The Results Of Right Standing

Romans 5:1-5
[1] Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. [2] Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. [3] Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, [4] and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, [5] and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

DEEP SHEET: Sermon Study
1.   How should the Christocentric language of chapter 5 inform our understanding of salvation and the Christian life?
2.   What does it mean to have peace with God? How does this transcend our feelings at any given moment?
3.   How does Paul describe the access that we have to God? How does it encourage you to know that this is where you “stand”?
4.   What does Paul mean when he uses the word translated “rejoice”?
5.   How does suffering produce hope in the Christian life? How should this affect the way you process trials?
6.   How does Paul present the relationship between hope and love in v. 5? What does this tell us about assurance of salvation?
7.   How does this passage help us to rightly celebrate Christmas this year?

References: Romans 1:4; 5:10; Psalm 7:11-13; Ephesians 2:18; 3:12; Hebrews 4:16; Habakkuk 2:14; Mark 13:26; 2 Corinthians 3:18; 1 John 3:2; Romans 8:30; James 1:2-4; 1 Peter 1:6-7; Psalm 25:3.