In the previous passage, Paul showed how attaining righteousness by faith was in fact the essence of the Old Testament, not its antithesis. In this passage, Paul begins to describe the effects of righteousness by faith. Verses 1 and 2 seemed to show the change in our relationship with God once we embrace the salvation plan. Verses 3 through 5 guide us to a new understanding of suffering and life. The rest of the extract portrays the depth of God's love.
Verses 1 and 2 state that justification by faith leads to peace with God, grace obtained by faith and hope in the glory of God. I found the identification of the temporal status of these three effects quite insightful. For a believer, grace has been received in the past, peace with God is what we possess in the present, and hope is directed to the glory of God that will be manifest in future.
The suffering to hope sequence is quite interesting, especially in light of how I'm trying to understand the tenets of Buddhism. Suffering leads to endurance, endurance to character and character to hope. I wonder if Lucas drew inspiration for the fear to anger to hate to suffering sequence from these verses. Maybe not. Anyway, suffering produces endurance, we persevere under the stress, tell ourselves to carry on in spite of our circumstances. Not to give up and despair.
A very useful definition of character has 'something that has been proven' was offered. It is only in suffering that we identify those who can truly act out what they profess to believe. Trial by fire, and when the conflagration has swept through, individuals who remain standing have had their mettle tested and verified.
Why then, does character lead to hope? I personally understood it as hope based on experience. The experience of surviving a time of testing, leaning on God for support. Each time we do that, the more certain we can be that He is a reliable bedrock. Building up trust, we cling to the final hope of salvation even more tangibly.
Sidetracking a little here, but Buddhism as I understand it, appears to try and eliminate suffering. In Buddhism, the pains and distress of life are held to have their origin in desire. To transcend suffering, desire must be controlled and the self denied. It seems quite a different picture from what Paul presents to the Roman church. Paul takes suffering as a chance to develop personally and grow closer to God.
Perhaps it would be right to say that suffering comes from the knowledge that our situation is not what we wish it could be, what we desire. Certainly, sometimes what we desire is wrong and those should be denied and suppressed. Suppressing desires is one way to understanding suffering and coping with it. I could give an example of envy. Someone looks at what another has and covets it; that longing and jealousy result in the green-eyed someone suffering. No doubt such a desire is unhealthy and should be starved.
However where Christianity begs to differ from Buddhism seems to be that Christianity acknowledges that some desires are worth preserving and fulfilling. Some desires; for a world that is fairer, for an end to hunger, for a transparent and honest government; make us painfully aware that the world is unfair, that people do starve and that many countries are plagued by corruption. Am I correct to understand that Buddism suggests that the first step to end such suffering comes when I simply accept that the world is rife with maladies?
Christianity focuses on the other way to deal with suffering, looking forward to a time when the suffering is at an end, when the wish has been fulfilled. This allows endurance, resilience and determination to pass through a time of suffering and into a better phase. It develops hope. Suffering is accepted because it will all be better in the end. The desire is not killed, but its fulfillment is reserved for the only time when it will truly be sated, in the Kingdom of God.
The second half of the passage assures the Christian that God's love will not fail us. Its unconditional, selfless and merciful nature did not forsake us when we were enemies. So what more will it be, now that the Christian and God are reconciled.
Ergo, in summary, I would say this passage relates this : Righteousness by faith, assured by the sheer magnitude of God's love, reconciles us to God and changes our attitude towards suffering.
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