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PART 1—VERSES 1-11

The Blessed Results of Justification by Faith, along with the most comprehensive statement in the Bible of the purse love and grace of God, in giving Christ for the sinners.  The arguments of Paul in these verses may be summed up in three phases:
1.      The Provision of Justification
2.      The Permanence of Justification
3.      The Proof of Justification.

VERSE 1:  PEACE–THE FIRST BLESSED RESULT
“Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
In the previous chapter, having just proven that the believing Gentiles are justified in the same way with Abraham, and are, in fact, his seed, included with him in the promise and covenant; since the Jews built all their glorying upon the Abrahamic covenant, Paul judged this a proper place to present some of the chief of those privileges and blessings in which the Christian Gentile can glory, in consequence of his justification by faith. And he produces three particulars which, above all others, were adapted to this purpose.
1.     The hope of eternal life, in which the law, wherein the Jew gloried (2:17), was defective (v. 2).
2.     The persecutions and sufferings to which Christians were exposed (vv. 3-4), and on account of which the Jews were greatly prejudiced against the Christian profession:
        but he shows that these had a happy tendency to establish the heart in the hope of the Gospel.

3.     An interest in God, as our GOD and FATHER–a privilege upon which the Jews valued themselves highly above all nations (v. 11).

            “Therefore being justified by faith,”
            Literally:  “then having been justified”– This opens a leading section. The preliminaries are now over:

The need of Justification is established; and its equal terms for Jew and Greek; and the fact that faith is its one appointed condition; and the nature and acts of faith, especially as in Abraham’s example. We now come to a fuller statement of some important details, which will lead up to a view of the effects of faith in the character and life of the justified.

            “Therefore”
            Literally:  “Then; since.”–This word refers to the preceding argument.  Since we are thus
justified, or as a consequence of being justified, we have peace.

“being justified by faith”
Literally: “Having been justified by faith” or, “since we are justified.” Paul here views
justification as an already accomplished work; i.e., a fait accompli. Justification is nor  something, hypothetical, but a present reality.

                        JUSTIFIED:  (Grk.–dikaiōthentes)–This is really a weak translation of this Greek word.

            This Greek verb is not in the present tense as is presented here in the KJV;  but rather is in the Greek aorist (past) tense.  It is really the difference between “being justified” (“declared righteous”), which looks at the state you are now in and “having been justified,” which looks back to a fact that has already happened and can never be repeated. The very instant you believe, God declare you righteous, i.e., He declared you as being justified,  AND HE WILL NEVER CHANGE HIS MIND!!!
            It looks like Paul now takes it for granted that he has proven that Justification is by Faith, and that the Gentiles have an equal title with the Jews to salvation by  faith .   He now proceeds to show the effects produced in the hearts of the believing Gentiles by this doctrine. We are justified–have all our sins pardoned by faith, as the instrumental cause; for, being sinners, we have NO works of righteousness on which we can plead.

            “we have peace with God”
            Literally: “let us have peace.”  We are reconciled to Him, and in a state of favor with   Him.

Justification means more than the removal of guilt. It means to be at peace with God!  This means more than merely peace of mind.  This means that the sinner is now in a state of peace with Almighty God Himself.  He is no longer considered to be at enmity with God, but rather is now considered to be the friend of God.  Also,  justification does not leave a man morally neutral.  It makes one righteous; that is, to have the very righteousness of Christ added to him. 

WE HAVE:  (Grk.–echōmen)–Literally: “let us have.”

        PEACE:   (Grk.–eirênê)–From the Greek verb (eirō), meaning, “to bind together that which has been separated.”  Eirênê should be understood in terms of its   use in the Septuagint (LXX) where it translated the Hebrew (shalom) as, “positive well-being.”

            Our Lord Jesus made peace through His blood on the Cross (Col. 1:20)  in the sense that through His atonement He binds together again those who by reason of their standing in the first Adam, had been separated from God, and who now, through faith in Him, are again bound together to God in their new standing in the Last Adam. This simply describes justification. Before, while still sinners, we were in a state of enmity with God, which was sufficiently proved by our rebellion against his authority, and our transgression of his laws; but now, being reconciled, we have peace with God.  Before, while under a sense of the guilt of sin, we had nothing but terror and dismay in our own consciences; now, having our sin forgiven, we have peace in our hearts, feeling that all our guilt is taken away.  Peace is generally the first-fruits of our justification.

