Have you ever been reading through the bible and you come across a verse and it’s almost as if it just leaps off the page at you? You grab a hold of it and you just kind of tuck that away for a rainy day and you think, “When I get some extra time, I need to sit down and really dive into this verse and really study what it’s saying and dig deeper into this passage.” Well, Romans 5:3-5 if one of those passages!
“Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.”
As you read those three verses, think about the process that is being explained. There are four words that immediately grab our attention: tribulation, perseverance, character, and hope. We see proof in God’s Word that transformation is possible in our times of testing. Verse 3 begins with the phrase, “Not only that.” Not only what? That. What is “that”? If we go back up to vv. 1-2, Paul tells us that as believers, we have received salvation and have been justified by faith. We have peace with God because of Christ. We now stand in grace and we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. So because of those truths, and not only because of those truths, Paul says in verse 3 that “we rejoice in our sufferings.” Our sufferings are our trials, the crises we encounter in our lifetime, and our tribulations. Paul says to rejoice in those times. Rejoice? In our trials and sufferings? Was Paul crazy? No, in fact he knew better than anyone about experiencing the sufferings of this life.
2 Corinthians 11:23-30, “Are they servants of Christ? I am a better one—I am talking like a madman—with far greater labors, far more imprisonments, with countless beatings, and often near death. Five times I received at the hands of the Jews the forty lashes less one. Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I was adrift at sea; on frequent journeys, in danger from rivers, danger from robbers, danger from my own people, danger from Gentiles, danger in the city, danger in the wilderness, danger at sea, danger from false brothers; in toil and hardship, through many a sleepless night, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure. And, apart from other things, there is the daily pressure on me of my anxiety for all the churches. Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is made to fall, and I am not indignant? If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness.”
The Apostle Paul was a man who was very acquainted with tribulations. Hardships were part of his life, so he’s the perfect person to write here in Romans 5 that we should glory in our tribulations because of our status in Christ, and because of our salvation, and our eternal security with God. Is Paul saying that we should be happy for our sufferings? No. Paul was not happy that he went through all those things that he listed in 2 Corinthians 11. He wasn’t thrilled that he had to go through those horrific experiences. So why would he say here in Romans 5 that we should exult or rejoice, boast, and glory in our trials and crises that we’re having? Why should we have joy in the sufferings that we’re going through? He’s saying that we are joyful “for” those troubles that we are enduring, but rather “in.” Paul could rejoice “in” those trials because he was still alive to share the Gospel and tell the story of how the Lord preserved him and brought him through so that he could continue to witness and evangelize. Paul could have died, considering all that he physically endured. Instead of bragging about how he saved himself in his own strength and power, Paul instead tells us that those things show how weak he really is. Paul knew that all the glory and honor goes to God and God alone. God is the One who helped Paul endure and persevere.
Paul knew there was a plan and a purpose for the suffering he experienced. Can we prove it? Yes, because Paul tells us about this confident assurance in the middle of v. 3 with the word, “knowing.” Paul is writing to the believers in Rome, and he is telling them that it’s not only he who should have this confidence, but all believers. We should “know” and understand, realize, and acknowledge something about the tribulations we face in our lives on earth. What does he want us to realize? That tribulation first brings about perseverance. All those trials that you’re going through, all the suffering and trouble you experience is going to result in perseverance. So, because of the tribulation, you have this effect or result of perseverance. So now we know why we can rejoice. Because we know, we have assurance that something is coming from it. It’s not for nothing. You’re not suffering for nothing. Paul is the one writing it and I think if he were here today, he would point us back to that passage in 2 Corinthians 11. Look at the list of stuff that he went through. How could he get through one trial after another, after another? That is perseverance! Perseverance is patience, endurance, patient waiting or patient continuance. It’s steadfastness. The Lord carried him through the onslaught of suffering and helped him persevere so that each time he encountered a trial, he could pull from his previous victories and remember that the Lord has a purpose in his pain. Therefore, Paul tells us in Romans 5:3 that he rejoices in his tribulations, and we should too, because we know and have confident assurance and understanding that there is a purpose for our tribulation. It results in our perseverance. We are able to keep going. And that’s how the transformation happens – through the testing and trials. We’re not going to be transformed without being tested, but the idea is that we’re not suffering in vain. There is a purpose for our pain, and it makes us stronger and able to endure the next trial that comes our way.
Think about a runner, someone who runs races. Their bodies have to be stressed and tested to gain endurance. So, if you’re going to run a marathon, you can’t just get up off the couch and go run a marathon. You start with one mile and then you test yourself with that one mile and then what do you do? You go for two miles, and then you begin to add greater distance. So before long, you can go for five miles, and you go for ten miles. You’re working up building that endurance, right? Think about the sailors that go into the ocean and the sea and all the waves. They have to learn how to steer that ship, so maybe they start training on calm waters and then they try working through rougher waters to build up that endurance. It’s beneficial training for them because they have to know how to be in control of their vessel. Think about soldiers who go to battle. Those who enlist in the military. What do they do first? It is required that they go through basic training. Why? Because they have to be tested. And that training and testing is going to bring about transformation. It’s going to give them the endurance they need for war. So we too, as believers, as soldiers of Christ, are being tested over and over and over and it’s making us build up that perseverance. It’s making us endure so that the next time it comes, the harder it gets, we’re being trained and strengthened to endure it so we can get through it to the other side.
