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Endurance Produces Hope

for whatever was before written in the scriptures, it is for our instruction so that through endurance and through the encouragement of scriptures having hope. Now, the God of endurance and encouragement give you that in each other according to Jesus Christ so in accord in one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. (Romans 15:4-6)

In these scriptures, Paul is giving us how the body in whole, will with one voice glorify God, through the building up of each other. Is there anything more important to God than that we glorify God? Therefore build one another up, "for God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we might live with him. Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing" (1 Thessalonians 5:9-11). We have one hope of our calling to which we were called (Ephesians 4:4). For the building up of the body, with the end goal that we glorify God, the Scriptures were written to teach us, so that through endurance and encouragement we have hope.  The scriptures say that hope comes through endurance. 

"Now, not only rather also rejoice in our suffering knowing that suffering works out endurance, now, endurance proof, now, proof hope and hope doesn't disappoint us because the love of God is poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, the one given to us" (Romans 5:3-5)

There is a lot in this verse to unpack. The Holy Spirit not only pours out love into our hearts but also that we abound in hope. "Now, the God of hope fills you with all joy and peace in believing to the extent that you abound in hope, in the power of the Holy Spirit" (Romans 15:13). We see hope is importantly connected to our joy and peace. In truth, hope is an element of faith, "faith exists hope, assurance, and proof of things not seen" (Hebrews 11:1, my translation). Notice also that proof is an element of faith, ἔλεγχος (elenchos) a trial in order to proof, a proof; meton. a certain persuasion. It is often translated as a proving or testing of the genuineness of our faith. Strong's Exhaustive Concordance says faith has a root word which means persuasion. So the proving of our faith is to persuade. The word proof in Romans 5:4-5, δοκιμή (dokimē) means a trial, proof by trial; proof, document, evidence. 

".... hope doesn't disappoint us because the love of God is poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit."

So faith has proof or evidence in which hope is one, and it is endurance that works out the proof and the proof works out hope and hope doesn't disappoint us because of God's love is filling us. Faith without love is nothing and agape love believes or has faith. (1 Corinthians 13:2, 7). Faith working through love gives us strength (Galatians 5:6). Thus the God of hope fills you with all joy and peace and love so that we abound in hope, in the Holy Spirit. What is the connection of hope with the Holy Spirit? "hope doesn't disappoint us because the love of God is poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit."

"... rejoice in our suffering knowing that suffering works out endurance, now, endurance proof..." 

Hope is worked out through suffering. We have several other scriptures in James and Peter to support the idea that suffering works out endurance and that the work of endurance, which is proving of our faith, produces maturity. "Consider it joy my brothers when you encounter various kinds of trials knowing that the proving of your faith works out endurance, now having endurance having its worked maturity so that existing perfect and complete, lacking in nothing" (James 1:2-4). The word perfect and mature are the same word. It is fighting the good fight of faith or running a race toward the goal, in the hopes to attain it fully when we finish. The goal is maturity, complete or whole lacking in nothing. Is not wholeness or completeness or fullness a great prize in Christ? And how would the outcome of such reaching toward the goal of wholeness express itself but in the fruit of the Spirit, joy, peace, hope, and love..? Let's look at what Peter has to say in regards to proving and endurance.

"In this rejoice if at the present in a little sorrow in various trials so that the proving of your faith (more precious than gold that perishes) proven through the fire, now, may be found to the extent praise and glory and honor in the revelation of Jesus Christ." (1 Peter 1:6-7)

Paul prays that we would have a spirit of wisdom and revelation in Jesus Christ, that we would know the hope of our calling (Ephesians 1:17-18). Praise and honor and glory to know God. The glory of the knowledge of God. Now, we give glory to God as we are conformed to the image of Christ, built up into him, into the fullness of his image, into mature adulthood (Ephesians 4:13). "And everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself, just as he is pure." (1 John 3:3) Hoping in Christ leads to godliness. Reflecting the image of Christ in us, reflects the image of the Father and His glory, as the Son is the exact representation of his glory, shining in his face, which tells us the glory is in the knowledge of God. When we find the knowledge of God acceptable and approve of God in our minds, we glorify him. The Son glorifies the Father in making the Father known to us. 

