Romans 5:1-5 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: (2) By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. (3) And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; (4) And patience, experience; and experience, hope: (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.

The Doctrine Of Imputation

I want to talk to you today about The Doctrine of Imputation. Unless you understand this Biblical truth, you will NEVER understand your salvation. We are able to “STAND in GRACE” (verse 2) before God because of imputation. The pattern for our salvation is Abraham, as we saw in the previous chapter. We are told in:

James 2:23 (KJV) … the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was IMPUTED {Greek logizomai} unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.

Word Study: Because Abraham believed God – following God where He led – God IMPUTED righteousness to him. The word translated “IMPUTED” is the Greek logizomai, which means “to reckon, to compute, to calculate, to make an account of, to number among”. The Bible tells us that God is holy, holy, holy. Though God is LOVE, the Bible never says that God is LOVE, LOVE, LOVE. Though God is MERCIFUL, the Bible never says that God is MERCIFUL, MERCIFUL, MERCIFUL. Likewise, God is all powerful. God is all knowing. These are the attributes, the characteristics of God. But God is not THRICE these things. The angels of God that Isaiah saw round about the Throne of God cried out:

Isaiah 6:3 (KJV) Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory.

And when John the Revelator saw the Throne of God, He saw the four angelic beings crying out:

Revelation 4:8 (KJV) Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come.

When we sing of God in our worship, we sing:

Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty!
Early in the morning our song shall rise to Thee;
Holy, holy, holy! merciful and mighty!
God in three Persons, blessed Trinity!

So how can we – fallen and broken creatures – find friendship with this God Who is HOLY, HOLY, HOLY? When Adam sinned, his action IMPUTED the sin of Adam to all of his children. The Bible says:

Romans 5:12-14 (NKJV) … just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned … death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who had not sinned {as Adam did}…

Though we did not sin as Adam did (by eating the forbidden), sin was passed down to us. We sinned against God in other ways. God allowed us to temporarily cover our sins by animal sacrifices, and through those sacrifices showed us what Jesus would one day do for us. Jesus came to this earth to save those who have the imputation of Adam’s sin.

Jesus went to the Cross of Calvary, and while on that Cross God IMPUTED the punishment for our sins on Jesus.

Jesus was not a sinner as we are. He was born of a virgin, born pure and holy and without sin. The Bible says that Jesus was

“holy, harmless, undefiled, and separate from sinners” (Hebrews 7:26). When Jesus went to the Cross, the Bible says:

2 Corinthians 5:21 (NKJV) … {God the Father} made {Jesus Christ} who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

God IMPUTED our sins to Jesus as He hung on that Cross. Though Jesus is one part of the HOLY, HOLY, HOLY that the angels sing of, God the Father put His Son on the Cross as if He were a sinner. And on Jesus our sins were poured out and judged.

Jesus had sin imputed to HIS person, so that the Father could impute righteousness to OUR persons. Our text again:

Romans 5:1-2 (KJV) Therefore being JUSTIFIED BY FAITH, we HAVE {Greek ECHO, έχω) PEACE WITH GOD THROUGH our Lord Jesus Christ.

Literally, “We keep on having and holding peace with God”. Our peace with God is not temporal, but eternal. Why? Because

GOD IMPUTED OUR SIN TO JESUS, SO HE COULD IMPUTE JESUS’ RIGHTEOUSNESS TO US.

