The following blog post contains notes and application questions from our May 6, 2018 message, Romans 5: Gifts From God.
Summary
What if God wanted to give you a gift? A gift that is available to anyone who is willing to receive it, is not deserved, and cannot be earned or bought. Some people will gladly receive it and others will reject it. Teaching from Romans 5:1-11, Blake Holmes tells us about such a gift, as well as six blessings that come when you receive the gift.
Key Takeaways
There are six blessings for everyone who receives God’s free gift of salvation through Christ:
- Peace (v1)
- We have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ…we’ve been reconciled to God.
- Access (v2a)
- We have access by grace through faith.
- Hebrews 4:16 - ...let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace...
- Hope (v2b-5a)
- Biblical hope is a confident expectation, and we have both a future and a present hope (one day we will get to see and share in the glory of God).
- “If you read history you will find that the Christians who did most for the present world were precisely those who thought most of the next. It is since Christians have largely ceased to think of the other world that they have become so ineffective in this.” –C.S. Lewis
- Our suffering is not because God is asleep at the wheel.
- Love (v5b-8)
- Nothing can demonstrate God’s love for us more than the cross of Christ.
- There is a difference between performance based acceptance and acceptance based performance.
- Salvation (v9-10)
- To question the wrath of God is to also question the justice and goodness of God.
- There is often a second chance, but there is always a last chance.
- Joy (v11)
- Joy comes through our Lord Jesus Christ, and it is beyond circumstances.
- “Never doubt in the dark what God told you in the light.” –Charles Spurgeon
Questions for Reflection and Discussion
- Have you received the gift of a relationship with God through His Son, Jesus Christ? If not, send us an email at info@watermark.org, and we’d love to tell you about God’s love for you through Jesus Christ.
- Which of the six blessings—peace, access, hope, love, salvation, joy—are you most prone to doubt? In the next week, how can you remind yourself of that blessing?
- When you experience trials and suffering, where is your hope found? What’s one Scripture you can memorize to remind yourself that hope comes through a relationship with Christ?
Mentioned or Recommended Resources
- Scripture study: Romans 5:1-11, Ephesians 2:8-9, Hebrews 4:16, 1 John 3:2, Colossians 3:4, John 3:16, 2 Peter 3:9, 1 Thessalonians 5:9
- Message: Join the Journey: A Tour of Romans
- Journey With Us Through Romans is 2018