"remembering before our God and Father your work of faith and the labor of love and the endurance of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ." (1 Thessalonians 1:3)

The endurance of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. We who have placed our hope in Christ are to be the praise of His glory (Ephesians 1:12). What does this mean? As we place our hope in Him and grow in the knowledge of the Son, we know God more and more and how we are known by God, and we bear fruit worthy of his name. We exist to the praise of His glory. The suffering is a proving that produces a mind that approves of knowing God, so we "may be found to the extent praise and glory and honor in the revelation of Jesus Christ." It is much more glory to abide in glory, in Jesus, and such hope gives us great boldness (2 Corinthians 3:10-12). 

for with respect to this reason, we are toiling and struggling, since, “We have placed our hope in the living God, who is the Savior of all people, particularly of those who believe.” (1 Timothy 4:10)

Paul writes the helmet of salvation is of hope (1 Thessalonians 5:8). We are loved by the Father and given eternal encouragement and good hope in grace (2 Thessalonians 2:16). It is in grace that we stand, which we have access to by faith, that we can rejoice in hope of sharing in the glory of God, not only that but can rejoice in suffering knowing endurance produces hope (Romans 5:1-5). The glorious riches of a mystery are made known to us, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory (Colossians 1:27). Our hope is not in earthly prosperity, "neither hope on the uncertainty of riches but on God who grants to us all things richly for our enjoyment" (1 Timothy 6:17). We are blessed with heavenly riches in Christ. (Ephesians 1). 

"And everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself, just as he is pure." (1 John 3:3)

We who set our hope in Christ purify ourselves and await the blessed hope, "for the grace of God appeared to all people teaching us so that we deny the ungodliness and worldly passions, living right-minded and justly and piously in the present age, waiting for the blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ," (Titus 2:11-13). 

blessed the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the one according to his great mercy begotten us unto a living hope... the one in the power of God guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. (1 Peter 1:3) 

Christ is a living hope, and we are birth into this living hope through the resurrection of Christ from the dead, to an inheritance imperishable and undefiled and unfading (1 Peter 1:3-4). "If our hope in Christ is for this life only, we are of all men most to be pitied" (1 Corinthians 15:19). There is hope set before us we must hold fast to, "so that through two unchangeable facts, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have taken refuge might have strong incentive to hold fast to the hope set before us." (Hebrews 6:18) And "we have this as an anchor for life, both sure and steadfast.." (Hebrews 6:19).

"Let us continue to hold fast the hope that we confess without wavering, for the one who made the promise is faithful." (Hebrews 10:23)

Peter tells us that through suffering there is a proving of our faith by fire, unto glory or as Paul writes glorification. We are to "gird up the loins of our mind, sober-minded, hoping, maturing to the extent of grace brought to us in the revelation of Jesus Christ." (1 Peter 1:13) What maturity? "like as children of obedience not conforming to the desires you had in your time of ignorance, rather as the one calling you is holy also become you, become holy in all your conduct, for it is written 'be holy because I am holy.'" (1 Peter 1:14-15). We see that hope is an important part of fighting the good fight of faith, to lay hold of eternal life to which we were called (1 Timothy 6:12). If I am called to eternal life, chosen by God to be holy, blameless in his presence in love, then I am called to holiness. 

and not only, rather also we groan ourselves, having the first-fruit of the Spirit, groan in us also awaiting our adoption, the redemption of our bodies. For that hope saves. Now, hope that is seen is not hope, for who hopes for what he sees? Now, if we hope in whom not seeing, we expect through endurance. (Romans 8:23-25)

We have hope, expectation through endurance. Faith exists in things not seen, thus we who have put our hope in Christ, as our living hope, have evidence of things unseen. But there is a way hope abounds. Hope abounds as endurance does its intended work of producing maturity. And not only this but hope doesn't disappoint because God's love is poured out into our hearts. "Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things" (1 Corinthians 13:7). Paul writes the hope that is laid up for us in heaven is something that is heard in the word of truth, the gospel (Colossians 1:4-5). We need more preaching of hope. As our faith increases, we have victory becoming sons of obedience, as such God's love is given to us more and more, as we become obedient; hope doesn't disappoint. "And now remain faith, hope, and love..." (1 Corinthians 13:13) Thus if hoping in the living hope we expect through endurance to abound in hope, in the power of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit intercedes for us, too deep for words, as we await the glorious freedom as children of God, in this, we have much hope to endure.

"For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing before our Lord Jesus at his coming? Is it not indeed you?" (1 Thessalonians 2:19)




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