Ruminating on ROMANS! (Some Thoughts on Paul’s Great Epistle) #21 “Eight Blessings of Belief” (A Study of Romans 5:1-5) Blessing #8

Many of you know that my New Jersey friend Frank and I are reading through God’s Word together (described here). We’re now in the book of Romans and are reading chapter 5 each day this week. Here is something that I noticed in reading this chapter:

Here are the eight blessings that I see in this passage:

1. Justified through faith (v. 1)

2. Peace with God

3. Gained access into this grace (v. 2)

4. Boasting in the hope of the glory of God

5. Glory in our sufferings (vv. 3-4)

6. A hope that does not put us to shame (v. 5)

7. God’s love poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit

8. The Holy Spirit has been given to us

We will think about each of these blessings — one by one — in subsequent posts. Let’s consider the eighth blessing: THE HOLY SPIRIT HAS BEEN GIVEN TO US!

What an incredible gift! The Third Person of the Divine Trinity — the Spirit of God — has been given to us!  What does that mean? [I just finished producing four videos on the topic “Developing a Biblical Relationship with God the Holy Spirit.” We will be posting those videos on this blog].

Pastor John Piper makes the point in his little book God Is the Gospel that when you trusted Christ, you got GOD! Here Paul makes the point that having been justified by the finished work of Christ, you and I got the Holy Spirit!

What a conclusion to this list of blessings here in Romans 5!

Thank God today for this incredible gift — the Holy Spirit Himself!

 

Ruminating on ROMANS! (Some Thoughts on Paul’s Great Epistle) #20 “Eight Blessings of Belief” (A Study of Romans 5:1-5) Blessing #7

Many of you know that my New Jersey friend Frank and I are reading through God’s Word together (described here). We’re now in the book of Romans and are reading chapter 5 each day this week. Here is something that I noticed in reading this chapter:

Here are the eight blessings that I see in this passage:

1. Justified through faith (v. 1)

2. Peace with God

3. Gained access into this grace (v. 2)

4. Boasting in the hope of the glory of God

5. Glory in our sufferings (vv. 3-4)

6. A hope that does not put us to shame (v. 5)

7. God’s love poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit

8. The Holy Spirit has been given to us

We will think about each of these blessings — one by one — in subsequent posts. Let’s consider the seventh blessing: GOD’S LOVE HAS BEEN POURED OUT INTO OUR HEARTS THROUGH THE HOLY SPIRIT!

What a wonderful way of expressing the gospel! God’s LOVE. That was His motivation in sending His Son. And that love has been POURED OUT! Not doled out in small doses. But an abundant POURING OUT into our lives. And this is through the Holy Spirit. [I’ve been working on a series recently entitled “Developing a Biblical Relationship to God the Holy Spirit.” I’ll post those four videos in the near future.]

Thank the Lord today for the Holy Spirit’s action in pouring out the love of God into your heart. But ask yourself, “How can I show God’s love to people who haven’t experienced that ‘pouring out’?”

 

Ruminating on ROMANS! (Some Thoughts on Paul’s Great Epistle) #19 “Eight Blessings of Belief” (A Study of Romans 5:1-5) Blessing #6

Many of you know that my New Jersey friend Frank and I are reading through God’s Word together (described here). We’re now in the book of Romans and are reading chapter 5 each day this week. Here is something that I noticed in reading this chapter:

Here are the eight blessings that I see in this passage:

1. Justified through faith (v. 1)

2. Peace with God

3. Gained access into this grace (v. 2)

4. Boasting in the hope of the glory of God

5. Glory in our sufferings (vv. 3-4)

6. A hope that does not put us to shame (v. 5)

7. God’s love poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit

8. The Holy Spirit has been given to us

We will think about each of these blessings — one by one — in subsequent posts. Let’s consider the sixth blessing: WE HAVE A HOPE THAT DOES NOT PUT US TO SHAME (v. 5)!

Pastor Tim Keller has a great statement about HOPE in his book The Reason for God. Please take a few minutes and listen . . .

What would be a HOPE that does put one to shame? A hope to win the lottery only to find that one has wasted $3 on a Pick-Six? A hope to get a promotion even though one doesn’t have the experience to do that next-level job? A hope to win another’s heart even though there is no chance that other person would have any interest in one’s overtures?

Biblical hope is not wish-fulfillment or a gritting one’s teeth and believing really hard. Biblical hope is a certainty about the future promised by God Himself. And that kind of hope does not — and never will — put the child of God to shame!

