John Wesley

He was delivered over to death for our trespasses and was raised to life for our justification.

“Who was delivered - To death. For our offenses - As an atonement for them. And raised for our justification - To empower us to receive that atonement by faith.”

Not only that, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance;

“We glory in tribulations also - Which we are so far from esteeming a mark of God's displeasure, that we receive them as tokens of his fatherly love, whereby we are prepared for a more exalted happiness.”

And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out His love into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, whom He has given us.

“Hope shameth us not - That is, gives us the highest glorying. We glory in this our hope, because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts - The divine conviction of God's love to us, and that love to God which is…”

For at just the right time, while we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly.

“For when we were without strength - Either to think, will, or do anything good. In due time - Neither too soon nor too late; but in that very point of time which the wisdom of God knew to be more proper than any other.”

Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die.

“A just man - One who gives to all what is strictly their due The good man - One who is eminently holy; full of love, of compassion, kindness, mildness, of every heavenly and amiable temper.”

But God proves His love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

“But God recommendeth - A most elegant expression. Those are wont to be recommended to us, who were before either unknown to, or alienated from, us. While we were sinners - So far from being good, that we were not even just.”

For if, when we were enemies of God, we were reconciled to Him through the death of His Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through…

“If - As sure as; so the word frequently signifies; particularly in this and the eighth chapter. We shalt be saved - Sanctified and glorified. Through his life - "Whoever liveth to make intercession for us."”

Not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

“And not only so, but we also glory - The whole sentence, from the third to the eleventh verse, may be taken together thus: We not only "rejoice in hope of the glory of God," but also in the midst of tribulations we glory in…”

Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, so also death was passed on to all men, because all sinned.

“He does not therefore properly make a digression, but returns to speak again of sin and of righteousness. As by one man - Adam; who is mentioned, and not Eve, as being the representative of mankind.”

For sin was in the world before the law was given; but sin is not taken into account when there is no law.

“For until the law sin was in the world - All, I say, had sinned, for sin was in the world long before the written law; but, I grant, sin is not so much imputed, nor so severely punished by God, where there is no…”

Nevertheless, death reigned from Adam until Moses, even over those who did not sin in the way that Adam transgressed. He is a pattern of the One to come.

“Death reigned - And how vast is his kingdom! Scarce can we find any king who has as many subjects, as are the kings whom he hath conquered.”

But the gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died by the trespass of the one man, how much more did God’s grace and the gift that…

“Yet not - St. Paul now describes the difference between Adam and Christ; and that much more directly and expressly than the agreement between them. Now the fall and the free gift differ, 1.”

For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive an abundance of grace and of the gift…

“There is a difference between grace and the gift. Grace is opposed to the offense; the gift, to death, being the gift of life.”

So then, just as one trespass brought condemnation for all men, so also one act of righteousness brought justification and life for all men.

“Justification of life - Is that sentence of God, by which a sinner under sentence of death is adjudged to life.”

For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous.

“As by the disobedience of one man many (that is, all men) were constituted sinners - Being then in the loins of their first parent, the common head and representative of them all.”

The law came in so that the trespass would increase; but where sin increased, grace increased all the more,

“Yet where sin abounded, grace did much more abound - Not only in the remission of that sin which Adam brought on us, but of all our own; not only in remission of sins, but infusion of holiness; not only in deliverance from death, but…”

so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

“That as sin had reigned - so grace also might reign - Which could not reign before the fall; before man had sinned.”

Or aren’t you aware that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death?

“As many as have been baptized into Jesus Christ have been baptized into his death - In baptism we, through faith, are ingrafted into Christ; and we draw new spiritual life from this new root, through his Spirit, who fashions us like unto him, and…”

We know that our old self was crucified with Him so that the body of sin might be rendered powerless, that we should no longer be slaves to sin.

“This in a believer is crucified with Christ, mortified, gradually killed, by virtue of our union with him. That the body of sin - All evil tempers, words, and actions, which are the "members" of the "old man," Colossians iii, 5, might be destroyed.”

For anyone who has died has been freed from sin.

“For he that is dead - With Christ. Is freed from the guilt of past, and from the power of present, sin, as dead men from the commands of their former masters.”

The death He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life He lives, He lives to God.

“He died to sin - To atone for and abolish it. He liveth unto God - A glorious eternal life, such as we shall live also.”

Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its desires.

“Let not sin reign even in your mortal body - It must be subject to death, but it need not be subject to sin.”

For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace.

“Sin shall not have dominion over you - It has neither right nor power. For ye are not under the law - A dispensation of terror and bondage, which only shows sin, without enabling you to conquer it.”

But thanks be to God that, though you once were slaves to sin, you wholeheartedly obeyed the form of teaching to which you were committed.

“The form of doctrine into which ye have been delivered - Literally it is, The mould into which ye have been delivered; which, as it contains a beautiful allusion, conveys also a very instructive admonition; intimating that our minds, all pliant and ductile, should be…”

I am speaking in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh.

“As ye have presented your members servants to uncleanness and iniquity unto iniquity, so now present your members servants of righteousness unto holiness - Iniquity (whereof uncleanness is an eminent part) is here opposed to righteousness; and unto iniquity is the opposite of unto holiness.”