Romans: Justified by Faith: When We Were without Strength

Chapter 5 of Romans is a discussion by Paul that centers around the subject of justification by faith through Christ and the exchange that occurred when He took our sin and punishment and then imputed upon us His righteousness.

I divided it into five paragraphs/subjects. The first two we examined last month; the next two we will examine this month, and the last subject we will address next month. The five subjects are:

The Tie That Binds to Eternal Life: vs 1-21
Being Justified by Faith: vs 1-5
When We Were Without Strength: vs 6-11
The Story of Two Adams: 12-18
Where Grace Abounds: vs 19-21

When We Were without Strength

Here is a perfect way to describe our plight without Christ. While we were without strength. That is, we were totally unable to save ourselves (and never could in our sinful fallen state), but then Christ came with the solution. Let’s dip into Paul’s arguments.

Romans 5:6-11:

For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement.

Gleaning the points Paul is making in these verses, we see the following:

While without strength
Christ died for us (substituted Himself for us)
Justified by Christ’s blood
Saved from the wrath to come through Him
Reconciled to God while we were enemies of God
Reconciled by Christ
Saved by His life (sacrifice)
We now joy in God through Christ
Through Christ we receive atonement

Now let’s attack each verse one at a time and see what we can glean:

Verse 6 Notes: “For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.”

Without Strength: Strong’s G772: asthenes: strengthless, moral or physical or mental feeble, impotent, sick, weak.

While in sin, we simply do not have the will or the way to defeat sin in our lives alone. Indeed, many Christians get caught up in various sins that they admit they have no will to walk away from. How, then, can a lost person, who doesn’t think what he is doing is wrong or admits he is doing wrong but doesn’t care, ever hope to break free?

In the story, “The Vision of Theodore”, the allegorical figure, “Habit”, slowly and stealthily binds unsuspecting people. There is a passage from Samuel Johnson’s fable that reads: “It was the peculiar artifice of Habit, not to suffer her power to be felt at first. Those whom she led, she had the address of appearing only to attend, but was continually doubling her chains upon her companions; which were so slender in themselves, and so silently fastened, that while the attention was engaged by other objects, they were not easily perceived. Each link grew tighter as it had been longer worn; and when, by continual additions, they be came so heavy as to be felt, they were very frequently too strong to be broken” (Johnson, 1825, p. 167).

Due time: Strong’s G2540: kairos: according to season, proper time, when God willed it.

Christ substituted Himself for us. He took our place.

This refers to God injecting His Son into history at just the right time for Jesus to live, establish His credentials, and ultimately die for sinners such as you and me, and, of course, rise from the dead victorious over sin and death.

Verse 7 Notes: “For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die.”

Nigerian-born Godwin Ajala, 33, worked as an access control officer at the World Trade Center. When the planes hit the towers, he selflessly helped thousands of people to evacuate. He held the door open for people as they fled the building, and he guided others out of towers to safety. Sadly, he later succumbed to exhaustion, fell into a coma, and passed away the following Sunday (Quintana, 2012).

Sgt. Dennis Weichel, 29, died in Afghanistan in 2012. He rescued an Afghan boy who was reaching for an object under a large moving military vehicle. He and other soldiers had left their vehicles to get a group of children out of the way of their convoy. Weichel succeeded in moving the child, but he was struck by the vehicle. The boy was safe, but Weichel later succumbed to his injuries (Gonzalez, 2012; Military Times).

Tyler Doohan, 8, in New York, died in 2014 trying to rescue his disabled grandfather from a fire after saving six other relatives. He, his grandfather, and another male relation lost their lives. He was honored with a firefighter’s funeral (Boyette, 2014).

Verse 8 Notes: “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”

Commend: Wordsearch’s Strong’s G4921: synistao: Commend. Agree, approve; also stand, prove, make (it happen). God had a plan. His plan was conceived within Himself before the foundation of the world.

1 Peter 1:18-21: “Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you, Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God.”

Ephesians 1:3-6: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.”

Paul has laid out the hierarchy of who would dare to save another (see Romans 5:7-8). Examples:

- For a righteous man. Or dignitary. The Secret Service is supposed to be willing to take a bullet for the president, his family, certain other people in the government.