 

Ruminating on ROMANS! (Some Thoughts on Paul’s Great Epistle) #18 “Eight Blessings of Belief” (A Study of Romans 5:1-5) Blessing #5c

Many of you know that my New Jersey friend Frank and I are reading through God’s Word together (described here). We’re now in the book of Romans and are reading chapter 5 each day this week. Here is something that I noticed in reading this chapter:

Here are the eight blessings that I see in this passage:

1. Justified through faith (v. 1)

2. Peace with God

3. Gained access into this grace (v. 2)

4. Boasting in the hope of the glory of God

5. Glory in our sufferings (vv. 3-4)

6. A hope that does not put us to shame (v. 5)

7. God’s love poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit

8. The Holy Spirit has been given to us

We will think about each of these blessings — one by one — in subsequent posts. Let’s continue to think about the fifth blessing: WE CAN NOW GLORY IN OUR SUFFERINGS (vv. 3-4)!

In the West we suffer from a poor theology of . . . suffering! We do. We need to get back to the Scriptures and recover a biblical glorying in our suffering!

We listed several clear, biblical statements about the believer’s suffering in our last post. But how do we GLORY in our suffering?

Here in Romans 5 Paul explains a bit more what glorying in our suffering involves. He writes, “we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4 perseverance, character; and character, hope.” Suffering is productive! It is not wasted. There are results that can come about, presumably only by suffering. Want to persevere more? You need to do some suffering! Want to have your character built to be more like Christ? You’re going to have to go through some suffering! Want to have some biblical, not worldly, hope? Apparently that kind of hope can only come through suffering!

Please don’t misunderstand me. I don’t believe Paul is saying that we pursue suffering or that we take a psychologically-twisted joy in suffering. No! But suffering is inevitable as a believer. And the real question is — What will you and I make of our suffering?

May I ask you — how are you suffering right now? The death of a loved one? A struggle at work? Covid-fatigue? Financial challenges? Use your suffering to become more like Christ! And glory in that!

 

Ruminating on ROMANS! (Some Thoughts on Paul’s Great Epistle) #17 “Eight Blessings of Belief” (A Study of Romans 5:1-5) Blessing #5b

Many of you know that my New Jersey friend Frank and I are reading through God’s Word together (described here). We’re now in the book of Romans and are reading chapter 5 each day this week. Here is something that I noticed in reading this chapter:

Here are the eight blessings that I see in this passage:

1. Justified through faith (v. 1)

2. Peace with God

3. Gained access into this grace (v. 2)

4. Boasting in the hope of the glory of God

5. Glory in our sufferings (vv. 3-4)

6. A hope that does not put us to shame (v. 5)

7. God’s love poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit

8. The Holy Spirit has been given to us

We will think about each of these blessings — one by one — in subsequent posts. Let’s continue to think about the fifth blessing: WE CAN NOW GLORY IN OUR SUFFERINGS (vv. 3-4)!

In the West we suffer from a poor theology of . . . suffering! We do. We need to get back to the Scriptures and recover a biblical glorying in our suffering!

We listed several clear, biblical statements about the believer’s suffering in our last post. But how do we GLORY in our suffering?

Romans 8 indicates that when we suffer we are somehow sharing in Christ’s suffering (v. 17). To share anything with Him ought to lead us to a sense of glory! We also learn in Romans 8 that present suffering shows us (by way of comparison) the greatest of the glory that will be revealed in us (v. 18). The Apostle Paul defines the suffering of the Ephesians as “your glory” (Eph. 3:13)!

Suffering is a gift that no one wants, but it is described as something granted to the believer (along with belief in Him) (Phil. 1:29). Our participation in Christ’s sufferings is integral to getting to know Christ! (Phil. 3:10).

If someone sent you an invitation that began with the words, “Please join me in suffering . . .”, wouldn’t you think them strange, twisted, in need of medical attention? But the Apostle Paul actually invites the believers in 2 Timothy to “join with me in suffering for the gospel” (1:8; cf. 2:3).

Peter tells us that we’re to follow in Christ’s steps in suffering ( I Pe.2:21); that we’re to suffer for what is right (I Pe. 3:14); that we’re to rejoice in participating in the sufferings of Christ (I Pe. 4:13); that we are to praise God that we suffer as Christians (I Pe. 4:16); and that we’ve been called to God’s eternal glory in Christ after we have suffered a little while (I Pe. 5:10). Wow! If those passages don’t help us to GLORY in our suffering, we’re not paying attention!

