Enemies to Heirs

Enemies to Heirs – How the Gospel Changes Everything

Romans 5–8 is one of the richest sections in all of Scripture. In it, Paul unfolds the sweeping power of the gospel: how God takes us from enemies to heirs, from slavery to freedom, from condemnation to glory.

This series explores that journey in eight messages:

• Romans 5:1–5 – Peace with God. Justification brings peace, hope, and love into our everyday lives.

• Romans 5:6–11 – The Story of Salvation. Christ loved us at our worst, reconciling us to God.

• Romans 5:12–21 – One Man’s Obedience. Adam’s failure is overcome by Christ’s victory.

• Romans 6:5–14 – Not Under Law but Under Grace, Part 1. United with Christ, we are dead to sin and alive to God.

• Romans 6:15–23 – Not Under Law but Under Grace, Part 2. Grace frees us for wholehearted obedience from the heart.

• Romans 7:1–12 – Released from the Law. The Law reveals sin but Christ fulfills it, freeing us to belong to Him.

• Romans 7:13–25 – The War Within. The ongoing struggle with sin points us to Christ’s deliverance.

• Romans 8:16–30 – The Revealing of the Sons of God. Suffering leads to glory, with the Spirit as our helper.

• Romans 8:31–39 – God For Us. Nothing can separate us from God’s love in Christ.

Together, these chapters show us that the gospel is not only the doorway to salvation but the power that reshapes every part of life. It secures our past, transforms our present, and guarantees our glorious future.

Peace with God (Romans 5:1–5)

What do you think of when you hear the word peace? Many people imagine calm feelings, a stress-free day, or a quiet moment at home. But Paul tells us that the deepest peace isn’t a feeling at all—it’s a relationship.

In Romans 5:1–5, Paul shows us what happens when God declares us righteous by faith. Justification isn’t simply a ticket to heaven—it transforms how we live here and now.

1. The Problem: Restless and Estranged

Whether we realize it or not, apart from Christ we are not neutral toward God. We are estranged from Him, even His enemies (Romans 5:10). Sin corrupted God’s good creation and placed us under His righteous judgment.

This is why “inner tranquility” can never be enough. We don’t just need a calmer mind—we need reconciliation with the God we’ve offended. Without that, we remain restless and cut off from true peace

2. The Gospel Truth: Peace, Hope, and Love

Paul highlights three gifts that justification brings into our lives:

• Peace with God (v.1). Through Jesus’ sacrifice, the war between us and God is over. This isn’t a ceasefire—it’s friendship. God is not against us; He is for us. Even when suffering comes, His posture toward us never changes.

• Hope in God’s glory (v.2). Our hope isn’t tied to politics, progress, or possessions. It’s anchored in the promise that God’s glory will fill the earth and His people will share in it. Every trial becomes training ground, producing endurance, character, and a hope that will never disappoint.

• Love poured out (v.5). God’s love is not a trickle but a flood. Through the Holy Spirit, His love is poured into our hearts. Every hardship we face taps into that deep reservoir, reminding us that we are His beloved children.

This is not shallow optimism—it is the supernatural work of God, shaping us into people of peace, hope, and love.

3. Living It Out: Embracing Gospel Realities

Romans 5:1–5 challenges us to live differently:

• Rest in God’s peace. When you lie down at night, remember: God is for you. Even if the world feels against you, His judgment has been replaced by His embrace.

• Hold fast to hope. Let suffering drive you deeper into endurance, not despair. Every scar can become a testimony of God’s sustaining grace.

• Receive His love. Don’t live as though God’s love depends on your performance. His Spirit has already poured it into your heart—walk in that assurance.

The gospel doesn’t just secure your future; it transforms your present. You are no longer God’s enemy—you are His beloved child, filled with peace, hope, and love.

Reflection Questions for Readers

1. Do you tend to think of peace with God as a feeling, or as a relationship? How does that change the way you view this passage?

2. Where do you most need to cling to hope in your current season of life?

3. How might you open yourself to experiencing God’s love more deeply this week?

The Story of Salvation (Romans 5:6–11)

Everyone has a story they live by. For some, it’s the story of success, comfort, or family. But Paul reminds us that for Christians, the defining story of our lives is the gospel—the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

In Romans 5:6–11, Paul unpacks that story in three movements: our ruined condition, God’s right response, and the renewed relationship we now enjoy.

