Tribulation works out endurance, and endurance, approvedness. Then comes hope, the assurance of which we are not ashamed. Then love floods the heart?
Wait! Peace comes first through justification in Romans chapter 5.
“Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: ” Romans 5:1
“Justified” is Greek aorist participle, indicating an action done prior to the main verb. So before peace came justification. We were declared righteous at the point of salvation.
“‘Peace’ means that the war is done, …God has nothing against us.”
- “God has fully judged sin, upon Christ, our substitute.
- God is so wholly satisfied with Christ’ sacrifice, that he will eternally remain so: never taking up the judgment of our sin again.
- God is therefore at rest about us forever, however poor our understanding of truth, however weak our walk. God is looking at the blood of Christ and not at our sins.”
“This peace with God must not be confused with the peace of God of Philippians 4:7. Which is a subjective peace,
whereas ‘peace with God’ is an objective fact — outside of ourselves.
Thousands strive for inward peace, never once resting where God is resting — in the finished work of Christ on Calvary. “
All taken from William Newell commentary on Romans.
“Have I peace with God? Yes because Christ died for me. Have I the peace of God in quietness from the anxieties and worries of life in my heart? Being at peace with God must depend upon what was done for us by Christ on the cross.
It is not a matter of experience, but of revelation.
“Every believer is at peace with God through Christ’s shed blood. Not every believer has this peace of God within him — for not all have consented to judge anxious care and worry as unbelief in God’s fatherly kindness and care.” Newell
In addition the believer at salvation received perfect access to God — a past action with present continuing results. We have a forever approach to the place of divine favor with The Father.
All of this gives us a future, of a glorified state with Christ, a hope, one to rejoice in.
Romans 5:3 now takes us down a road of current affair:
“And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also:”
Paul acknowledged his appointment to such afflictions. 1Thessalonians 3:3 He also prayed that the saints would not be shaken by his adversities. But rather explained: Tribulation works patience.
“Patience is the quiet endurance of what we cannot but wish removed.” “Men have been known to endure every form of privation, torture, and death, without a murmur and without even visible emotion, merely because they deemed it unworthy of them to sink under unavoidable ill.” All this can be sheer pride. But, the grace of patience – which is either the meek endurance of ill because it is of God, or the calm waiting for promised good till His time to dispense it come; in the full persuasion that such trials are divinely appointed, are the needed discipline of God’s children, are but for a definite period, and are not sent without abundant promises of “songs in the night.” JFB.
“… patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.” Hebrews 10:36 and
Psalm34:19 “Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the Lord delivereth him out of them all.”
Beloved Jesus told Peter in his “sifting,” “when you are converted”. Not if, but when. A sure thing. There is help coming, a way of escape for bearing, a deliverance out, an ending as promised.
In the trial comes approvedness. A suffering which secures future reigning with Him. A transfer of knowledge to heart experience.
“As the winds buffeting some great oak on a hillside cause the tree to thrust its roots deeper into the ground, so these tribulations will result in steadfastness, in faith, and patient endurance.”
“Hope puts not to shame, as empty hopes do.” JFB
Then love,
“For while we were still weak — while we were still sinners — while we were enemies,
we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. ” love ya
