Part Five of Barnhouse’s commentary considers the Christian life in practical terms, “For the Christian life is not withdrawal from the world.” Entitled God’s Grace, Part Five takes a look at Romans 5:12-21. Barnhouse expresses the purpose of this section of the epistle in messages such as “Adam Versus Christ,” “Reigning in Life,” “The Pure Doctrine of Grace,” and “God’s Motives for Grace” to name a handful of the 25 messages included.
“At this point it is important to understand that nowhere does the Bible teach justification without sanctification. The person who holds that because he ‘believes’ he can do as he pleases has no authority for his position within the pages of divine revelation. Beyond question, one of the principal aims of salvation is to produce holiness within those who are joined to Christ.” (Page 11)
“Through oneness with Adam we are partakers of sin, death and judgment. By the work of the Lord Jesus Christ we become partakers of His life, endowed with His righteousness and dominion.” (Page 11)
“Grace was not withheld because of sin; grace was given in spite of sin.” (Page 123)
“Oneness with Christ is the basis for the life of triumph expounded in succeeding chapters of Romans. Failure to live victoriously in Christ results from not understanding this passage, one of the most important in the Bible.” (Page 11)
“Another false idea is that salvation is given by God after a soul has properly repented, that grace is withheld until the repentance passes some sort of examination by God. Such an idea is nowhere in the Word of God. If there were, the soul would turn from the Savior and fasten upon its own efforts to achieve the proper degree of repentance. Instead of peace which passes all understanding, the soul would suffer a perpetual turmoil of doubt: Have I done enough? Have I wept enough? Have I been sorry enough? Grace sweeps all this aside, and from the truly bankrupt soul it takes away all sin and human effort, places them upon the head of the Savior and credits to the account of the sinner the asset of God’s perfect righteousness in Christ.” (Page 133)