1. The Problem: Our Ruined Condition

Paul doesn’t sugarcoat our condition apart from Christ:

• Weak (v.6). Spiritually powerless, unable to rescue ourselves.

• Ungodly (v.6). Even at our most religious, we fell short of God’s holiness.

• Sinners (v.8). Our rebellion wasn’t hidden from Him.

• Enemies (v.10). By nature, we stood opposed to God’s will.

Human love has limits—we might sacrifice for someone we deem worthy, but not for our enemies. That’s why the gospel is so stunning: “While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (v.8). God didn’t wait for us to clean up. He loved us at our worst

2. The Gospel Truth: God’s Right Response

So how did God respond to our ruined condition? With justice and mercy.

• Justice. Sin deserves wrath, and God’s goodness requires Him to confront evil. A judge who lets a murderer go free is not good but corrupt.

• Mercy. In love, God sent His own Son as the sacrifice. By Jesus’ blood, we are justified—declared right with God—and reconciled to Him.

As one commentator put it: God’s wrath is not opposed to His love—it is the expression of His love in the face of evil. At the cross, His justice and mercy meet perfectly.

3. Living It Out: Joy in a Renewed Relationship

Because Christ died and rose again, our past, present, and future are transformed:

• Past: Our sins are covered, our guilt removed.

• Future: We are saved from judgment and secure in the promise of eternal life.

• Present: We live in reconciliation with God, marked by joy (v.11).

That joy is not naive optimism. It is God-focused and Christ-centered. Instead of feeding on endless news cycles or worldly anxieties, we root ourselves in the story of salvation. We rehearse it daily. And as we do, joy grows deeper than our circumstances.

Clinging to the Story

Romans 5:6–11 invites us to live inside the gospel story:

• When shame whispers that you’re unworthy, remember Christ loved you at your worst.

• When fear threatens your joy, remember your future is secure.

• When life feels dry and heavy, remember you are reconciled to God and invited into His joy.

The cross isn’t just part of your story. It is your story.

Reflection Questions for Readers

1. How does it change your view of God to know He loved you “while you were still a sinner”?

2. What practical steps can help you rehearse the gospel story daily?

3. Where might you need to exchange fear or shame for joy in God’s salvation?

One Man’s Obedience (Romans 5:12–21)

Romans 5:12–21 is one of the most sweeping passages in the Bible. It tells the story of humanity through two representatives: Adam and Christ. Through one man’s disobedience came sin and death. Through one man’s obedience came righteousness and life.

1. The Problem: Under Adam’s Reign

Paul reminds us that Adam’s choice affected us all. Sin entered the world through him, and death through sin. That means we don’t become sinners because we occasionally slip up—we sin because we are sinners by nature.

The result? We are under the reign of death. No matter how successful, moral, or accomplished we may be, the end is always the same: “the wages of sin is death” (Rom. 6:23). Left under Adam’s representation, we remain guilty, enslaved, and hopeless

2. The Gospel Truth: A Better Representative

But Paul doesn’t stop with bad news. He lifts our eyes to Jesus—the “second Adam.”

• A better representative. Where Adam failed, Christ obeyed. Through His perfect life and sacrificial death, He offers us the free gift of righteousness.

• A better reign. Under Adam, death rules. Under Christ, grace reigns. Those who receive His gift are transferred from the domain of darkness into the kingdom of life.

• A better righteousness. Even God’s good law couldn’t fix our sin—it only revealed how deep it runs. But where sin increased, grace abounded all the more. Jesus’ obedience supplies what we never could: a righteousness that makes us right with God.

At the cross, Jesus absorbed sin’s penalty and unleashed grace’s power. His obedience overturned Adam’s failure.

3. Living It Out: Receiving and Reflecting the Gift

Romans 5:12–21 calls us not to earn, but to receive—and then to live in response.

• Receive the gift. You can’t bargain with God or balance the scales. Salvation is a free gift. All that’s left is to humbly receive it by faith.

• Live free from fear. If death no longer reigns, then fear no longer rules. We can face life and even death with confidence in Christ’s victory.

• Show compassion. Remembering our own unworthiness makes us merciful toward others. Grace should shape how we view, forgive, and love people.

