THE SUFFERING ONE’S GET GOD’S TWO FOLD ASSURANCE IN THEIR SUFFERING- I LOVE YOU!
In Romans 5:1-9 we see the fruit of God justifying us is, peace with Him, a new standing in grace which speaks of being introduced into this new permanent standing of acceptance with Him, and we are to rejoice, delight in this new permanent position. It is not that we are in and out of His favor but forever in His favor. Access, Hope, Joy, what wonderful truths but in the midst we are then told of… “SUFFERING” or some translations say TRIBULATIONS, the word means “PRESSURES”. It seems so out of place. One minute I am sharing in the heavenlies thinking on these wonderful truths that are mine and every Christians, and then it seems as though the writer has “cut and pasted” the next sentence in the wrong place, the wrong chapter even! It seems so backward as though it does not fit with what we have just been told concerning being justified by God, and the “benefits” of peace with God, standing in grace, access to Him that is permanent,Hope, Rejoicing… and then SUFFERINGS…TROUBLES… “PRESSURES.” He speaks of suffering!…Suffering, what’s that got to do with it? God is wiser than the lot of us and knows that suffering, great pressures, troubles are part and parcel of this life and our need for comfort, assurance. In the context, God twice wants the suffering ones to be assured of His Love for them! Those who suffer need to be assured from God Himself. “I LOVE YOU!”
Many of us THINK troubles, suffering, “pressures” are a lack of God’s love for us. We live in a fallen world where suffering, troubles are part of life. Some suffer for their identification with Christ. Some suffer from illness, physical, emotional, circumstantial pressures, some from the hands of others. But we have the assurance that, “WE KNOW,” God works it all together for good to those who love Him and are the called. The Good?
- Conforming us to the image of His Son. -{Romans 8:28-29}
- Using circumstances to advance the Gospel, encourage His people and glorify Himself.
- Suffering can be used of Him to develop spiritual maturity. {1 Peter 5:10.}
Paul was “chosen to suffer,”{Acts 9}, AND YET he writes of suffering and assures despite it, to be assured, God loves us. Our wrong reasoning, the fiery darts of our foe, goes something like this… “If God loved me why would He allow this trouble, suffering “pressure” in my life? It must be an evidence of the lack of God’s love for us, for me.” This is often the popular theory and creates DOUBTS in the minds of people. Trouble equals a lack of GOD’S LOVE many think but Romans 5:5-8 shows that while we were, sinners, ungodly, enemies, helpless – this is a portrait of every human, Christ died for us! There is a glorious “BUT GOD…”to those who suffer. God gives two assurances of His Love for us and it is in the context of suffering, tribulations, pressures.
TWO EVIDENCES OF GOD’S LOVE FOR YOU in times of pressure, troubles, sufferings…
1. – THE HOLY SPIRIT TESTIFIES; – “the love of God has been shed “poured” abroad in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been Gifted to us.”- Romans 5:5. This has to do with the EXPERIENTIAL work of the GIFT of the Holy Spirit, and part of His Work is to ASSURE us that we are loved, yet,… yet… when trouble comes we often are tempted and yet often CHOOSE to YIELD to the temptation and DOUBT God loves us because we WRONGLY THINK, ” how could God love me if I have suffering, troubles, pressures, shouldn’t God keep me FROM them?” The Scripture teaches NO! Settle it in your MIND! God lets us know troubles are part of life… YOUR LIFE…my Life… and that HOPE does not disappoint because the LOVE of God has been made known to us…GOD’S LOVE is KNOWN in the midst of suffering! This LOVE is KNOWN IN the midst of Pressures.
There are times like the three Hebrew youths who were put in the fire God delivers, there are times when God does not deliver like Paul who asked the Lord three times to remove the thorn. In each of these two cases of suffering God had purpose in their pain. He would bring forth good from it. The Hebrew youths were willing to be burned alive rather than compromise their allegiance to the LORD. It was in the fire that the evil foe who had thrown them in there saw a fourth ONE! God delivered them having testified of Himself to the evil foe. Paul was denied the removal of the thorn but was assured of present tense grace to empower Him and that God said His power was manifested through weakness! Paul saw it, embraced His Words and said, “gladly will I glory…for when I am weak I am strong.” Suffering works for good in His hands! Jesus said in this world you will have trouble! Yet we have been told and believe the lie that God does not love you if you are suffering, having trouble when the Scripture tell us we will have “tribulations, suffering-PRESSURES,” and in the midst of trouble comes the TWO-FOLD ASSURANCE – He love you, me, us. Firstly by the gift of the Holy Spirit who pours out continuously in our hearts THE LOVE OF GOD- to ASSURE US- GOD LOVES YOU. THE GIFT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT AND HIS MINISTRY IS PARTLY TO ASSURE US THAT GOD LOVES YOU…SECONDLY…
2.- THE CROSS OF JESUS CHRIST TESTIFIES; – Look at the cross!
