Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The word "Therefore" at the start is crucial – it's not just a new thought, but a direct result of everything Paul just explained about Christ's resurrection for our justification. This verse is the triumphant "so what?" to the profound theological argument that just finished.
Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The Apostle Paul has just concluded a lengthy argument demonstrating that justification—being declared righteous before God—comes through faith in Jesus, not through adherence to the Law. He's shown this through the example of Abraham and the finished work of Christ. Now, he pivots to the immediate, life-changing results of this divine declaration for believers, starting with their new relationship with God.
Imagine going from being on the worst terms with someone you deeply respect to experiencing perfect harmony. That's the kind of transformation Paul is talking about.
The verse begins with a powerful "Therefore," signaling that what follows is a direct consequence of the preceding discussion on justification. Justification, being declared righteous by God through faith in Jesus, isn't just a legal status; it ushers us into a new relationship.
The End of Enmity
Before justification, our relationship with God is one of enmity. Sin has created a chasm, making God's just wrath our due. We are, as the commentary notes, "in a state of enmity with God." This isn't about God being angry and us being sad; it's a fundamental opposition.
The Dawn of Peace
But now, "we have peace with God." This isn't a fragile truce or a feeling of contentment. It's an objective reality: reconciliation. God is no longer our adversary; He is our Father. Our guilty fears are silenced because the barrier of sin has been removed by Christ's work. This peace is the immediate and abiding result of being declared righteous.
We often talk about peace, but have you ever considered how such a profound peace with an infinitely holy God is even possible?
The phrase "through our Lord Jesus Christ" is not an afterthought; it's the very conduit through which this peace flows. The commentaries emphasize that this peace is and through Christ's mediation.
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The Great Peace-Maker
Jesus is the "Peace-maker." His life, death, and resurrection are the foundation upon which our peace with God rests. He bridged the chasm created by sin. His atoning sacrifice satisfied God's justice, removing the grounds for His wrath against us.
Our Access to Grace
This peace isn't just a passive state; it's our introduction into God's grace. Through Christ, we are no longer alienated but have free admission into His presence. It's through His mediation that we can approach God not with terror, but with confidence, knowing we are accepted 'in the Beloved.'
Understand the original words
dikaioō · Greek Verb (Participle)
To be declared righteous by God; a legal forensic act where God imputes the righteousness of Christ to the believer, removing the guilt of sin and restoring a right standing before Him.
eirēnē · Greek Noun
The condition of reconciliation with God; the end of hostility between a holy God and sinful humanity, achieved solely through the redemptive work of Christ.
pistis · Greek Noun
The means by which a believer enters into a relationship with God; the act of trusting in Christ's work rather than one's own merit for salvation.
This passage describes the outcome of righteousness as 'peace' and 'quietness and confidence forever,' directly echoing the sense of peace with God found in Romans 5:1.
John 16:33Jesus tells His disciples they will have 'peace in me' even in tribulation, a concept that aligns with the peace believers have with God 'through our Lord Jesus Christ' despite life's challenges.
Colossians 1:20This verse speaks of God reconciling all things to Himself 'through Him, having made peace by the blood of His cross,' which is the very foundation for the peace with God that justified believers experience.
Philippians 4:7The 'peace of God, which surpasses all understanding,' is the result of prayers and supplications in thanksgiving, a deep inner peace that flows from the reconciled relationship established in Romans 5:1.
Leviticus 26:6This Old Testament promise of God granting peace in the land, with no one to make them afraid, serves as a foreshadowing of the profound and secure peace believers have with God through Christ.
henryRomans 5:1-5: "Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:"
5:1-5 A blessed change takes place in the sinner's state, when he becomes a true believer, whatever he has been. Being justified by faith he has peace with God. The holy, righteous God, cannot be at peace with a sinner, while under the guilt of sin. Justification takes away the guilt, and so makes way for peace. This is through our Lord Jesus Christ; through him as the great Peace-maker, th…
expositorsRomans 5:1: "Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:"
Chapter 12 PEACE, LOVE, AND JOY FOR THE JUSTIFIED Romans 5:1-11 WE reached a pause in the Apostle’s thought with the close of the last paragraph. We may reverently imagine, as in spirit we listen to his dictation, that a pause comes also in his work; that he is silent, and Tertius puts down the pen, and they spend their hearts awhile on worshipping recollection and realisation. The Lord deliv…
The word "Therefore" at the start is crucial – it's not just a new thought, but a direct result of everything Paul just explained about Christ's resurrection for our justification. This verse is the triumphant "so what?" to the profound theological argument that just finished.
The Apostle Paul has just concluded a lengthy argument demonstrating that justification—being declared righteous before God—comes through faith in Jesus, not through adherence to the Law. He's shown this through the example of Abraham and the finished work of Christ. Now, he pivots to the immediate, life-changing results of this divine declaration for believers, starting with their new relationship with God.
The Apostle Paul has just concluded a lengthy argument demonstrating that justification—being declared righteous before God—comes through faith in Jesus, not through adherence to the Law. He's shown this through the example of Abraham and the finished work of Christ. Now, he pivots to the immediate, life-changing results of this divine declaration for believers, starting with their new relationship with God.
"Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ." — The word "Therefore" at the start is crucial – it's not just a new thought, but a direct result of everything Paul just explained about Christ's resurrection for our justification. This verse is the…
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Last reviewed October 2026