Chapters 5 Through 8 of Romans—
The Kernel of the Bible
Message Two
The Result of Our Justification—
the Full Enjoyment of God in Christ as Our Life
THE EXTRACT OF THE OUTLINES
Scripture Reading:
Rom. 5:1-5 Therefore having been justified out of faith, we have peace toward God through our Lord Jesus Christ, Through whom also we have obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand and boast because of the hope of the glory of God. And not only so, but we also boast in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces endurance;And endurance, approvedness; and approvedness, hope; And hope does not put us to shame, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.
I. Justification is God’s act of approval according to the standard of His righteousness; the believers’ righteousness is not a condition they possess in themselves but a Person to whom they are joined, the living Christ Himself: (Monday)
A. When we believe into Christ, we receive forgiveness of sins from God, and God can justify us; this is by making Christ our righteousness and clothing us with Christ as the robe of righteousness—Acts 10:43, Rom. 3:24.
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B. life is the goal of God’s salvation, therefore justification is a “justification of life”; through justification, we have reached and met the standard of God’s righteousness, so now God can dispense His life into us—Rom. 5:18. (Tuesday)
II. The result of our being justified is fully enjoying God in Christ as our life—Rom. 5:1-11:
A. The result of our being justified is embodied in six wonderful things—love, grace, peace, hope, life, and glory—as our enjoyment; these verses also reveal The Triune God—The Spirit, Christ, and God—as our enjoyment—Rom. 5:2, 5.
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B. “through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand” (Rom. 5:2); since we have been justified out of faith and stand in the realm of grace, we “have peace toward God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (v. 1). (Wednesday)
C. Once we have passed through the gate of justification, we need to walk the way of peace (Rom. 3:17); we set our mind on the spirit—by caring for our spirit, exercising our spirit, minding our spirit, contacting God by fellowshipping with God’s Spirit by our spirit, which causes us to feel restful, released, clear, and comfortable within—Rom. 8:6.
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III. In the realm of grace, we have God as our boast and exultation that we may enjoy and exult; boasting in God is also “boasting…in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces endurance, and endurance, proven character, and proven character, hope”—Rom. 5:3-4, 11: (Thursday)
A. Tribulations are actually the embodiment of grace and the sweet visitation of grace; to refuse tribulations is to refuse grace; grace is God as our portion for our enjoyment, and this grace visits us mainly in the form of tribulations—2 Cor. 12:7-9, Rom. 8:28-29.
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B. Tribulation issues in endurance, and endurance produces approvedness, which is tested character and approved worth—2:19-22. (Friday)
C. We all must pray, “Lord, give me the approved quality”; and the Lord will raise up environments which will produce the approved quality in us—Matt. 24:45-51.
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D. As we enjoy Christ in suffering, we are saved in His life for the accomplishing of the organic goal of God’s mighty salvation, which is to produce and build up the organic Body of Christ expressed in the local churches—Rom. 5:10, 12:5. (Saturday)
OPENING WORD OF THE PROPHESYING MEETING
Reading the verses in each day.
Reading the main points in the outlines.
Pray-reading the verses:
Rom. 5:18 So then as it was through one offense unto condemnation to all men, so also it was through one righteous act unto justification of life to all men.
Rom 5:1-2 Therefore having been justified out of faith, we have peace toward God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand and boast because of the hope of the glory of God.
Word of Appetizer
What is justification? What is the result of our justification?
Justification is God’s action in approving us according to His standard of righteousness; the believers’ righteousness is not a condition that they possess in themselves but a person to whom they are joined, the living Christ Himself.
The result of our justification is the full enjoyment of God in Christ as our life. The result of our justification is embodied in six wonderful things—love (v. 5), grace (v. 2), peace (v. 1), hope (v. 2), life (v. 10), and glory (v. 2)—for our enjoyment; these verses also reveal the Triune God—the Holy Spirit (v. 5), Christ (v. 6), and God (v. 11)—for our enjoyment.
Spiritual Burden
As we enjoy Christ in our sufferings, we are being saved in His life for accomplishing the organic goal of God’s dynamic salvation, which is the producing and building up of the organic Body of Christ expressed in the local churches, where we enjoy the rich grace of the Lord and where the God of peace crushes Satan under our feet for His glorious expression and for the display of His victory.
Concluding Word of the Prophesying Meeting
The Revelation of the Truth
Justification is God’s action in approving us according to His standard of righteousness; the believers’ righteousness is not a condition that they possess in themselves but a person to whom they are joined, the living Christ Himself.
The result of our justification is the full enjoyment of God in Christ as our life.
In the realm of grace, we have God as our boast and exultation for our enjoyment and rejoicing; to boast in God is also to “boast in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces endurance; and endurance, approvedness; and approvedness, hope”.
The Experience of Life
Through the redeeming death of Christ, God has justified us sinners and has reconciled us, His enemies, to Himself; furthermore, “the love of God has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us”.
In the realm of grace, we have God as our boast and exultation for our enjoyment and rejoicing; to boast in God is also to “boast in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces endurance; and endurance, approvedness; and approvedness, hope”. Although we stand in grace and walk in peace, we are not yet fully in glory, which is God Himself expressed; “our momentary lightness of affliction works out for us, more and more surpassingly, an eternal weight of glory”.
Practice and Application
PROPHESYING TOPICS—TWELVE TOPICS PER WEEK
Day 1
T1 Justification is God’s action in approving us according to His standard of righteousness (Rom. 3:24, 26)
(Please illustrate that justification by faith before God means that we are approved by God according to the standard of His righteousness.)
T2 Christ is our faith (Rom. 3:22, 26)
(Please illustrate that : genuine believing is to believe in the Lord Jesus by His faith.)
Day 2
T1 Justification is not an end in itself; it is for life (Rom. 5:18)
(Please illustrate that justification changes our outward position, and life changes our inward disposition.)
T2 Love, grace, peace, hope, life, and glory (Rom. 5:1-11)
(Please illustrate that which six outstanding words Paul mentions in Romans 5:1-11 as the issue of God’s justification.)
Day 3
T1 The love of God has been poured into our hearts (Rom. 5:5)
(Please illustrate that God is sovereign, He knows what is best for us.)
T2 Grace is the realm in which we stand. We must stay where the grace is (Rom. 5:1-2)
(Please illustrate that we need not do anything sinful to be cut off from grace.)
Day 4
T1 Tribulation is a visitation of grace (Rom. 8:28-29)
(Please illustrate that apparently, our environment is tribulation; actually, it is grace.)
T2 After being redeemed, we are put into a long process of life (Rom. 8:28-29)
(Please illustrate that through experience that the Lord knows all our needs for the carrying out of this life process.)
Day 5
T1 Endurance produces approvedness (Rom. 5:4)
(Please illustrate that approvedness is an approved quality resulting from the endurance of tribulation and testing.)
T2 If we have the virtue of approvedness, we will not be a problem to others (1 Pet. 1:7)
(Please illustrate with experience that the disposition of the wives helps God to bring forth approvedness in their husbands.)
Day 6
T1 The God of all grace (1 Pet. 5:10)
(What is meant by “all grace”? )
T2 Glory is God expressed (Rom. 5:2, 4)
(Please illustrate that the hope in Romans 5:4 is that one day we will all be brought into the glory of God.)
