Building character

Rom 5:1-5

5:1 Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we [1] have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Through him we have also obtained access by faith [2] into this grace in which we stand, and we [3] rejoice [4] 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.

Footnotes
[1] 5:1 Some manuscripts let us
[2] 5:2 Some manuscripts omit by faith
[3] 5:2 Or let us; also verse 3
[4] 5:2 Or boast; also verses 3, 11

• How frequently do you rejoice because of your troubles?
  
• Which would you most commonly want: Christian growth or comfort?
  
• How do troubles and tribulations result in perseverance and endurance?
  
• How does perseverance and endurance in result in proven character?
  
• How does proven character result in hope?
  
• How often do your hopes disappoint?
  
• What is different about this hope?
  
• Why is hope at the beginning and the end of the list?
  
• What does it take to endure life?
  
• What do you have that non-Christians do not?

Justified by faith

Rom 4:23-5:2

23 But the words “it was counted to him” were not written for his sake alone, 24 but for ours also. It will be counted to us who believe in him who raised from the dead Jesus our Lord, 25 who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification. 5:1 Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we [1] have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Through him we have also obtained access by faith [2] into this grace in which we stand, and we [3] rejoice [4] in hope of the glory of God.

Footnotes
[1] 5:1 Some manuscripts let us
[2] 5:2 Some manuscripts omit by faith
[3] 5:2 Or let us; also verse 3
[4] 5:2 Or boast; also verses 3, 11

• Why was Jesus delivered up?
  
• Why was Jesus raised?
  
• How does our justification symbolized by Jesus' resurrection?
  
• What was the result of your justification by faith? How important is this to you?
  
• How and through whom where you introduced into grace?
  
• How frequently do you hope in the glory of God? What does this mean to you?
  
• How does your hope in God's glory relate to the faith by which you are justified?

Faith and Law

Rom 4:13-22

13 For the promise to Abraham and his offspring that he would be heir of the world did not come through the law but through the righteousness of faith. 14 For if it is the adherents of the law who are to be the heirs, faith is null and the promise is void. 15 For the law brings wrath, but where there is no law there is no transgression. 16 That is why it depends on faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace and be guaranteed to all his offspring —not only to the adherent of the law but also to the one who shares the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all, 17 as it is written, "I have made you the father of many nations"—in the presence of the God in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist. 18 In hope he believed against hope, that he should become the father of many nations, as he had been told, "So shall your offspring be." 19 He did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body, which was as good as dead (since he was about a hundred years old), or when he considered the barrenness of Sarah's womb. 20 No distrust made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, 21 fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised. 22 That is why his faith was "counted to him as righteousness."

• Why does it seem that justification by faith has no requirements?
  
• Is justification by faith based on a single event or an entire life?
  
• How does hope play a role in a life of faith?
  
• What was the result of Abraham's faith?
  
• Did Abraham and Sarah have Issac without any action of their own?
  
• What was reckoned to Abraham as righteousness: his "knowing" that there would be a child or his "acting out his faith"?
  
• What things do you believe that you do not act on in faith?

Mind set

Col 3:1-4

3:1 If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. 3 For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ who is your [1] life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

Footnotes
[1] 3:4 Some manuscripts our

• What are the things above that you should be seeking?
  
• Why should you seek the things above?
  
• How is setting your mind on things above more effective than a list of rules?
  
• Which has a higher percentage of your mind: things above or things on earth?
  
• How does your being dead to flesh and your life being hidden in Christ change your daily walk?
  
• What is the result of your fleshly nature being resuscitated?
  
• Which seems more preferable: glory now or glory with Christ when he comes?

Harold's Musings:
Oh that I could be consistent in regard to these verses! The world assaults these attitudes almost every minute of the day. How can I set my mind on things above when my stomach wants the food below? How can I simultaneously seek the things above and seek to do an excellent job at work below? (And yes I do know that in a few days we will look at doing a good job on earth.) The challenge I see in these verses is the all-consuming nature of being in Christ. If I have been raised with Christ, then what does the world really offer me? If I am dead, then what does the world offer a dead man? Perhaps I have had CPR and I'm hanging on by a thread. Perhaps Christ is competing with me to be my life. Think I need to go read Romans 7-8 again.

