Bible Truth #276 - Romans 5:10

Romans 5:10

For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.

I would first like to establish to whom Paul is referring when he writes “we” - For if while WE were enemies WE were reconciled to God...

It is my contention that he is referring to Christians and not mankind based on the following reasons:

Reason 1 - He wrote in his salutation in Romans 1:7 - to all in Rome loved by God and called to be saints. Everybody in Rome was NOT loved by God (See Bible Truth #66) and everybody in Rome was NOT called to be saints. I know the Arminian will argue that God does love everybody based on John 3:16 and that everybody IS called. I will not again argue John 3:16, I covered it in Bible Truth #66 - they misunderstand that Scripture because their understanding creates contradictions in God’s Word. Second, not everyone is called. Yes, all are COMMANDED to repent (Acts 17:30) but not all are CALLED to salvation (1 Corinthians 1:26). God also makes it explicitly clear in Romans 8:30 that ALL who are called are justified and glorified, there is no exception.

Reason 2 - Reconciliation has taken place. This passage is written in past tense. Jesus was the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world (Revelation 13:8) and those He reconciled had their names written in the Lamb’s Book of Life at that point in Eternity (Revelation 17:8). Do those “not chosen” have their names written in the Lamb’s Book of Life?

When he writes “we” in this passage, if Paul is referring to every soul who ever lived the Arminian must say that EVERYONE was reconciled to God. And if everyone was reconciled to God then everyone is going to Heaven. That is called universalism and that belief also is false.

Now that I’ve established that Paul is referring to Christians, those loved by God, those called to be saints, I would like to point out that we were reconciled to God while we were enemies. We were reconciled BEFORE we had done anything to cause God to save us - things like believing, repenting, accepting Christ, etc. An enemy of God will NOT do anything pleasing to God (Romans 8:8) and yet we were reconciled WHILE we were enemies. Since Christ was the Lamb slain BEFORE the foundation of the world (Revelation 13:8) and we were reconciled to God through His death, we were God’s enemies before we were even born! I’m certain in the fact that if we, who now believe, were enemies before we were born, EVERY human was in that category.

But it made no difference to God. He chose us while we were His enemy and Christ died for us while we were His enemy. If anything, this proves the Limited Atonement of Christ. EVERY human was an enemy of Christ when He was slain before the foundation of the world but yet we (the Elect) were chosen in Him. Why? All I can say is what God said. He saved us NOT because of anything we’ve done (2 Timothy 1:9, Titus 3:5), but because of His purpose.

What is His purpose? God may have many but I’m certain that one of the most important is to bring Him Glory.