We continue to look at the results of having been justified through faith (5:1a). The purpose of these to give us assurance – proofs by which we know that that we really have been saved from the wrath of God.
The first is peace with God (5:1).
The second is a sense of knowing
that we have access into this grace in which we stand. We have access to God.
We can enter into His presence. We are received favourably!
The third is that we rejoice in
the hope of the glory of God i.e. we
know that we shall see Him in His glory; we know that we shall receive glorified
resurrection bodies to enter into His glory (5:2).
But that is not all! Paul now gives us a
fourth proof of His definite work in our souls: (
“Not only that, but we
rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering
produces endurance (perseverance), and endurance produces character, and
character produces hope,
and hope does not
put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the
Holy Spirit who has been given to us.“
And so we ask: How can Paul say that “we rejoice (lit. boast) in our sufferings”?
How can the experience of suffering lead us to having a greater assurance of our salvation?
We must make it very clear then that Paul’s perspective on rejoicing in suffering here is directed to justified believers. This cannot be the perspective for an unconverted person. For them suffering can bear no joy. We are saying this because suffering without theological perspective makes no sense.
In fact, for many it produces further
complications - e.g. hatred, bitterness, anger, resentment.
For many people, their suffering has
led them into a downward spiral. They become bitter and twisted.
Suffering, without a godly perspective is
oppressive. Job’s suffering
without God’s perspective was oppressive. The Psalmist in Psalm 73
thinks about his suffering, whilst the wicked flourish in their ways. He says
in 73:16, “When I tried to understand all this, it was oppressive to
me” (NIV). The perspective comes when he gets into God’s presence in 73:17.
Suffering makes no sense apart from God’s perspective on it. Believers
receive perspective from the Bible. The Bible takes it for granted that
believers will suffer for various reasons. What follows are only a few
examples:
§ Matt.
5:10-12 “Blessed are you when you are persecuted for
righteousness’ sake”
§ Jn.
16:33: In this world you will have trouble, but
take heart, I have overcome the world.
§ Acts
5:41 “Then they left the presence of the
council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the
name.
§ Acts
14:22 The
apostle Paul warned his young converts that “through much tribulation we must enter the kingdom of God.”
§ 2
Cor.4:17 “For this light momentary affliction is
preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison”
§
Phil. 1:29 “For it has been granted to
you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also
suffer for his sake.”
§ James 1:2 “Count it
all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds…”
§ 1
Peter 4:12-16 12 Beloved, do not
be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as
though something strange were happening to you. 13 But
rejoice insofar as you share Christ's sufferings, that you may
also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. 14 If you are insulted for the name of
Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory[a] and of God
rests upon you. 15 But let none of you suffer as a
murderer or a thief or an evildoer or as a meddler. 16 Yet if anyone suffers as
a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that
name.
“There is no more important…test of our profession of the Christian faith than the way we react to the trials…troubles… tribulations of life in this world… I have sometimes ventured to describe it as the acid test of a man’s profession of the Christian faith.” [1]
Nothing tests the true experience of the Christian faith as much as trials and tribulations and sufferings (Gr. thlipsis – lit. pressure – distress of mind). This test frequently separates false Christians from true Christians.
- False Christians fall away in times of distress.
- A true Christian will frequently look back on their life and their many trials and say, “How did I get here? How did I endure this? How did I manage to grow as a person, and not get bitter and twisted? Why am I still hopeful and optimistic even after all these things that have happened to me in my life? And they know that this is the hand of God.
Listen to Paul’s logic: “…we rejoice
in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance (perseverance),
and endurance produces character, and character produces hope…”
Paul explains that suffering in the
life of a justified believer produces something positive: i.e. the fruit of endurance (perseverance)
which in turn builds character, which in turn builds hope. Perseverance, character and hope are
wonderful attributes and we admire them when we see them in people.
But how do we get to possess these? Which
seminar may we attend to gain these skills? Paul answers – “suffering as is viewed through a God
centered lens will do this for you!”
Endurance or perseverance comes with long time
obedience in the same direction[2] - looking
to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set
before Him endured the cross (Hebr. 12:2). It is hard to endure
in obedience, particularly suffering for the sake of Christ, staying faithful
to Him, when others around you are growing lukewarm and even dropping out of
the race which we are called to finish.
But it is this endurance that builds character
– Christian character – Christlikeness! There is much joy in that! We follow in Jesus’
footsteps. The more of Christ’s character we learn and absorb in our living, the
more we develop hope – the conviction of things not seen (Hebr.11:1).
And that future hope fills us with joy as we anticipate the best that is yet to
be!
Our sufferings reveal who we really are. That is the purpose of Jesus story of the wise and foolish builders in Matthew 7: 24-27. The testing of the foundation came with the strong wind and rain. One house was destroyed and the other stood firm on the rock. That is the value of testing. When you as a Christian have come through many dangers, toils and snares, and you are still standing, then your joy is great. So, Paul is saying that one great effect of suffering is that it helps us to see the faithfulness of God in our lives and thus to know that we are truly His.
“When through fiery trials thy pathway
shall lie, My grace, all sufficient, shall be thy supply'; The flame shall not
hurt thee, I only design, Thy dross to consume and thy gold to refine”.
There is a supreme reason as to why we can have joy in the midst of our suffering, and it follows hot on the heels of this great string of pearls … that hope of the glory of God, which will not disappoint us (put us to shame) because ON TOP OF IT ALL God has done something very special for us : He has poured His love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit. This is the supreme seal and sign of our assurance and standing with God. It is the supreme sign of having been justified.
This love is firstly a love for Jesus Himself. See how Peter puts this in 1 Peter 1:8-9.
Secondly, it is shown by us loving the
people that Jesus loves: John 13:35, 1 John 4:7
We have a settled assurance of our
standing with God
We can rejoice in the hope of the glory
of God
We receive perspective in our
sufferings, in which endurance, character and hope are established. Don’t
reject this suffering when it comes to you from the hand of your Father –
embrace it, for it will lead you to a deeper experience of the love of God than
you have ever known.
This hope will not disappoint us, because OVER AND ABOVE we have the Holy Spirit doing a wonderful work in us – He pours the love of God into our hearts!
This is the cherry on the top! A justified believer can expect to experience the love of God, because that is what the Holy Spirit does when He comes to take possession of us at that same time when we are justified – when you are born again.
So, look out for that outpoured love!
See it at work in you.
When that happens, your heart can sing of
God’s love in the valley of the shadow of death (Ps 23).
If you can do that in your valleys,
then you have understood this text.
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