We are told in:

Ephesians 2:14-16 (KJV) For {Jesus} is our peace, who hath MADE BOTH ONE {Jesus took unholy man, and united us with the God Who is HOLY, HOLY, HOLY}, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us {a reference to our sins}; Having ABOLISHED IN HIS FLESH THE ENMITY, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in Himself of twain one new man, so making peace; And that He might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, HAVING SLAIN THE ENMITY thereby …

We were enemies of God before we came to Christ by faith. Adam’s sin IMPUTED to us set up a barrier between us and God. But because of Jesus, because He gave His sinless life for us, the Father IMPUTES RIGHTEOUSNESS TO US. We are told in:

Colossians 1:19-23 (ESV) For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell, 20 and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross. 21 And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled 22 in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight— 23 if indeed you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel which you heard …

We are made right with God BECAUSE OF CHRIST, because His righteousness is IMPUTED TO OUR SPIRITUAL ACCOUNT. Before Christ we were enemies of God, reveling in and enjoying sinfulness and wickedness. After Christ we are new creatures. We are reconciled to God. But now hear these words. We are reconciled to God:

Colossians 1:23 (ESV) …if indeed you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel which you heard

Those who are saved by God, by faith in Christ, will CLING to Jesus. Our hope is not in us, in our flesh, in our abilities. Our hope is in God.

We Stand In This Grace, Even When The Bad Stuff Happens!

Romans 5:3 … And not only so, but we GLORY IN TRIBULATIONS also…

Word Study: The word translated “GLORY” is the Greek kauchaomai, which means “to REJOICE, to CELEBRATE, to BOAST”. This same word is used in verse 11:

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

We CELEBRATE the fact that God is not our Enemy, but our Friend. We PRAISE GOD that He is our Father, not our Punisher. As Paul writes in another place,

1 Corinthians 1:31 (KJV) … He that GLORIETH, {kauchaomai} let him GLORY {kauchaomai} in the Lord.

When we think about what Jesus did for us on the Cross, that our sins were IMPUTED to Him so that His righteousness could be IMPUTED to us, we CELEBRATE. There is much to celebrate in what Jesus did. But the Apostle says that …

we who are saved “GLORY IN TRIBULATIONS also”

We don’t GROAN. We don’t GRIT our teeth. We don’t GRUMBLE. We GLORY. We BOAST. We CELEBRATE. Why in the world would ANYBODY CELEBRATE TRIALS? Let me put it this way.

Preach this: God did a TREMENDOUS THING for you when He IMPUTED righteousness to your life. You are saved because the righteousness of Jesus is imputed to you. But God doesn’t stop there. God wants you to BE LIKE JESUS. He wants you to be a SON or a DAUGHTER of Heaven. So God sends trials, just as He sent trials to Abraham. Trials SHAPE and PROVE your faith. Those who can be MOVED from faith by a trial were NEVER SAVED IN THE FIRST PLACE. Jesus made this clear in the Parable of the Sower:

Matthew 13:19-21 (ESV) When any one hears the WORD OF THE KINGDOM {The Gospel} … {if he receive} the SEED on stony places, this is he who HEARS THE WORD and immediately RECEIVES IT WITH JOY, YET HAS NO ROOT IN HIMSELF, but endures ONKLY FOR A WHILE. For WHEN TRIBULATION OR PERSECUTION ARISES BECAUSE OF THE WORD, immediately he stumbles….

Trials prove our faith. When trials come to the fleshly religious person, that person focuses on the trial rather than on the Trier. God sends trials our way to shape us. Read the text again:

Romans 5:3-5 (KJV) we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; 4 And patience, experience; and experience, hope: 5 And hope maketh not ashamed

God did the greatest thing He could do for us on the Cross. When tried, we know that the trial has a purpose. TRIBULATIONS work out in our lives and make us MORE PATIENT. We wait upon God when tried.

When Joseph was cast in a pit, and later falsely accused, he patiently endured, trusting God. In time God used the trials to make him second in command of a world empire called Egypt.

When Noah was told to build an Ark, he patiently did so for 120 years, enduring the mocking and ridicule of his neighbors. In time God awarded Noah, saving his family and the entire world through him.

When Daniel was enslaved to Babylon, he patiently served God. When his prayer life got Daniel thrown in a lion’s den, he patiently looked up. In time, his enemies were destroyed, and Daniel became the chief wise man in three kingdoms.