But here in Romans 5 Paul explains a bit more what glorying in our suffering involves. And we will look at his explanation in our next post.

 

 

Ruminating on ROMANS! (Some Thoughts on Paul’s Great Epistle) #16 “Eight Blessings of Belief” (A Study of Romans 5:1-5) Blessing #5a

Many of you know that my New Jersey friend Frank and I are reading through God’s Word together (described here). We’re now in the book of Romans and are reading chapter 5 each day this week. Here is something that I noticed in reading this chapter:

Here are the eight blessings that I see in this passage:

1. Justified through faith (v. 1)

2. Peace with God

3. Gained access into this grace (v. 2)

4. Boasting in the hope of the glory of God

5. Glory in our sufferings (vv. 3-4)

6. A hope that does not put us to shame (v. 5)

7. God’s love poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit

8. The Holy Spirit has been given to us

We will think about each of these blessings — one by one — in subsequent posts. Let’s notice this morning the fifth blessing: WE CAN NOW GLORY IN OUR SUFFERINGS (vv. 3-4)!

That just seems pathological, perverted, twisted, abnormal, doesn’t it? We flee suffering. We avoid it like the plague (and we do all we can to avoid plagues too). Why in the world would we “glory” in our sufferings?

Well, we are never told in Scripture to pursue suffering. But suffering inevitably comes to the child of God. Suffering we did not choose for ourselves. Suffering we cannot escape. But what use do we make of suffering?

We follow our Savior, that’s what we do! And He told us clearly that we would suffer.

In the West we suffer from a poor theology of . . . suffering! We do. We need to get back to the Scriptures and recover a biblical glorying in our suffering!

The Lord Jesus said in John 15:20 “Remember what I told you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also.” Acts 9:16 records God’s declaration about the newly converted Saul: “I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.”

Here are several clear, biblical statements about the believer’s suffering:
1. We share in Christ’s sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory (Rom. 8:17).
2. We are to do a cost/benefit analysis and realize that “our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.” (Rom. 8:18).
3. Suffering and glory are often connected with each other in Scripture, such as in Ephesians 3:13- “I ask you, therefore, not to be discouraged because of my sufferings for you, which are your glory.”
4. We learn that suffering is a grant, a gift. Philippians 1:29 says, “For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe in him, but also to suffer for him . . .” According to the Apostle Paul, it is a privilege to participate in Christ’s sufferings as integral to getting to know Christ (Phil. 3:10).
5. Paul actually invites the believers in 2 Timothy to “join with me in suffering for the gospel” (1:8; cf. 2:3).
6. We also have several references to suffering in I Peter (we’re to follow in Christ’s steps in suffering, 2:21; we’re to suffer for what is right, 3:14; we’re to rejoice in participating in the sufferings of Christ, 4:13; we are to praise God that we suffer as Christians, 4:16; we’ve been called to God’s eternal glory in Christ after we have suffered a little while, 5:10).

But how do we glory in our suffering? We will tackle that question in our next post on this topic of suffering.

 

Ruminating on ROMANS! (Some Thoughts on Paul’s Great Epistle) #15 “Eight Blessings of Belief” (A Study of Romans 5:1-5) Blessing #4

Many of you know that my New Jersey friend Frank and I are reading through God’s Word together (described here). We’re now in the book of Romans and are reading chapter 5 each day this week. Here is something that I noticed in reading this chapter:

Here are the eight blessings that I see in this passage:

1. Justified through faith (v. 1)

2. Peace with God

3. Gained access into this grace (v. 2)

4. Boasting in the hope of the glory of God

5. Glory in our sufferings (vv. 3-4)

6. A hope that does not put us to shame (v. 5)

7. God’s love poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit

8. The Holy Spirit has been given to us

We will think about each of these blessings — one by one — in subsequent posts. Let’s notice this morning the fourth blessing: WE CAN NOW BOAST IN THE HOPE OF THE GLORY OF GOD (v. 2).

I will be the first to admit that I don’t have a clue what that expression means! Boasting in the Lord makes perfect sense. Boasting in our salvation — brought about by His grace — makes perfect sense. What does it mean to “boast in the hope of the glory of God”?

We will see in our next blessing that we are to “glory in our sufferings”! Perhaps this boasting in the hope of the glory of God is one way to describe our settled position in Christ. We have the certain hope that we will share in His glory and live forever in the presence of the beauty and magnificence of the Trinune God.

