Post by arete on May 26, 2014 20:41:18 GMT
Introduction:
"Afflictions are light when compared with what we really deserve. They are light when compared with the sufferings of the Lord Jesus. But perhaps their real lightness is best seen by comparing them with the weight of glory which is awaiting us" – Arthur W. Pink. In regards to such a statement, in Romans this morning, we find the Scriptural foundation for such a statement. Paul will indeed be discussing hardship & suffering as well as our hope in the glory of God…
Context:
In the first chapters in Romans Paul has shared the Good News – Salvation is by faith alone, by grace alone, and in Christ alone. We cannot earn it or add anything to it. So there is nothing to boast about – except boasting in Jesus. Since this is such a difficult teaching, especially to many Jews who tried to earn God’s favor by keeping the Law, Paul told us about Abraham. Abraham was not saved by keeping the Law – but because he had faith, God declared him righteous. This same salvation by faith is open both to Jew and Gentile – which does not lessen the Jews or Abraham, but increases their joy. Paul then explained the Law is limited in that it cannot save – it can only serve to convict or condemn. We should not look to the Law for salvation – but look to saving faith as seen in Abraham. Faith in God to keep his promise to save and in his power to save – now seen in the person and work of Jesus Christ. But Paul’s Good News is Good News for everyone – both Jew & Gentile can know God’s salvation. Now to Romans 5
Body – Romans 5:1-5 – ESV
Peace with God Through Faith
5:1 Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. 3 More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4 and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, 5 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.
Peace with God v. 1
“Therefore” – Paul is continuing to build upon all he has written to us. He has told us about the Creator of the world. He has told us that as creatures, we twist the truth rather than worship the creator. He has told us that for that we all stand in judgment and condemnation. But Paul doesn’t stop there – there is hope. That hope is Jesus Christ. While we deserve God’s wrath, when we lay hold to the Savior in faith, his righteousness becomes ours and our punishment stands paid in full by him
“We” – Paul is writing to Christians here. That includes all who believe in Christ as Savior without regard to where they were born or what they do for a living. Since he is writing to believers, there are no guarantees for unbelievers here. That means that Peace with God, Hope and Joy in adversity that are discussed in this section are not to be applied to unbelievers.
The justification spoken of is very specific. The way this word is written by Paul it notes a certainty. There is no possibility of a loss of justification here. Instead – there is security and certainty of being right with God – because God himself accomplishes his will – the faith mentioned here is faith in Christ – specifically that Jesus accomplished the payment for our sin debt and is the Savior God has promised man since the beginning.
The certainty of salvation leads directly to certainty of peace.
Seeking peace with God is the point of religion. No matter what people say, they feel guilt before their maker and fear to stand before him. So people try their best to believe in anything that will put a Band-Aid on their conscience.
Instead of a Band-Aid, Christians have certainty of peace with God. Another way of speaking of this peace is harmony and another is freedom from worry. We are free from any worry concerning God. He is our father and we are his children. He will care for us, guide us, direct us and discipline us as it is necessary for our good.
Paul also makes it clear – without Jesus Christ as Savior – there is no peace with God and there is no salvation
Illustration:
Some Quotes about peace in God (All by Matthew Henry):
“Safety consists not in the absence of danger but in the presence of God.”
"Peace that Jesus gives is not the absence of trouble, but is rather the confidence that He is there with you always."
"Peace is such a precious jewel, that I would give anything for it but truth."
Application:
Men need peace with their Creator. We need to know that we are right with God – fear of being wrong before God is an absolute lack of peace in any life. While some think that peace with God cannot be truly known – Good News – God says we can know peace with him. We can have peace with God by the saving power of Jesus Christ. For many of us, that peace has been made – but for many others, they are living as enemies to God. If we love them, care for them, or have any regard for them – we must be ready to tell them about the peace to be found in Christ alone. Also, we must not confuse peace with God for licentiousness. What I mean by that is that our relationship with God is not to be abused as an excuse to dabble or wallow in sinfulness. Our relationship with God is meant to spur us on to growing ever more like our Jesus. If we abuse our freedom from worry to be freedom to sin – then I pray that God corrects us soon so that we may be all the quicker to return to holy living.
Hope in certainty v.2
Salvation in Christ is a gift of amazing depth and completeness. Paul explains that salvation is more than just peace with God – rather it is not merely salvation from wrath – but we are also saved to something
In saving faith, we obtain – we own – a standing before God. Now this isn’t because we are so great – but because we serve the great God. We have a sure standing before him. It is hard to express to people who do not have experience with a monarchy – but it is a special privilege to be allowed to stand in the presence of a king.
Where we stand is in grace. This is great news – because we cannot stand before God on our own merit. But the grace of God saves us and gives us a right to be in his presence and to stand – because we are his children. As his children, we know that he will shower us in grace. God loves to give good things to his children for their good.
