We must understand that union with Christ is how a believer enters into a new identity founded upon the most game-changing event in history- the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Our Old Self is United to Christ- Dead

Our New Self is United to Christ - Alive

How Must a Believer Consider His or Herself?

We must preach the gospel to ourselves and one another.

The Objection Stated: Grace Encourages Immorality? (v1-2).a. More Sin – works don’t matterb. More Grace – God gets to do his thing.

The Objection Answered on the Grounds of Justification:a. We died to sinb. We were baptized into his deathc. We were buried with Him

Union with Christ is Our New Identity: We too walk in newness of life (v4)a. Jesus rose from the dead.b. The same glory of the Father is at work in us.

In Romans 1-4, Paul shared that justification by faith alone is received by us freely by God's grace alone, accomplished entirely on account of the redemption which is in Jesus Christ, as God set Jesus forth as a propitiation. After articulating his gospel centering on righteousness from God through justification by faith in Jesus Christ alone, Paul writes about the benefits of Justification in Chapter 5 and then in the second most important section of the letter, 5:12-21, he explains how justification is absolutely certain because God deals covenantally with his people. We began our study of Romans 5:12-21 last Sunday by contrasting the two Adams: Adam and Jesus, who are representatives of every human being. This week we examine how the covenant of grace is fulfilled in Christ.

Justification by faith is understood by examining the contrast of Adam as a type of Christ.

The 1st Adam brought sin, death, condemnation to all who are in him.

The 2nd Adam brought righteousness and life to all who are in him.

The Rise of the 2nd Adam far surpasses the Fall of the 1st Adam

For the Justified believer the gospel/good news just keeps getting better and better...Paul emphasizes not that you have been saved, but that you will be saved...we’ll have five points- four doctrinal, one application.

For a believer, “saved” is future and parallels justification. 9a

For a believer, we are “saved” by Him, not by us. 9b

For a believer, we are “saved” from the wrath of God.  9c

For a believer, “saved” is future & founded upon being reconciled. 10

For a believer, the saving is Jesus’ job, our principle “to-do” list is summed up as rejoicing in God. 11

The Justified believer knows who how surprising it is that God the Father set His love upon him/her and he/she is one for whom did the Son die...four points:

He/she was the Powerless.

He/she was the Ungodly

He/she was the Unrighteous

He/she was the Sinner

Those sinners who are justified by faith may suffer forward (rejoice in hope through it) because they have received the gift of the Holy Spirit. We’ll see three points from the text:

The Holy Spirit Was Poured out on the Church. Acts 2/ John 14-16.

The Love of God Has Been Poured into the Hearts of Believers. V5

The Believers will rejoice in sufferings given from God. V3-4

Justification by faith leads to the new status and new life of faith summarized in the biblical concept of “peace/shalom.” We’ll see three points from the text:

Peace with whom and from what? [“therefore” = Romans 1-4]

Peace founded in a person and his work, v1b

Peace’s Product, v2

Abraham was saved not by works but through faith alone. It’s called saving faith and is the instrument whereby God declares his people righteous and forgiven of their sins -- justified.We’ll see three points on saving faith in the text:

Saving faith trusts God’s word, not our sight. V18

Saving faith can grow stronger resulting in worship as we consider our weakness, V19-21

Saving faith’s only object must be the risen Jesus. V23-25