- For a good man. Firemen, first responders, and others often lay down their lives for the people they serve.

- For sinners (enemies of God). Not many would take a bullet for Hitler, Stalin, serial killers, or others who are infamous. But Christ did, in effect, do that very thing.

Clearly, Christ is the answer all mankind needs to find reconciliation with God and forgiveness of sin. He did this by taking on our sins and paying the price for sin that we could never do.

Verse 9 Notes: “Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.”

Much (more then): Wordsearch’s Strong’s G4183: polys: much more, many more, plenteous, largely because, abundant. This phrase is also used in verses 10, 15, and 17 as he builds his argument of what we have been saved from.

Here Paul is pressing the argument that rests first on the truth that we are saved through faith. We are justified by faith in the sight of God. But we have other benefits that are also accrued to us including the fact that we are also saved from God’s wrath.

Paul’s argument is like the Greek word he used: polys – that is more on top of more:

1. While too weak to help ourselves, Christ died for us.

2. We who were ungodly – He died for.

3. He justified us through faith – which we also learn is a gift from God by His blood. Ephesians 2:8: “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:”

4. While we were yet sinners, He died for us.

5. More than that, we are now saved from God’s righteous wrath that God will one day pour on the world and unrepentant sinners.

6. More than all that, while we were His enemies, He reconciled us by the death and shed blood of Jesus Christ on the cross. Reconciled to what? To be reconciled means to take one who is estranged from another and bring them back together. More than just putting them into the same room and keeping them from fighting, but actually to embrace and love and forgive the estranged one.

Verse 10 Notes: “For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.”

Saved: Strong’s G4982: sozo: deliver, protect from, preserved from, be made whole.

Not just sinners, but enemies – and He still reached down and saved you by the gift of faith and the work He did on the cross.

Enemies: Strong’s G2190: echthros: hateful towards, adversary of, hostile towards, a foe or enemy. Whether you were indifferent toward God or actually hated Him, salvation wipes that evil away and reconciles us to the Father.

Repeat verse 10 using some of the other words that describe “saved.”

- While we were adversaries . . .
- While we were hateful towards . . .
- While we were hostile towards . . .
- He saved us and:
- Much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.
- Much more, being reconciled, we shall be delivered by His life.
- Much more, being reconciled, we shall be preserved by His life.
- Much more, being reconciled, we shall be protected by His life.
- Much more, being reconciled, we shall be made whole by His life.

Verse 11 Notes: “And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement.”

One more look at our stack:

1. While too weak to help ourselves, Christ died for us.

2. We who were ungodly He died for.

3. He also justified us through the gift of faith before God by His blood.

4. More than all that, we are now saved from God’s righteous wrath that God will one day pour on the world and unrepentant sinners.

5. While we were yet sinners, He died for us.

6. While we were His enemies, He reconciled us by his death and shed blood.

7. We have received an atonement:

Atonement: Strong’s G2643: katallage: restore to the divine, adjust or exchange to correct a wrong, to find divine favor. The same Greek word found in verse 10 for reconciled.

Additional benefit: JOY! But joy in what? In what we have escaped? In not having to face eternal death? In not having to pay for our sins ourselves? Perhaps all of these things, but mostly in He who has extended to us this great pardon – God the Father Himself. We have joy in God!

The Story of Two Adams

At this point in Romans, Chapter 5, Paul will address the two Adams that we see in the Bible. The first Adam whose sin cursed and cast the entire universe into decline, and the second Adam who came to redeem the human race by His perfect, sinless, and pure sacrifice for sins. Quite a contrast.

Romans 5:12-18:

Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: (For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is not law. Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam’s transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come. But not as the offense, so also is the free gift. For if through the offense of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many. And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift: for the judgment was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offenses unto justification. For if by one man’s offense death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.) Therefore as by the offense of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.

Sin entered the world by Adam.

Sin passed unto the entire human race.

The law reveals our sin to us.

Without the law, sin would not be revealed.

Death reigned from Adam to Moses even though the law was not yet given.

Sin reigned over all humans even though they did not sin as Adam did, by direct disobedience of God – for no law was given to the human race until Moses.