Salvation brings even more – we have hope – certain hope, hope with an eternal object. We have hope in the glory of God.
That hope is certain because it is based in the person of God. God’s glory is an absolute. All things exist to display his glory. All he does is to declare his glory – his absolute worthiness and value. We have certain hope because our salvation glorifies him – it displays he mercy and grace to the universe.
Our hope in his glory has another facet as well. He has promised one day to glorify us. We all know that we continue to be imperfect and we still sin even as we despise sin. We have certain hope that one day, God will finish his work in us and we will be free from sin forevermore.
Illustration:
Typical inscription on a grave in Paul’s day: I was not; I became; I am not; I care not
Application:
That’s not all that different from what some people believe today. Again, these things Paul is talking about are for believers only. Without Peace with God – some people prefer to believe there is no God so they don’t have to tremble at the thought of standing before him. Those who have been saved by Christ thought have hope. Christian hope isn’t worldly hope – which is wishful thinking. Christian Hope is the certainty that God is who he revealed himself to be and that faith in Jesus Christ as Savior and that he can save us from the penalty of sin and he will even save us entirely from the presence of sin.
Joy – of an unusual sort vv. 3-5
After all that build up, Joy is a natural place to go next, but Paul takes Joy to some places we might not think he should take it.
Paul wants us to experience joy in suffering. First thing to note – Paul’s angle is much different from the prosperity preachers out there. And if I were to choose between Paul the apostle and some of these prosperity people – I’m going with Paul
Suffering – endurance – Paul says that we know something about suffering – we know it because we see it and even experience it – afflictions, hardships, suffering are necessary to producing endurance – the ability to withstand hard times
Endurance – character – Withstanding hard times is not the end result we are looking for. Instead it leads to character – what Paul means here is that it is a test of character. Hardship removes all pretense, we get to see who we really are – and we get to see who God is as he works in us (removing character flaws and producing Christ-likeness)
Character – hope – the test of our character and seeing God at work in us produces hope. Again – Christian hope isn’t wishful thinking. Hope at this point is knowing that God himself is with us and cares for us even when times seem horribly bad.
Hope built through this process never shames us. Instead, during the entire process of living our faith in good times and harsh times, God himself is pouring his love into us. This doesn’t just mean that we will become more loving over time (although we will) but that we get to experience God’s love personally, deeply, intimately through the person of the Holy Spirit precisely when we need it the most.
Illustration:
As a third-century man was anticipating death, he penned these last words to a friend: “It’s a bad world, an incredibly bad world. But I have discovered in the midst of it a quiet and holy people who have learned a great secret. They have found a joy which is a thousand times better than any pleasure of our sinful life. They are despised and persecuted, but they care not. They are masters of their souls. They have overcome the world. These people are the Christians—and I am one of them.”
Application:
Do we understand that the world is incredibly bad? It is fallen. It’s beauty and structure are even more amazing when we consider they are fractured, broken views and that one day we will see the world made right again and a new earth made in total perfection. In past days, Christians sang songs about the lack of this world and their desire to go home to heaven. Suffering is meant to help us shed our desires of this world – to recognize that there is something better and it is Jesus. Our joy requires pain and suffering because when we stop hoping in the world around us we are free to hope in the person of God – and he is the only thing, the only person, worth hoping in. Pain and suffering are necessary in God’s process for making us more like Jesus and working perfection in us. When our first response to pain is to cry out to God to take it away – we are in fact telling him that we do not trust him and that we do not want to be like Jesus. This is a hard teaching – one that none of us will perfect. But let us remember that there is joy in hardship.
So What?
Peace – the only other option to peace with God is being at war with God. That is where many of our friends and loved ones are – at war with God. We need to be ready to share the good news with them that there is peace through Christ. However let us remember that peace with God is to be at war with sin. We cannot use peace with God as an excuse to sin. Instead, we must be at war with it. Remember the words of John Owen. “"...the choicest believers, who are assuredly freed from the condemning power of sin, ought yet to make it their business all their days to mortify the indwelling power of sin...Do you mortify; do you make it your daily work; be always at it whilst you live; cease not a day from this work; be killing sin or it will be killing you. Your being dead with Christ virtually, your being quickened with him, will not excuse you from this work”
Hope - So we believe we can stand before God. How often do we avail ourselves of that privilege? To boldly go before the throne because we know we have access to God? How often do we go before him in prayer? We do not add to God by spending time with him. We are not doing him any favors by calling him collect on Father’s day. He adds to us when we spend time with him.
Joy – Part of the life of the church is the opportunity to encourage one another – especially with testimony as to how God has worked in our lives. With that in mind, knowing that God works joy in hardship – let’s close with sharing our testimony with one another.
