Albert Barnes Commentary Romans 5:10

"For if, while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, shall we be saved by his life;" — Romans 5:10 (ASV)

For if. The idea in this verse is simply a repetition and enlargement of that in Romans 5:9. The apostle dwells on the thought, and places it in a new light, thus furnishing a strong confirmation of his position.

When we were enemies. The work was undertaken while we were enemies. From being enemies we were changed to friends by that work. Thus it was commenced by God; its foundation was laid while we were still hostile to it; it demonstrated, therefore, a determined purpose on the part of God to perform it; and He has thus given a pledge that it shall be perfected.

We were reconciled; see Barnes on Matthew 5:24.

We are brought to an agreement; to a state of friendship and union. We became His friends, laid aside our opposition, and embraced Him as our Friend and Portion. To accomplish this is the great design of the plan of salvation (2 Corinthians 5:1–20; Colossians 1:21; Ephesians 2:16).

It means that obstacles to reconciliation existed on both sides; and that these have been removed by the death of Christ; and that a union has thus been brought about. This has been done in removing the obstacles on the part of God—by maintaining the honor of His law, showing His hatred of sin, upholding His justice, and maintaining His truth, at the same time that He pardons. See Barnes on Romans 3:26.

And, on the part of man, by removing his unwillingness to be reconciled; by subduing, changing, and sanctifying his heart; by overcoming his hatred of God and of His law; and bringing him into submission to the government of God. So that the Christian is, in fact, reconciled to God; he is His friend; he is pleased with His law, His character, and His plan of salvation. And all this has been accomplished by the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus as an offering in our place.

Much more. It is much more to be expected; there are still stronger and more striking considerations to show it.

By his life. We were reconciled by His death. His death here may possibly include His low, humble, and suffering condition. Death has the appearance of great feebleness; the death of Christ had the appearance of the defeat of His plans. His enemies triumphed and rejoiced over Him on the cross, and in the tomb.

Yet, the effect of this feeble, low, and humiliating state was to reconcile us to God. If in this state—when humble, despised, dying, dead—He had power to accomplish so great a work as to reconcile us to God, how much more may we expect that He will be able to keep us now that He is a living, exalted, and triumphant Redeemer! If His fainting powers in dying were such as to reconcile us, how much more shall His full, vigorous powers, as an exalted Redeemer, be sufficient to keep and save us!

This argument is but an expansion of what the Savior himself said in John 14:19: Because I live, ye shall live also.