HoHum:
A wise man once said, “Few are atheists in theory, but many are such in their feelings. They are hopeless because they are godless.” The Christian Atheist: Believing in God but Living As If He Doesn't Exist by Craig Groeschel. Haven’t read the book, but how many of us live that way?
WBTU:
This last verse of the main body of the letter to the Romans expresses Paul’s desire that all Christians may experience the fullness of the spiritual benefits that come from knowing, understanding, and receiving the gospel of God’s grace.
These blessings are faith, joy, peace, hope and power.
Thesis: Let’s talk about these 5 and how they relate to gospel
For instances:
Faith
Faith is first and foremost as far as the gospel is concerned. “Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ.” Romans 10:17.
All other blessings come only “as we trust in Christ.” Throughout Romans Paul emphasized role of faith in receiving salvation. “For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.”” Romans 1:17, NIV.
Jesus Christ died for our sins and was raised for our justification, but we cannot receive this justification without faith. “That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.” Romans 10:9, 10, NIV.
Peace
Peace comes from knowing that we are justified by faith in the blood of Christ. “Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand.” Romans 5:1, 2, NIV.
Several ways to view peace:
Peace with God. This is the state of being reconciled to God. “For if, when we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!” Romans 5:10, NIV.
Peace within. Inward tranquility and freedom from worry about salvation. “The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace;” Romans 8:6, NIV.
Peace with others. Harmony that exists among brother and sisters. “Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification.” Romans 14:19, NIV.
Joy
Joy is the inward delight that keeps us excited about being Christians, about being under the blood of Christ, and about living the Christian life. “Not only is this so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.” Romans 5:11, NIV.
Joy and peace go together like a hand in a glove. These two are only available in any deep and lasting way through the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Do we know the joy of our salvation? When we receive the gift of eternal life, we also receive the gift of joy that comes from knowing that our sins are forgiven and that we are headed for heaven. “Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.” 1 Peter 1:8, 9, NIV.
How high is my joy level because I am saved? Do I have joyful times because of Jesus during the week? Are the times of worship here on Sunday’s times of inexpressible and glorious joy? If we do not have times of inexpressible and glorious joy, we need to ask ourselves: Am I saved? Am I doing something to hinder my joy?
From my college’s alumni prayer newsletter: Reggie Webb requests prayer. As a reminder, Reggie has been in a wheelchair for 46 years due to a spinal injury from a vehicle crash. He’s been in the bed 18 days out of the last 21. My e-mail to Reggie, “Hi Reggie, You are in my prayers! Be joyful always (usually put this as a salutation 1 Thessalonians 5:16), Davon Huss.” Reggie wrote back, “I really appreciate your prayers. And, you are correct about our joy. We must not let our circumstances destroy our joy in the Lord!” Conviction on me
Hope
One translation says, “confident hope” here. Really talking more about assurance. Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine! O what a foretaste of glory divine! Heir of salvation, purchase of God, born of his Spirit, washed in his blood.
First of all assurance is a peaceful confidence about our present relationship with God through Jesus Christ. Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine! Another hymn, I Am His and He Is Mine, says this: Things that once were wild alarms cannot now disturb my rest; Closed in everlasting arms, pillowed on the loving breast. O to lie forever here, doubt and care and self resign, While He whispers in my ear, I am His, and He is mine.
Second, assurance is the joyful expectation of the future when Christ returns and takes us home. Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine! O what a foretaste of glory divine! Another hymn, When the Roll is Called Up Yonder, says this: When the trumpet of the Lord shall sound, and time shall be no more, And the morning breaks, eternal, bright and fair; When the saved of earth shall gather over on the other shore, And the roll is called up yonder, I’ll be there.
Will we be there? “However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”” Luke 10:20, NIV.
Knowing that we are justified by faith is the key to such assurance. “Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.” Romans 8:23-25
That God here is called “the God of hope,” the source of everything that gives us hope, shows how important hope is in the gospel. Biblical hope is not uncertain, as when we say, “I hope it doesn’t rain tomorrow.” We don’t know whether it will rain or not, but we’re expressing our wish. Biblical hope is certain because it’s based on the promises of God, who cannot lie; and the fulfillment is in the future.
Paul’s prayer is not just that believers might possess joy, peace, and hope, but that we might be filled to overflowing with these blessings. Since they are all dependent upon faith, they will increase as our faith increases.
Faith has two parts, a passive and an active part:
The passive part is belief and agreement about the gospel.
The active part is doing something about the gospel.
Plan of salvation. Trust and obey for there’s no other way to be happy in Jesus...
As we grow in faith, we also grow in peace, joy and hope.
Power
The means of our being filled to overflowing with joy, peace, and hope is the last part of the verse, “the power of the HS.”
Have we ever considered the many uses of word power in the Bible? The word is used over 275 times! Just a few examples: The gospel is called the “power of God” (dynamite) for salvation (Romans 1:16). It is said of Jesus, “and who through the Spirit of holiness was declared with power to be the Son of God, by his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord.” Romans 1:4, NIV.
As Jesus prepared to return to heaven, he left instructions with his apostles to await the promise from his Father. He told them that they would receive power from the HS (Acts 1:8). The task of taking the gospel into all the world is a great challenge. Could the apostles have succeeded without the help of the HS? Can we? Jesus promised that the HS would be given to enable us to accomplish the task.
The HS came in a spectacular way on the day of Pentecost. His power was evident when the apostles spoke in tongues and in the powerful sermon Peter preached that day. However, many miss the best part of the message. “Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” Acts 2:38, NIV. This was something brand new and where the power is. The indwelling presence of the HS empowers us to live pleasing, productive lives for God.
Many of the toys for children come with a statement on the box: Batteries Not included. We have to purchase the power supply to make it work. In the same way, we need the HS to really enjoy all of these blessings and bear fruit for the Kingdom.
“You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ.” Romans 8:9, NIV.