Benediction
Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen. Jude 24–25.
"Afflictions are light when compared with what we really deserve. They are light when compared with the sufferings of the Lord Jesus. But perhaps their real lightness is best seen by comparing them with the weight of glory which is awaiting us" – Arthur W. Pink. In regards to such a statement, in Romans this morning, we find the Scriptural foundation for such a statement. Paul will indeed be discussing hardship & suffering as well as our hope in the glory of God…
Context:
In the first chapters in Romans Paul has shared the Good News – Salvation is by faith alone, by grace alone, and in Christ alone. We cannot earn it or add anything to it. So there is nothing to boast about – except boasting in Jesus. Since this is such a difficult teaching, especially to many Jews who tried to earn God’s favor by keeping the Law, Paul told us about Abraham. Abraham was not saved by keeping the Law – but because he had faith, God declared him righteous. This same salvation by faith is open both to Jew and Gentile – which does not lessen the Jews or Abraham, but increases their joy. Paul then explained the Law is limited in that it cannot save – it can only serve to convict or condemn. We should not look to the Law for salvation – but look to saving faith as seen in Abraham. Faith in God to keep his promise to save and in his power to save – now seen in the person and work of Jesus Christ. But Paul’s Good News is Good News for everyone – both Jew & Gentile can know God’s salvation. Now to Romans 5
Body – Romans 5:1-5 – ESV
Peace with God Through Faith
5:1 Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. 3 More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4 and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, 5 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.
Peace with God v. 1
“Therefore” – Paul is continuing to build upon all he has written to us. He has told us about the Creator of the world. He has told us that as creatures, we twist the truth rather than worship the creator. He has told us that for that we all stand in judgment and condemnation. But Paul doesn’t stop there – there is hope. That hope is Jesus Christ. While we deserve God’s wrath, when we lay hold to the Savior in faith, his righteousness becomes ours and our punishment stands paid in full by him
“We” – Paul is writing to Christians here. That includes all who believe in Christ as Savior without regard to where they were born or what they do for a living. Since he is writing to believers, there are no guarantees for unbelievers here. That means that Peace with God, Hope and Joy in adversity that are discussed in this section are not to be applied to unbelievers.
The justification spoken of is very specific. The way this word is written by Paul it notes a certainty. There is no possibility of a loss of justification here. Instead – there is security and certainty of being right with God – because God himself accomplishes his will – the faith mentioned here is faith in Christ – specifically that Jesus accomplished the payment for our sin debt and is the Savior God has promised man since the beginning.
The certainty of salvation leads directly to certainty of peace.
Seeking peace with God is the point of religion. No matter what people say, they feel guilt before their maker and fear to stand before him. So people try their best to believe in anything that will put a Band-Aid on their conscience.
Instead of a Band-Aid, Christians have certainty of peace with God. Another way of speaking of this peace is harmony and another is freedom from worry. We are free from any worry concerning God. He is our father and we are his children. He will care for us, guide us, direct us and discipline us as it is necessary for our good.
Paul also makes it clear – without Jesus Christ as Savior – there is no peace with God and there is no salvation
Illustration:
Some Quotes about peace in God (All by Matthew Henry):
“Safety consists not in the absence of danger but in the presence of God.”
"Peace that Jesus gives is not the absence of trouble, but is rather the confidence that He is there with you always."
"Peace is such a precious jewel, that I would give anything for it but truth."
Application:
Men need peace with their Creator. We need to know that we are right with God – fear of being wrong before God is an absolute lack of peace in any life. While some think that peace with God cannot be truly known – Good News – God says we can know peace with him. We can have peace with God by the saving power of Jesus Christ. For many of us, that peace has been made – but for many others, they are living as enemies to God. If we love them, care for them, or have any regard for them – we must be ready to tell them about the peace to be found in Christ alone. Also, we must not confuse peace with God for licentiousness. What I mean by that is that our relationship with God is not to be abused as an excuse to dabble or wallow in sinfulness. Our relationship with God is meant to spur us on to growing ever more like our Jesus. If we abuse our freedom from worry to be freedom to sin – then I pray that God corrects us soon so that we may be all the quicker to return to holy living.
Hope in certainty v.2
Salvation in Christ is a gift of amazing depth and completeness. Paul explains that salvation is more than just peace with God – rather it is not merely salvation from wrath – but we are also saved to something
In saving faith, we obtain – we own – a standing before God. Now this isn’t because we are so great – but because we serve the great God. We have a sure standing before him. It is hard to express to people who do not have experience with a monarchy – but it is a special privilege to be allowed to stand in the presence of a king.
Where we stand is in grace. This is great news – because we cannot stand before God on our own merit. But the grace of God saves us and gives us a right to be in his presence and to stand – because we are his children. As his children, we know that he will shower us in grace. God loves to give good things to his children for their good.