Adam is declared the figure of the one to come. Adam is the man who lost the title to the earth. Jesus is the man who regains the title to the earth.

Adam’s act of offense brought upon all humans a curse without exception. But Jesus’ act of obedience brings a free gift if we accept it.

Adam’s offense brought death unto all.

Jesus’ free gift brings life abundantly unto many.

Adam sinned once and cursed all.

Jesus’ free gift is not like Adam’s sin for His free gift covers many offenses.

Adam’s sin brought us all condemnation.

Jesus’ free gift brings us justification.

Again, Adam’s sin forced death to reign (control, rule, force) over all humans.

Jesus’ free gift abundantly reigns (controls, rules, forces) and brings:
- grace, righteousness, and life and victory

Conclusion: As Adam’s offense forced judgement unto all humans and condemnation, so by Christ’s righteousness came the free gift of justification that leads to eternal life.

These truths are non-negotiable. All have sinned. All fall under God’s judgement. Christ paid the penalty for sin, and Christ is the only method by which God recognizes a path away from judgement to forgiveness and liberty. No other name under Heaven by which man may be saved.

Verse 12 Notes: “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:”

1 Corinthians 15:45-50:

And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit. Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual. The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven. As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly. And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly. Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.

1 Timothy 2:13-14: “For Adam was first formed, then Eve. And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression.”

Sin entered the world by Adam. Sin passed unto the entire human race. We have Adam’s fleshly, earthly DNA. All DNA came from Adam. Despite the variations and differences, all DNA code came from Adam. One could say that he had the entire code, and we have only a portion of it. That code, unfortunately, included the tendency toward corruption that we call sin.

Verse 13 Notes: “(For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law.”

The law reveals our sin to us. As very young children, we have only the law of our parents. As they teach us right from wrong, we gain a sense of the greater law that is found in the Bible. Simple things at first like don’t steal and don’t lie, learn to share and to play nice. Eventually, we learn all of the Ten Commandments, even if we are not Christians or exposed to the Bible. So much of our civil law is based on biblical truth.

Without the law, sin would not be revealed. If we did not teach our children that lying is wrong, they would lie all the time and think that it is okay. A head hunter tribe in New Guinea taught their people that deception was a high virtue and, therefore, they practiced that to the point of deceiving someone from another tribe, insisting that he is a friend, and once the deception was complete, they would kill him.

We are in danger in this country of such a turning from truth as we see major media outlets, politicians, and others “spin” the truth and outright lie about what is happening.

The law serves a most important role, that of exposing us to our own sin.

Verse 14 Notes: “Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam’s transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come.”

Death reigned from Adam to Moses even though the law was not yet given. Yet Adam understood, as did his children and their children, that certain acts were wrong and, therefore, sins against a holy God.

Cain and Able both understood the importance of proper sacrificial worship. Yet Cain choose to do his own thing. Where did they learn this? How did they and others (like Noah and Abraham) know what were clean and unclean animals? The world is described as wicked by the time of Noah – how did it know that?

God gave all men a conscience and a sense of moral law that must be obeyed or suppressed or “seared”.

Sin reigned over all humans even though they did not sin as Adam did, by direct disobedience of a command from God – for no law was given to the human race until Moses. But they had their consciences and a sense of moral law, but their hearts were darkened, and they sinned.

Note that death reigned as a result of the fall of Adam and Eve. But that judgement decree was imposed on all that followed because all have sinned.

Having the law simply makes it clearer – as the law acts as our schoolteacher.

Verse 15 Notes: “But not as the offense, so also is the free gift. For it through the offense of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many.”

Adam is declared the figure of the one to come. Adam is the man who lost the title deed to the Earth. Jesus is the man who regains the title deed to the earth as we see the scene in Revelation 5:

Revelation 5:1-14:

And I saw in the right hand of him that sat on the throne a book written within and on the backside, sealed with seven seals. And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof? And no man in heaven, nor in earth, neither under the earth, was able to open the book, neither to look thereon. And I wept much, because no man was found worthy to open and to read the book, neither to look thereon. And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof. And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth. And he came and took the book out of the right hand of him that sat upon the throne. And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odors, which are the prayers of saints. And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by the blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth. And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands; Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory, and blessing. And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honor, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb forever and ever. And the four beasts said, Amen. And the four and twenty elders fell down and worshipped him that liveth forever and ever.

