THE WORD

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THE WORD

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The Preaching Ministry of Ashley River Baptist Church

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The Blessed Benefits of God’s Love Romans 5:1-11 1

Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. 3Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom He has given us. 6You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. 7Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. 8But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9Since we have now been justified by His blood, how much more shall we be saved from God's wrath through him! 10For if, when 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! 11Not only is this so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

Paul has asserted that God loves us with an inseparable love. He then sets forth 7 blessed benefits in Romans 5:1-11 that we might realize in our lives as a result of that love when place our faith in Christ. 1. Having Peace with God (Verse 1) “Having been justified” This is a one-time legal declaration with continuing results. Paul is saying we have been... - declared righteous - declared not guilty - pardoned from sin - covered with Jesus’ righteousness THE GREAT EXCHANGE: God transferred our sin to Christ and transferred Christ’s perfect obedience to us. Peace with God for us means...  there is no more hostility between God and us  there is no more sin that blocks our relationship with God  God has set us right with Him. 2. Standing in Grace (Verse 2) We “stand” in a secure and safe position in God’s grace and have free access to God through Jesus Christ.

3. Having Hope of Glory (Verses 2-5) HOPE: “Absolutely NO uncertainty.” Our ultimate destiny is to share in the glory of God. The hope of glory will sustain us through the tribulations and uncertainty of life that we face. ( verse 3) SUFERINGS: squeezing the fluid out of lives or out of grapes; affliction; oppression; trouble PERSEVERANCE: to remain under tremendous weight and pressure without falling down 4. Receiving Divine Love (Verses 5-10) God’s love for us has been lavishly poured out into our hearts as the evidence that we belong to him. 1. Our natural condition: a. Powerless (verse 6) Without strength; helpless; spiritually dead; could do nothing on our own to save ourselves. b. Ungodly- (verse 6) “While we were still sinners” – (verse 8) c. Enemies (verse 10) 2. God’s supernatural character: Love demonstrated by Jesus’s death (verses 7-8) a. Who would you die for? b. Who would die for you? 5. Avoiding Punishment (Verses 8-9) “Christ died for us.” - in our place. He died in your place as your substitute so you wouldn’t suffer punishment. As our sinless substitute, Jesus: 1. Satisfied the demand of God (Hebrews 9:22) 2. Absorbed the wrath of God - God no longer has wrath for us 6. Displaying His Character (Verse 10) (Galatians 2:20) “how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!” Christ Jesus is alive today and presently lives in you so you can display His character. 7. Experiencing Joy (Verse 11) “we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ”. When we realize and experience the benefits of God’s love for us through faith, we cannot help but experience true, unending joy.