God is Faithful (even in hard times)

1 Thess 5:23-25

23 Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24 Faithful is He who calls you, and He also will bring it to pass.
25 Brethren, pray for us. NASU

Job 5:17-27

17 "Behold, how happy is the man whom God reproves,
So do not despise the discipline of the Almighty.
18 "For He inflicts pain, and gives relief;
He wounds, and His hands also heal.
19 " From six troubles He will deliver you,
Even in seven evil will not touch you. . .
27 "Behold this; we have investigated it, and so it is.
Hear it, and know for yourself." NASU

Faithful--God is faithful to finish what he starts.

Faithful--God is faithful to stand with us in our hour of desperation.

Faithful--God will not fail, he will not give up.

Faithful--if God has called us, he will complete that calling in us. He finishes what he starts (see Isaiah 66:9).

Think of Adam & Eve, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Gideon, Samson, Deborah, Barak, David, Solomon, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Daniel, Habakkuk, Jonah, Amos, Hosea, the apostles, James, John, Peter, and Paul.

Think of poor young Timothy--his spiritual "father" Paul just died--he had his head removed by the Romans for preaching Christ. And there sits Timothy. He arrived at the prison, the final home of Paul, but Timothy arrived just a bit too late. "Come before winter" Paul requested. Timothy hurried to Rome with parchments and supplies, only he arrived too late. Paul was dead.

We might be tempted to ask Timothy--"Is God really faithful? Does God finish what he starts?"

Tear stained eyes look up at us. A smile shows on a face that was just a moment ago contorted with grief.

"Is God faithful?" Timothy responds with an incredulous grin. He looks at us like we had three heads. "Of course God is faithful!" the disciple of Paul exclaims.

But, we might ask, you just lost your friend, your spiritual father. He is dead, gone, his life ingloriously snuffed out by the mad man Nero. Where is God's faithfulness in all of that?

Remember, dear reader, that God's constant faithfulness is not a guarantee against harm or even hard times. Paul knew that, and he knew the risks. But Paul was confident that God would empower him for the task at hand. He even wrote to dear Timothy--"If we are faithless, God is faithful" (2 Timothy 2:13).

Why is God faithful? Paul tells us it is because God cannot deny himself! God is always true to his own character.

Paul also reminded his disciple that hard times would come since "those who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted" (2 Timothy 3:2). In the midst of the storm, God is unable to deny his own essential nature of covenant love, of covenant fidelity, of faithfulness.

If God suddenly became unfaithful, the universe would literally fly apart at the seams, the world would cease spinning, the moon would crash into the ocean, life would cease, the sun would be snuffed out, the universe would cease its almost infinite growth. God can no more be unfaithful than a human can sprout wings or develop gills. God IS faithful because he is God! God does not change!

So, friend, what trial of darkness are we experiencing? Is it one of our own making, the result of mistakes and missteps in life? Is it an accident, simply the ebb and flow of life? Is it the result of righteousness?

I'll tell you a secret--it doesn't matter where the trial originated--God is faithful still! Romans 8:28 is still in effect. God has not ceased to be God!

Have we blown it? Hundreds of times no doubt! We need to make things right and remember--God works all things together for good.

Have you been treated badly for some good thing you've done? Be glad and remember that all things work together for good. Your present circumstances do not hinder God's faithfulness. God does not falter because your situation is too BIG.

GOD IS FAITHFUL!

For God to be unfaithful, he would have to deny himself. And that, dear friend, will never happen.

Thank you, God, for your steady commitment to us. Thank you for being constant and unmoving in your love for us. Thank you for your kindness that leads us to repent and for your faithfulness that calls us to faithful obedience. Thank you for the life and example of Jesus. Teach us to live as he lived.  Teach us to walk in your faithfulness.

Thank you, dear reader, for reading!

Having a Hard Time? Hang in There

Here are a couple of poems that have often given me encouragement and motivation when in the midst of hard times. For those of you experiencing hardships or just a some down time that seems to never go away, these poems are for you.

"Hast Thou No Scar?" Amy Carmichael

Hast thou no scar?
No hidden scar on foot or side or hand?
I hear thee sung as might in the land,
I hear them hail thy bright ascendant star.
Hast thou no scar?

Hast thou no wound?
Yet I was wounded by the archers,
Spent and leaned me against a tree to die.
And rent by ravening beast that compassed me,
I swooned.
Hast thou no wound?

No wound, no scar.
But as the master must the servant be
And pierced are the feet that follow Me.
Yet thine are whole.
Can he have followed far who had not wound nor scar?

And finally, a little encouraging poem from Samuel Rutherford:

It cost Christ and all his followers sharp showers and hot sweats,
Ere they went to the top of the mountain.
But still our soft natures would have heaven coming to our bedsides while we are sleeping,
That we may go to heaven in warm clothes.