            “through our Lord Jesus Christ”–By means of the atonement of the Lord Jesus.

                        LORD:  (Grk.– Kurios)–The LXX (Septuagint) translation of YHWH, or Yahveh in the O.T., or as we would say it in English, Jehovah orThe Lord.

It is His mediation that has procured it; His passion and death being the sole cause of our reconciliation to God. When our rebellion ceases and we are forgiven we are at peace. This blessed peace with God, which brings peace to the soul, is “through Jesus Christ.”

VERSE 2:  ACCESS and HOPE—-THE SECOND BLESSED RESUL
By Whom we also have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.”

            “By Whom
            Literally:  “Through whom.”–We are not only indebted to our Lord Jesus Christ for the free and full pardon which we have received.

But our continuance in a justified state depends upon Christ’s gracious influence in our hearts, and His intercession before the throne of God. It means, by Whom we have the privilege of obtaining the favor of God which we enjoy when we are justified.   By Jesus Christ the way is opened for us to obtain the favor of God.

            “we also have access “
            Literally: “Also we have had the access.”  We have received this access. 

                        WE HAVE:  (Grk.– eschêkamen)-Literally: “we have had.”

It was ony through Christ that we could at first approach God; and it is only through Him that the privilege is continued to us.  And this access to God, or introduction to the Divine presence, is to be considered as a lasting privilege.  We are not brought to God for the purpose of an interview, but to remain with Him; to be His household; and, by faith, to behold His face, and walk in the light of His countenance.

           THE ACCESS:  (Grk.– tên prosagōgê)–Literally: “the access.”  This word is used        only by Paul and occurs only in two other places in the N.T. (Eph. 2:18; 3:12).  The word   means either “introduction,” or “bringing to,” or “access.”  

Prosagōgê (here translated as “access”), and its occurrence in Eph. 2:18; 3:12; and in all three occurrences, with the article “the,” so as to denote some access or approach that was well known in Paul’s day. It means the access to the holy God, which had been barred by sin, but which has been opened to us through Christ Jesus.  Thayer’s Greek Lexicon defines prosagōgê as, “that friendly relation with God whereby we are acceptable to Him and have assurance that he is favorably disposed towards us.”

“For through Him we both have {the} access  (tên prosagōgê)  by one Spirit unto the Father (Eph.
“In Whom we have boldness and {the} access  (tên prosagōgê)  with confidence by the faith of Him” (Eph. 3:12).

“by faith”
Literally: “By means of faith” (1:17). It was only through faith in Christ that we could at first approach God; and it is only through Him that the privilege is continued to us.  This access to God, or introduction to the Divine presence, is to be considered as a lasting privilege.   

         “into this grace”– Into this favor of reconciliation with God. This state of favor and   acceptance;  this gracious state of peace and love. 

         GRACE:  (Grk.–charis)–The state of justification which is preeminently a matter of grace.  A second benefit which flows from Justification by Faith, is our admission to grace and favor with God:  Grace here is looked upon as a field into which we are    brought.

           “I marvel that ye are so soon moved from Him that called you into the grace (charis) of Christ unto another gospel” (Gal. 1:6).
          “By Silvanus, a faithful brother unto you, as I suppose, I have written briefly, exhorting and testifying that this is the true grace (charis) of God wherein ye stand” (I Pet. 5:12).

Grace is seen here as a haven or harbor, and this word is used in Greek secular documents depicting it as the landing stages or approach of a ship to the harbor.

“wherein we stand”
 Literally: “In which we stand.”–Having firm footing, and a just title through the
blood of the Lamb to the full salvation of God. In which we now are in consequence of being justified. 

That is “To that same faith which first gave us ‘peace with God’ we owe our introduction into that permanent standing in the favor of God which the justified enjoy.”             