Purpose and Power

Col 1:28-29

…the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. 28 Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ. 29 For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me.

• Who is Paul's audience when he proclaims Christ?
  
• What does it mean to be mature in Christ?
  
• How does warning and teaching result in maturity in Christ?
  
• How mature are you in Christ? What areas need work?
  
• What was working in Paul so that he could proclaim Christ?
  
• What power is available to you if you want to be mature in Christ?

Harold's Musings
What a challenge put before us! To proclaim Christ to everyone. To warn everyone. To teach everyone. To present everyone mature in Christ. Or do you think this is only for Paul? That you and I get a pass on this challenge? I know I stuggle with the scope of the challenge, but Paul struggled to achieve the goal. Paul realized that he could not do it alone. He realized the energy that he had been given. Like the electricity that runs throughout our houses, Christ's energy is available but untouched unless we plug ourselves in. Just perhaps that comes with maturity.

The Mystery

Col 1:24-27

24 Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in Christ's afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church, 25 of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God that was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known, 26 the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to his saints. 27 To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.

• What sort of feelings do you get when you find out a secret?
  
• How would you react if you discovered something that would help a lot of people?
  
• What was the mystery that had been hidden?
  
• How does knowing this mystery influence your life?
  
• Why is this mystery so important to you? To your friends?
  
• What is your hope? How often do you feel hopeless?

Harold's Musings
Maybe this is a reason why we are so reluctant to tell others about Jesus. We simply do not feel that we have anything to offer them. We do not have anything to offer; Jesus does. Perhaps we do not feel the hope of glory that comes from realizing that Christ is in us. We go through our day accomplishing what we do or failing in what we try with our hope of glory firmly resting on our own abilities. Dale Carnegie summarized a number of authors when he wrote "everyone wants to feel important". We frequently fail to recognize just how important we are to God and only focus on how important we are to the humans around us. The secret though is "Christ in you, the hope of glory".

Reconciliation

Col. 1:18-23

18 And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. 19 For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, 20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.
21 And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, 22 he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him, 23 if indeed you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed in all creation [1] under heaven, and of which I, Paul, became a minister.

Footnotes
[1] 1:23 Or to every creature

• How do you feel realizing that the one who is over everything died for you?
  
• What does the word reconcile mean to you? What must be present for reconciliation to be needed?
  
• When did you realize you were an enemy of God?
  
• Why would Jesus die for His enemies?
  
• What conditions are stated here for remaining reconciled to God?
  
• How important is hope in this passage?

Faith, Love and Hope

Col 1:1-8

1:1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, 2 To the saints and faithful brothers [1] in Christ at Colossae. Grace to you and peace from God our Father.3 We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, 4 since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints, 5 because of the hope laid up for you in heaven. Of this you have heard before in the word of the truth, the gospel, 6 which has come to you, as indeed in the whole world it is bearing fruit and growing—as it also does among you, since the day you heard it and understood the grace of God in truth, 7 just as you learned it from Epaphras our beloved fellow servant. [2] He is a faithful minister of Christ on your [3] behalf 8 and has made known to us your love in the Spirit.

Footnotes
[1] 1:2 Or brothers and sisters. The plural Greek word adelphoi (translated “brothers”) refers to siblings in a family. In New Testament usage, depending on the context, adelphoi may refer either to men or to both men and women who are siblings (brothers and sisters) in God's family, the church
[2] 1:7 Greek fellow bondservant
[3] 1:7 Some manuscripts our

• How often do you consider the hopes that fuel your life? Is it easy
  for you to feel hopeless?
  
• Who do you always pray for?
  
• How is the hope you have expressed in your faith and love?
  
