Lesson 59
Romans Chapter 5 - Results of
Justification by faith.
Review:
Our Objective:
BECOMING A SPIRITUALLY WELL BALANCED BELIEVER.
5:3 says And not only this,
[that is rejoicing in the glory of God] but we also exult [rejoice, have joy] in our tribulations,
What we
are to rejoice in is what the pressures produce; the concept of producing or
generating results is a key word concept here
Rom 5:4
The
fruit: #1 = perseverance u`pomonh,
- It speaks of steadfast adherence to a course of action
in spite of the
difficulties and testing.
- So the B.L. is that u`pomonh refers to the strength of character to believe the Lord,
to believe the word; and to live out the truth
You will
find that so often the apparent easy way to deal with the pressure at hand will
be moving away from God's way; and not developing the virtue of patient
endurance.
Fruit #2 Patient endurance leads to proven character, dokimh,
- means to be approved/accepted
after being tested, to be tested and found to be genuine or reliable;
- when you face the tests/pressures of life and bear up
under their load by utilizing the divine operating resources you have; then you are approved/accepted by God.
#3
Proven character leads to hope evlpi,j our confident expectation in our future glory is
reinforced, strengthened.
What conclusions should we be able to make:
I am here
in this situation:
(1) by God's appointment,
(filtered through his Sov before you
experience it)
(2) I'm
in His keeping, (3) I'm
under His training, and
(4) its all for His time.
It is by
pressures/suffering that hope is tested, approved and strengthened.
And the
first line of Rom 5:5 puts the exclamation point on it! "and hope does not disappoint."
Summary of
Romans 5:3-4
1. Must learn very quickly as
believers that between salvation and glory there are going to be tribulations!!
2. The sin nature tends to rejoice in overt
blessing but NOT in suffering and tests.
3. Only those believers who are plus DVPT,
having BD forming their frame of reference and use it are able to exalt in
their CHP'S - tribulations; to have and know the reality of a mental attitude
of joy in the middle of the test.
4. When we face that test (O/A)
head on and apply truth we will develop patient endurance and build proven
character.
5. Patient endurance here
indicates having a relaxed mental attitude under pressure and having confidence
respecting your niche, the place where God has put you.
6. When you adjust to where God
wants you to be, utilizing the discernment gained from the Word, and you hang
in there, regardless of the CHP'S and the human viewpoint advice that says
quit, move on, you develop this Christian character, proven character.
7. This proven character manifests itself by the absence of complaining,
nagging, hitting the panic button, and the absence of a frantic search for
happiness.
8. Our entire history from
salvation to maturation is a daily challenge to field the common human problems
that will come, the results of which being tallied by God and is parlayed into your hope, your eternal
reward.
9. This hope is only realized
when your faith, the truth in you, your resident BD is tested and the result -
this hope will never disappoint, or put you to shame now or at the JSC.
Example of what Paul is talking about, what we've studied
here put into action;
exemplified in the life of a couple of believers.
Time frame would be in the 1930's, place