But all who came there found wet feet by the way,
And sharp storms, that did take the hide off thier faces.
And found tos and fros and ups and downs,
And many enemies along the way.

Too often we think we are entitled to avoid problems, or we compare our experiences to others and wonder why our situation is not falling out as favorably for us as for someone else.  Maybe we even think that God is somehow being "unfair" in his treatment of us.  As a former pastor reminded me, we need to develop a "hell up" attitude:  Anything that is above "hell" is a blessing since we deserve hell.  We rarely get what we deserve, but we often are blessed beyond what we should receive.  As you trudge through your hard time, remember that God has not forgotten or forsaken you.  It may "feel" that way, but it is not true.   

I like to read these poems when I am tempted to complain about my situation. They seem kind of harsh to read, but they remind me of William Law's admonition "Whenever you find yourself disposed to uneasiness or murmuring at anything that is the effect of God’s providence, look upon yourself as denying either the wisdom or goodness of God." God's goodness is sometimes inscrutable, especially in the hard times. God has not asked us to suffer as much as we sometimes think, and that is why I like to remind myself with these poems. It reminds me to be thankful for the "easy" way that my Lord has led me.  As John Chrysostom reminds us, "The providence of God shines in every object and every creature in the world.  Do not try to scrutinize God’s motives in acting so generously to you.”


Let me end this post with an anonymous encouragement--"Remember, after every winter is a spring. After every spring is a summer. After every summer is a fall."

Remember that even the life of a Christian contains cycles. You may be going through a hardship today, or you may have it relatively easy. Either way, let's remember that our ancestors in the faith faced even worse. Our way is not easy, but God is good. Hang in there!


Thanks for reading!

All Access: The Privileges of Justification, Romans 5:1-5

Hello all:

I teach an Adult Bible Community at Thomas Road Baptist Church called the G.A.P. (for Graduates and Professionals), and each week I post the outlines and discussion questions from my lessons on the G.A.P. page on Facebook. A while back I started posting these notes on the blog too. So, here is the outline and questions for our meeting on June 27, 2010. The lesson is on Romans 5:1-5 and looks at the advantages or the access that justification provides for those who follow Christ. If you have any questions or would like to add a comment or two, that would be great!

All Access
The Privileges of Justification
Romans 5:1-5

Introduction
Recent travel and some experiences
I noticed in our recent trip that many places are marked off by boundaries or signs warning people away
a. The fence around a field marked as “Private Property”
b. The “No Soliciting” or “Stay off the Grass Sign”
c. The “No Trespassing “ or “Keep Out” sign
d. Employees or Authorized Personnel Only
All of these say “Access Denied” to those who don’t “belong” there

Questions
a. Describe a time when you were tempted to go in where you weren’t “allowed”
b. Have you ever gained “full access” to a celebrity, band, event? How did you feel being able to go where others were “forbidden”?
c. If you could have full access to one celebrity in today’s culture, who would you pick and why?

We have all been denied access to certain things.
There have also been times when we were allowed “access” that we did not expect.
We were given a benefit to get closer than we could before.
We were given “grace” to enter the secret place.

Our passage today describes the access or privileges we receive due to justification

Justification Defined

Galatians 2
A couple of weeks ago we discussed justification by faith
We saw how Paul understood justification to stem primarily from what Christ has accomplished, not from what we bring to the table
Justification means having a right standing with God, being acceptable in his sight

Romans 1-4: God’s good news
Chapters 1-2 consign all of humanity to the position of sinners; that is, we are all rebels fighting against God and his just cause. We are enemies of God.
Chapters 3-4 show the wages of our rebellion (DEATH!) and offer the idea that justification in God’s sight can be found only by faith in what Christ has accomplished. Sinners cannot justify themselves. Justification gives us access to all of God’s holiness, glory, righteousness, and mercy. It gives us access to all of God and his character

This leads us to chapter 5 and the privileges of justification

In Romans 5:1-5, Paul lists three major areas where justification provides access that makes a difference in our lives
a. Our Past
b. Our Present
c. Our Future

Jesus gives all access to the benefits of justification

1. Past Access: Peace with God
Romans 5:1

Paul begins his discussion by reminding the readers of his previous material: “Therefore”
Since we have received a proper standing with God by faith in what Christ has done, Paul shows how that access to God’s grace provides a past privilege

Access to Peace with God
We were enemies to God, rebels bent on doing things our way (Rom. 5:8-10)
We were at war with God and his righteousness or purpose
Paul reminds his readers that when they came to faith in Jesus and his faithfulness, they changed sides in the war.
The wages of sin (DEATH—Rom. 6:23) were no longer required of them. Jesus’ death and resurrection provided for them a pardon. We were declared innocent (even though we weren’t and still aren’t). God has given us Christ’s innocence
Peace is a cessation of hostilities. If we have come to have access to God’s grace through faith in Christ, then we are no longer to live as hostiles/rebels against God . We are not at war, we are at peace.