• Where does your hope come from?
  
• How is the gospel producing fruit in your life?
  
• Why is it necessary to understand the gospel instead of just hearing it?
  
• What does it mean to understand the grace of God in truth?

You are special

1 Pe 2:9-10

9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are God's people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

• How does our culture influence our understanding of v. 9?
  
• What does it mean to be a chosen race?
  - What are the distinguishing characteristics of this race?
  - How often do you consider yourself chosen?
  
• What does it mean to be a royal priesthood?
  - How often do you consider yourself royalty?
  - How often do you consider yourself to be a priest?
  
• What does it mean to be a holy nation?
  - Who does this refer to?
  - How often do you consider yourself holy?
  
• What does it mean to be a people for God's own possession?
  - How often do you consider yourself owned by God?
  
• How often do you consider yourself to one of the people of God?
  
• How often do you recognize the mercy you have received?
  
• What is the purpose for your being these things?
  - What changes did God make in or provide for you?
  
• If you realized your position in Christ more frequently, how often would you proclaim God's excellencies?
  

Spiritual inheritance

1 Pe 1:3-5

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, 5 who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

• How did God's mercy cause you to be born again?
  - What was the result of your being born again?
  - What is living hope?
  - Through what means or mechanism were you born again?
  
• What is the object of your living hope?
  - How does Peter describe the permanence of your inheritance?
  - Where is your inheritance now?
  - How does this inheritance reinforce your being alien in this world?
  
• What protects you?
  - What is the goal or outcome of this protection?
  - What role does faith play in this protection?
  - When will you receive your salvation?
  
• How do the following influence your daily life?
  - living hope
  - reserved inheritance in heaven
  - God-powered protection
  - waiting salvation

Harold's Musings:
While I was growing up, I don't think I ever thought of what I would inherit from my parents when they went Home. As they get older, they bring up things that they have left in their will for me or for my sister. Some of the things have only sentimental value. Some have financial value. Others are of undetermined value. Regardless they will be mine or my sister's because our parents have chosen to give them to us. God has planned an inheritance for his children that is of matchless value. It is waiting in heaven just for you as His child. The object of your hope should be waiting in heaven. The inheritance is there, but is that where your hope is anchored?

Eternal Comfort

2 Thes. 2:16-17

16 Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God our Father, who loved us and gave us eternal comfort and good hope through grace, 17 comfort your hearts and establish them in every good work and word.

• What is implied about a person if they need comfort?
• Where does our eternal comfort come from?
• What is comfort related to in this passage?
• What is the difference between the "eternal comfort" and the comfort Paul was asking for the readers?
• Why would we need comfort to do good works and speak good words?
• Why would we need to be established to do good works and speak good words?

Harold's Musings:
Sometimes the best comfort is simply hope. Most of us have endured some form of physical pain knowing or at least hoping that it would end sometime. When we face the worst the world has to offer, we can endure if we remember that eternal hope laid out in front of us. Hope is so "future" though. We need to be established here to do the job. The NIV and NASB uses strenghtened which is part of it. The underlying Greek word is to be fixed in direction, to be firmly set, to be strengthened in resolve, or to be fortified. It is the word used when Jesus fixed His eyes on Jerusalem knowing what was waiting for Him there. It is making a stand for Christ in spite of the consequences here because we have hope of the eternal comfort that is in store. Let's stand up out there today.

Confession of Hope

Heb. 10:19-25

19 Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, 20 by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, 25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.

• How does your anchor of hope give you confidence to approach God?
• What is the new and living way to the holy places?
• Why should we hold fast to our confession of hope?
• What is the difference between having hope and confessing hope?
• What is the reason for meeting together?
• Considering Hebrews 3:12-14, how should faith, clean conscience, and hope impact how we interact when we meet together?
  

