Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation. – Romans 5:1-11

Christianity is not just a matter of looking back to justification and on to glorification. The believer is not preoccupied always with the past and the future. He has a present Christian life to live as well, and so we read in v. II, ‘we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ’. We rejoice in hope. We rejoice in sufferings also. But above all we rejoice in God Himself; and we do it through Jesus Christ. As we have already seen, it is through Jesus Christ that we have peace with God (I); it is through Jesus Christ that we have obtained access into this grace in which we stand (2); it is through the blood of Christ that We have been reconciled (9); it is through the life of Christ that we are going to be finally saved ( 1 0); and it is through the same Lord Jesus Christ (II) that we received (elabomen, aorist) our reconciliation. So we rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through the One who has achieved these priceless blessings for us.

Is there a Christian reading these pages who is full of doubts about his eternal salvation? Are you sure that you have been justified, but not at all sure that all will be well in the end? If so, let me stress again that final glorification is the fruit of justification. ‘Those whom he justified he also glorified’ (8: 30). If this is your problem, I would urge you to trust in the God who loves you. Look at the cross and accept it as God’s own proof that He loves you. Ask Him to go on flooding your heart with His love through the indwelling Spirit. And then away with gloomy doubts and fears! Let them be swallowed up in the steadfast love of God.

John Stott, Exposition of Romans 5