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.
- What does this passage say we are to hope in?
- Why would it be your hope?
- What are we to exult or rejoice in?
- How is hope developed?
- Why is this progression necessary to develop this type of hope?
- How often do you find disappointment in the things you hope in?
- Why might you be ashamed when what you put you hope in fails?
- What percent of the time are your eyes fixed on the hope of eternity
instead of the hope of tomorrow?
Comments
Imagine you decided to take all of your savings and invest it in a friend's "sure thing" investment. At first you probably feel good about your decision, maybe even proud of it. Time passes and the sure thing is revealed as a scam. Now what do you feel? In the same way we as humans put our hope in the physical here-and-now things of life. Someday we will find it was only a scam, or at best an unwise investment. How will we feel then?
For fun, re-read Rom 15:13 and see how the verses intertwine.
3 comments:
I trust (hope) my comments are worded correctly, but I somehow got all mixed up. (Notice, I was going to say "hope.")
It's difficult for me to grasp the thought that I should rejoice in my "sufferings." Perhaps Job understood this in Job 23:10 (ESV), "... when he has tried me, I shall come out as Gold." Job suffered greatly with terrible sores and lost all of his possessions. Job was tested and persevered through it all. As a result, Job developed character and was brought into a closer relationship with God. Did Job have hope? I say yes because of his statement in Job 13:15 (ESV) "Though he slay me, I will hope in him ..."
Paul says that character produces hope which is the high point of the items beginning with "sufferings." They help produce character and Christian character finds its ultimate resting-place in the presence of God, not in a grave. This is an area I need to develope.
I like the phrasing on this translation:
"... and hope does not put us to shame..."
versus the NIV's
"... and hope does not disappoint us..."
While both are true, I think the ESV helps emphasis that our hope needs to be visible and known to others (which if unfulfilled would produce shame), not a secret, unspoken wish (which just might cause personal disappointment).
I can understand about rejoicing in our sufferings. It is only when I was in extreme pain, that I chose to become a Christian and turn my life over to God. If my life is going great, then I am not going to be as close to God, I am going to depend on my own will. And my will is not the best for me all the time. I grow so much more when I am suffering I feel.
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