ROMANS 5: 1-5
The Sources of OUR HOPE
Chapter five calls us to rejoice in what faith can do. Luther said, "In the whole Bible there is hardly another chapter which can equal this triumphant text" (Epistle to the Romans, p. 72). It is like a mountain pass from which one revels in scenery after having labored through the inclines and switchbacks of argumentation in the earlier chapters. The view cannot be fully appreciated without the effort it took to get there. [James Edward. New International Biblical Com. Romans. Peabody, Mass: Hendricks Publishing, 1992. p 132.]
Chapter five begins another transition point in the book of Romans. Having set out God's way of justifying sinners and establishing it on the basis of Old Testament precedent, Paul now turns his attention to some of the marvelous consequences of justification by faith. Men and women who were formerly in a state of rebellion against God, by transferring their trust to the Lord Jesus Christ's substitutionary death and justifying resurrection (4:25) are moved into a right standing with God. This new relationship is one of peace with God and access to God. And if one has this relationship then by God's grace they can mature in the love of God through the Holy Spirit in all the circumstances of life (CIT).
I. The New Relationship, 1-2.
II. The New Understanding, 3-4.
III. The New Outpouring, 5.
THE NEW RELATIONSHIP
In verse one the desperate situation of repentant sinners is transformed through justification by faith into one of peace with God. "Therefore having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ."
Justification ( , to set right), is appropriated by faith in the Lord's substitutionary death and His bodily resurrection (which proved the sufficiency of His blood atonement). The antecedent of "we have peace" is "having been justified by faith." If one has not been justified by faith they have no peace with God. Faith in Jesus Christ makes possible a relationship with God. Before a person is justified by faith, they are at enmity with God. Their hostility may be expressed in apathy to God's purpose, in flagrant defiance (Rom. 1:32), or it may take the form of impenitence or hard-heartedness in the midst of religious services as was the Jewish case just described (Rom. 3: 19-20).
In this context the basic meaning of peace is reconciliation with God. Peace with God comes when a person's arrogance yields to a grateful acceptance of God's gracious way of making sinful people right with Himself. This brings about the removal of divine wrath (5:9-11) from the sinner and His restoration to divine favor. This new relationship involves more than an inward feeling of peace of mind (subjective peace). It is the changing of a person's status before God from enmity (wrath) to peace (objective peace). Feelings of peace are derived from this changed status; they do not determine it.
[Feelings Aside] A man came to his pastor and said, "I FELT SAVED at the meeting yesterday. Now it has all gone, and I don't feel saved at all today. It is as dark as night." The pastor replied, "I'm so glad." The man looked at the pastor with astonishment and said, "What do you mean?"
Yesterday God let you feel saved. Today He sees you are resting on your emotion instead of the fact of Christ's death and resurrection. He has taken your feelings away in order to turn you to Christ. You have lost your feelings but you have not lost Christ. Have you ever passed through a railway tunnel?" "Yes, often." "Because it was dark did you get melancholy and depressed?" "Of course not." And did you after a while, again come into the light?" "I just have right now!" he exclaimed. I am saved whether I feel like it or not.
Immature Christians sometimes tend to be tossed between emotional highs and lows. They need to realize that their feelings at any given time have no effect upon the death that Jesus Christ has already died for their sins. Our salvation does not depend upon our feelings, rather it is based upon His finish work on the cross, a historical fact.
Rock guitarist JIMI HENDRIX led a promiscuous life, indulging in drugs and behaving outrageously on and off the stage. At the end of a concert in 1970, Jimi smashed his guitar. According to Robert McGee and Donald Sapaugh in Search for Peace, the audience screamed and applauded, but suddenly the frenzied applause stopped. Jimi had fallen on his knees and was staying in that position motionless. He broke the stillness by asking, "If you know real peace, I want to visit with you backstage." But apparently nobody responded to his startling invitation. Several days later he died from an overdose of drugs. Peace, real peace, eluded Jimi Hendrix.
