Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

1) Why does chapter five start with therefore? What has Paul said in the previous verses or chapter that he is referring to in this chapter?
It is important to remember this was a letter written to a group of people. It did not have chapter breaks and verses in its original form. Paul has given an argument in the previous verses. He stated in the previous chapter that having a steadfast belief in God and all that He did/does, counts us as righteous! We are no longer under the penalty of sin. Paul is saying because of this truth, because we have been justified by our faith, by our belief, we have peace with God through Jesus.

2) What does it mean to be “justified by faith”?
Justified means that the cost of our sin was death, but when we believe in Jesus, (ie: put our faith in Him), Jesus pays the cost and we are no longer owe a sinner’s debt. Rather, having a new life, we are free from that penalty. We are no longer separated and apart from God, but rather it is “just as if I” never sinned.

3) What does the word peace mean in this verse?
It is simple to use resources like www.studylight.org to find the original translation of a word. “Peace” in this verse means, “the tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation through Christ, and so fearing nothing from God and content with its earthly lot, of whatsoever sort that is.”

1) Why does chapter five start with therefore? What has Paul said in the previous verses or chapter that he is referring to in this chapter?
Therefore, since we do have faith, we have peace. A life apart from God, with little to no belief or faith in anything other than this world, gives no comfort or direction. The peace found in a rightness with the Lord gives hope and purpose. We can trust that Jesus’ words are true, “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” John 16:33.

2) What does it mean to be “justified by faith”?
The most important decision that anyone will ever make is to follow Christ. Apart from Christ, we are lost in sin and darkness. Apart from Christ we are on the hook for a debt we cannot afford in our humanity, let alone pay in full. God pursues us with the ransom paid, but we have to be willing to accept. We must make the choice to put our faith in Him. Justification comes when we realize we need Jesus and we cannot save ourselves.

3) What does the word peace mean in this verse?
Peace seems so elusive. It is something that so many long for, yet few find because they are looking in all the wrong places. True peace comes not with the absence of physical war but when we are spiritually right with God and relent to His control of our lives. There are times when God seems silent and peace seems fleeting, but as believers, we have full assurance that “we are more than conquerors” and “nothing can separate us from the love of God.” Romans 8:37-39

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We love getting help while we study and www.studylight.org is one of many excellent resources.  Just type in the verse you’re looking at and Boom! It’s right in front of you in English and Hebrew (Old Testament) or Greek (New Testament), which are the original languages the Bible was written in.

Want to know more about a specific word in a verse? Click on “Strong’s Interlinear Bible” then click the word you’d like to study. Find super awesome stuff like “origin”, “definition”, and even all the different ways that single word has been translated into English! If you want to be geeky, you can even click the word and hear its original pronunciation – That Is Awesome!

Want to get more background on a word or phrasing or passage? Click “Study Tools”, then pick a few commentaries to read their scholarly approach, keeping in mind that just because a commentary says it, doesn’t mean it’s true. (just like the internet :-))

Finding the original meaning is a huge deal when we study Scripture and can make all the difference in our understanding as we apply God’s truths to our everyday lives.

In our modern-day relationships, we want people to understand our original intention as we communicate; how much more so between God and humanity?!

Here’s a little bit more on why we take Digging Deeper so seriously.

Embracing God’s fullness in our lives is rooted in scripture and memorizing His word is vital to our continued growth and depth with Jesus.
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