It's been a while since I posted last, so I want to make sure the context is set. At the end of Chapter 4, Paul explained how Abraham was justified by faith, apart from works. The first two verses of Chapter 5 have laid out some of the blessings that flow from a restored relationship with God, which is through our Lord Jesus Christ (as Paul repeats twice).
Now, in verses 3 and 4, Paul reveals another blessing that we experience through this restored relationship with God.
More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings
More than that indicates that, along with peace and grace, Paul is about to reveal something else that is attached to our being justified by faith in Jesus Christ.
Paul says that, as believers, we rejoice in our sufferings. I think we can really gain a deep understanding of what Paul is saying here if we look at these words as they are used in the Greek.
Rejoice: this word was used in verse 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.)
the definition for this word rejoice: to speak boastfully, (to make) joy, boast, glory - when we rejoice, we proclaim the name of God, we boast of God and what He has done!
I would like to add something to this definition that I came across that seems to add even more depth to this word "rejoice": this word, in this biblical context, refers to living with a God-given confidence.
Sufferings: pressure, anguish, tribulation, burdened, persecution. More specifically, this word here refers to an internal pressure, feeling hemmed in, a trial with no way of escape.
We can be confident that the suffering that Paul is referring to here is the type that is life-altering. The loss of a loved one, loss of a job, news of cancer or terminal disease - basically a situation that causes us to painfully realize that there is no way of escape - God has taken away all feeling of control.
So, we are to rejoice (have a God-given confidence, boast in our God), through these heavy trials that leave us no hope other than to rely on God...what if we don't?
So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin. James 4:17
If God's Word tells us to rejoice in our sufferings, and we don't, we are robbing God of the glory He deserves by hindering Him from being revealed in our lives, and that is clearly sinful. No matter how hard it is to do this, it should always be our pursuit.knowing that suffering produces endurance
Paul says that we rejoice in our sufferings because we "know" something. He is going to explain what we are to "know" as children of God, and I think we should take special note that he uses this word "know." This is a clear promise from God, and it explains how and why we should rejoice in our sufferings. If we struggle to approach intense tribulation with a God-given confidence (as I think many of us probably do), then we need to spend time meditating on these next words that Paul shares, storing them in our heart so that we could move closer to glorifying God by revealing Him as we go through such trials.
We are to know that suffering (which we defined earlier as a severe persecution or trial, with no way of escape) produces, or accomplishes, endurance. What is endurance?
Endurance: steadfast, remaining.
So these trials with no earthly escape cause us to rely on God. As we know, we should always be relying on God for all things, but when God allows situations in which there is no choice but to rely on Him, we are guaranteed to experience endurance - by the power of God. He has promised that He will never leave us or forsake us, and as He empowers us to endure and remain through such desperate situations, we will come to know that His faithfulness is unwavering.
Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the LORD your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you." Deut. 31:6
endurance produces character
Now we see that endurance we experience produces character.
Character: also experience, refers to proof of genuineness, tested and true.
Once we have endured and remained through such a trial, we are able to look back and know that we fully relied on God, and He carried us through. It is by His power that we are able to endure and remain, and we will emerge tested and true, the genuineness of our salvation, through faith in His Son, proven!
God wants us to rely on Him, this brings Him glory. It was said to me recently that when we ask someone for help, we are implying that they are capable of helping us. When we ask God for help, we are implying that He can help us, and this brings Him glory. We should be doing this in every area of our life, but our humanness always gets in the way, and we begin to rely on ourselves. We like to feel in control. I believe it is for this reason that God allows us to go through these trials that bring us to the point of total surrender, where there really doesn't seem to be a way out - and we are driven to totally rely on the only One who is capable of sustaining us.
and character produces hope
Lastly, once we have been through these types of sufferings, hope is built within us. The word "hope" refers to a confident expectation. When a child of God has experienced these things, from the suffering, through the endurance, to the proof of genuineness, the result is a confident expectation that God is Sovereign, His promises are true, and we are secure in Him.
We can then go back to what Paul said about rejoicing in our sufferings because we know...when we have a confident expectation (hope) that God is Sovereign, that He will empower us to endure and remain through any trial, and that He will continue to prove to us that we are His children, we can approach life with a God-given confidence, that reveals God working in, and changing our life - and anytime God is revealed, He is glorified!
We must know that God doesn't allow these trials in order to use them as a stumbling block, to see if we will trip up. Their purpose is a proving ground, to prove to us He is who He says He is, that we are His children, to strengthen our faith, and to strengthen our relationship with Him.
In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith--more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire--may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 1 Peter 1:6,7
This was wonderful, now I see these verses in a new way, in an encouraging, blessed new way, praise God. God bless
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