• Worship with gratitude. The more we meditate on our sin’s depth and Christ’s greater gift, the more our lives overflow in worship and thanksgiving.

Through one man’s disobedience we were made sinners, but through one man’s obedience we are made righteous. That’s not just theology—it’s the story that changes everything.

Reflection Questions for Readers

1. How does seeing yourself “in Adam” help you appreciate being “in Christ”?

2. What fears about death or judgment lose power when you remember Christ’s reign of grace?

3. In what ways can you live gratefully and compassionately in light of God’s free gift this week?

Not Under Law but Under Grace (Romans 6:5–14)

What does it really mean to be “under grace”? Paul answers this in Romans 6:5–14 by reminding us that our union with Christ is not just a future hope—it’s our present reality. Grace doesn’t give us permission to sin; it gives us power to live a new life.

1. The Problem: Divided Loyalties

The question in verse 1 is as old as the gospel itself: “Should we continue in sin so that grace may abound?” Paul’s answer is a resounding no.

Too often we live as if we still belong to our old master. Sin whispers like Pharaoh in the wilderness, tempting us to go back to slavery. We offer parts of ourselves—our thoughts, desires, habits—to what Christ has already defeated.

Divided loyalties drain joy and weaken faith. If we’re not offering ourselves to God daily, we will inevitably drift back to sin’s control

2. The Gospel Truth: United with Christ

Paul reminds us that believers are united with Christ like branches grafted into a tree. His story is now our story.

• Dead to sin. Baptism symbolizes burial. Our old identity in Adam was crucified with Christ. The chains of sin’s tyranny are broken.

• Alive to God. Just as Christ was raised, we now live in His resurrection power. Our lives are sustained by His ongoing intercession and presence.

• Secure in grace. Verse 14 declares it clearly: we are not under law but under grace. God doesn’t measure us by flawless obedience but by Christ’s perfect obedience on our behalf.

Union with Christ means God is not patching up an old life—He is building something entirely new. His grace not only saves; it reshapes.

3. Living It Out: Wholehearted Loyalty

If we’ve been given such a radical new life, how do we live it? Paul’s call is simple but searching: “Consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus” (v. 11).

Practically, that means:

• Offer yourself daily to God. Present your mind, desires, and actions to Him instead of handing them over to sin.

• Remove what tempts you. Don’t present yourself to sin by feeding it through what you watch, consume, or pursue. Instead, give your heart first to God.

• Remember your baptism. Reflect often on the moment you publicly declared Christ’s death and resurrection as your own. It is a signpost reminding you who you belong to.

• Rest in grace. Don’t chase perfectionism. You live under grace, not under law. That truth frees you to pursue holiness without fear of condemnation.

Grace doesn’t excuse divided loyalties—it produces undivided love. United with Christ, you are called to live wholeheartedly for Him.

Reflection Questions for Readers

1. In what ways do you still live as though sin is your master?

2. How does remembering your union with Christ strengthen your fight against temptation?

3. What practical steps can you take this week to present yourself more fully to God?

Not Under Law but Under Grace, Part 2 (Romans 6:15–23)

If we’re saved by grace and no longer under the law, does that mean we can live however we want? That’s the question Paul anticipates in Romans 6:15–23. His answer shows us what obedience really means for those who belong to Christ.

1. The Problem: Two Deadly Extremes

Christians throughout history have wrestled with two opposite errors:

• Legalism. The belief that our works earn favor with God. It piles up rules that become the standard of who’s “in” and who’s “out.” But rules can’t save us—or even keep us from sin.

• Antinomianism. The belief that since we’re under grace, our choices don’t matter. It turns freedom into license and dismisses the seriousness of sin.

Both errors stem from the same root: self-rule. We want to be the master of our lives, either by controlling God through our good works or by ignoring His authority altogether

2. The Gospel Truth: Obedience from the Heart

Paul rejects both extremes. To live under grace doesn’t mean sin is trivial. Nor does it mean we must prove ourselves through law-keeping. Instead, it means wholehearted surrender to God.

Paul uses the image of slavery. It’s not about oppression, but about total allegiance. Everyone is enslaved—to sin or to God. Grace frees us from sin’s mastery and binds us joyfully to Christ.

This obedience isn’t mechanical or transactional. It flows from a new heart. When God justifies and regenerates us, He plants within us a new desire to honor Him. Sanctification is God’s ongoing work of piecing our lives back together in the image of Christ—like a puzzle being reassembled around His perfect picture.

