Certainty of Salvation
A Sermon on Romans 5:1-2
Originally preached Oct. 25, 1957
Scripture
1Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: 2By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
Sermon Description
What is “peace with God” and how does one attain it? In the sermon titled “Certainty of Salvation,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones discusses this as he preaches on Romans 5:1–2. Paul has just finished explaining that righteousness by faith was not only imputed for Abraham, but also for all Christians. The apostle shows the absolute finality and fullness of salvation which comes as a result of faith. The greatest proof of final salvation and assurance is union with Christ. Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains three things done by justification by faith: it puts the Christian at peace with God, sets them firmly in a place of all blessings, and enables them to exalt the prospect of future glorification. Before one is even able to obtain blessings or think about future glorification, they need to have access to the Lord. Salvation and all its blessings are only attained through the Lord Jesus Christ. Dr. Lloyd-Jones defines and explains what peace with God is and how Paul will continue on with this theme in the coming verses.
Sermon Breakdown
- The apostle Paul has finished stating the doctrine of justification by faith and is now moving on to a new section showing the absolute character and finality of our salvation.
- Paul states this immediately in the first two verses of Romans 5. We have peace with God and access to grace through faith in Jesus Christ.
- Nothing can shake us from this peace with God, not even tribulations, as shown in verses 3-5.
- Our salvation is certain because it is based on God's love and action toward us while we were still sinners, as shown in verses 6-11.
- Our union with Christ, like our union with Adam, guarantees our final salvation. This is discussed in verses 12-21.
- Chapters 6 and 7 deal with objections to this teaching, like whether we should continue sinning so grace may abound. Paul says no, we should not continue sinning.
- Chapter 8 positively expounds on the certainty of our salvation and how nothing can separate us from God's love.
- The first two verses of chapter 5 and verse 30 of chapter 8 both go straight from justification to glorification, showing the completeness of our salvation.
- Verse 1: Being justified by faith, we have peace with God through Jesus Christ. We can have no blessings from God unless we first have peace with Him.
- The gospel's primary purpose is to reconcile us to God, not just give us blessings. We must start with our relationship to God.
- There is a dispute over whether verse 1 should say "let us have peace" or "we have peace." The context shows Paul is telling us what we already have, not exhorting us, so "we have peace" is better.
- We have peace with God, not just peace. The world wants peace but needs peace with God.
- We have peace with God, not the peace of God. The peace of God refers to overcoming anxiety, while peace with God refers to our standing before Him.
- Peace with God means the enmity between God and the sinner has been removed and a new relationship established through faith in Christ.
Sermon Q&A
Questions and Answers About Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones' Sermon on Romans 5:1-2
What is the main theme of Romans chapters 5-8 according to Dr. Lloyd-Jones?
According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, the main theme of Romans chapters 5-8 is "the absolute character, the fullness and the finality of our salvation." He explains that the apostle Paul is demonstrating that "if you really do believe on him who raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead, who was delivered for our offenses and was raised again for our justification, that your salvation is absolute, it's complete and it's final, and that nothing can ever rob you of it." This differs from the common interpretation that these chapters primarily deal with sanctification.
How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones compare Romans 5:1-2 with Romans 8:30?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones points out a significant parallel between Romans 5:1-2 and Romans 8:30 to support his interpretation. In both passages, Paul jumps directly from justification to glorification without explicitly mentioning sanctification in between. In Romans 5:1-2, we move from "being justified by faith" to "rejoice in hope of the glory of God." Similarly, in Romans 8:30, Paul states "whom he justified, them he also glorified." This parallel structure demonstrates Paul's emphasis on the certainty of salvation from beginning to end.
What is the significance of the phrase "peace with God" in Romans 5:1?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones emphasizes that Paul is speaking about "peace with God" rather than the "peace of God." He explains that "peace with God" refers to our objective relationship with God—the removal of the barrier of enmity that existed between us and God. It means "that by justification by faith those conditions which obtained between God and the sinner are removed, have ceased to be, and that there is an entirely new relationship." This differs from the "peace of God" mentioned in Philippians 4:7, which is subjective and relates to overcoming anxiety.
Why does Dr. Lloyd-Jones criticize the common approach to evangelism that emphasizes blessings first?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones criticizes modern evangelism that emphasizes the blessings of Christianity (happiness, comfort, peace, etc.) without first addressing a person's need for "peace with God." He argues this approach makes Christianity look like just another cult offering psychological benefits. He states, "The primary business of the christian gospel is not to give men blessings... its primary function is to reconcile us to God." He considers it "utterly unscriptural" and "nonsensical" to invite people to Jesus without addressing their need for repentance and forgiveness.
What textual issue does Dr. Lloyd-Jones address regarding Romans 5:1?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones addresses a textual variant in Romans 5:1, where some manuscripts read "let us have peace with God" (as in the Revised Version) while others read "we have peace with God" (as in the Authorized Version and Revised Standard Version). He argues that the context clearly supports "we have peace with God" because Paul is not exhorting believers to seek peace but declaring what they already possess. This fits with Paul's statement in the next verse that "we have access" into God's grace.
Why does Dr. Lloyd-Jones emphasize Paul's repeated phrase "through our Lord Jesus Christ"?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones notes how Paul repeatedly uses the phrase "through our Lord Jesus Christ" throughout Romans, even when it might seem redundant. He suggests this repetition serves as a reminder that all spiritual blessings come exclusively through Christ. He challenges his listeners: "Do you like it? Do you like to hear me repeating it? Do you like repeating it? Well, this is one of the tests of our whole position as Christians." He emphasizes that "there's nothing without him. It is all in him."
How does Romans 5:1-2 set up the entire section of Romans 5-8?
Romans 5:1-2 establishes the framework for the entire section by stating three immediate results of justification by faith: peace with God, access to God's grace, and hope of glory. These verses move directly from justification to glorification, setting up Paul's argument that our salvation is certain and complete. The subsequent chapters then develop this theme by showing that our union with Christ guarantees our salvation (5:12-21), addressing objections about sin and the law (chapters 6-7), and concluding with the assurance that nothing can separate us from God's love (chapter 8).
The Book of Romans
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones (1899-1981) was a Welsh evangelical minister who preached and taught in the Reformed tradition. His principal ministry was at Westminster Chapel, in central London, from 1939-1968, where he delivered multi-year expositions on books of the bible such as Romans, Ephesians and the Gospel of John. In addition to the MLJ Trust’s collection of 1,600 of these sermons in audio format, most of these great sermon series are available in book form (including a 14 volume collection of the Romans sermons), as are other series such as "Spiritual Depression", "Studies in the Sermon on the Mount" and "Great Biblical Doctrines". He is considered by many evangelical leaders today to be an authority on biblical truth and the sufficiency of Scripture.