Romans 5:11

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 God himself through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the reconciliation.

True believers do by Jesus Christ receive the atonement. Receiving the atonement is our actual reconciliation to God in justification, grounded upon Christ's satisfaction.

And not only so, but we also joy in God,....

The parallel he runs between the communication of sin and death by the first Adam and of righteousness and life by the second Adam,

And not only so, but we also joy--rather, "glory." in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by--"through" whom we have now received the atonement--rather, "the reconciliation" (Margin), as the same word is rendered in Ro 5:10 and in 2Co 5:18, 19. (In fact, the earlier meaning of the English word "atonement" was "the reconciliation of two estranged parties") [TRENCH].

OUR text begins with these words, "And not only so." It is the second time in which they occur in the chapter—I might almost have said the third—for a similar expression is used in another verse. The Apostle had been mentioning very great and amazing privileges. He had gone from great benefits to yet greater—he had advanced, I might say, from silver to gold, and from gold to the priceless crystal—and when he had reached the highest point that we could have thought to be conceivable, he adds, "And not only so." There is always in Christian privilege a beyond.

OUR text begins with these words, "And not only so." It is the second time in which they occur in the chapter—I might almost have said the third—for a similar expression is used in another verse. The Apostle had been mentioning very great and amazing privileges. He had gone from great benefits to yet greater—he had advanced, I might say, from silver to gold, and from gold to the priceless crystal—and when he had reached the highest point that we could have thought to be conceivable, he adds, "And not only so." There is always in Christian privilege a beyond. The ancient mariners spoke of the pillars of Hercules and the Ultima Thule, and they supposed that when once their sails had whitened the sea in that direction they had come to the end of the universe and could go no further. But, more venturous ships forced their way to a new world and proved that the former boundaries were imaginary. Even so we may have concluded in the early days of our Christian experience that we never could be happier, that we never could enjoy greater privileges, that there could not be greater treasures than we had discovered! But even at the present time we have pushed far beyond our young attainments and are preparing for yet more far-reaching endeavors. We have not yet attained. Far be it from us to imagine that we are, or have all that the Lord intends. Let us not sit down contented with the notion that the Gospel contains no more, for rest assured, to him who is able to follow after it there are whole worlds of privileges yet to be discovered! We are only at the foot of the mountain as of yet. We may take for our motto the words, "Higher, higher, higher," and may soar aloft again and again on eagles' wings, for Heaven is higher than our loftiest flight.

You notice, dear Friends, in reading this verse, the "not only so," and the, "also. " And, if you look back to the earlier verses of the chapter, you will see that there is a continual rising, as of one ascending a golden staircase. You get an, "also," and a, "not only so," and then a long succession of Christian attainments rising, one out of the other— "Tribulation works patience; and patience, experience; and experience, hope; and hope makes not ashamed," and so forth—from all which it clearly appears that the Christian life is one of continuous progress.

You notice, dear Friends, in reading this verse, the "not only so," and the, "also. " And, if you look back to the earlier verses of the chapter, you will see that there is a continual rising, as of one ascending a golden staircase. You get an, "also," and a, "not only so," and then a long succession of Christian attainments rising, one out of the other— "Tribulation works patience; and patience, experience; and experience, hope; and hope makes not ashamed," and so forth—from all which it clearly appears that the Christian life is one of continuous progress. It would be so without a break if we were more careful and lived nearer to God. We would go steadily on from our spiritual childhood and youth and manhood till we became fathers in Christ and, by-and-by, perfect men in Christ Jesus, having reached the fullness of the stature of men in Christ Jesus. I am afraid that we, sometimes, sadly hinder that progress by our lack of prayer and our neglect of communion with God. Still, this is what true Christian life should be—a continuous going from strength to strength till we, every one of us, appear before God in the Zion above. Let each Believer ask himself how far it is so with him. It is to be feared that there are some who, after many years of Christian profession, are not holier, or stronger in faith, or fuller of wisdom than they were 20 years ago! Some Believers seem to be like the children of Israel in the wilderness—they go forward and backward—their path is very intricate and they make but slow progress towards the heavenly Canaan. Let us, Beloved, labor to grow in Grace! Let us cry to God to enable us to grow.

We also joy (καυχωμενοι, we exult, or glory) in God, etc. - We now feel that God is reconciled to us, and we are reconciled to him: the enmity is removed from our souls; and He, for Christ’s sake, through whom we have received the atonement, καταλλαγην, the reconciliation, has remitted the wrath, the punishment which we deserved: and now, through this reconciliation, we expect an eternal glory. It was certainly improper to translate καταλλαγη here by atonement, instead of reconciliation; as καταλλασσω signifies to reconcile, and is so rendered by our translators in all the places where it occurs. It does not mean the atonement here, as we generally understand that word, viz. the sacrificial death of Christ; but rather the effect of that atonement, the removal of the enmity, and by this, the change of our condition and state; from κατα, intensive, and αλλασσω to change; the thorough change of our state from enmity to friendship. God is reconciled to us, and we are reconciled to him by the death of his Son; and thus there is a glorious change from enmity to friendship; and we can exult in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have received this reconciliation. Though boasting is forbidden to a Jew, because his is a false confidence, yet boasting is enjoined to a Christian, to one reconciled to God; for, his boasting is only in that reconciliation, and the endless mercy by which it is procured. So he that glorieth (boasteth) must glory in the Lord.