Romans 9

Romans 9:1

A Happy Man

Romans 4:1. Paul now highlights two important people from Israel’s history in the Old Testament to clarify that God’s righteousness can only be obtained by faith. You also saw this in the previous section with respect to the law. God takes special care to demonstrate that man has no part in obtaining God’s righteousness. Everything comes from Him. The more you understand this, the more you will honor Him for it in your life.

Romans 4:2. Abraham is mentioned first. He was the patriarch (father) of the Jews. God traced the origin of the people of Israel to Abraham’s descendants. The Jews boasted in this fact. They even used it in their arguments with the Lord Jesus. They said: “We are Abraham’s descendants” (John 8:33). They thought that being Abraham’s posterity, they were rather privileged. After all, the promises had been given to him. In addition the law had been too difficult for them to keep, but God would at least bless them (they thought) because they were Abraham’s posterity.

Romans 4:2-3. But this is not how it works. You and I are not blessed because our ancestors were blessed. If our ancestors were blessed, it is because they believed God, not because they deserved it. We too receive the blessing only through personal faith with God as its object. This was the case with Abraham and so it is with his posterity. Scripture says: “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.”

The object of faith is not a man, but the clear word of God. In Genesis 15 God promised Abraham an heir and numerous posterity. Abraham believed this even when, humanly speaking, it was no longer possible to have children. He and Sarah were too old for that, but he still trusted God to fulfill His promise. This faith was reckoned to him as righteousness (Genesis 15:6).

Romans 4:4-5. When God was going to fulfill His promises, he was not expecting Abraham to help Him. If Abraham had been able to help in this, he would have deserved some kind of payment because he had worked for it. Just as with Abraham, so with you; you are justified by faith. You are then not honored, but God is glorified.

Romans 4:6-8. Your happiness is to be found in receiving God’s righteousness without having to work for it. In Psalms 32 David speaks about righteousness without works. Read in how he says: “I acknowledged my sin to You, and my iniquity I did not hide. I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord.”” And what does God do? “And You forgave the iniquity of my sin” (Psalms 32:5).

If we acknowledge our sins instead of covering them up, then God does exactly the reverse with them. He forgives them. He puts them where they can no longer be seen. How happy you are once you know this! God no longer imputes our confessed sins because Christ shed His blood for them. How marvelous and what grace!

Words fail to express the wonder of what God has done to make us righteous. People whose sins have been forgiven are happy people. At times, we can be in difficult circumstances, but our sins are no longer a source of unease. All of this has been dealt with perfectly. God Himself is the guarantee for it because He did it Himself.

Now read Romans 4:1-8 again.

Reflection: Realize that God no longer thinks of your sins.

Romans 9:2

A Happy Man

Romans 4:1. Paul now highlights two important people from Israel’s history in the Old Testament to clarify that God’s righteousness can only be obtained by faith. You also saw this in the previous section with respect to the law. God takes special care to demonstrate that man has no part in obtaining God’s righteousness. Everything comes from Him. The more you understand this, the more you will honor Him for it in your life.

Romans 4:2. Abraham is mentioned first. He was the patriarch (father) of the Jews. God traced the origin of the people of Israel to Abraham’s descendants. The Jews boasted in this fact. They even used it in their arguments with the Lord Jesus. They said: “We are Abraham’s descendants” (John 8:33). They thought that being Abraham’s posterity, they were rather privileged. After all, the promises had been given to him. In addition the law had been too difficult for them to keep, but God would at least bless them (they thought) because they were Abraham’s posterity.

Romans 4:2-3. But this is not how it works. You and I are not blessed because our ancestors were blessed. If our ancestors were blessed, it is because they believed God, not because they deserved it. We too receive the blessing only through personal faith with God as its object. This was the case with Abraham and so it is with his posterity. Scripture says: “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.”

The object of faith is not a man, but the clear word of God. In Genesis 15 God promised Abraham an heir and numerous posterity. Abraham believed this even when, humanly speaking, it was no longer possible to have children. He and Sarah were too old for that, but he still trusted God to fulfill His promise. This faith was reckoned to him as righteousness (Genesis 15:6).

Romans 4:4-5. When God was going to fulfill His promises, he was not expecting Abraham to help Him. If Abraham had been able to help in this, he would have deserved some kind of payment because he had worked for it. Just as with Abraham, so with you; you are justified by faith. You are then not honored, but God is glorified.

Romans 4:6-8. Your happiness is to be found in receiving God’s righteousness without having to work for it. In Psalms 32 David speaks about righteousness without works. Read in how he says: “I acknowledged my sin to You, and my iniquity I did not hide. I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord.”” And what does God do? “And You forgave the iniquity of my sin” (Psalms 32:5).

