Romans 5

This devotional is written by Essie Laugharne.

Peace and hope
Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. 3 Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4 perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5 And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.

6 You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. 7 Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. 8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

9 Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him! 10 For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! 11 Not only is this so, but we also boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

Death through Adam, life through Christ
12 Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all people, because all sinned –

13 To be sure, sin was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not charged against anyone’s account where there is no law. 14 Nevertheless, death reigned from the time of Adam to the time of Moses, even over those who did not sin by breaking a command, as did Adam, who is a pattern of the one to come.

15 But the gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died by the trespass of the one man, how much more did God’s grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, overflow to the many! 16 Nor can the gift of God be compared with the result of one man’s sin: the judgment followed one sin and brought condemnation, but the gift followed many trespasses and brought justification. 17 For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ!

18 Consequently, just as one trespass resulted in condemnation for all people, so also one righteous act resulted in justification and life for all people. 19 For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous.

20 The law was brought in so that the trespass might increase. But where sin increased, grace increased all the more, 21 so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

The opening of this chapter of Romans includes one of my favourite passages, and a go to when faced with the small sufferings of life. Verses 3-5 outline how we can find hope even in the midst of suffering, by reframing our problems through the lens of God’s love for us. I say small sufferings as sometimes there are things that we go through which seem incomprehensible, and a suggestion of perseverance may seem like an insensitive one in the face of some of these injustices and losses. However, Paul does not end with perseverance, but rather outlines how practicing perseverance leads to a type of character that ultimately has hope for the days to come. Hope for a future with Jesus in which there is no more suffering, big or small, and in stepping through from suffering to hope, we begin to bring that hope of Jesus into the world. I love the part at the end of this chapter where Paul says that “where sin increased, grace increased all the more”. I think sometimes we can fall into the trap of having such a negative perception of the world around us, but I find this passage a reminder of how wherever there is darkness, there is great light ready to cast out shadows. There may be sin and death and decay and division in this world, but there is also healing, unification and resurrection happening as well. This passage encourages me to be as involved in that increase of grace as I can be, whilst also reminding me that this grace was given freely to me without earning it. God is that good.

Dear Lord, thank you for your abundant grace, that covers all of my transgressions. Help me to show that grace to others in my daily life. Thank you that you are with me in my suffering, and that you find ways to help me persevere and remain hopeful even in the midst of it.