3. Living It Out: The Reward of Grace

What is the outcome of this obedience? Eternal life—not as wages earned, but as a free gift. The sanctified life is the natural response of someone transformed by grace. God owes us nothing, but He gives us everything in Christ.

That means:

• Be patient with progress. You won’t achieve perfection in this life. God works gradually, but faithfully.

• Give God the glory. Every step in holiness is His doing, not yours.

• Guard your heart. Know your weaknesses, avoid divided loyalties, and present yourself wholly to Christ.

• Love others wisely. Don’t burden them with your personal rules or encourage them in sin. Let Scripture and the Spirit be the standard.

Eternal life is not repayment—it is endless gift. God will spend eternity pouring out His kindness in Christ. That’s the freedom and joy of living under grace.

Reflection Questions for Readers

1. Which error are you more prone to—legalism or license? Why?

2. How does the image of “obedience from the heart” reshape your view of Christian obedience?

3. What step can you take this week to guard your heart and present yourself fully to Christ?

Released from the Law (Romans 7:1–12)

What is the Christian’s relationship to God’s Law? Paul raises this pressing question in Romans 7:1–12. If we are no longer “under law but under grace,” does that mean the law itself is bad?

Paul’s answer helps us see both the limits of the law and the freedom we now enjoy in Christ.

1. The Problem: Misunderstanding the Law

For many, “law” sounds negative—rules, fines, and restrictions. In Paul’s time, the objection was even sharper: if sin increased when the Law was given, doesn’t that make the Law the problem?

Paul is clear: the Law is not sinful. God’s Torah was a gift, revealing His righteous character and guiding His people. The real problem is our hearts. Sin hijacks God’s good commands, twisting them into opportunities for rebellion

2. The Gospel Truth: Fulfilled in Christ

The Law identifies sin by giving it a name, and it awakens sin by exposing the rebellion already within us. But this prepares the way for Christ.

At the cross, the worst of human sin collided with the perfect obedience of God’s Son. Sin used the Law to heap up trespass upon trespass, but Christ bore it all and fulfilled the Law completely. What the Law could not do—make us righteous—Christ did by His death and resurrection.

Now, believers are released from the Law’s condemning power. We belong to Jesus, united to Him in a new covenant relationship.

3. Living It Out: Free for Faithfulness

Freedom from the Law doesn’t mean freedom to sin—it means freedom to belong to Christ.

• Treasure the Old Testament. Read and meditate on it, not as a burden, but as a witness to Christ who fulfilled it.

• Embrace a deeper view of sin. The Law shows us how desperate our condition is—and how abundant God’s grace must be.

• Live in covenant loyalty. You belong to Christ. Guard your life so that you are not deceived by sin or lured into unfaithfulness.

We are not lawless; we are bound to Jesus. And that changes everything.

Reflection Questions for Readers

1. How does seeing the Law as “good but powerless to save” shape your view of the Old Testament?

2. In what ways has Christ freed you from sin’s deception?

3. What daily practices help you live in loyalty to the One you belong to?

The War Within (Romans 7:13–25)

If Christ has set us free from sin, why do we still struggle so deeply with it? Paul answers in Romans 7:13–25, describing the painful reality of indwelling sin—the war that rages inside every believer.

1. The Problem: Indwelling Sin

Paul insists the Law isn’t bad—it reveals sin. The real issue is within us. Like G.K. Chesterton’s famous line, “What’s wrong with the world? I am.”

Even when we want to do good, sin is close at hand. Our best intentions collide with the flesh’s weakness. And when we try to fight sin in our own strength—through legalism or license—we only make things worse. Legalism leads to pride; license leads to slavery. Both are attempts to be our own savior

2. The Gospel Truth: Deliverance Through Christ

Paul describes the split-heartedness we all know: “I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out.”

That tension is not proof of failure, but of life in Christ. The very fact that we feel the war shows the Spirit has awakened us to fight. On our own, we are powerless. But thanks be to God—through Jesus Christ we are delivered. His righteousness is ours, His Spirit empowers us, and His victory secures our future.

3. Living It Out: Hope in the Battle

Romans 7 teaches us to live honestly in the tension:

• Stop trying to be your own savior. Run daily to Christ, the fountain of grace, instead of relying on self-effort.