If we acknowledge our sins instead of covering them up, then God does exactly the reverse with them. He forgives them. He puts them where they can no longer be seen. How happy you are once you know this! God no longer imputes our confessed sins because Christ shed His blood for them. How marvelous and what grace!

Words fail to express the wonder of what God has done to make us righteous. People whose sins have been forgiven are happy people. At times, we can be in difficult circumstances, but our sins are no longer a source of unease. All of this has been dealt with perfectly. God Himself is the guarantee for it because He did it Himself.

Now read Romans 4:1-8 again.

Reflection: Realize that God no longer thinks of your sins.

Romans 9:3

A Happy Man

Romans 4:1. Paul now highlights two important people from Israel’s history in the Old Testament to clarify that God’s righteousness can only be obtained by faith. You also saw this in the previous section with respect to the law. God takes special care to demonstrate that man has no part in obtaining God’s righteousness. Everything comes from Him. The more you understand this, the more you will honor Him for it in your life.

Romans 4:2. Abraham is mentioned first. He was the patriarch (father) of the Jews. God traced the origin of the people of Israel to Abraham’s descendants. The Jews boasted in this fact. They even used it in their arguments with the Lord Jesus. They said: “We are Abraham’s descendants” (John 8:33). They thought that being Abraham’s posterity, they were rather privileged. After all, the promises had been given to him. In addition the law had been too difficult for them to keep, but God would at least bless them (they thought) because they were Abraham’s posterity.

Romans 4:2-3. But this is not how it works. You and I are not blessed because our ancestors were blessed. If our ancestors were blessed, it is because they believed God, not because they deserved it. We too receive the blessing only through personal faith with God as its object. This was the case with Abraham and so it is with his posterity. Scripture says: “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.”

The object of faith is not a man, but the clear word of God. In Genesis 15 God promised Abraham an heir and numerous posterity. Abraham believed this even when, humanly speaking, it was no longer possible to have children. He and Sarah were too old for that, but he still trusted God to fulfill His promise. This faith was reckoned to him as righteousness (Genesis 15:6).

Romans 4:4-5. When God was going to fulfill His promises, he was not expecting Abraham to help Him. If Abraham had been able to help in this, he would have deserved some kind of payment because he had worked for it. Just as with Abraham, so with you; you are justified by faith. You are then not honored, but God is glorified.

Romans 4:6-8. Your happiness is to be found in receiving God’s righteousness without having to work for it. In Psalms 32 David speaks about righteousness without works. Read in how he says: “I acknowledged my sin to You, and my iniquity I did not hide. I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord.”” And what does God do? “And You forgave the iniquity of my sin” (Psalms 32:5).

If we acknowledge our sins instead of covering them up, then God does exactly the reverse with them. He forgives them. He puts them where they can no longer be seen. How happy you are once you know this! God no longer imputes our confessed sins because Christ shed His blood for them. How marvelous and what grace!

Words fail to express the wonder of what God has done to make us righteous. People whose sins have been forgiven are happy people. At times, we can be in difficult circumstances, but our sins are no longer a source of unease. All of this has been dealt with perfectly. God Himself is the guarantee for it because He did it Himself.

Now read Romans 4:1-8 again.

Reflection: Realize that God no longer thinks of your sins.

Romans 9:4

A Happy Man

Romans 4:1. Paul now highlights two important people from Israel’s history in the Old Testament to clarify that God’s righteousness can only be obtained by faith. You also saw this in the previous section with respect to the law. God takes special care to demonstrate that man has no part in obtaining God’s righteousness. Everything comes from Him. The more you understand this, the more you will honor Him for it in your life.

Romans 4:2. Abraham is mentioned first. He was the patriarch (father) of the Jews. God traced the origin of the people of Israel to Abraham’s descendants. The Jews boasted in this fact. They even used it in their arguments with the Lord Jesus. They said: “We are Abraham’s descendants” (John 8:33). They thought that being Abraham’s posterity, they were rather privileged. After all, the promises had been given to him. In addition the law had been too difficult for them to keep, but God would at least bless them (they thought) because they were Abraham’s posterity.

Romans 4:2-3. But this is not how it works. You and I are not blessed because our ancestors were blessed. If our ancestors were blessed, it is because they believed God, not because they deserved it. We too receive the blessing only through personal faith with God as its object. This was the case with Abraham and so it is with his posterity. Scripture says: “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.”