Jesus has all access to our past
He forgives our sins and brings peace between us and God

2. Present Access: God’s Provision
Romans 5:2-5

Paul reminds his readers that their access to God’s grace does not merely have repercussions for their past, this justification also has an impact on their present lives
Simply stated, Paul tells his readers that justification provides access to the very character of God and his provision for our lives in good and especially bad times

Access to God Himself (v. 2)
a. “Through whom” probably refers to Jesus and all he accomplished on our behalf
b. “Introduction” may be better translated “access”: By means of justification followers of Christ are given total access to God’s grace, even to God’s character!

Jesus provides us all access to God

Access to God Himself (continued)
Think of access to the President: If you or I tried to get into the White House, we’d meet with all kinds of prohibitions or hindrances. Why?
Simply stated, we do not have a relationship with the President that allows total access
The President’s children, however, have full access to their Father whenever they want it (Story of Tad Lincoln and the Confederate soldier)

This is the kind of access Paul addresses here. As children, we have total access to our Father and all the privileges that such an intimacy entails (Rom. 8:11-18)

What does this access to the Father mean for us?
a. Intimacy with God (He is “Abba” who adopted us)
b. Provision for our needs (Phil. 4:19)
c. Love and acceptance

Jesus has all access to his Father, and through him we do too!

Access to God’s provision even in suffering (vv. 3-5 cf. 2 Cor. 4:7-11; 16-18)

Note the use of the word “exult” (which may be translated “rejoice”) in verses 2 and 3. Paul ties our rejoicing in God’s glory with our rejoicing in tribulations
Paul isn’t talking here about enjoying problems; rather, he reports to his readers that access to God provides a reason to operate in hope even when times turn bad
Hope here means something like “a happy certainty” or “confidence” rather than what we usually mean in English by our word “hope”

Note the chain here:
a. Tribulation works perseverance (“patient enduring” cf. James 1:2-4)
b. Perseverance produces proven character
c. Character produces hope

Paul understands trials, and he also understands that trials are not obstacles, but God’s opportunities to work in us more of the character of Jesus. Think of tribulation as God’s opportunity. (2 Cor. 12:9)

According to Paul, it is through tribulations (“Pressure”) that the love of God is revealed in our lives by the Holy Spirit. Without the hope provided by God during the pressure of our lives, we would not know the love of God

Jesus provides all access to God’s love even when things are bad

3. Future Access: God’s Glory
Romans 5:2-5

Paul explains to his readers that justification provides providential access to our past and our present, but it also promises access to a glorious future

Access to the hope of the glory of God (v. 2)
a. This is a reference to eschatology, the end of time
b. It is also a reference to the fullness of God being revealed in and through us
c. It is “heaven,” not just future but in the present time too

In verse 5 Paul indicates that the love of God is poured out in us by the Holy Spirit as our hope is justified by God’s provision in our trials
In other words, as we are “pressed,” God’s glory is revealed as the character of Christ is revealed in our lives

Without a cross, there is no crown. “Suffering is the one and only path to glory.” Stott

“To burn brightly our lives must first experience the flame. In other words, we cease to bless others when we cease to bleed.” L. B. Cowman

“Combat comes before victory. . . . A badly bruised soul is one who is chosen.” L. B. Cowman

There is a process involved that results in the end with God receiving proper glory: perseverance, character, hope, love.

Jesus is our access to God’s future glory since he is God’s glory

Application
So, now what? How do we respond to this?
Honesty compels me to admit I struggled to come up with a good application.

Here is a suggestion:
1. Remind yourself regularly this week of the past, present, and future access that justification gives you. Spend time in Romans 5, let God soak it into your very being, your heart, your soul.

2. As you dwell on what Jesus has accomplished, give a hard look at your character. Where has the trials of your life worked perseverance, character, hope, and love? If you can’t find any, ask God for his help.

3. Look around you this week and see who needs the hope and love of God. Come up with a plan to share that hope and love with them (e.g., share the message of salvation, share a word of encouragement, pray, serve, be the hands and feet of Christ).

Remember, Jesus is our full access.
In him we are not denied our Father’s presence or provision.
We have access to justification and its privileges.

Further Discussion
1. Why is it crucial to know whether or not we have “access” to God? What would prevent our access? Read Romans 3:23; Ephesians 2:1-4; Isaiah 59:1-2. How is access to God granted to us then? Read Romans 5:6-11; Ephesians 2:4-10

2. What are the benefits of justification which Paul expounds in Romans 5:1-5?

3. How did we gain access to God? v. 2

4. What is the hope of the glory of God? v. 2 (cf. Col. 1:27)

5. Why should we rejoice in trials? v. 3

6. How has God used trouble to develop your character? Where do you need more of his help?

7. How do we know God loves us?

Thanks for reading!