The Hope of Glory

Romans 5:2-5

Preached April 5, 2009, Grace Family Church of Americus

Sorry, the audio for this sermon is not available.

You can download the complete sermon manuscript by clicking here. Here is an excerpt:

 

Last week, we spoke on the subject of Christian assurance, which is in today's language, been reduced to the term "once saved, always saved". When asked if I agree or disagree with that doctrine, I say, "yes". I agree with the doctrine that all true Christians will endure to the end, and I disagree with the terminology that this doctrine is often spoken in terms of. I agree, because the perseverance of the saints is a biblical rock….and disagree because there is lacking in the theology of the "once saved always saved" camp one important truth…..that truth being ENDURANCE. Christian assurance, which is largely the subject matter of Romans 5, is built on the FACT that Christians endure. THAT is the teaching of the Apostle, and it is not a result of our own working or ability, but by faith only. Faith that produces definite results. And those results are portrayed beautifully here in our text this morning….FAITH gives us the ability to STAND…..because FAITH is substance…..faith is evidence….and faith gives us enduring power because faith sees forward to a reality that is not before our eyes, but clad on the unchanging promise of our unchanging God. Faith looks out in joy, greater joy than any and all circumstances that surround us. Faith sees to the reward…it shuns earthly pleasures to see the eternal ones….faith sees through pain and suffering, to the eternal plan of our sovereign God……

Verse 3 begins with suffering. Why, if our hope was only in the glory that is intrinsically in God, would the Apostle begin his explanation by introducing the reality of human suffering? In explaining the doctrine of Christian assurance, of having peace with God, WHY does Paul BEGIN this teaching with talking about suffering? Because it is the endurance of suffering that characteristically identifies that which is true hope.

Notice what the Scripture says in verse 3. "More than that… or not only (which I think is the best sense for translation here)" As if salvation is not enough to hope in…..as if we who were made in the image of God, having fallen short of His glory, now being reconciled to Him….if the glory of God Himself was not prize enough in which to rejoice for eternity……we have MORE THAN THAT. We have cause not only to rejoice in the glory of God in the salvation and redemption of our souls, but also in the salvation and redemption of our bodies! He says that we are to rejoice….not only in the redemption of our souls…..but also in the redemption of our bodies…..We rejoice in sufferings! Why? Because we believe in Him who raised from the dead Jesus our Lord!

We have much to hope in when we consider our Lord Jesus Christ. For Jesus did not only suffer and die to redeem our souls, but also for our bodies. He in whom all the fullness of the Godhead dwells, lived on this earth and endured all of the horrors this life which is part of the creation that was subjected by God to futility….in hope that the creation itself will be set free from bondage to corruption, and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God spoken of in Romans 8:20-21. Jesus endured all that we must endure. He suffered in His body the pains and struggles of this life that we now live, and He suffered rejection and persecution and beatings and nails and thorns and whip and cross. He suffered death. Even death on a cross. And the Scriptures say that He did all this why? For the joy that was set before Him. We have an example in our Lord Jesus Christ, who rejoiced in His sufferings, that we should follow, and rejoice when we suffer.