The object of faith is not a man, but the clear word of God. In Genesis 15 God promised Abraham an heir and numerous posterity. Abraham believed this even when, humanly speaking, it was no longer possible to have children. He and Sarah were too old for that, but he still trusted God to fulfill His promise. This faith was reckoned to him as righteousness (Genesis 15:6).

Romans 4:4-5. When God was going to fulfill His promises, he was not expecting Abraham to help Him. If Abraham had been able to help in this, he would have deserved some kind of payment because he had worked for it. Just as with Abraham, so with you; you are justified by faith. You are then not honored, but God is glorified.

Romans 4:6-8. Your happiness is to be found in receiving God’s righteousness without having to work for it. In Psalms 32 David speaks about righteousness without works. Read in how he says: “I acknowledged my sin to You, and my iniquity I did not hide. I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord.”” And what does God do? “And You forgave the iniquity of my sin” (Psalms 32:5).

If we acknowledge our sins instead of covering them up, then God does exactly the reverse with them. He forgives them. He puts them where they can no longer be seen. How happy you are once you know this! God no longer imputes our confessed sins because Christ shed His blood for them. How marvelous and what grace!

Words fail to express the wonder of what God has done to make us righteous. People whose sins have been forgiven are happy people. At times, we can be in difficult circumstances, but our sins are no longer a source of unease. All of this has been dealt with perfectly. God Himself is the guarantee for it because He did it Himself.

Now read Romans 4:1-8 again.

Reflection: Realize that God no longer thinks of your sins.

Romans 9:5

Abraham’s Posterity

Romans 4:9-10. I have to take you back to Genesis 17 to help you understand the subject of Rom 4:9-12. When treating Romans 2:28-29, I also alluded to this. You may want to read that section again as a reminder. In Genesis 17 we read about a covenant God made with Abraham. As a sign of this covenant, all boys and men had to be circumcised. This was an outward sign that every boy received on the eighth day after his birth. With this sign God separated all of the people who were to be born as Abraham’s descendants – Israel – from the rest of mankind. It was a great privilege to belong to God’s earthly people.

But as to receiving the righteousness of God, there is no difference for God. It doesn’t matter whether you belong outwardly to God’s people to know the happiness that forgiveness brings. The thing that matters is what’s on the inside – your faith in Him. When Abraham’s faith was reckoned as righteousness, he had not yet been circumcised.

Romans 4:11-12. He received circumcision as a seal of the faith he had when he had not as yet been circumcised. This is brought out here to indicate that Abraham is not only the father of a literal posterity, the people of Israel, but that he is the father of a spiritual posterity as well.

In fact, there are three kinds of posterity. In Romans 4:11 he first is called the father of the uncircumcised. This deals with non-Jews who, being uncircumcised, believed in the same way as Abraham did when he hadn’t as yet been circumcised. This is the first kind of posterity.

In Romans 4:12 you find the second and third kinds of posterity. He is called the father of circumcision which deals with his literal posterity, the people of Israel, but this literal posterity consists of two groups. The first group is Abraham’s posterity outwardly by the outward (physical) circumcision. The second group is Abraham’s posterity both in an outward sense and in a spiritual sense. These people show they are Abraham’s spiritual posterity by walking in the footsteps of the faith he had while he was still uncircumcised.

Romans 4:13-15. The promise that Abraham and his posterity would inherit the world wasn’t given as part of the law. The law has a different connection than circumcision between God and his earthly people. In Abraham’s days, the law was many years in the future.

If a law had been given by which they could obtain the promise, then faith would have been no longer necessary because the promise would have been dependent upon personal merit or effort. However, this would have resulted only in wrath rather than a fulfillment of the promise because no one could fulfill the demands of the law. The certainty of the promise is in faith and grace. Everything is strongly linked with God Who is the Object of the faith and the One Who shows grace.

Romans 4:16-17. To Abraham, God was personally present. Abraham believed Him, trusted Him and knew He could work where, as a man, he was powerless. To Abraham, God could raise the dead, just as He calls into being that which does not exist. Look at creation! Psalms 33 says: “For He spoke, and it was done; He commanded, and it stood fast” (Psalms 33:9).

By believing in this way, Abraham was made by God “a father of many nations”. Similarly to when Abraham believed God’s words, you who know God in your life may hold Him to the promises He has given you in His Word.

Now read Romans 4:9-17 again.

Reflection: Are there any promises that God has made to you? Do you trust Him to keep them?