So we have tribulations in life, and those lead to perseverance, and then perseverance leads to proven character. Romans 5:4 says, “…perseverance proven character and proven character hope.” What is proven character? It’s a character that’s been tried. You are a specimen of tried worth. Your proven character is a sign of maturity in your faith, and it speaks of who you are, your integrity. Do you see the chain reaction here? Tribulation leads to perseverance and perseverance leads to proven character. It shows us once again that there is purpose in our pain. Nothing’s wasted – unless you’re just refusing the process. And that’s why we have to be a good steward of our tribulation and let it have its perfect work in us. Because it’s doing something! It’s producing that endurance, and the endurance then develops the strength of character so that other people can see what you went through and how God used it in your life. Proven character proves to you that God is able to bring you through your trial, but it also proves to other people that God can do that too. Your life – everything you go through, is a testimony to everybody who’s watching.
The Bible says that our proven character leads to hope. What is that hope? It’s faith, a joyful, confident expectation of our eternal salvation. The mature character, the approved faith, the tried integrity – that is what is made from this manner of going through the tribulation and developing perseverance. It is producing that hope, that joyful and confident hope of eternal salvation. And really, that’s where our hope is. Our hope is of eternal salvation. We haven’t arrived at that yet. We’ve only received the guarantee, the Bible says in Ephesians 1:13-14 that, “In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.”
What a beautiful picture of our spiritual maturity through this sequence of events we read about in Romans 5:3-5 beginning with tribulations and building on that with perseverance, character, and hope. Through this sequence, we’re growing more and more to look like Christ. It’s so important that we remember the “proven character” comes before hope. Sometimes we want the hope without going through the other things. We would love to have more hope without the tribulation, but that’s not God’s plan. That’s not His design; and I’m glad it’s not because otherwise we wouldn’t realize this hope that is spoken of here in Romans 5:5 – a hope that does not disappoint. Why does it not disappoint? Why does it not put us to shame? Because the rest of that verse tells us, “the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who is given to us.” You know, there are a lot of hopes. There are many people and things in which we can place our hope, but “this” hope, or “such” hope – the hope of our salvation and eternal security will never disappoint. God is going to make good on His Word! My pastor always says, “I’ve never met a single person who has ever regretted putting their faith, hope, and trust in Christ and received salvation.” It’s true. I have never met anyone who has received salvation who has said, “I regret getting saved.” No matter what a believer goes through, the hope they have in Christ is not a hope that causes shame.
Why does the believer’s hope not lead to disappointment? Why does it not put that believer to shame? Well, the Apostle Paul answers that in verse 5 when he says, “because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.” So, hope does not disappoint because God’s love has been poured out. It has been put forth. It’s spilling over and gushing out, right in our hearts through the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit that was given to us, that was furnished for us, that is supplied for us. It’s for our advantage, and that’s the reason we have no shame, because God’s love is in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who’s been given to us. God is trustworthy. God has proven that He cares about us. He’s proven He loves us, and He’s provided everything we need. We have assurance of it because He has given us the Holy Spirit. We have hope God is not going to leave us. His Word says, “I’ll never leave you or forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5-6; Deuteronomy 31:6-8). He calls us His children (Deuteronomy 14:1; 1 John 3:1). And Jesus says nothing can pluck you out of His hand (John 10:28-29). God has poured out His love on you. As a believer, He has given you the Holy Spirit. Your trials and sufferings do not get the last word. If you have put your faith and trust in Christ and received salvation, then death does not have the final word on you.
Turn to the Lord, draw near to Him and He will draw near to you (James 4:8). As you endure each trial that comes your way, you can lean into the arms of Jesus by praying, praising Him, and preaching His truth to your heart. It’s been said by many pastors that “a faith that can’t be tested can’t be trusted.” As tribulation comes, persevere through it. Allow that trial to develop proven character in you as you abide in the hope of your salvation. Do you have the hope of your future? Do you know with confident assurance that your physical death won’t have the final say for you? Do you know that you have life after this earth? We all will spend eternity somewhere. We will all experience physical death, and we’re all going to go to either heaven or hell. Do you know where you’re going? Have you searched your heart?
We can know about God, we can even go to church and be a member of a Sunday school class, or we can be baptized yet still not have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. If you don’t have that confident assurance that you know where you’re going when you leave this earth, please don’t wait another minute. The bible tells us in Romans 10:9-10, “that if we confess with our mouths Jesus is Lord and believe in our hearts that God raised Him from the dead, we will be saved.” Salvation comes by acknowledging that we’re sinners. It comes by putting our faith and trust in Jesus as our Lord and Savior of our lives. It involves repenting – turning away from our sin and turning toward Jesus. Have you done that? If you haven’t, or if you have more questions, or you are curious about anything related to the Bible, please reach out. Please send us a message. We would love to chat more with you about it! We would love to pray with you! Our hope our mission – our goal is to bring people to Christ and encourage them to grow in their faith, and we want nothing more for you than to make sure that you know Christ as your Savior.