“and rejoice”    
Literally: “And glory.”—Rejoice” is really not strong enough rendering of this wor.  Better rendering is, “have solid happiness,” from the evidence we have of our acceptance with Him.  “Glory,” or “boast,” or “triumph.”  The sources or steps of this joy are that:
1.     We are justified, or regarded by God as righteous.
2.     We are admitted into His favor, and abide there.
3.     We have the prospect of still higher and richer blessings in the fullness of his glory when we are admitted to heaven.

“in hope of the glory of God.”
Literally:  “On {the} hope of the glory of God.”–In hope of enjoying the glory of God in heaven.

            WE GLORY(Grk.–kauchaomai)–The glory that God will bestow on us.

           Here it is used to mean, “splendor, magnificence, honor;” and Paul is referring to that honor and dignity which will be conferred on the redeemed when they are raised up to the full honors of redemption; when they shall triumph in the completion of the work; and be freed from sin, and pain, and tears, and permitted to participate in the full splendors that shall encompass the throne of God in the heavens. 

          While the Jews boast of their external privileges-that they have the temple of God among them; that their priests have an entrance to God as their representatives, carrying before the Mercy-Seat the blood of their offered victims; we exult in being introduced by Jesus Christ to God Himself; His blood having been shed and sprinkled for this purpose; and thus we have, spiritually and essentially, all that these Jewish rites, etc., signified.  We are in the peace of God, and we are happy in the enjoyment of that peace, and have a blessed foretaste of eternal glory.  Thus we have heaven upon earth, and the ineffable glories of God in prospect.
         Having our sins remitted, and our souls adopted into the heavenly family, we are become heirs; for if children, then heirs (Gal. 4:7); and that glory of God has now become our endless inheritance. 

VERSE 3-4:   TRIUMPH IN TROUBLES–THE THIRD BLESSED RESULT
These two verses together are on complete theme.

VERSE 3:
“And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also; knowing that tribulation worketh patience”

“And not only {so}We not only rejoice in times of prosperity, and of health. Paul proceeds to show that this plan is not less adapted to produce support in trials.
We are not only happy from being in this state of communion with our God, and the prospect of being eternally with Him. We are not only happy from being in this state of communion with our God, and the prospect of being eternally with him;

            “but we glory”–Better rendered as, “let us rejoice” (present tense)--denoting a continuous action. 

The meaning is, that we rejoice not only in hope; not only in the direct results of justification, in the immediate effect which religion itself produces; but we carry our joy and triumph even into the midst of trials.  In accordance with this, our Savior directed His followers to rejoice in persecutions (Matt. 5:11,12. Comp. James 1:2,12).

                        GLORY:  (Grk.–kauchōmai)–This Greek word is also used in verse 2, where it is  translated as “we rejoice;” and it should have been so translated here. 

            “in tribulations”
            Literally:  in “In the tribulations,” or, “in the afflictions.”  The definite article “the” is in the original Greek text.

            TRIBULATION:  (Grk.–thlipsis)–This Greek word literally means, “a pressing; pressing  together; pressure; oppression; affliction; distress.” This word refers to all kinds of trials which men are called to endure; though it is possible that Paul referred particularly to the various persecutions and trials which they were called to endure as Christians.

The Peace of Christ is so sweet, and the hope of the saint so glorious, that the Christian can even exult in present sufferings, since he has assurance that even these minister to his eternal joy.

“knowing tribulation worketh patience”
Literally: “knowing that affliction works out patience”–Being assured of this, Paul's assurance might have arisen from reasoning on the nature of faith, and its tendency to produce comfort; or it is more probable that he was speaking here the language of his own experience.
        

A.T. Robertson, the old-time Greek authority, comments:  “It is one thing to submit to or endure tribulations without complaint, but it is another to find ground of glorying in tribulations.”  Here Paul gives a linked chain for the reason for this exhortation:  one linking to tribulation and the other linked to patience.  He had found it to be so. This was written near the close of his life, and it states the personal experience of a man who endured, perhaps, as much as any one ever did, in attempting to spread the gospel; and far more than commonly falls to the lot of mankind. Yet he, like all other Christians, could leave his deliberate testimony to the fact that Christianity was sufficient to sustain the soul in its severest trials (see II Cor. 1:3-6; 11:24-29; 12:9-10).