Adam’s act of offense brought upon all humans a curse without exception. But Jesus’ act of obedience brings a free gift if we accept it.

Adam’s offense brought death unto all.

Jesus’ free gift brings life abundantly unto many.

Again, Adam’s sin forced death to reign (control, rule, force) over all humans.

Jesus’ free gift abundantly reigns (controls, rules, forces) and brings:
- grace, righteousness, and life and victory

Verse 16 Notes: “And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift: for the judgment was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offenses unto justification.”

Adam sinned once and cursed all.

Jesus’ free gift is not like Adam’s sin for His free gift covers many offenses.

Adam’s sin brought us all condemnation.

Jesus’ free gift brings us justification.

Verse 17 Notes: “For if by one man’s offense death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.)”

A principle emerges here. One man forced sin on all people. No exception. As the reality of that “one man” principle solidifies in our brains –

It gives us hope and understanding that the same “one man” principle can, indeed, be enough to save us. That is, Jesus Christ’s one act on the cross was sufficient to save all who believe just as one man’s sin, Adam, was sufficient to have the curse fall on all of us.

Verse 18 Notes: “Therefore as by the offense of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.”

Conclusion: As Adam’s offense forced judgement unto all humans and condemnation –

So by Christ’s righteousness came the free gift of justification that leads to eternal life

Closing Thoughts for Believers

Paul is making a point by repenting himself in several different ways.

We are too weak to help ourselves.

But God, selecting the proper time in history, sent Jesus to take our place for the wrath we so righteously deserved.

He reconciled/atoned for us who were yet in our sins and enemies of God and removed the wrath we faced.

He justified us through the gift of faith and the work He did on the cross by shedding His righteous blood.

We have access to God, and in Him we can now have JOY!

There are two Adams: the first brought sin into the world and the second, Jesus Christ, is able to redeem us from that sin.

Luke 9:18-20: “And it came to pass, as he was alone praying, his disciples were with him: and he asked them, saying, Whom say the people that I am? They answering said, John the Baptist; but some say, Elijah; and others say, that one of the old prophets is risen again. He said unto them, But whom say ye that I am? Peter answering said, The Christ of God.”

Who do you say that Jesus is?

Maranatha!

Bro. Joe

References

Army Sgt. Dennis P. Weichel Jr. Honor the Fallen. Military Times. Retrieved from https://thefallen.militarytimes.com/army-sgt-dennis-p-weichel-jr/6568133

Boyett, C. (2014, January 29). Boy who died saving relatives from fire laid to rest as ‘firefighter’. CNN. Retrieved from https://www.cnn.com/2014/01/29/us/new-york-firefighter-funeral-boy/index.html

Gonzalez, K. (2012, April 4). Rhode Island Guardsman sacrifices life for Afghan child. U.S. Army. Retrieved from https://www.army.mil/article/77175/rhode_island_guardsman_sacrifices_life_for_afghan_child

Johnson, S. (1825). “The Vision of Theodore”. The Words of Samuel Johnson, LL.D. in nine volumes. London, England: Talboys and Wheeler; and W. Pickering. Retrieved from https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/20/The_Works_of_Samuel_Johnson_…_A_journey_to_the_Hebrides._The_vision_of_Theodore%2C_the_hermit_of_Teneriffe._The_fountains._Prayers_and_meditations._Sermons.v._10-11._Parliamentary_debates.pdf.

Quintana, M. (2012, September 21). Godwin O. Ajala. (1968-2001). Black Past. Retrieved from https://www.blackpast.org/global-african-history/ajala-godwin-o-1968-2001/

Strong, J. Strong's Hebrew and Greek Dictionaries. Meyers, R. (2005). e-Sword. [computer software] . Franklin, TN: Equipping Ministries Foundation. (Original work published 1539)

Strong, J. Strong’s Talking Greek_Hebrew Dictionary. Wordsearch. (2020). Wordsearch Bible. [computer software] . Nashville, TN: LifeWay Christian Resources. (Original work published 1890).

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