Romans 5: 3
Affliction and Justification in the Christian Life

Here in our passage this morning we see his work of "justification" of each person who is "in Christ" and which came about at the moment when we trusted in Christ.  But we also see this suffering which is the immediate result of justification.  In fact, suffering and hardship is the common lot of humanity during the present age.  But the point here is that, having been justified by faith in Christ, we have a totally different attitude toward suffering, and it has a totally different outcome in our lives than it has in the rest of humanity.  This is about the heavy load of discipleship which he has given us to bear as a part of our obedience and submission to his Lordship and Saviorhood.

I. FIRST, NOTICE THE CONNECTION OF THESE VERSES WITH THE SUBJECT AT HAND.

1. How is suffering connected with justification?  That is the larger question here.

First of all, notice the meaning of the word used in v.3.  The RSV calls it "suffering."  Some translations use the English word "tribulation" to translate it.  It seems to me that the former seems to imply mostly internal difficulties and the latter, difficulties put upon you by other people or outward factors.  But the word that is used here is an all-purpose word that would include both suffering and persecution, as well as just plain, unremarkable , hard-times.  The root meaning of the Greek word that is used is "to press," or "to press together."  And I would suggest that the better English translation would be to "experience adversity."  To put it negatively: "We don't live charmed lives."  Or to put it in the words of Paul to the churches at Lystra. Iconium and Antioch, mentioned in Acts 14: "With much tribulation we must enter the Kingdom of God." (Acts 14: 22)

2. The subject comes to us here because the lot of all mankind is a certain amount of adversity.  "Into each life some rain must fall," said a poet, some years ago. and some folks even experience a deluge!

But the prevailing opinion among people in general is that the favor of the gods will exempt the individual from most, or even all, of this adversity that others who are ill-starred, unlucky, unfortunate or cursed, in their experience, as has been said in different periods and places of history.

3. But the Biblical view is much different.  It is that not only are Christians not exempt from trouble, but that God actually permits the adversity to come upon them for his good purposes.  Now this is a "hard doctrine!"  It doesn't usually make it into the churchy T.V. shows.  And you and I must pray that God will help us to understand it, especially if there is someone right now, who as I've talked about it, finds it hard to accept. 

God permits this adversity for various reasons.  Sometimes it is a part of the very nature of life in an imperfect world -- as in the case of disease and death and many instances of poverty.

At other times it is the fruit of our own misdeeds or of the misdeeds of others -- as in most cases of aids or the over-use of alcohol or the misuse of drugs.  And still, at other times, it is for the sake of God's Kingdom: as it is in many cases of persecution and/or martyrdom, as thousands -- or at least -- hundreds, of believers around the world have experienced in the past decade or so. 

But in all of these cases, it is also used by God in a way explained in this passage.

I want to ask you this morning, to pick out your most conspicuous adversity and hold it in the front of you mind for the next few minutes as we consider the rest of this passage.

II. AND HAVING STARTED THAT, NOTICE THE SPECIFIC WAY IN WHICH GOD USES OUR SUFFERING -- AS A RESULT OF OUR JUSTIFICATION AND OUR RELATIONSHIP TO HIM.

1. Paul gives an interesting sequence in vv 3-4. ("vv3b-4") 

2. Briefly think about each one of these things as I tell you what I think they mean.

Adversity produces "hupomone."  That's the Greek word.  Some translations call it "endurance."  The NIV picks a word filled with theological meaning when it says "perseverance."  But that is problematical, because this is not primarily talking about perseverance in the faith, as the word means in theology.  It is better represented in the English word "steadfastness," I think.  It means that the person "hangs in there," always completes what he starts in religious things and matters of faith and stays at the task till he is done, and is consistent in taking advantage of the means of grace. 

This is trained in a child, to some extent, by giving him a not-too-easy life, mixed with lots of love; but it is also created with strong spiritual overtones by adversity, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.  (Of course, I don't speak of self-caused adversity, but of unavoidable adversity caused by others.)

But be careful how you pray on this!  Remember that a major tool that God uses to create "steadfastness" is "adversity" and if you pray for steadfastness, God might bring adversity or difficulty down on your head.  Ah, but difficulty in the will of God, is different from trouble without God.  "My yoke is easy," said our Lord Jesus, "and my burden is light." 

3. Now that "steadfastness" produces character -- i.e., nobility of person.  You have seen the quality, I am sure.  It is the quality of worth, of spiritual depth, of discernment, in fact, the whole realm of the fruits of the Spirit, mentioned in Galatians 5.  These are the fruits of the Holy Spirit's work within us.  But apparently, they are not usually produced passively -- without our involvement, but are often produced internally by his work in our lives using the difficulties of our lives as raw materials, so to speak, for the fruit. 

4. And that steadfastness which has produced character, together with that character, produces hope, under the ministry of the Holy Spirit.

My guess is, that "hope" here speaks of confidence about life -- both our heavenly heritage and eternal inheritance.  In times of great affliction and suffering, the people of God have always turned their thoughts to the next life.  In the best of times it is a challenge for us to keep ours set there!

But the "hope" spoken of is not just about something that is in the future.  It has to do with the whole unseen world of the present Kingdom of God, as well as the future Kingdom of God.

It has to do with the heavenly and godly values and with Christ's preeminence in all things.  Suffering, and difficulty under the guidance of the Holy Spirit enables us to see that the world's values and its rewards and its delights are -- oh, so -- transcient, and that we are a people like Abraham of old, who had hope in an unseen realm and system of spiritual reality, because he "looked for The City, which had foundations, whose builder and maker is God."

We have hope that makes us not "ashamed," (that is, that the hope will not fail us).  There are people who have hope in the idea of "optimism," or "luck," or the goodness of man, or of the just end of everything; and their hope inevitably lets them down.  This hope will never let us down!

1. It is certainly not the natural outcome of "adversity." The natural effect of "adversity" is usually to make the person hardhearted, disillusioned, resentful and embittered, and, sometimes three times as mean as the people who mistreated him. 

2. But there are two reasons given why this is not the case in the faithful Christian who walks with God throughout his life:

First is the work of redemption.  God has changed our hearts.  The way Paul puts it here is that "God's love has been poured out into our hearts by the Holy Spirit."  This speaks of the new nature that God has given us in the new birth. 

The second reason is the present work of the Holy Spirit.  He was "given to us," to use the phraseology here, not just to pour out the love of God into our hearts, but to continually minister to us in the midst of adversity: Comforting us in our difficulties and even in times of deep sorrow or substantial disappointment.  Protecting us from adversity that is beyond our capacity and contrary to our good; educating us as to the true nature of things; nurturing our steadfastness and character and concept of "hope."

Let us all, in our own lives, even though it is with great trepidation and sobriety, commit ourselves to the way of the cross -- praying that God will enable us to profit by adversity -- praying with many prayers and thanksgivings, that God has been merciful and kind to us, bringing good out of the things which we have suffered during the days of our pilgrimage. 

And let us remember -- that when we accepted Christ, when we first came into the New Covenant, it was -- to be sure -- a commitment to the saviorhood of our Lord; but it was also a commitment to his Lordship -- to follow him in the midst of adversity, difficulty and persecution.

Now, does this describe your Christian experience?  If not, then perhaps you need to pray that God the Holy Spirit, will use the means of grace in your individual life: prayer, the Scriptures, the assembling together of the saints week by week, the holy sacrament of communion, a calling out to God for his grace to enable you to grow and mature in such areas of your spiritual life.