If you look at yourself ... just how acceptable are you?Is there room for improvement?
Somewhat ...?
Slightly ...?
What exactly is the picture you see looking in the mirror?
Paul, in Romans 5:1-6 makes it very clear that we as believers are washed clean to perfection.
We are the blemish-free, wrinkle-free, spot-free, sin-free, decease-free, poverty-free heirs of Father God!
Can we deny this?
Yes, we can.
But in doing so we are like someone who sees the face of his original design, the purpose of God as in a mirror, but chooses to ignore God's design and rather adores his own efforts and he goes away immediately forgetting his purpose. (Jas 1:24) Remember our post on this very subject titled hopoios - what quality of person are you?
But Paul is a straight-shooter
Therefore being justified by faith,
we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:
By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand,
and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
And not only so,
but we glory in tribulations also:
knowing that tribulation worketh patience;
And patience, experience;
and experience, hope:
And hope maketh not ashamed;
because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us. For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. Rom 5:1-6
We are the blemish-free, wrinkle-free, spot-free, sin-free, decease-free, poverty-free heirs of Father God!
Can we deny this?
Yes, we can.
But in doing so we are like someone who sees the face of his original design, the purpose of God as in a mirror, but chooses to ignore God's design and rather adores his own efforts and he goes away immediately forgetting his purpose. (Jas 1:24) Remember our post on this very subject titled hopoios - what quality of person are you?
But Paul is a straight-shooter
Therefore being justified by faith,
we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:
By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand,
and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
And not only so,
but we glory in tribulations also:
knowing that tribulation worketh patience;
And patience, experience;
and experience, hope:
And hope maketh not ashamed;
because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us. For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. Rom 5:1-6
What a mouth full?
Time for some perspective
Paul had just explained in the previous chapters how that everyone had sinned and fell short of the glory of God BUT then, how we together with Jesus, were imputed with righteousness because of what Jesus did.
And Paul gives the proof of this by saying that Jesus could not have been raised from the dead if we had not been fully justified and made righteous so that He could now live inside of us. (Rom 4:23-25)
That is it, right there!
That is the proof!
Hello chapter 5
So, Paul now starts by saying that because of us being justified [adjective meaning: having done for, marked by a good or legitimate reason, declared or made righteous in the sight of God] by Faith (Jesus) Himself we have peace [eirēnē: prosperity, oneness, rest. See here for more] with God. By Him we have full access to all favours and prosperity by Him (Faith). We can not but rejoice in the confident expectation of the glory [doxa: dignity and honour] of God.
Wow!
Did someone say something about tribulations?
"... we glory in tribulations ..." Daniel.
oh, Yes.
Glory: Note that the word translated glory here is not the word doxa as in the first instance, but the word kauchaomai instead.
Kauchaomai is a Greek composite word from aucheō meaning to boast, and euchomai meaning to pray and anticipate. Thus, kauchaomai is not honour and dignity and praise and greatness like doxa. Instead, kauchaomai is to boast in expectation (of the finished work of Mr Faith Himself) when tribulation comes (from the devil).
The rest of the verse, please?
Patience: Now Paul says when we boast like this in the face of tribulation, it works patience [hupomonē meaning: cheerfulness, steadfastness, physically it means to stay in reference]. Hupomonē is to stay in reference of the cross, to keep our eyes on Jesus!
Experience: And patience, experience; Paul takes it further. He says that to stay in that very point of reference, we gain accomplishment or experience [dokimē meaning: proof, trustiness, an accepted outcome]. The accepted outcome is none other than the accomplished work of Jesus!
Hope : ... and experience, hope: And Hope has a Name - Jesus! The Greek word for Hope here is elpō which means a pleasureful, confident expectation.
There can be only One!
Remember in our post ĕmûnâh and AMEN! we said that Hope has a Name?
His Name is Jesus!
So, Paul concludes with the obvious
And hope maketh not ashamed
HalleluYAH! Amen!
What was my Question again?
Yes!
Just how acceptable are you?
Look deep. Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. We all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord. (2 Cor 3:17-18)
See who you are?
You are righteous.
Even an ordinary dictionary would tell you that you are the mirror image of innocence, goodness, virtue, decency, integrity, worthiness, rectitude, probity, morality, ethicalness, high-mindedness, justice, honesty, honour, honourableness, blamelessness, guiltlessness, irreproachability, sinlessness, saintliness, purity, nobility, noble-mindedness ...
Do not turn away from this and forget your face
You are his joy!
He is your referential point in any tribulation ...
Your confident boastful expectation ...
Your accepted outcome.
Your Faith!
Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. Heb 12:2