Romans 9:6

Abraham’s Posterity

Romans 4:9-10. I have to take you back to Genesis 17 to help you understand the subject of Rom 4:9-12. When treating Romans 2:28-29, I also alluded to this. You may want to read that section again as a reminder. In Genesis 17 we read about a covenant God made with Abraham. As a sign of this covenant, all boys and men had to be circumcised. This was an outward sign that every boy received on the eighth day after his birth. With this sign God separated all of the people who were to be born as Abraham’s descendants – Israel – from the rest of mankind. It was a great privilege to belong to God’s earthly people.

But as to receiving the righteousness of God, there is no difference for God. It doesn’t matter whether you belong outwardly to God’s people to know the happiness that forgiveness brings. The thing that matters is what’s on the inside – your faith in Him. When Abraham’s faith was reckoned as righteousness, he had not yet been circumcised.

Romans 4:11-12. He received circumcision as a seal of the faith he had when he had not as yet been circumcised. This is brought out here to indicate that Abraham is not only the father of a literal posterity, the people of Israel, but that he is the father of a spiritual posterity as well.

In fact, there are three kinds of posterity. In Romans 4:11 he first is called the father of the uncircumcised. This deals with non-Jews who, being uncircumcised, believed in the same way as Abraham did when he hadn’t as yet been circumcised. This is the first kind of posterity.

In Romans 4:12 you find the second and third kinds of posterity. He is called the father of circumcision which deals with his literal posterity, the people of Israel, but this literal posterity consists of two groups. The first group is Abraham’s posterity outwardly by the outward (physical) circumcision. The second group is Abraham’s posterity both in an outward sense and in a spiritual sense. These people show they are Abraham’s spiritual posterity by walking in the footsteps of the faith he had while he was still uncircumcised.

Romans 4:13-15. The promise that Abraham and his posterity would inherit the world wasn’t given as part of the law. The law has a different connection than circumcision between God and his earthly people. In Abraham’s days, the law was many years in the future.

If a law had been given by which they could obtain the promise, then faith would have been no longer necessary because the promise would have been dependent upon personal merit or effort. However, this would have resulted only in wrath rather than a fulfillment of the promise because no one could fulfill the demands of the law. The certainty of the promise is in faith and grace. Everything is strongly linked with God Who is the Object of the faith and the One Who shows grace.

Romans 4:16-17. To Abraham, God was personally present. Abraham believed Him, trusted Him and knew He could work where, as a man, he was powerless. To Abraham, God could raise the dead, just as He calls into being that which does not exist. Look at creation! Psalms 33 says: “For He spoke, and it was done; He commanded, and it stood fast” (Psalms 33:9).

By believing in this way, Abraham was made by God “a father of many nations”. Similarly to when Abraham believed God’s words, you who know God in your life may hold Him to the promises He has given you in His Word.

Now read Romans 4:9-17 again.

Reflection: Are there any promises that God has made to you? Do you trust Him to keep them?

Romans 9:7

Abraham’s Posterity

Romans 4:9-10. I have to take you back to Genesis 17 to help you understand the subject of Rom 4:9-12. When treating Romans 2:28-29, I also alluded to this. You may want to read that section again as a reminder. In Genesis 17 we read about a covenant God made with Abraham. As a sign of this covenant, all boys and men had to be circumcised. This was an outward sign that every boy received on the eighth day after his birth. With this sign God separated all of the people who were to be born as Abraham’s descendants – Israel – from the rest of mankind. It was a great privilege to belong to God’s earthly people.

But as to receiving the righteousness of God, there is no difference for God. It doesn’t matter whether you belong outwardly to God’s people to know the happiness that forgiveness brings. The thing that matters is what’s on the inside – your faith in Him. When Abraham’s faith was reckoned as righteousness, he had not yet been circumcised.

Romans 4:11-12. He received circumcision as a seal of the faith he had when he had not as yet been circumcised. This is brought out here to indicate that Abraham is not only the father of a literal posterity, the people of Israel, but that he is the father of a spiritual posterity as well.

In fact, there are three kinds of posterity. In Romans 4:11 he first is called the father of the uncircumcised. This deals with non-Jews who, being uncircumcised, believed in the same way as Abraham did when he hadn’t as yet been circumcised. This is the first kind of posterity.

In Romans 4:12 you find the second and third kinds of posterity. He is called the father of circumcision which deals with his literal posterity, the people of Israel, but this literal posterity consists of two groups. The first group is Abraham’s posterity outwardly by the outward (physical) circumcision. The second group is Abraham’s posterity both in an outward sense and in a spiritual sense. These people show they are Abraham’s spiritual posterity by walking in the footsteps of the faith he had while he was still uncircumcised.

Romans 4:13-15. The promise that Abraham and his posterity would inherit the world wasn’t given as part of the law. The law has a different connection than circumcision between God and his earthly people. In Abraham’s days, the law was many years in the future.

