Reflections on Romans 4:1 – 5:11: (6)

“And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance proven character; and proven character hope; and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.” Romans 5:1 – 5 (NASB).

Romans 3:21 – 5:11 is an upward trajectory that accelerates in 5:1 – 11. In chapters 1 – 3 God through Paul convicts the entire world, Jew and Gentile, of sin and rebellion – Paul looks at the jury in 3:10 and says, “Ladies and gentlemen, as the Scripture says, there is none righteous, no not one,” and then reinforces his point in 3:23 with, “For all have sinned and all short of the glory of God.”

But in the midst of his convicting words, as Paul wraps us his air-tight case against Adam’s Race, he introduces hope as he starts to talk about “the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ” (3:22), an image he introduced in 1:16 – 17 but which he held in abeyance until conviction of sin was argued and was secure, until there was seemingly no way out of mankind’s dilemma.

Just as Paul drove home in his downward trajectory that “all have sinned,” in his upward trajectory he emphasizes the “guarantee” (4:16) that we have that God justifies those who believe in Jesus Christ, and in 5:1 with his “therefore having been justified by faith” begins to show what this means in terms of a relationship with God and His purpose in our lives. This is not about getting some ticket punched for heaven, this about being in intimate relationship with the Trinity and with one another – this is about eternity present, past, and future.

The minor crescendo of 5:1 – 11 (minor compared to the major of 8:31 – 39) is one of exultation and rejoicing; we rejoice in hope of the glory of God (5:2), we rejoice in tribulations (5:3), and we rejoice in God through Jesus Christ through whom we have been reconciled (5:11).

In this upward acceleration Paul introduces the work that tribulation does in our lives (5:3), its work is such that we exult/rejoice in it. In the upward trajectory of Romans 8, in the setup leading to Romans 8:31ff, Paul returns to tribulation (8:18), “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed in us.” Then in the major crescendo we hear the words echoed through the cosmos, “But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

The maturation process in Christ that Paul describes in 5:3 – 5 is linked to 8:28 – 29 in that we are justified, sanctified, and adopted in order to be “conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren,” (8:29). As I have said many times, Romans 8:28 is perhaps quoted out of context more than any verse in the Bible, all things do not work together for a nebulous and indefinable good – which is the way 8:28 is normally quoted; but rather they work together for good so that we might be more like Jesus, that we might be transformed into His image.

In 5:1 – 11 justification and peace with God are linked to a journey that not only includes glory, but glory in the midst of tribulation. But notice how the image of tribulation is placed within a context of assurance; we are justified, we have peace with God, our hope does not disappoint, the love of God is poured within our hearts, Christ died for us while we were His enemies, God demonstrates His love for us, we are saved from wrath, we are reconciled, we are saved by the life of Christ. Our tribulations are experienced within the ocean of God’s love and peace and desire for us to know Him.

Without such assurance at least one of two things will happen when we experience hardship and tribulation; we will either fall away (Matthew 13:20 – 21) or we will think that God is angry with us and doubt the work of Christ on the Cross, we will doubt the surety of His Word, we may even doubt our salvation and whether we have ever really known Jesus Christ. When people preach and teach a salvation that is contingent on us, contingent on man, they set their people up for insecurity, anxiety, and preoccupation with themselves. One can hardly not be preoccupied with oneself if one’s salvation is always in doubt, when it is contingent – this is hardly the guarantee that Paul writes of in Romans Chapter 4. Often folks in this situation seek signs or experiences to reassure themselves that they are in a relationship with God, that they are special – my friends, God’s Word is enough – if we should never “feel” a thing God’s Word is sufficient. Of course our kind heavenly Father will reveal Himself to us in myriad ways to make Himself know, of course He will share our days with us…but let us trust Him first and then trust Him to draw us to Himself as He desires, not as we desire. And let us never think that having begun in the Spirit of God that we can reach perfection through our own means (Galatians 3:3).

We are called to mature in Jesus Christ, to be discharged from the hospital nursery. This is the clear teaching of the Bible; is this our clear teaching? Our expectation?

Jesus, make us like you, individually and as brothers and sisters, as your Body, your Church. Let our marriages be like you. Our individual lives be like you. Our fellowships like you. Our friendships like you. Holy Father, conform us into the image of your Son, let your holy will be done, in our lives as in heaven.