• Show compassion. Don’t look down on others who struggle. Remember, even Paul confessed this war. Broken people are the soil where grace grows.

• Fight discouragement. The war is real, but victory is secure. Every failure is covered by Christ’s atonement. Every battle points you to dependence on Him.

The struggle against sin is lifelong—but it is not hopeless. Sin doesn’t have the last word. Jesus does.

Reflection Questions for Readers

1. How have you experienced the “war within” that Paul describes?

2. Which false savior are you most tempted by—legalism or license?

3. How can remembering Christ’s finished work help you fight discouragement in your battle with sin?

The Revealing of the Sons of God (Romans 8:16–30)

Why do Christians still suffer if we belong to Christ? That’s the question Paul addresses in Romans 8:16–30. The answer is not that suffering denies God’s promises but that suffering is the very pathway to glory.

1. The Problem: Common Suffering

Creation itself groans under the weight of sin. Tornadoes, famine, disease, and decay remind us that the world is not as it should be. And we groan with it—through pain, loss, abuse, addiction, and death.

Why doesn’t God stop it all? Paul doesn’t rush to simplistic answers. Instead, he teaches us to wait in hope, longing for redemption. Suffering is not strange—it is part of the Christian story

2. The Gospel Truth: Interceding Assistance

In our groaning, we are not alone. The Spirit intercedes with groanings too deep for words, carrying our prayers when we cannot. The Father works all things for the good of those who love Him.

Even more, our suffering is joined to Christ’s. Christianity is unique in this: God Himself entered into our pain. Jesus suffered betrayal, injustice, and death so that our suffering could be redeemed. To suffer with Him is also to share in His glory.

3. Living It Out: Incomparable Glory

Paul says the glory to come so outweighs our present pain that the comparison falls apart. Our future is resurrection, freedom, and conformity to Christ’s image.

So:

• Hold on to hope. Don’t stake your heart on fading earthly comforts. Fix it on resurrection life.

• Lean on the Spirit. Trust His presence when your words fail.

• Look to the glory. Your story ends not in suffering but in unimaginable joy.

The suffering is real, but so is the glory—and it will last forever.

Reflection Questions for Readers

1. How does seeing creation’s groaning help you make sense of your own pain?

2. Where have you experienced the Spirit’s help when you didn’t know how to pray?

3. What would change in your life if you believed your future glory far outweighed your present struggles?

God For Us (Romans 8:31–39)

Romans 8 ends with one of the most triumphant passages in all Scripture: nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus. These verses aren’t a cold argument—they’re a song of victory.

1. The Problem: Doubts and Fears

We may wonder: will God abandon me? Will my sins finally disqualify me? Can suffering or opposition prove that God is not really for me? These doubts often gnaw at the edges of faith

2. The Gospel Truth: Assurances of God’s Love

Paul piles up assurance after assurance:

• A Verdict Rendered. God Himself has justified us. No charge can stand.

• An Advocate Risen. Jesus died, was raised, and now intercedes for us at God’s right hand.

• A Conquering Reign. Even persecution, famine, and sword cannot undo God’s purposes. In Christ we are “more than conquerors.”

• An Eternal Relationship. Nothing in all creation—not death, life, angels, rulers, or powers—can separate us from God’s love.

God is for us. That truth silences every accusation and anchors every storm.

3. Living It Out: Secure in His Love

If God is for us, then:

• Rest in assurance. Stop doubting whether you’re loved—you are held by the strongest bond in the universe.

• Persevere in trials. Hardship doesn’t mean abandonment; it’s evidence that you share in Christ’s sufferings.

• Live boldly. Don’t sit on the sidelines—God’s love makes us more than conquerors. Step into witness, service, and mission with confidence.

We are not victims of chance. We are heirs of God, wrapped in inseparable love.

Reflection Questions for Readers

1. What doubts or fears most often tempt you to question God’s love?

2. How does Christ’s ongoing intercession encourage you in daily struggles?

3. Where is God calling you to live more boldly because you are secure in His love?

Most Helpful Resources on Romans 5-8

David Petersen, Romans, in the Lexham Biblical Theology Commentary Series

Cranfield, Romans Shorter Commentary

N.T. Wright, Into the Heart of Romans

John Murray, Commentary on Romans