If a law had been given by which they could obtain the promise, then faith would have been no longer necessary because the promise would have been dependent upon personal merit or effort. However, this would have resulted only in wrath rather than a fulfillment of the promise because no one could fulfill the demands of the law. The certainty of the promise is in faith and grace. Everything is strongly linked with God Who is the Object of the faith and the One Who shows grace.

Romans 4:16-17. To Abraham, God was personally present. Abraham believed Him, trusted Him and knew He could work where, as a man, he was powerless. To Abraham, God could raise the dead, just as He calls into being that which does not exist. Look at creation! Psalms 33 says: “For He spoke, and it was done; He commanded, and it stood fast” (Psalms 33:9).

By believing in this way, Abraham was made by God “a father of many nations”. Similarly to when Abraham believed God’s words, you who know God in your life may hold Him to the promises He has given you in His Word.

Now read Romans 4:9-17 again.

Reflection: Are there any promises that God has made to you? Do you trust Him to keep them?

Romans 9:8

Abraham’s Posterity

Romans 4:9-10. I have to take you back to Genesis 17 to help you understand the subject of Rom 4:9-12. When treating Romans 2:28-29, I also alluded to this. You may want to read that section again as a reminder. In Genesis 17 we read about a covenant God made with Abraham. As a sign of this covenant, all boys and men had to be circumcised. This was an outward sign that every boy received on the eighth day after his birth. With this sign God separated all of the people who were to be born as Abraham’s descendants – Israel – from the rest of mankind. It was a great privilege to belong to God’s earthly people.

But as to receiving the righteousness of God, there is no difference for God. It doesn’t matter whether you belong outwardly to God’s people to know the happiness that forgiveness brings. The thing that matters is what’s on the inside – your faith in Him. When Abraham’s faith was reckoned as righteousness, he had not yet been circumcised.

Romans 4:11-12. He received circumcision as a seal of the faith he had when he had not as yet been circumcised. This is brought out here to indicate that Abraham is not only the father of a literal posterity, the people of Israel, but that he is the father of a spiritual posterity as well.

In fact, there are three kinds of posterity. In Romans 4:11 he first is called the father of the uncircumcised. This deals with non-Jews who, being uncircumcised, believed in the same way as Abraham did when he hadn’t as yet been circumcised. This is the first kind of posterity.

In Romans 4:12 you find the second and third kinds of posterity. He is called the father of circumcision which deals with his literal posterity, the people of Israel, but this literal posterity consists of two groups. The first group is Abraham’s posterity outwardly by the outward (physical) circumcision. The second group is Abraham’s posterity both in an outward sense and in a spiritual sense. These people show they are Abraham’s spiritual posterity by walking in the footsteps of the faith he had while he was still uncircumcised.

Romans 4:13-15. The promise that Abraham and his posterity would inherit the world wasn’t given as part of the law. The law has a different connection than circumcision between God and his earthly people. In Abraham’s days, the law was many years in the future.

If a law had been given by which they could obtain the promise, then faith would have been no longer necessary because the promise would have been dependent upon personal merit or effort. However, this would have resulted only in wrath rather than a fulfillment of the promise because no one could fulfill the demands of the law. The certainty of the promise is in faith and grace. Everything is strongly linked with God Who is the Object of the faith and the One Who shows grace.

Romans 4:16-17. To Abraham, God was personally present. Abraham believed Him, trusted Him and knew He could work where, as a man, he was powerless. To Abraham, God could raise the dead, just as He calls into being that which does not exist. Look at creation! Psalms 33 says: “For He spoke, and it was done; He commanded, and it stood fast” (Psalms 33:9).

By believing in this way, Abraham was made by God “a father of many nations”. Similarly to when Abraham believed God’s words, you who know God in your life may hold Him to the promises He has given you in His Word.

Now read Romans 4:9-17 again.

Reflection: Are there any promises that God has made to you? Do you trust Him to keep them?

Romans 9:9

Abraham’s Posterity

Romans 4:9-10. I have to take you back to Genesis 17 to help you understand the subject of Rom 4:9-12. When treating Romans 2:28-29, I also alluded to this. You may want to read that section again as a reminder. In Genesis 17 we read about a covenant God made with Abraham. As a sign of this covenant, all boys and men had to be circumcised. This was an outward sign that every boy received on the eighth day after his birth. With this sign God separated all of the people who were to be born as Abraham’s descendants – Israel – from the rest of mankind. It was a great privilege to belong to God’s earthly people.

