Romans 5: 1 (for the last time... until next time).

Romans 5: 1 “... peace with God, through our Lord Jesus Christ.”


For a third time we can visit this verse and consider something more. We are justified by faith we know. We are also consequently at peace (or have peace) with God where once there was enmity. This process is by grace – our salvation, every part of it, is an act of grace. We have also established that this grace can only be imparted to us because of the Lord Jesus Christ’s propitiatory death and his glorious resurrection. The sacrifice made in atonement has allowed us to reach this state of being considered worthy in His sight, again, only as we are clothed in His righteousness.

Now while it may seem to be revisiting a point already made, these things are made possible through not only the Lord Jesus Christ but, note Paul’s words, our Lord Jesus Christ. Our personal saviour and our corporate high priest. Verse one is such a complete statement, in just 15 words Paul manages to convey and underscore so many essential aspects of our salvation. The sentence would be correct without adding ‘through our Lord Jesus Christ’. Paul has already in Romans 3 completely established our depravity and in chapter 4 he has incisively stated our justification can only be through faith, using Abraham as an example. He also underlines that out righteousness before God is imputed to us, never earned.

So again, the mention that this is achieved ‘through our Lord Jesus Christ’ is unnecessary to our understanding of the process of justification. So why add it?

Well firstly and fore mostly it is a comment surely of praise and glorification. Paul is reminding the Romans of the essential vehicle of salvation that is both the man and the Lord Jesus Christ. In all things we should include the wonder working power of Jesus and His blood. It is not enough to merely comment on the functions and legality of atonement, propitiation and justification. It is not enough to merely describe the peace in our souls gained where once there was hostility. The Lord Jesus Christ “delivered for our offences and raised again for our justification” stands astride all this in His Glory. He straddles the eternity between condemnation and salvation as a bridge for us to access eternal life. He is the peacemaker and doorway through whom we can be justified.

To omit His name is to defame His part in the process! (for without Him there would be no process!) To pay lip service to the name of Jesus is not enough! His name should not sneak quietly from the corner of our mouths or be added to a prayer as an almost forgotten addendum! We should in all things praise and magnify His name!

Paul was not merely reminding us of who our intercessor is. He is not even being repetitious or verbose in his wording. He is reinforcing and reminding the Romans and us of who achieved this wondrous work. Not some faceless god, not a legal action performed behind closed doors, but our loving, all sufficient Saviour the Lord Jesus Christ. One whose name should leap fully from our mouths in praise and adoration at every possible turn. Paul was making an unambiguous statement in verse 1 of this fifth chapter, but in it he is also posing a question.

Are you adding His name to all that you do?

Is it lip service?

Are you giving Him the praise his gift of eternal life and joy should merit?

Do it today Christian, do it in everything you do!