We Glory in Tribulations...Romans 5

Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; (Romans 5:1-3)

Romans 5 is a chapter all about the assurance of salvation. Because of our justification, through the death and resurrection of Jesus, we now have peace with God. Our conscience has been informed that something effective has been done to reconcile us to God, our sins have been answered for, our judgment has been borne away.

We have access to God now, for Jesus has purchased for us a status of grace. We now stand in favor with God, cleansed, redeemed, adopted as God’s own children, and in the position of being able to “Draw near to God with confidence” in worship and prayer. We no longer dread the judgment which we richly deserved, God has reconciled us to Himself.

And we rejoice! Rejoicing is the mark of the Christian, its what true christians do.Luke’s gospel ends that way;

And He led them out as far as Bethany, and He lifted up His hands and blessed them.1 Now it came to pass, while He blessed them, that He was parted from them and carried up into heaven. And they worshiped Him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy, and were continually in the temple praising and blessing God. Amen. (Luke 24:50-53)

And Acts 2 gives us a snapshot of the early church, which brings this truth out-

And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart,Praising God,

Christians, can praise God and rejoice, because there is nothing as significant as the question of whether or not one is right with God. When that question is adequately answered, Joy is sure to abound. Even in trial and tribulation Christians can rejoice, as the writer to Hebrews reminded the persecuted church;

But call to remembrance the former days, in which, after ye were illuminated, ye endured a great fight of afflictions;Partly, whilst ye were made a gazingstock both by reproaches and afflictions; and partly, whilst ye became companions of them that were so used.For ye had compassion of me in my bonds, and took joyfully the spoiling of your goods, knowing in yourselves that ye have in heaven a better and an enduring substance.(Hebrews 10:33-35),

Remember that ? When “You took joyfully the spoiling of your goods?”How does anyone rejoice even when being plundered, robbed, and ruined? Behold the power of being set in the right with God!

Joy abounds, when realizing how sinful, lost and deserving of judgment we truly are, then finding out that God loved us so much He did something costly to righteously reverse that judgment . We rejoice because we realize that life in this world is as bad as it will ever get for us, afterwards, bliss and love, and glory! Not even death can get us down.

Remember the verse, “All have sinned and are coming short of the Glory of God”?We lost it , our sins forfeited for us that which we were made for, the purpose of our existence, we were made to reflect and enjoy forever, the glory of God. But sins make us banal, worthless, empty and meaningless. Vanity of vanity, all is vanity!

The Gospel restores to us the hope of the Glory which we rejected and fell short of. Remember that the essence of our sin was that we rejected the glory of God, trying to find beauty and meaning in that which is less than God. This is what has corrupted our personalities.

God is now working in sinful, weak, fallen you and me! We will not be forever lustful, petty, spiteful,sin dominated, blind,lame and distorted. Because of justification, we can become what we were created to become, God can now work with us from a position of justification.

Not even tribulation can shatter we who have been justified. Tribulation and trial used to be a fearful, subconscious reminder to me that I was under wrath, that is why men usually rail at God even if they profess not to believe in Him, when they go through trials.

But one of the marks of the christian, justified by faith, and restored to the hope of glory, is that He knows that even trials and tribulations are going to be put to work for His good, by the God who in love sent his son to justify Him through the cross.

All before the saving grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is THE truth, and THE only way to salvation through our Saviour; glory be to Him.

Before, in our former state, as enemies of God, we were In Adam; but now, we who believe, are now In Christ; the living Godhead abiding in us.

I count it all joy to praise Christ. For I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ as given to us by our apostle Paul in Romans thru Philemon.

I cry, Abba Father, for my adoption as a son of God.

Romans 5:5 And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us. 6 For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.

I'm assuming you are posting your articles to elicit comments. Not to nitpick but to be honest I'm not sure what you are saying. I don't see how trying to find beauty and meaning in that which is less than God would be the essence of sin. Everything in creation is less than God and there is beauty and meaning in all creation.

Romans talks about those who worship the creation more than the creator, but that goes above and beyond finding meaning and beauty in creation or other things such as music or art or food. I think it is quite possible to find beauty and meaning in things that are less than God and walk with God at the same time

Ok, the pizza delivery guy is at the door. Praise God for pepperoni!

P-Marlowe - I didn't only say that the essence of sin is trying to find beauty and meaning in that which is not God-I said that the essence of sin is the rejection of the glory of God and trying to find beauty and meaning is that which is less than God

I think it is quite possible to find beauty and meaning in things that are less than God and walk with God at the same time I Know that but that is not at all what I said-

I said that the essence of sin is the rejection of the glory of God and trying to find beauty and meaning is that which is less than God

So if you reject the Glory of God but you don't really seek beauty or meaning in anything that is less than God but are just ambivalent about everything, would that make a difference?

Should I assume that this is the definition of sin?

The definition of sin: “rejecting the glory of God AND seeking beauty & meaning in that which is less than God.”

Would I add to or take away from it?

My shortest definition of sin is “anything that harms me, others, or my relationship with God.” It’s not quite good enough in some contexts.

Someone else has said, “anything less than love.”

I do see in the second half the weakness that Marlowe is pointing out. Everything is less than the Creator, but the Creator declared them “good” at the time of creation. Admittedly, that is prior to the fall, but the scripture after the fall, in speaking of the Creation says, “the heavens tell the glory of God, and the earth showeth His handiwork.”

There is “the glory of God” in that passage, but the 2nd independent clause says that the earth STILL is showing God’s handiwork.

Therefore, it is less than God and it is good. In sum, it cannot then be sin.

Thank you all so very much for sharing your insights, dear brothers in Christ!

Personally, I would see sin as anything that resists the one and only Great Commandment, to love God with all of our hearts and minds and souls - and the distant second, to love our neighbors (even our enemies) as ourselves.

Then one of them, [which was] a lawyer, asked [him a question], tempting him, and saying, Master, which [is] the great commandment in the law?

Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.

This is the first and great commandment.

And the second [is] like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. – Matthew 22:35-40

If we miss those two, nothing else we do will matter. Conversely, if we keep those two, the rest is just details.

God's Name is I AM.

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.