulations stronger with proven Christian character, but if we are weak, the tribulations will break us, and we will be shone as unfaithful to God.

 

James said in James 1:12 “Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the lord has promised to those who love Him.”

 

We have to persevere and be approved by God in order to receive the crown of life, if we fail, then we are shone to be unfaithful to God and not true children of the Almighty.

 

When we are justified by God, we have a renewed hope for a better tomorrow where God reigns and sin is done away with.

 

 

Finally, Romans 5:5 “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.”

 

God loves us so much that He wants us to succeed in our walk with Him, so much so that He has given us the indwelling Holy Spirit to convict us, guide us, and teach us.

 

When God the Father gives us the indwelling Holy Spirit, He is putting a part Himself within us. A part of God dwells within us to help stay faithful and to help keep us holy.

 

Romans 8:14 “For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God”.

 

All three parts of the Godhead play a role in our Justification.

 

Jesus died on the cross to redeem us from our sins.

 

God the Father accepts Jesus’ sacrifice and justifies us of our sins

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And the Holy Spirit indwells us to keep us holy and blameless before God.

 

We are the workmanship of a loving triune God, who wishes to make His glory known to all of mankind.

 

First, God has given you peace with Him, you no longer need to wonder if your sins have been forgiven, because if you are truly a child of God, you now have peace with God.

 

Second, as children of God, we can now experience the grace of God, and we can now enter the presence of the God without fear. We now have access to the throne of God, because of what Jesus did for us on the cross.

 

Third, we have hope and that hope grows out of our peace with God. We have hope of a better tomorrow, we have hope of eternal life, and we have hope that the glory of God will be seen by the whole world.

 

Fourth, we no longer have to fear trials and tribulations, because God is with us to give us strength and lead us through. We also know that when we face tribulations we will grow in perseverance, and our Christian character will grow, and finally our hope will ultimately be strengthened as well.