Romans 5:1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: 

You are justified by faith in Christ, and you have peace with God. You mess up and
sin in your flesh, God does not go and slap you up side of  your head  and chasten
you. Why? Two reasons. One God does not operate that way today. Secondly you
are  justified  by faith, and  you are at  peace with God  right here, right now. Not at
all by the conditions of man's religion or denominations.

Romans 5:2 By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. 

You have direct access to God by faith in Christ, not through a priest, a water baptism,
or a creed, or even a system of  works. Why? For  the just  shall live  by faith. You  also
have access into Grace by faith "where in we stand", and you can also rejoice and be
thankful for  the  hope you  now have  in and  by the  glory of  God, which is through the
finished Cross Work of the Lord Jesus Christ. 

Romans 5:3 And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; 

Not  only  do  you have  all  that  is mentioned  in verses 1-2, but you have in Christ that
strength that can bring you through  what  seems to be  the hardest of times, and  most
other people, especially unsaved people, can not understand  how  you  hold up  under
such situations. It's  not  you, but  your faith  in  Christ  which  allows you to glory in hard
times or tribulations. As time progresses in  these tribulations, you  become more and
more patient.

Romans 5:4 And patience, experience; and experience, hope:  

As you learn patience, you gain experience, and with experience, you have a strong
hope. Not of yourself, but in and on the Lord Jesus Christ.

Romans 5:5 And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us. 

With patience and experience, you devolope a strong hope in Christ, and you are able
to show no shame in or about Christ. Why? You learn  of  the  Love  of  God which was
shed abroad at Calvary, and is also in the the hearts of each and every member of the
body of Christ, which is given to us by the Holy Ghost. Bare in mind that there is a huge
difference  between  the  Body  of  Christ, and  a  local  church. Only saved, reconcilled
individuals are in the Body of Christ, and the local church can have lost members.

Romans 5:6 For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.  

The Jews had hope in the Law, but could not have their sins taken away. Only the Blood
of Christ takes away sins. To the  Jew  first,  and also  to  the Greek. We  now can have
strength which is the strenght of Christ. Because Christ died  not just  for the  neighbors
that go to church all the time, but for the murderers, liars, thieves, adulterers, etc. Christ
died  for  us  all, and all  of the  sins of  the world, past, present, and future. Since Christ
paid  it all  at Calvary, there  is no need  to play  with sin, and practice 1 John 1:9 (KJV)

Romans 5:7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. 

Hard to find  anyone that  will  lay  down thier  life for  a righteous  man, let  alone  finding
someone to die for a good man. If it were possible that find a brave person  to do that, it
would have to be someone who does not care whither they live or whither they die.

Romans 5:8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. 

Asseen in verse 7, hard to find, it is, one who will lay down their life for a righteous man, or
a good  man, but one did  die for the sins of the world, the Lord Jesus Christ. God showed
His love to us all. How? While  we  were  yet  sinners, Christ  died  for  us. One acceptable
sacrafice unto God, which requires no repeat. Done deal. Christ died for all sins.Everyone.

Romans 5:9 Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. 

Greater than all the knowledge in verse 9, we are now  justified by the Blood of Christ, and we
shall be saved  (all members of the  Body of Christ) from  the wrath  to come. There is  a  new
teaching, that saved members will be in Hell in the earthly reighn of Christ because their  walk
was not a good one. Flat out heresy. "we" signifies "the Body of Christ". Christ will leave none
of His  behind, or  suffer them to   go to Hell. Why? They  are already   justified! They  which  are
saved, and justified, shall not see ANY wrath of God. That  is  reserved  for  those  who   are  in
Hell, and those who reject Christ right now.

Romans 5:10 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. 

Before being saved, those who are in the Body of Christ were the enemies of God. They had
no  hope, that  is, outside  of Christ. Since  Christ Died for us, and those int he Body of Christ
had faith in and on Him, they were reconcilled  to God, but Christ's death at Calvary. Also we,
those in they  Body of Christ, being  reconcilled  unto God, shall  be saved by the fact that He
(Christ) was raised from the dead, so shall we be like Him. Since he lives forever, so shall we
also live as long as He does, eternally.

Romans 5:11 And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement.

If you are saved, and have not believed in vain, your security is in Chriist, and what He did,not
what  you  can do, and  your standing is  a eternally  secure standing.  But even more, you can
rejoice  in  God the  Father  through  our Lord  Jesus  Christ. Why? Because of Christ, we (the
members  of  the  Body of  Christ)  have  RIGHT NOW  recieved  the Atonement (the fully paid
for  reconcilliation  unto   God). The Gap between God and Man  is  bridged  in  Christ.   Amen!
 

Elder Scott Ray
P.O. Box 1000
Pikeville, NC 27863