But as to receiving the righteousness of God, there is no difference for God. It doesn’t matter whether you belong outwardly to God’s people to know the happiness that forgiveness brings. The thing that matters is what’s on the inside – your faith in Him. When Abraham’s faith was reckoned as righteousness, he had not yet been circumcised.

Romans 4:11-12. He received circumcision as a seal of the faith he had when he had not as yet been circumcised. This is brought out here to indicate that Abraham is not only the father of a literal posterity, the people of Israel, but that he is the father of a spiritual posterity as well.

In fact, there are three kinds of posterity. In Romans 4:11 he first is called the father of the uncircumcised. This deals with non-Jews who, being uncircumcised, believed in the same way as Abraham did when he hadn’t as yet been circumcised. This is the first kind of posterity.

In Romans 4:12 you find the second and third kinds of posterity. He is called the father of circumcision which deals with his literal posterity, the people of Israel, but this literal posterity consists of two groups. The first group is Abraham’s posterity outwardly by the outward (physical) circumcision. The second group is Abraham’s posterity both in an outward sense and in a spiritual sense. These people show they are Abraham’s spiritual posterity by walking in the footsteps of the faith he had while he was still uncircumcised.

Romans 4:13-15. The promise that Abraham and his posterity would inherit the world wasn’t given as part of the law. The law has a different connection than circumcision between God and his earthly people. In Abraham’s days, the law was many years in the future.

If a law had been given by which they could obtain the promise, then faith would have been no longer necessary because the promise would have been dependent upon personal merit or effort. However, this would have resulted only in wrath rather than a fulfillment of the promise because no one could fulfill the demands of the law. The certainty of the promise is in faith and grace. Everything is strongly linked with God Who is the Object of the faith and the One Who shows grace.

Romans 4:16-17. To Abraham, God was personally present. Abraham believed Him, trusted Him and knew He could work where, as a man, he was powerless. To Abraham, God could raise the dead, just as He calls into being that which does not exist. Look at creation! Psalms 33 says: “For He spoke, and it was done; He commanded, and it stood fast” (Psalms 33:9).

By believing in this way, Abraham was made by God “a father of many nations”. Similarly to when Abraham believed God’s words, you who know God in your life may hold Him to the promises He has given you in His Word.

Now read Romans 4:9-17 again.

Reflection: Are there any promises that God has made to you? Do you trust Him to keep them?

Romans 9:10

Abraham’s Posterity

Romans 4:9-10. I have to take you back to Genesis 17 to help you understand the subject of Rom 4:9-12. When treating Romans 2:28-29, I also alluded to this. You may want to read that section again as a reminder. In Genesis 17 we read about a covenant God made with Abraham. As a sign of this covenant, all boys and men had to be circumcised. This was an outward sign that every boy received on the eighth day after his birth. With this sign God separated all of the people who were to be born as Abraham’s descendants – Israel – from the rest of mankind. It was a great privilege to belong to God’s earthly people.

But as to receiving the righteousness of God, there is no difference for God. It doesn’t matter whether you belong outwardly to God’s people to know the happiness that forgiveness brings. The thing that matters is what’s on the inside – your faith in Him. When Abraham’s faith was reckoned as righteousness, he had not yet been circumcised.

Romans 4:11-12. He received circumcision as a seal of the faith he had when he had not as yet been circumcised. This is brought out here to indicate that Abraham is not only the father of a literal posterity, the people of Israel, but that he is the father of a spiritual posterity as well.

In fact, there are three kinds of posterity. In Romans 4:11 he first is called the father of the uncircumcised. This deals with non-Jews who, being uncircumcised, believed in the same way as Abraham did when he hadn’t as yet been circumcised. This is the first kind of posterity.

In Romans 4:12 you find the second and third kinds of posterity. He is called the father of circumcision which deals with his literal posterity, the people of Israel, but this literal posterity consists of two groups. The first group is Abraham’s posterity outwardly by the outward (physical) circumcision. The second group is Abraham’s posterity both in an outward sense and in a spiritual sense. These people show they are Abraham’s spiritual posterity by walking in the footsteps of the faith he had while he was still uncircumcised.

Romans 4:13-15. The promise that Abraham and his posterity would inherit the world wasn’t given as part of the law. The law has a different connection than circumcision between God and his earthly people. In Abraham’s days, the law was many years in the future.

If a law had been given by which they could obtain the promise, then faith would have been no longer necessary because the promise would have been dependent upon personal merit or effort. However, this would have resulted only in wrath rather than a fulfillment of the promise because no one could fulfill the demands of the law. The certainty of the promise is in faith and grace. Everything is strongly linked with God Who is the Object of the faith and the One Who shows grace.