Harold's Musings: When I was growing up, it seemed that Heb 10:25 was the really important part of this passage, with the emphasis on "not neglecting to meet together" as the key point. Over the years, this passage has become much more rich and enlightening to me. Here I see Jesus carrying the anchor of hope as he opened the way to the holy places. There are several challenges here as well. For the moment consider the challenge of holding to your confession of hope. Someone heard you say what you hope in. You have heard others confess their hope. Too often we see this confession as a one time event, but this confession is to a large degree a mission statement, a statement that guides what you do and say. When you meet with another Christian, is your conversation about your joint mission or something else?

Hope as an Anchor

Heb. 6:17-20
17 So when God desired to show more convincingly to the heirs of the promise the unchangeable character of his purpose, he guaranteed it with an oath, 18 so that by two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us. 19 We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain, 20 where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf, having become a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.

• How does knowing that God's purpose has an unchangeable character make you feel?
• What causes you to believe what God says?
• How often do you feel that we are fleeing for refuge in God?
• Why are you strongly encouraged to hold on to the hope in front of you?
• How does your hope in what God has promised anchor you during the storms of this life?
• Where is your hope anchored?

Harold's Musings:
Two images come to mind when I read this passage. First image comes from when we lived in Charleston, SC, which is a major seaport. Large ships arriving daily and these ships have huge anchors connected to the ships with huge chains. The anchor is the only hope these ships have of drifting into harm's way if they are not at the dock. The other image is of a resurrected Jesus carrying a cross-shaped anchor through the torn curtain into the heavenly version of the Holy of Holies and setting it in deeply. Extending from that "anchor" all the way back to me is my hope in the resurrection. Just as a ship captain has to set his anchor and ride out the waves, I need to hang on to my hope in the resurrection. How deeply set is your anchor?

Full Assurance of Hope

Heb. 6:10-12
10 For God is not unjust so as to overlook your work and the love that you have shown for his name in serving the saints, as you still do. 11 And we desire each one of you to show the same earnestness to have the full assurance of hope until the end, 12 so that you may not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

• When have you felt that no one notices your good works and love?
• What does showing love for God's name look like?
  
• Why does it take earnestness to hope to the end?
• What is full assurance of hope? How would you describe it?
  
• How might a Christian be sluggish in God's view?
• What is needed to inherit the promises waiting for you?

Harold's Musings:
I read a quote yesterday by Evan Esar: "Hope is tomorrow's veneer over today's disappointment." While I was at first indignant, I started to see that for many that is all hope is. Veneer is actually deception. There is a lower quality piece of wood being covered by a very thin layer of expensive wood. While it has the appearance of the real thing, it is not. If we do not have full assurance that what we hope for is in fact real, we too are just covering our disappointments. It does not take very long to get tired of enduring patiently if we do not really believe with full assurance that what is coming is sooooooooooo much better that what we have now. Fill up with assurance today.

Hold on to hope

Heb. 3:5-6, 12-14
5 Now Moses was faithful in all God's house as a servant, to testify to the things that were to be spoken later, 6 but Christ is faithful over God's house as a son. And we are his house if indeed we hold fast our confidence and our boasting in our hope.
12 Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God. 13 But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. 14 For we have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original confidence firm to the end.

• How are the Christian's hope and confidence related?
• Why can we be confident in our hope?
  
• How often do you boast in your hope?
• What are the causes of falling away from God?
• What are you doing daily to encourage a fellow Christian to hang on and not sin?
• How are sinning and hopelessness connected?
• How long do we have to hold on?

Harold's Comments:
Wow! Such a tough passage! You and I are responsible for each other daily. It might seem that encouraging each other to not sin would involve watching to judge. Some seem to do that. This passage is more about confidence and hope which is entwined with our belief. I do not see a lot of Christians boasting to each other about the hope they share. Some yes, most no. I know that I am growing in this, but not where I would like to be. I would be interested in your thoughts as to how sinning and forgetting our hope are related. By the way, you and I have a great hope in Christ. Let's live it today.