Do you know real peace? Have you discovered, as that rock star did, that fame, money, and self-indulgence don't bring inner serenity? Prayerfully, then, you need to make another discovery. Only through a trustful commitment to Christ can you experience peace with God. Open your heart in faith to the Prince of Peace, inviting Him to come into your life and take control of it. Then, underneath all of life's agitation, you can know the peace of God-the very tranquility of heaven in the depths of your soul (Phil. 4:6-7). Peace floods the soul when Christ rules the heart.
Another benefit of being justified or saved is access to God and His grace revealed in verse 2 . "Through whom also we have obtained the introduction by faith into this grace in which we have stood and exalt over the hope of the glory of God."
The word "introduction" or access ( ) denotes an introduction into the presence of an exalted person. Christ is portrayed as the One who ushers us into the heavenly sphere of God's grace in which we stand before God. Jesus opens the door for us to the presence of the Sovereign God and what we find there is grace. Oh, praise His dear name!
This position into which the believer is introduced by Christ is not a precarious one, for it is grace in which we stand. The believer is firmly and immovably established, and has divinely imparted strength which enables him to keep his standing. Since grace is the arena in which we stand we should enjoy all the privileges of this grace. Our former rebellions have not merely been forgiven in the sense of not receiving the punishment due us, we have also been brought into a position of high favor with God.
The exhortation now moves to successive statements in the realm of spiritual growth. If we are standing in this grace of being set right with God we will exalt in the hope of the glory of God. "The hope of the glory of God" is the "Blessed Hope" (Titus 2:13). This hope looks to the return of Jesus Christ, when we will see Him as He is and become like Him (1 Jn. 2:1f). Then we won't simply have access to God but like the Glorified Prince of Peace we will live in God's blessed presence forever and ever. Read - "O That Will Be Glory" (Hymn # 769)
II. THE NEW UNDERSTANDING, 3 & 4.
The future hope Christians have allows us to take courage even in the present afflictions of life by realizing they connect us to an even more Christ-like future character. Verse 3, "And not only this, but we also exalt in our tribulations, knowing that tribulations brings about perseverance;"
Paul continues with his chain links of progress in the Christian life, or into Christ-likeness, with the affirmation that we are to exalt in our tribulations. Needless to say this response to rejoicing in our sufferings is not usual with Christians. Why not? The reason we don't exalt in our tribulations is because we do not exalt in the hope of the glory of God. We do not have the sanctifying desire to see Jesus Christ face to face. It is one thing to submit to, or endure tribulations without complaint, but it is another thing to glory in the midst of them. Those that learn to exalt in Christ's appearing can then learn to exalt in their afflictions.
What makes a SHINY APPLE so delicious? The skin of course. But what is it about an apple that actually makes it delicious? The juice and substance inside. That's the apple's real "character."
Do you know how they make applesauce? With a wooden pestle, they would mash the soft, boiled pieces of apple through a metal colander and into a bowl, until all that remained in the colander were drab, flattened skins. But oh, the sauce tastes so good !"
God uses life's pressures to bring out the sweetness of Christlike character in us.
Tribulation ( ) literally means pressure. It describes distress that is brought upon us by outward circumstances like lack, difficulties, sorrow, persecution, unpopularity, illness, loneliness, etc. Let us remind ourselves that in the New Testament affliction is viewed as a normal experience of a Christian (Acts 14:22).
The reason for rejoicing in tribulations is given with knowing that (perf/ptc). The reason Paul could be so positive about sufferings is because of what they produce. God can turn experiences of suffering into times of spiritual growth. Christians don't exalt in suffering for its own sake, but because it can be made the means of spiritual growth, of their sanctification, and makes them more useful instruments to their Lord.
The word perseverance ( µ ) is literally remain - under, it is remaining under or staying power. It is the capacity of staying under a heavy burden or load. The concept is not one of passive waiting, but it describes the attitude of overcoming (Jn. 16:33). Only a believer who has faced distress can develop steadfastness. That in turn develops character.
In 1826 the London firm of Hurst and Robinson went bankrupt, involving Sir WALTER SCOTT in a personal liability of 118,000 pounds. With noble determination Scott responded: "My right hand and I against the debt." From that time on he wrote novel after novel to wipe out his debt.