When David was anointed King of Israel, he patiently played a harp for the man he would replace. Though Saul sought his life, David patiently looked to God, and eventually was elevated from the field watching sheep to the Kingdom of Judah.

Trials bring patience. But “patience brings experience”. As you, like the Hebrew Children Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego are tried and accused, the Christian learns to look toward God no matter how bad the trial. When told the bow down to the King’s godlike statue, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego told King Nebuchadnezzar:

Daniel 3:17-18 (AP) O Nebuchadnezzar, our God is able to deliver us from your fiery furnace. If He wants to, He will. BUT even if He does not deliver us, WE WILL NOT BOW DOWN to nor serve your false gods, nor worship that golden statue!

Those who are saved do not focus on the trial, nor on the fire or even the heat of the fire. Those who are saved FOCUS ON JESUS. Those who are NOT saved will quickly crumble under the strain of the trial, but the Christ follower will be REFINED by the trial.

You “experience” the presence or absence of God in the trials of life. Presence if you are saved. Absence if you are not.

As you EXPERIENCE the presence of God, dear Christian, we see:

Romans 5:4 … and experience {leads to}, HOPE …

As the Christ follower clings to the Master, we experience the love of God in our hearts.

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.

When the Christ follower is going through trials, we look to Jesus. As we look the Jesus the Holy Spirit of God comes along side of us, and fills our hearts with the love of God. Jesus called the Holy Spirit “The Comforter”. When you are at your weakest, dear Christian, look to Jesus. Cast every burden on Jesus. And the Comforter will come alongside of you, and sustain you through the trial.

Salvation Is A Sweet Surrender To Jesus

Romans 5:6-8 For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. 8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

When we were lost and totally without hope, Jesus Christ gave Himself for us. God comes to us in our helplessness and saves us. God comes to us in our helplessness after salvation, and shapes us. Because each believer is a purchased possession of God, because Jesus Christ as our Federal Head has stood in our place and paid the penalty that we should have paid, because His righteousness is imputed or credited to our account – then we know that tribulations come to increase the bond between the son and the Father.

Tribulations (pressing together, oppression, distress, affliction) are the hands of the Potter pressing in on this vessel of clay.

Illustrate Do you glory in tribulations? Do you praise God when times of suffering come? Perhaps you do not because you fail to understand that that which God has imputed to you – His righteousness – is also that which He wants to impress upon you. That which has been imputed to you is that which God – through His sanctifying hand – wants to form in you. Salvation does not come by your works, but once you are saved it is God’s desire to work through you.

The silversmith must carefully hold that which he is firing in the flame. His steady hand feels the heat that the silver goes through. His watchful eye watches dross rise to the top as the silver is tried. When the silversmith can see his face in the molten metal he knows that it is purified. When God sees His face in you He knows that the trials of life have done their work. Tribulation worketh patience, patience brings experience, and experience brings hope.

How foolish for the Christ follower to fear the trial! Our Lord Jesus said:

Matthew 10:28-31 (NKJV) And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. 29 Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father’s will. 30 But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.

The Christ follower who focuses on the tribulation rather than the God Who saved us is in collusion with Satan. Worry, fretting, anxiety are the devil’s greatest tools. Believers in Christ should expect tribulation as God works in our lives. Our souls are saved from eternal punishment, and Heaven is our home. We know, as did the Apostles, that trials make us more like Jesus. We read:

2 Corinthians 4:7-10 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us. We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed; Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.

There is a reason for your trials. Your trials, dear Christian, prove your faith. Your trials shape your faith. Your trials make you more like Jesus.

The little Church at Macedonia (2 Corinthians 8:1-4) was tried, given much trials. Rather than break the church down, the trials built it up. Though the poorest of all the local Churches, Macedonia gave the most to the Lord and the Apostles. Why? They knew that – no matter what might come – God was overseeing their trials and God was in control!

Do you belong to Jesus? If so, trials are not your enemy, but your friend. They prove your faith. I pray that you are Christ’s, and Christ is yours. Amen.