Romans 4:16-17. To Abraham, God was personally present. Abraham believed Him, trusted Him and knew He could work where, as a man, he was powerless. To Abraham, God could raise the dead, just as He calls into being that which does not exist. Look at creation! Psalms 33 says: “For He spoke, and it was done; He commanded, and it stood fast” (Psalms 33:9).

By believing in this way, Abraham was made by God “a father of many nations”. Similarly to when Abraham believed God’s words, you who know God in your life may hold Him to the promises He has given you in His Word.

Now read Romans 4:9-17 again.

Reflection: Are there any promises that God has made to you? Do you trust Him to keep them?

Romans 9:11

Abraham’s Posterity

Romans 4:9-10. I have to take you back to Genesis 17 to help you understand the subject of Rom 4:9-12. When treating Romans 2:28-29, I also alluded to this. You may want to read that section again as a reminder. In Genesis 17 we read about a covenant God made with Abraham. As a sign of this covenant, all boys and men had to be circumcised. This was an outward sign that every boy received on the eighth day after his birth. With this sign God separated all of the people who were to be born as Abraham’s descendants – Israel – from the rest of mankind. It was a great privilege to belong to God’s earthly people.

But as to receiving the righteousness of God, there is no difference for God. It doesn’t matter whether you belong outwardly to God’s people to know the happiness that forgiveness brings. The thing that matters is what’s on the inside – your faith in Him. When Abraham’s faith was reckoned as righteousness, he had not yet been circumcised.

Romans 4:11-12. He received circumcision as a seal of the faith he had when he had not as yet been circumcised. This is brought out here to indicate that Abraham is not only the father of a literal posterity, the people of Israel, but that he is the father of a spiritual posterity as well.

In fact, there are three kinds of posterity. In Romans 4:11 he first is called the father of the uncircumcised. This deals with non-Jews who, being uncircumcised, believed in the same way as Abraham did when he hadn’t as yet been circumcised. This is the first kind of posterity.

In Romans 4:12 you find the second and third kinds of posterity. He is called the father of circumcision which deals with his literal posterity, the people of Israel, but this literal posterity consists of two groups. The first group is Abraham’s posterity outwardly by the outward (physical) circumcision. The second group is Abraham’s posterity both in an outward sense and in a spiritual sense. These people show they are Abraham’s spiritual posterity by walking in the footsteps of the faith he had while he was still uncircumcised.

Romans 4:13-15. The promise that Abraham and his posterity would inherit the world wasn’t given as part of the law. The law has a different connection than circumcision between God and his earthly people. In Abraham’s days, the law was many years in the future.

If a law had been given by which they could obtain the promise, then faith would have been no longer necessary because the promise would have been dependent upon personal merit or effort. However, this would have resulted only in wrath rather than a fulfillment of the promise because no one could fulfill the demands of the law. The certainty of the promise is in faith and grace. Everything is strongly linked with God Who is the Object of the faith and the One Who shows grace.

Romans 4:16-17. To Abraham, God was personally present. Abraham believed Him, trusted Him and knew He could work where, as a man, he was powerless. To Abraham, God could raise the dead, just as He calls into being that which does not exist. Look at creation! Psalms 33 says: “For He spoke, and it was done; He commanded, and it stood fast” (Psalms 33:9).

By believing in this way, Abraham was made by God “a father of many nations”. Similarly to when Abraham believed God’s words, you who know God in your life may hold Him to the promises He has given you in His Word.

Now read Romans 4:9-17 again.

Reflection: Are there any promises that God has made to you? Do you trust Him to keep them?

Romans 9:12

Abraham’s Posterity

Romans 4:9-10. I have to take you back to Genesis 17 to help you understand the subject of Rom 4:9-12. When treating Romans 2:28-29, I also alluded to this. You may want to read that section again as a reminder. In Genesis 17 we read about a covenant God made with Abraham. As a sign of this covenant, all boys and men had to be circumcised. This was an outward sign that every boy received on the eighth day after his birth. With this sign God separated all of the people who were to be born as Abraham’s descendants – Israel – from the rest of mankind. It was a great privilege to belong to God’s earthly people.

But as to receiving the righteousness of God, there is no difference for God. It doesn’t matter whether you belong outwardly to God’s people to know the happiness that forgiveness brings. The thing that matters is what’s on the inside – your faith in Him. When Abraham’s faith was reckoned as righteousness, he had not yet been circumcised.

Romans 4:11-12. He received circumcision as a seal of the faith he had when he had not as yet been circumcised. This is brought out here to indicate that Abraham is not only the father of a literal posterity, the people of Israel, but that he is the father of a spiritual posterity as well.

