Introduction
In this session, Romans 5: 1-11, we will focus on understanding the benefits believers get while standing right with God. God’s gift of right standing is put into our accounts by faith alone and not by works. These benefits are classified as past, present, and future benefits.
Objectives
By the end of this session, the learner will have:
- Understood the benefits that come to us when God’s gift of righteousness is put into our account (benefits in past, present, and future benefits)
- Compared how the prodigal son in Luke 15 benefited when he was received back home
- Appreciated God’s gift of right standing in his presence
- Appreciated being friends of God through the death of Christ.
Outline
- Benefits of right standing with God
- Past, present, and future benefits
- Our new relationship, being friends of God
Group Study Time
Romans 5: 1-11
Connecting
- Gather with two or more people for a community discovery bible study session.
- Start with a heartfelt prayer, inviting God to guide and bless your understanding.
- Explore the passage by reading it at least twice, using different Bible versions if available, then retell the story together as a group.
- Reflect and share the challenges and blessings you experienced from the previous study.
Comprehending
- Read Luke 15: 11-31. What are the benefits of convicts being declared not guilty? Compare how the prodigal son in Luke 15: 11-31, benefited when he was received back home. How did Peter benefit when he was reinstated back in the ministry? John 21: 1-17.
- Read Roman 5: 1-5. List at least 5 benefits of righteousness. (Right standing before God).
- When and how were these benefits of right standing deposited into our accounts? Romans 5: 6-11.
Committing
- Engage with the Bible—read, study, memorize, meditate, pray, listen, and live it out.
- List three lessons you have learnt as an agent of change that you would like to put into practice and teach others about.
- Take time and worship Jesus with the attributes revealed about Christ.
- Use the SPACEPETS model, to assist you in putting God’s word into practice. Look for:
- Sin to confess
- Promise to claim
- Attitude to change
- Command to keep
- Error to change
- Prayer to make
- Example to copy
- Truth to obey and
- Something praiseworthy
Communicating
- Identify one person you can connect with and share the valuable insights and lessons you gained from this session.
- Reach out to a new believer—either in person or by phone—and pray with them to support them through their challenges, including any concerns about attending church.
- Create a new group and guide others through this study to help them grow in their understanding.
Post Lesson Teaching Summary
Great job completing the study! Take a moment to listen to this summary to reinforce your group’s understanding of the text and ensure you’re all on the same page. We’re here to support your learning journey!
Benefits of the gift of standing right with God
Romans 5: 1-11
Audio Summary
Romans 5:1-11
- Context:
- Guilt cripples service, joy, and worship (e.g., priests falter mid-ministry); Romans 5:1-11 builds on Abraham and David’s faith (Romans 4), showing benefits of justification.
- Jews’ works failed to erase guilt; faith alone clears it, freeing both sons (Jew and Gentile, Luke 15 analogy) to stand right with God.
- Justification’s Benefits (Romans 5:1-11):
- Past: Christ died for the powerless ungodly (v. 6-8), demonstrating love while we were sinners, justifying us by His blood (v. 9).
- Present:
- Peace with God: Tranquility amid storms, not absence of trials, through faith (v. 1).
- Access to Grace: Unmerited favor and strength via Christ (v. 2).
- Hope in Suffering: Suffering builds perseverance, character, and unshamed hope, fueled by the Holy Spirit’s love (v. 3-5).
- Future: Saved from God’s wrath, escaping judgment since Christ bore it (v. 9-10).
- Faith, Not Works:
- Righteousness is a gift credited by faith, not earned (unlike wages); Jews’ efforts couldn’t remove guilt, but trusting Christ’s sacrifice does.
- Victory Over Guilt:
- Guilt stems from fear of judgment; Christ’s death and resurrection remove this, ensuring no condemnation—believers serve freely, not fearfully.
- Application:
- Trusting God’s justification brings peace, grace, and hope, transforming suffering and securing mercy, not wrath—freeing us from guilt to serve joyfully.