Misplaced Hope

1 Tim. 6:17
As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy.

• By the standards of most of the world's population, how rich are you?
• How much hope do you put on your riches?
• On a daily basis, how frequently do you put your hope on your riches instead of on God?
• Why does the uncertainty of riches tempt us to worry about money?
• Why does the certainty of God keep us from worrying about Him?
• Where is your hope?

Comments:
I suspect that this is one of the biggest problems many Christians face today. We worry about investments, retirement accounts, and insurance plans while not worrying about our dependence on God. I find this passage interesting in that it does not state that having money, even a lot of money, is wrong. The problem is within the person with the money. Are they proud of their possessions? Are they dependent on their wealth? If you put your hope in your wealth, are you laying up possessions here or in heaven? If your hope is in your wealth, will you not worry about it? Perhaps to the point that it is not what you seek first (Matt. 6:33).

Do you have a reason?

1 Peter 3:13-16

13 Now who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is good? 14 But even if you should suffer for righteousness' sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, 15 but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, 16 having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame.

• How zealous are you for what is good?
  
• When you are attacked and suffering, how can you not be afraid and troubled?
  
• What does it mean to "in your hearts honor Christ the Lord"? How would this be evidenced?
  
• Is the hope that is in you evident to others around you? If so, how? If not, why not?
• How would you give a reason for the hope you have?
  
• How prepared are you today to make a gentle, respectful defense of your life in Christ?
  
• Why should you be careful in how you discuss Christ with non-Christians?
• How might your response to attacks put your attackers to shame?

Comments:
It is interesting to me how I have heard this passage slashed about over the years. To some, the word defense means to debate, argue, quarrel, or just get angry. Yet the passage ends with the attacker being ashamed for their actions, not licking their wounds. Somehow our desire to do good because Christ is our Lord is to be motivated by the hope that we have. That is the core reason. We are not doing good just to do good. We are doing good because of the hope we have. Isn't that what the passage shows when you read it carefully. My fears are frequently attached to momentary hopelessness. I'm afraid I'm going to miss a plane because there is liitle or no hope of making it to the gate on time. This connection between fear and hope needs to be considered more. I suspect our non-gentle responses are motivated by fear. What do you think?

Hope on layaway

Col. 1:3-5
3 We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, 4 since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints, 5 because of the hope laid up for you in heaven. Of this you have heard before in the word of the truth, the gospel,

• What is the motivation for faith and love?
• How did you come to know and realize that you could have hope?
• Where is the Christian's hope right now?
• What are the results of feeling hopeless?
• Why is does it seem so easy to become hopeless?
• How obvious is your hope to those around you; not optimism about life here, but hope in eternity?

Comments:
Have you ever purchased something on layaway? Not on a credit card where you have instant gratification, but you put some money down and keep paying regularly until it is finally yours. You know the item is yours. You do not have it now, but you know you will someday if you keep doing your part. This illustration is not perfect, but I think it carries some aspects of this verse. Why do you have faith and love? Is your faith and love motivated by the hope or by some other reason? What do you think?

Hope and Holiness

1 Peter 1:13-16
13 Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 14 As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, 15 but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, 16 since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy."

• What are we to fix our hope on? To what degree?
• What else does this passage tell us to do?
• How do we fix our hope fully on the grace to come?
• When does this passage state we will receive grace?
• Why would fixing our hope on the grace to come be related to living holy lives?
• How is having your mind ready for action related to where your hope is set?
  
• How frequently is you mind girded for action, your spirit sober, your hope fixed on grace, and your life holy?

Comments
This is another indication that the hope in God's Word is unlike the hope that is casually mentioned in the conversations around us. Most of us wish-hope for a lot of things but never intend to do anything to get them. There are some hopes in our lives that, while uncertain, are desirable enough that we work and strive to get them. The hope here is certain but it should motivate us to be more than we have been. If you know you are going to be a parent in a few months, you make preparations, mentally and physically, because you know it is going to happen.

Rejoicing in hope

Romans 5:1-5
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.