Hope of God’s Glory

Romans 5:1-5

Paul showed in Romans 4 that even Abraham was justified by faith, and this faith was credited to him as righteousness. As believers we’re declared righteous by faith. Having been justified, we now have peace with God. Prior to our justification, we were enemies with God. In verse 10, Paul writes, “For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son, how much more, since we have been reconciled, will we be saved by his life?” Since we are enemies, it should be no surprise that some men shake their fist at God in rebellion. As recounted to Malcolm Muggeridge by his daughter Svetlana, Josef Stalin, as he lie dying, sat up in bed halfway, shook his fist toward heaven, fell back on his pillow and died. Of course, for many who do not believe, the enmity between them and God are manifested in more subtle ways.

Through Jesus, we are not only at peace with God, we also have access to His grace. This is not referring to His common grace that is available to all men, but to His special grace which is bestowed on His children, namely salvation and everything that pertains to being His child. Paul continues, remarking, as those declared righteous, we “rejoice in the hope of God’s glory.“ What precisely is the “hope of God’s glory?”

Currently, in this world, we only see glimpses of God’s glory. Man is fallen, and creation, likewise, is also fallen. Though regenerated and alive in Christ, we still cannot see the fullness of His glory and the manifestations thereof. The glimpses of His glory that we do see now are clouded by disease, death, and decay. Even as believers we see, feel, and experience the effects of the fallen world. But one day, in the future, we shall see Him face to face, in the fullness of His glory. We will be transformed from glory to glory and the full weight of His glory will be manifested all around us. There will be no death, disease, nor decay as God’s glory shines brightly. This is our hope, the object of which is certain, though in the future.

As believers, we are to rejoice in this hope of God’s glory. But this hope grows and develops for every believer; in other words, it matures. A person who puts their faith in Christ does not have a mature hope on day one. Just as we are to rejoice in this hope, we are to rejoice in the process that matures this hope, beginning with step one – suffering. Paul tells us we should rejoice in suffering, knowing the end result is hope. Rejoicing in suffering is not masochistic. Masochism derives pleasure from suffering. One rejoices in suffering not because one finds pleasure in suffering, but in the result that suffering brings. As trials and suffering come our way, we can endure it or try to flee. If we do not flee or give up, but walk in the Spirit, endurance will be a consequence. In this case, endurance is a strength that grows, allowing us to bear the weight of suffering. Continuing to endure (while walking in the Spirit), a character will develop. If we endure, always waiting on our friends who are consistently late, or enduring events that don’t occur according to our timeline, a character of patience will develop. Through the consistent enduring of things not going our way or not having the things we want, a character of thanksgiving will develop, if we are walking in the Spirit. Over a period of time, characters of patience, thanksgiving, flexibility, forgiveness, etc develop.

Proper perspective and management over a period of time with things not going our way will cause our growth in our character. But at some point, things must go our way. Humans cannot live without assurance that one day things will go our way. For the believer, one day things will absolutely go our way. This is the hope of God’s glory. And this hope will grow, as will our rejoicing in it. It all starts with rejoicing in sufferings and trials, in things not going our way. Suffering intrinsically has no value. It’s value lies in what it produces. Moving 100 pounds of metal up and down 50 times a day, 3 days a week, 52 weeks a year has no intrinsic value. The value lies in the strength in produces in the body, and strength is valuable in daily living. Therefore we rejoice in suffering because of what it will bring – hope of God’s glory. God, by this grace and compassion, grants us many small victories along the way. His blessings in this life are real. When David writes in Psalms, “In Your right hand there are pleasures forever,” those pleasures are now and in the future. But sometimes, the road is long and difficult; it is in these times that hope carries us.

Our faith is one whose focus is the future, the hope of the glory of God, but established in the past through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ,  and to be lived in the present as we seek His Kingdom and love our neighbors. For many believers, we do not hope in the glory of God because our focus is on the present. We cannot rejoice in suffering because we expect the fullness of His glory to be revealed now. As the Jews were expecting Jesus to establish His physical kingdom two thousand years ago, many in the church today expect God to establish His physical kingdom today. We flee and avoid pain and suffering at all cost. Instead we seek ease and comfort, the pursuit of which renders discipleship and knowing God an impossibility. The pursuit of ease and comfort is the enemy of discipleship.  We avoid risk and any discomfort, the very requisites of knowing God. Trials and suffering are part of the normal Christian experience. Peter writes,

Dear friends, do not be astonished that a trial by fire is occurring among you, as though something strange were happening to you.  But rejoice in the degree that you have shared in the sufferings of Christ, so that when His glory is revealed you may also rejoice and be glad. 1Peter 4:12-13

Paul writes in 2 Timothy, “Now in fact all who want to live godly lives in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.”

We need not pursue trials and suffering. They are a natural part of our earthly existence; they are inevitable. When they come, we must not flee from them, but seek God and ask Him how we are to respond. The trial may not be His perfect will, but He has allowed it and He will use it for His glory and for our good. Perhaps as we listen to the Holy Spirit, we will take our first steps in rejoicing in our suffering, and be on the path to rejoicing in the hope of God’s glory.