Salvation brings even more – we have hope – certain hope, hope with an eternal object. We have hope in the glory of God.
That hope is certain because it is based in the person of God. God’s glory is an absolute. All things exist to display his glory. All he does is to declare his glory – his absolute worthiness and value. We have certain hope because our salvation glorifies him – it displays he mercy and grace to the universe.
Our hope in his glory has another facet as well. He has promised one day to glorify us. We all know that we continue to be imperfect and we still sin even as we despise sin. We have certain hope that one day, God will finish his work in us and we will be free from sin forevermore.
Illustration:
Typical inscription on a grave in Paul’s day: I was not; I became; I am not; I care not
Application:
That’s not all that different from what some people believe today. Again, these things Paul is talking about are for believers only. Without Peace with God – some people prefer to believe there is no God so they don’t have to tremble at the thought of standing before him. Those who have been saved by Christ thought have hope. Christian hope isn’t worldly hope – which is wishful thinking. Christian Hope is the certainty that God is who he revealed himself to be and that faith in Jesus Christ as Savior and that he can save us from the penalty of sin and he will even save us entirely from the presence of sin.
Joy – of an unusual sort vv. 3-5
After all that build up, Joy is a natural place to go next, but Paul takes Joy to some places we might not think he should take it.
Paul wants us to experience joy in suffering. First thing to note – Paul’s angle is much different from the prosperity preachers out there. And if I were to choose between Paul the apostle and some of these prosperity people – I’m going with Paul
Suffering – endurance – Paul says that we know something about suffering – we know it because we see it and even experience it – afflictions, hardships, suffering are necessary to producing endurance – the ability to withstand hard times
Endurance – character – Withstanding hard times is not the end result we are looking for. Instead it leads to character – what Paul means here is that it is a test of character. Hardship removes all pretense, we get to see who we really are – and we get to see who God is as he works in us (removing character flaws and producing Christ-likeness)
Character – hope – the test of our character and seeing God at work in us produces hope. Again – Christian hope isn’t wishful thinking. Hope at this point is knowing that God himself is with us and cares for us even when times seem horribly bad.
Hope built through this process never shames us. Instead, during the entire process of living our faith in good times and harsh times, God himself is pouring his love into us. This doesn’t just mean that we will become more loving over time (although we will) but that we get to experience God’s love personally, deeply, intimately through the person of the Holy Spirit precisely when we need it the most.
Illustration:
As a third-century man was anticipating death, he penned these last words to a friend: “It’s a bad world, an incredibly bad world. But I have discovered in the midst of it a quiet and holy people who have learned a great secret. They have found a joy which is a thousand times better than any pleasure of our sinful life. They are despised and persecuted, but they care not. They are masters of their souls. They have overcome the world. These people are the Christians—and I am one of them.”
Application:
Do we understand that the world is incredibly bad? It is fallen. It’s beauty and structure are even more amazing when we consider they are fractured, broken views and that one day we will see the world made right again and a new earth made in total perfection. In past days, Christians sang songs about the lack of this world and their desire to go home to heaven. Suffering is meant to help us shed our desires of this world – to recognize that there is something better and it is Jesus. Our joy requires pain and suffering because when we stop hoping in the world around us we are free to hope in the person of God – and he is the only thing, the only person, worth hoping in. Pain and suffering are necessary in God’s process for making us more like Jesus and working perfection in us. When our first response to pain is to cry out to God to take it away – we are in fact telling him that we do not trust him and that we do not want to be like Jesus. This is a hard teaching – one that none of us will perfect. But let us remember that there is joy in hardship.
So What?
Peace – the only other option to peace with God is being at war with God. That is where many of our friends and loved ones are – at war with God. We need to be ready to share the good news with them that there is peace through Christ. However let us remember that peace with God is to be at war with sin. We cannot use peace with God as an excuse to sin. Instead, we must be at war with it. Remember the words of John Owen. “"...the choicest believers, who are assuredly freed from the condemning power of sin, ought yet to make it their business all their days to mortify the indwelling power of sin...Do you mortify; do you make it your daily work; be always at it whilst you live; cease not a day from this work; be killing sin or it will be killing you. Your being dead with Christ virtually, your being quickened with him, will not excuse you from this work”
Hope - So we believe we can stand before God. How often do we avail ourselves of that privilege? To boldly go before the throne because we know we have access to God? How often do we go before him in prayer? We do not add to God by spending time with him. We are not doing him any favors by calling him collect on Father’s day. He adds to us when we spend time with him.
Joy – Part of the life of the church is the opportunity to encourage one another – especially with testimony as to how God has worked in our lives. With that in mind, knowing that God works joy in hardship – let’s close with sharing our testimony with one another.
Benediction
Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen. Jude 24–25.