Paradox

Rom 5:2-5 "And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. 3 Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4 perseverance, character; and character, hope."  Faith and works, joy in suffering; these are the great paradoxes of the gospel of Jesus Christ.  It is not either or; it is both and.

We are not saved by our good deeds, our works; we are saved by faith.  Yet, works without faith is dead.  Our actions cannot save us, they reflect our salvation.  We do good works not to earn our place in heaven, but it is through our good works that we demonstrate the faith that we have that has secured our place in heaven.

In verse 2 the word translated as "rejoice"  is more accurately rendered "boast".  We "boast" in the hope that we have because we know that it is ours and it is secure.  However, if we boast in this hope of glory we also need to boast in our sufferings.

Too often we want God to remove every obstacle in our way.  What we fail to realize is that without suffering there is no hope.  Think about it, what is there to hope for in the future is everything here is wonderful.  If we already have everything we need there is no anticipation for something better. 

When my oldest son was younger he wanted a video game.  Wanting to please my son I went out and bought it for him.  In no time he had destroyed the game.  He had no appreciation for it because it came too easily.  After that we came to an agreement that if he wanted something badly enough he would have to pay for half of it.  He had to do his chores in order to get his allowance and then he had to save up over the course of several weeks before he had enough money to pay for his half.  During this time he built up an appreciation for what it took to get that game.  When he finally got it the game had value to him because it cost him something.  To this day my son has every single game system he ever bought and they are all in mint condition.

In the same way our suffering builds hope as enduring them produces perseverance.  While at the time of our suffering it seems to last forever, it is a miniscule amount of time in the framework of eternity.  When we endure, when we persevere, that builds up our character.  Character is the reputation a person builds up through moral excellence.  Character is the representation of an individual's ethical traits.  It is not only who people see you as (the consistent behaviors people see over time), it is who you are when no one is looking.

James 1:2-4 "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything."

It is easy to understand why suffering can build and lead to perseverance and it in turn builds character; but how does character produce hope?

It is as we endure suffering that we begin to understand that we endure not of our own strength, but because He is there walking with us every step of the way.  He strengthens us, encourages us and teaches us. Through that process God's character is revealed and we slowly begin to take on His character.  As we get in tune with His character and it becomes ours, we come to an understanding of His faithfulness.  It is this understanding of God's character and His faithfulness that is the basis of our hope.

Our hope of glory is not pie in the sky; it is built on the certainty of who God is.