Paul begins this chapter with some great encouragement. When we by faith receive the gift that God extends to us and are made right (justified) in His sight, we are at peace with Him. This passage mentions several times being a sinner and an enemy of God, but Paul beings explaining the benefits of being at peace with God. Because of the faith in God's grace, we can have hope of a future glory with Him. Not only has He saved us from the penalty of sin in the past, but He will save us from the very presence of sin in the future. That is something to definitely be excited about!
Not only do we have perks in the future because of this peace with God, but we also have glory in the presence. Paul writes to the people in Rome that they can glory in their tribulations. If you read about the persecution of the Christians in the Roman empire, you could think, "What in the world is Paul talking about?! Glory in tribulations?" Yes. We as Christians can glory in persecutions, trials, tests, and tribulations because we know that those tribulations bring patience. We learn to wait for God during those hours that are rather bleak and the times when the world is "out to get us." We learn what it is to rest in God. That patience works out experience. On every resume, a potential employee must list out the experience he/she has relating to the job. As a Christian, the trials we encounter produce a patience that proctors experience. We gain wisdom from these experiences, and this wisdom enables some expectations. I think I noted in my last entry that the word hope means "a confident expectation." Because we have tribulations, we develop patience as we wait to see how God will bring us through. This patience causes us to lengthen the resume that tells us how great God is in our lives and how many times He has upheld His end of the bargain. This experience gives us an expectation of how God is going to work out the next major issue in our life. Verse 9 is so awesome. "Hope maketh NOT ashamed." You will never be disappointed by hoping in God. Take a look behind you and review God's resume of revelation in your life. Has He ever let you down? Take that knowledge and apply it to whatever present or future battle you will encounter and HOPE in God. He will never make you ashamed that you did!
The reason that we can have these promises is that God poured His love into our hearts by His Son's sacrifice and by the working of the Holy Spirit. When we were nothing, Christ died for us, the ungodly, at the right time. Paul notices that for a really outstanding person, one could justify giving his life. Even for a good person, someone could reason that the cause was just. But God didn't send His Son to die for outstanding or even good people. God sent His Son to suffer for sinners! Even though we were the enemies of God, He reached out and made a bridge through the cross so that we could have a way to Him. We were reconciled. Instead of receiving the just punishment of His wrath, we are open to receive the UNFAIR reward of His righteousness. Praise the Lord! He still reaches out to the wretched.
What tribulation has developed a hope in you that God will never let you down?
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