“But God demonstrates {PROVES} His love towards us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us.”-v8. He proved His love for us while we were sinners, enemies, ungodly and helpless, Christ died for us. He died for our sin that we may not die in them but live to God! Objectively, we are to look at the cross of Jesus Christ! In the MIDST of troubles, suffering “PRESSURES,” His cross DECLARES- I LOVE YOU!
WE MUST LEARN TO “RENEW OUR MIND…” TO THINK ON THE TRUTH THAT LEADS TO THE ACT OF TRUSTING HIM WHO LOVES US.
SUBMISSION TO HIS TRUTH TRANSFORMS OUR THINKING- {Romans 12:2}
Troubles, Suffering or as the word in the Greek means “PRESSURES” is not a demonstration of a lack of God’s Love for you but in the midst He wants you to be ASSURED you are loved by Him!
He does this through His gift of the Holy Spirit to assure you He loves you through pouring out His love in your heart to assure you I LOVE YOU.
Secondly in the midst of pressures He wants you to THINK RIGHT, THINK ON TRUTH- HE LOVES YOU. How do you Know? THINK ON THE CROSS… and who specifically was on the Cross- The Person of Jesus Christ! God gave His Son as a demonstration of His love of commitment to you and me. The essence of Loving is Giving. God could give no greater love than His Son! The context is in the midst of “Suffering,” “tribulation”- “PRESSURES.” HE ASSURES us HE LOVES US- LOOK TO THE CROSS OF CHRIST, and that He was there as your substitute, your sin offering. He died for your sin that you may not die IN your sin, but have eternal life! This is love, not that we loved Him but that HE LOVED US and PROVED it through the giving of Himself for you on the cross! We live in a fallen world, troubles, suffering PRESSURES are part and parcel of it. But the ASSURANCE in the midst is meant to produce Hope and Rest of heart that we are LOVED.
* Difficult Circumstances are not the INDICATOR that God DOES NOT LOVE YOU…but Look and TRUST His Word- His ACTIONS of the GIFT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT to ASSURE US WITHIN AND OBJECTIVELY- THE CROSS OF JESUS CHRIST- THAT GOD LOVES YOU!
THE FRUIT OF SUFFERING;
Suffering when responded TO by faith through the assurance of His Word, is meant to produce certain traits in us,{See Romans 5:3-4}. When we respond wrong because we THINK wrong in our troubles and doubt God’s love, we respond sinfully. We produces anger, resentment, DOUBTS about God, accusations against God, bitterness which we spread and slander God to others. But when suffering is Chosen to be handled God’s way to see TROUBLES are part of this fallen world and that He is developing us in these troubles {v3-4;James 1:2-5 ,12} and when we respond His way obeying His Word trusting Him, that it produces endurance, character, hope and LOVE does not disappoint! His love is revealed in the midst through the GIFT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT TO US and THE CROSS OF JESUS CHRIST! GOD LOVES YOU… TROUBLES DO NOT SHOW A LACK OF LOVE FOR YOU, BUT IN THE TROUBLES HE WANTS YOU TO BE ASSURED “I LOVE YOU!” Through the GIFT of the Holy Spirit and the CROSS of Jesus Christ. The Gift of the Holy Spirit pouring out continuously in our heart the love of God and the other – the cross of Christ! THINK RIGHT ABOUT GOD IN YOUR SUFFERING, TROUBLES, PRESSURES- GOD LOVES YOU! Does it make the pain go away? Not necessarily. What it does is enable you to think correctly and REJOICE in the ASSURANCE THAT IN THE MIDST GOD LOVES YOU!
SETTLE IT IN YOUR…MIND!
Nothing absolutely nothing can separate you from the LOVE OF GOD- Rom 8:35-39. THINK…THINK…THINK… THROUGH THE LENS OF SCRIPTURE…. GOD LOVES YOU, troubles do not negate it! TRUST HIM WHO GAVE HIS SON FOR YOU!
TWICE GOD ASSURES THE SUFFERING ONES THAT HE LOVES THEM. WHY?
Because often in suffering we can doubt He does. Love strengthens us. We need assurance. At times based on our own “feelings” or misinterpreting circumstances, we can conclude that suffering “proves” He does not love us! He encourages us by twice emphasizing He loves us where Paul mentions the word, “love,” twice! Though to be honest all of His Gifts including…
Justification,
Peace,
Access,
Standing in grace – His unending Favor are all evidences of His love!
Think on these aspects when you find yourself in troubles, under pressure. Counteract the lie with TRUTH!
** Troubles are not the problem but our THINKING is, when we doubt the Love of God in them, and CHOOSE not to believe His Word or the Work of His Son!
GOD gives TWO ASSURANCES that He loves you according to Romans 5:5-9! This is Good news, this is TRUE NEWS according to the WORD OF GOD… and the proper response is to KNOW THE TRUTH AND… REJOICE!
Share the good news with someone today of the TWO EVIDENCES of THE ASSURANCES OF GOD’S LOVE FOR THEM IN THE MIDST OF SUFFERING AND TROUBLES…
“Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God. 3 And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; 4 and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; 5 and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.
6 For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For one will hardly die for a righteous man; though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die. 8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him.”- Romans 5:1-9.