But right now — I’ve got some boasting to do.  And so do you. Talk about your hope in Christ today — and brag about His grace and mercy in saving you!

 

Ruminating on ROMANS! (Some Thoughts on Paul’s Great Epistle) #14 “Eight Blessings of Belief” (A Study of Romans 5:1-5) Blessing #3

Many of you know that my New Jersey friend Frank and I are reading through God’s Word together (described here). We’re now in the book of Romans and are reading chapter 5 each day this week. Here is something that I noticed in reading this chapter:

Here are the eight blessings that I see in this passage:

1. Justified through faith (v. 1)

2. Peace with God

3. Gained access into this grace (v. 2)

4. Boasting in the hope of the glory of God

5. Glory in our sufferings (vv. 3-4)

6. A hope that does not put us to shame (v. 5)

7. God’s love poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit

8. The Holy Spirit has been given to us

We will think about each of these blessings — one by one — in subsequent posts. Let’s notice this morning the third blessing: WE HAVE GAINED ACCESS INTO THIS GRACE (v. 2).

The exact statement is: “we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand.” We have obtained entrance into God’s concert of grace. The ticket that let us in was not obtained by our works, but by the finished work of Christ. No bouncer can kick us out. We have every right to enter fully into God’s saving grace. And we are to stand strong in that grace.

Today, thank the Lord for your free and complete salvation in the Lord Jesus — by grace through faith in Him! And stand in that wonderful truth!

 

Ruminating on ROMANS! (Some Thoughts on Paul’s Great Epistle) #13 “Eight Blessings of Belief” (A Study of Romans 5:1-5) Blessing #2

Many of you know that my New Jersey friend Frank and I are reading through God’s Word together (described here). We’re now in the book of Romans and are reading chapter 5 each day this week. Here is something that I noticed in reading this chapter:

Here are the eight blessings that I see in this passage:

1. Justified through faith (v. 1)

2. Peace with God

3. Gained access into this grace (v. 2)

4. Boasting in the hope of the glory of God

5. Glory in our sufferings (vv. 3-4)

6. A hope that does not put us to shame (v. 5)

7. God’s love poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit

8. The Holy Spirit has been given to us

We will think about each of these blessings — one by one — in subsequent posts. Let’s notice this morning the second blessing: WE HAVE PEACE WITH GOD!

We have peace with God! That is no small matter. Romans 5 later reminds us that we were the ungodly (v. 6) and were enemies of God (v. 10)! God is the last person in the universe one wishes to be enemies with. The story is told of a wealthy man on his death-bed whose servant knew he was not a believer. The servant said, “Sir, do you not think that you should make peace with God?” The rich man said, “What? I never knew we argued!”

Perhaps this idea that we come into the world as enemies of God is the best-kept secret of Satan! We don’t enter this world at peace with Him, but in a state of sin (which we quickly learn to practice) which puts us in the category of an enemy of the holy God.

Thank God today for the substitutionary death of the Son of God — for you — so that you are no longer the enemy of God!

 

Ruminating on ROMANS! (Some Thoughts on Paul’s Great Epistle) #12 “Eight Blessings of Belief” (A Study of Romans 5:1-5) Blessing #1

Many of you know that my New Jersey friend Frank and I are reading through God’s Word together (described here). We’re now in the book of Romans and are reading chapter 5 each day this week. Here is something that I noticed in reading this chapter:

Here are the eight blessings that I see in this passage:

1. Justified through faith (v. 1)

2. Peace with God

3. Gained access into this grace (v. 2)

4. Boasting in the hope of the glory of God

5. Glory in our sufferings (vv. 3-4)

6. A hope that does not put us to shame (v. 5)

7. God’s love poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit

8. The Holy Spirit has been given to us

We will think about each of these blessings — one by one — in subsequent posts. Let’s notice this morning the first blessing: WE HAVE BEEN JUSTIFIED BY FAITH!

If you’re a believer in Christ, has this truth gotten a hold of you — that you have been made right — justified — before a holy God because of the finished work of Jesus Christ? Many in our culture don’t think they need to be justified before a holy God. Or they think they can justify themselves by their own goodness. [I’ve written a whole chapter on the “goodness” people in my little book Unlike Jesus]. Mark 10 would be a great section to read about how our goodness can never satisfy a holy God.

Thank the Lord today for your justification in Christ! And be ready to share that blessing with others whom God sends your way!