Lesson  60

Romans Chapter 5  -   Results of Justification by faith.

Review:

 

 

5:5  "and hope does not disappoint," 

 

Our hope is the assurance that all that Christ died to provide us is ours and what do we have as the pledge, the promise that our hope will be realized?  Indwelling Holy Spirit! 

 

Your hope is sure because of the one who guarantees it and as you work through the pressures of life using the divine enablement available it develops your character and strengthens your hope, your assurance in the future; that's a direct benefit to you right now.

 

Observations on Hope:

Definition: Hope is certitude with regard to the future, there is no doubt in it.

We are certain as to what the future holds for us, that is big picture - our eternal destiny.  

 

Content:  All the things secured by the cross but are future in bestowal.                    Rom 8:18,23; Eph 1:14

 

  Scope: 

    #1. Coming:   Titus 2:13

    #2. Conformity to Christ:  Phil 3:20-21; 1 Jn 3:2;

    #3. Coronation:  2 Tim. 4:8

    #4. Companionship:  Col. 3:4; Jn 17:24;

 

 

Imperative of Hope:  related to your minds, your thinking;  getting your vpt and thinking lined up with God's thinking.

- If you're to realize the assurance of this hope the foundation of your thinking is crucial.  Col. 3:1-4

 

Since your hope is in Christ,  you can say with confidence that you will never be put to shame as to your eternal standing before God!  Never!

 

* How do we know this?

Our hope is certain because it rests on objective grounds!

"the love of God"   (Inventory of blessing #7 )

 

Here in context it is clearly His love of us;  much of the rest of the immediate context gives us strong proofs of this.   5:6,8 are good example;

 

- As we grow and mature this love becomes the motivation for our life.

 

In 2 Cor 5:14 Paul says, "For the love of Christ controls us,"  (sune,cw) to hold together, to press together; to constrain; 

 

- As we learn more and more about who Christ is what He did for us it should increasingly compel and motivate us, just as it did Paul.

 

In the last part of vs:5 we have the first mention of the work of the Holy Spirit in the life of the Christian and it teaches us some important lessons.

1. The Holy Spirit is a gift to all believers; to all who are justified. [#8 asset that flows from our having been justified.]

 

2. It also teaches that the holy Spirit was given to us at a particular time (di,dwmi - aor tense), namely when we believed in Jesus Christ.

 

3. Must recognize that when we are justified by faith we are regenerated by the Holy Spirit and then indwelt by the H/S.

 

4. One of the distinctive ministries of the Spirit to the believer emphasized here is to pour God's love into our hearts and minds.

 

 

- You as a believer have the love of God poured into you by the Holy Spirit when you believe and as Paul makes clear later in chapter 8 that there is absolutely nothing or no one who can separate us from that love;    Rom. 8:35-37

 

?? How do you know that you have the Holy Spirit?  That He is in you?

 

Scripture tells you!  Rom 8:9;  1 Cor 6:19;