           WORKETH: (Grk.–katergazetai)—Literally: “Works out.”  Tribulation works out patience.   The effect of afflictions on the minds of Christians is to make them patient.

        Sinners are irritated and troubled by trials or tribulations; they murmur, and become more and more obstinate and rebellious. They have no sources of consolation; they see God as a hard Master; and they become fretful and rebellious just in proportion to the depth and continuance of theft trials. But in the mind of a Christian, who regards his Father's hand in it; who sees that he deserves no mercy; who has confidence in the wisdom and goodness of God; who feels that it is necessary for his own good to be afflicted; and who experiences its happy, subduing, and mild effect in restraining his sinful passions, and in weaning him from the world–the effect is to produce patience.
        Accordingly, it will usually be found that those Christians who are longest and most severely afflicted are the most patient. Year after year of suffering produces increased peace and calmness of soul; and at the end of his course the Christian is more willing to be afflicted, and bears his afflictions more calmly, than at the beginning. He who on earth was most afflicted was the most patient of all sufferers; and not less patient when he was "led as a lamb to the slaughter," than when he experienced the first trial in his great work. 

PATIENCE: (Grk.– hypomonên)–A calm temper, which suffers evils without murmuring or discontent.”–Webster. 

            In the old sense of endurance-the quality of bearing suffering with calmness and unwavering fortitude.  Patience is the quiet endurance of what we cannot but wish removed, whether it be the withholding of promised good (8:25), or the continued experience of positive ill (as here). There is indeed a patience of unrenewed nature, which has something noble in it, though in many cases the offspring of pride, if not of something lower.
         The peace, the joy, the hope, that come of faith might be supposed unable to stand against the facts of this present life, in which, to those first believers, only peculiar tribulations might seem to follow from their faith. Not so, says Paul nay, their very tribulations tend to confirm our hope, and so even in them we also glory. For we perceive how they serve for our probation now: they test our endurance; and proved endurance increases hope.

VERSE 4:
“And patience, experience; and experience, hope.”

            “And patience, experience”
            Literally:  “And patience {works out} proven character.” 

                        EXPERIENCE:  (Grk.– dokimê)–Vincent’s Words Studies in the Greek N.T contends that this is a wrong rendering of this word. 

           Vincent contends, “The word means either the process of trial, proving, as in II Cor. 8:2, or the result of trial, or approved  (Phil. 2:2).  Here it  can only be the latter:  tried integrity; a state of mind which has stood the test.  The process has already been expressed by tribulation.”
          Approval, or the result of such a trial; the being approved, and accepted as the effect of a trying process. The meaning is, that long afflictions borne patiently show a Christian what he is; they test his religion, and prove that it is genuine. Afflictions are often sent for this purpose, and patience in the midst of them shows that the religion which can sustain them is from God.

            “experience, hope”
            Literally:  “And proven character, hope.”–The result of such long trial is to produce hope.

They show that the faith is genuine; that it is from God; and not only so, but they direct the mind onward to another world, and sustain the soul by the prospect of a glorious immortality there. The various steps and stages of the benefits of afflictions are thus beautifully delineated by the apostle in a manner which accords with the experience of all the children of God.

           HOPE: (Grk.– elpida)–the confident “hope of the glory of God,” (v. 2). We get it first by looking away from ourselves to the Lamb of God; next by looking into or upon ourselves as transformed by that “looking unto Jesus.”  

For we conclude that He who has supported us in the past will support us in those which may yet come; and as we have received so much spiritual profiting by means of the sufferings through which we have already passed, we may profit equally by those which are yet to come: and this hope prevents us from dreading coming trials; we receive them as means of grace, and find that all things work together for good to them that love God.  Thus have we hope in two distinct ways, and at two successive stages of the Christian life:
1.      Immediately on believing, along with the sense of peace and abiding
access to God (v. 1);

2.      After the reality of this faith has been “proved,” particularly by the patient endurance of trials sent to test it.
In the one case, the mind acts objectively; in the other, subjectively. The one is (as divines say) the assurance of faith; the other, the assurance of sense.