Say What? (Romans 5:1-5)

SCRIPTURE

Romans 5:1-5
Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. 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. Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, 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.

COMMENT

If we listen to what many preach and teach as the gospel, this passage would never be found. At least not part of it. Sure, we like the idea of being justified by faith, as long as by faith you mean a one time affirmation that Jesus is my Lord and Savior. Not if you mean that true belief in that fact necessitates a change in my behavior, because I actually now adore Him for the great sacrifice He made on my behalf. We live in a generation that loves to be in charge, or at least think that they can be in charge. Grace does not play in to that. Grace puts God in charge. Completely. A very scary thought for many. Works, my part, now that is something many can take a strange kind of comfort in, but it holds no weight before God.

There is another part of this verse that you won't hear in what many preach and teach as the gospel either. The part that says we rejoice in our sufferings. For many, God and/or Christianity is supposed to remove our sufferings. Instead of church being a refuge, many see it as a happy place. We should be experiencing our best life now! But if you are not, it is because you don't have enough faith. And by faith I mean works, and by works I mean money, and by money I mean sending it to my ministry. That way, at least someone is having their best life now.

I'll wait while you scratch that itch in your ear. Satisfied now?

It appears that suffering is a part of the process that produces sanctification. Now there is a word that you don't hear very often. Sanctification. If we heard it and understood it, we would understand that faith is not something intended to be a one time thing. It is not something to be stagnant. Look at the early church. They had to hide, as do Christians in many countries today. I guess they just need more faith.