ROMANS 5 SUFFERING PRODUCES ENDURANCE

Posted on by

May 5

ROMANS 5

Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and werejoicein hope of the glory of God. 3 Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4 and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, 5 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. – Romans 5:1-5

ROMANS 5 SUFFERING PRODUCES ENDURANCE

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

When we experience trials of every kind, we press on

Because of Christ’s suffering, we can endure anything

To grow our faith, we need to endure what we suffer

It is in endurance that we transform our character

When we develop character, we produce hope

Hope abolishes all kinds of shame and it makes us grow.

Paul further explains to the Romans their justification by faith in this letter. According to studylight.com, the Greek word he uses for fortitude in verse 3 is “hupomone” which means more than endurance. It means the spirit which can overcome the world; it means the spirit which does not passively endure but which actively overcomes the trials and tribulations of life. “Hupomone” is not the spirit which lies down and lets the floods go over it; it is the spirit which meets things head on and overcomes them.

The book of James stresses the importance of embracing trials and sufferings of every kind. He reiterates Paul’s advice to rejoice in the midst of it in James 1:2 which says2 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, 3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. 4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. Even though the world sees and views suffering differently, we need to follow Paul’s and James’ teaching on it.

REFLECTION

  • Give insight as to how suffering produces endurance and character in your life.