[Handel's Faith] George Frederick Handel, the great musician, lost his health; his right side was paralyzed; his money was gone; and his creditors seized and threatened to imprison him. Handel was so disheartened by his tragic experience that he almost despaired for a brief time. But his faith prevailed, and he composed his greatest work. "The Hallelujah Chorus." The Apostle John wrote, "This is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith " (1 John 5:4).
Perseverance is not the attitude which lies down and waits for the floods to pass, it is the attitude which meets hardships head on and overcomes them.
Charles Spurgeon said, "The Lord gets His best soldiers out of the highlands of affliction." He allows us to go through the test of suffering and trial so that we may be fashioned into instruments of strength.
Years ago the village blacksmith produced useful implements out of pieces of iron. As he pumped the bellows, the furnace glowed red. Into the fire he thrust the metal until it became almost transparent in the white heat. Then the blacksmith pulled it out of the fire, placed it on the anvil, and with a heavy hammer pounded the metal made malleable by the flame.
Again the iron was put into the fire and again the blacksmith struck it with the hammer. All the while, he alternated plunging the metal into the fire and into the water. The shock tempered it and gave it durability and toughness. That newly formed instrument developed a strength that could be produced no other way.
There is no easy method to spiritual maturity. Strong Christian character comes from perseverance learned in the fire of tribulation, The heat, the hammer, the hardship may seem almost too much for us to bear at times. But our heavenly Father allows only what is needed in the tempering process. He wants us to become useful instruments of praise and glory in His hand. [Our Daily Bread] GOD chooses what we go through; we choose how we go through it.
And after we preserve under testing we attain proven character. Verse 4, "And perseverance, proven character, and proven character, hope;"
The word character ( µ ) indicates tested value. It describes an approved quality or product. It was used of metal whose impurities had been purged by fire, becoming pure metal like sterling silver. The endurance of trials tends to burn the dross out of our lives. It reduces our want list drastically. It makes us men and women of approved or tested character.
[To Test a Missionary Candidate] At 3:00 a.m. one cold morning a missionary candidate walked into an office for a scheduled interview with the examiner of a mission board. He waited until 8:00 a.m. when the examiner arrived.
The examiner said, "Let us begin, first, please spell baker."
"B-a-k-e-r" the young man spelled.
"Very good. Now, let's see what you know about figures. How much is twice two?"
"Four," replied the applicant.
"Very good," the examiner said, "I'll recommend to the board tomorrow that you be appointed. You have passed the test."
At the board meeting the examiner spoke highly of the applicant and said, "He has all the qualifications of a missionary. Let me explain."
"First, I tested him on self-denial. I told him to be at my house at three in the morning. He left a warm bed and came out in the cold without a word of complaint.
Second, I tried him out on punctuality. He appeared on time.
Third, I examined him on patience, I made him wait five hours to see me, after telling him to come at three.
Fourth, I tested him on temper. He failed to show any sign of it; he didn't even question my delay.
Fifth, I tried his humility. I asked him questions that a small child could answer, and he showed no offense. He meets the requirements and will make the missionary we need."
If we will persevere in the tests of God we will have "proven character." We will be people of integrity who, being put to the test, have been found approved.
This proven character is of great worth because of what it produces. Hope is the diploma award to those who by the grace of God do well on the tests of character. Two people can meet the same situation. It can drive one of them to despair, and it can spur the other to triumphant action. To one it can be the end of hope and to the other it can be a challenge to greatness. I do not like crises but I do like the opportunities they provide.
[Whence Comes Our Hope?] The fourteenth edition of the Encyclopedia Britannica comprises twenty-four volumes, about twenty-four thousand pages. In this vast compilation may be found an overview of human knowledge from A to Z. Reading this work, one may likely exclaim, "How great is the wisdom of man!"
Yet in all of this celebrated compendium of information one may look in vain for hope. One may find a discussion of astrology, with its attempt to divine the future. There is an article on "probability." But any mention of hope is conspicuous by its absence.
The above fact tells us something about the limitations of human knowledge. Indeed, the wisdom of some of the world's famous persons has led them to despair. Thus Bertrand Russell could write of "the slow, sure doom" that falls on all mankind, and express despair that "omnipotent matter," blind and reckless, "rolls on its relentless way." There is certainly no hope to be found in that direction.
Yet our lesson speaks of hope for the future. Hope? Where are we to find it? The answer is simple; simple, but profound. There is hope in God, and only there! Throughout the Old Testament there is a forward look. Even in the darkest hours, the light of hope was seen to shine brightly, not because of some great potential in man, but because of what God would accomplish for man and through man.
This hope is the experience of what God can do, or rather what God does do, for the justified amid the tribulations of this life. God animates into new vigor the hope of eternal life with God.
[Our End of the Bridge] It has been said that hope is a bridge provided by God to carry us from where we are to where He is. At God's end the bridge is firmly anchored in the truth of His being and the dependability of His Word, especially His living Word, Christ Jesus. At our end, the bridge's anchor and approach must be found in our response to God's truth - our belief of it, our faithfulness to it, and our reflection of it through word and deed. As John insists, the rejecters of God's truth - the liars and deceivers - have destroyed the bridge at their end and so have forfeited their hope (see Revelation 21:8). The formation of truth within us - "Christ in you," as Paul said - is our hope of glory (Rom. 5:5).
Hope is found in living life by trusting in the promises of God. George W. Truett, who was pastor of the First Baptist Church of Dallas for forty-seven years, was one of the greatest preachers of the last century. He had a brother named Jim, and Jim was the son Mother Truett particularly loved. When anyone would speak to her about her great preacher son, George W. Truett, she would acquiesce kindly and say, "But have you heard my son, Jim?"
Jim Truett lived at Whitewright. Every morning Jim Truett would get up and raise the window on the east side of his house, and seeing the dawn, he would say, "Perhaps today He will come." That is a beautiful and marvelous expression of the Christian faith and assurance, living in the expectancy of the intervention of God in human history. Never discouraged, never losing hope, for tomorrow will be a better day because God is in it.
III. THE NEW OUTPOURING, 5.
Next we learn that this developed hope does not disappoint because it opens the door to the love of God. "And the hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us."
The Christian's hope does not disappoint. It will never prove to be illusionary as any hope in this world will prove to be. For hope that is based on the eternal promises of God is assured of fulfillment. The present work of the Spirit is the pledge of that hope in which believers glory.
The ground of our assurance is not in strength of our purpose, or the confidence in our own goodness, but in the love of God, (not ours for Him but His for us). Our hope is firmly anchored in God's redeeming love. God loves us with an everlasting love backed by an everlasting power. The precious love of God is not rationed out drop by drop. On the contrary, the Holy Spirit is pouring it out in streams in the hearts of the redeemed. God's love is freely, abundantly, lavishly given to us.
God's love for us is not just an external thing nor simply an intellectual stimulation, God has poured it out in the center of our being, in the well-spring of our life.
CONCLUSION
Are you experiencing the outpouring of the love of God by the Holy Spirit? You can. The chain links can be traveled again and again until you are experiencing the outpouring of God's love. First, exalt in the hope of the glory of the return of Jesus Christ. That leads to exalting in our tribulations. Third, exalting in tribulation leads to overcoming our circumstances which God is using to purify our character. Then you will have hope unsinkable and full of glory. Hope is the flag held high over the heart where Jesus Christ is enthroned.
God loves you! He has poured His love out in your heart by the Holy Spirit. Experience it!
Trouble is inevitable, unavoidable. Sooner or later, everyone experiences an hour of adversity. The question is what to do with it and how to use it.
A scientist once observed an ant carrying a small piece of straw. The ant was struggling under the burden, for the straw was much larger than she was.
The ant came toa crack in its path which was too wide for it to cross. It stood for a time, as though pondering its next move. Then, placing the straw across the crack, it walked across to the other side, picked up the straw again, and went its way. Using one's burden as a stepping stone is the way of progress.
Every moment of difficulty can be a lesson, teaching one to face life with greater courage and hope. Turn your trouble into a stepping stone, a step to a more useful life.