In fact, there are three kinds of posterity. In Romans 4:11 he first is called the father of the uncircumcised. This deals with non-Jews who, being uncircumcised, believed in the same way as Abraham did when he hadn’t as yet been circumcised. This is the first kind of posterity.

In Romans 4:12 you find the second and third kinds of posterity. He is called the father of circumcision which deals with his literal posterity, the people of Israel, but this literal posterity consists of two groups. The first group is Abraham’s posterity outwardly by the outward (physical) circumcision. The second group is Abraham’s posterity both in an outward sense and in a spiritual sense. These people show they are Abraham’s spiritual posterity by walking in the footsteps of the faith he had while he was still uncircumcised.

Romans 4:13-15. The promise that Abraham and his posterity would inherit the world wasn’t given as part of the law. The law has a different connection than circumcision between God and his earthly people. In Abraham’s days, the law was many years in the future.

If a law had been given by which they could obtain the promise, then faith would have been no longer necessary because the promise would have been dependent upon personal merit or effort. However, this would have resulted only in wrath rather than a fulfillment of the promise because no one could fulfill the demands of the law. The certainty of the promise is in faith and grace. Everything is strongly linked with God Who is the Object of the faith and the One Who shows grace.

Romans 4:16-17. To Abraham, God was personally present. Abraham believed Him, trusted Him and knew He could work where, as a man, he was powerless. To Abraham, God could raise the dead, just as He calls into being that which does not exist. Look at creation! Psalms 33 says: “For He spoke, and it was done; He commanded, and it stood fast” (Psalms 33:9).

By believing in this way, Abraham was made by God “a father of many nations”. Similarly to when Abraham believed God’s words, you who know God in your life may hold Him to the promises He has given you in His Word.

Now read Romans 4:9-17 again.

Reflection: Are there any promises that God has made to you? Do you trust Him to keep them?

Romans 9:13

Abraham’s Posterity

Romans 4:9-10. I have to take you back to Genesis 17 to help you understand the subject of Rom 4:9-12. When treating Romans 2:28-29, I also alluded to this. You may want to read that section again as a reminder. In Genesis 17 we read about a covenant God made with Abraham. As a sign of this covenant, all boys and men had to be circumcised. This was an outward sign that every boy received on the eighth day after his birth. With this sign God separated all of the people who were to be born as Abraham’s descendants – Israel – from the rest of mankind. It was a great privilege to belong to God’s earthly people.

But as to receiving the righteousness of God, there is no difference for God. It doesn’t matter whether you belong outwardly to God’s people to know the happiness that forgiveness brings. The thing that matters is what’s on the inside – your faith in Him. When Abraham’s faith was reckoned as righteousness, he had not yet been circumcised.

Romans 4:11-12. He received circumcision as a seal of the faith he had when he had not as yet been circumcised. This is brought out here to indicate that Abraham is not only the father of a literal posterity, the people of Israel, but that he is the father of a spiritual posterity as well.

In fact, there are three kinds of posterity. In Romans 4:11 he first is called the father of the uncircumcised. This deals with non-Jews who, being uncircumcised, believed in the same way as Abraham did when he hadn’t as yet been circumcised. This is the first kind of posterity.

In Romans 4:12 you find the second and third kinds of posterity. He is called the father of circumcision which deals with his literal posterity, the people of Israel, but this literal posterity consists of two groups. The first group is Abraham’s posterity outwardly by the outward (physical) circumcision. The second group is Abraham’s posterity both in an outward sense and in a spiritual sense. These people show they are Abraham’s spiritual posterity by walking in the footsteps of the faith he had while he was still uncircumcised.

Romans 4:13-15. The promise that Abraham and his posterity would inherit the world wasn’t given as part of the law. The law has a different connection than circumcision between God and his earthly people. In Abraham’s days, the law was many years in the future.

If a law had been given by which they could obtain the promise, then faith would have been no longer necessary because the promise would have been dependent upon personal merit or effort. However, this would have resulted only in wrath rather than a fulfillment of the promise because no one could fulfill the demands of the law. The certainty of the promise is in faith and grace. Everything is strongly linked with God Who is the Object of the faith and the One Who shows grace.

Romans 4:16-17. To Abraham, God was personally present. Abraham believed Him, trusted Him and knew He could work where, as a man, he was powerless. To Abraham, God could raise the dead, just as He calls into being that which does not exist. Look at creation! Psalms 33 says: “For He spoke, and it was done; He commanded, and it stood fast” (Psalms 33:9).

By believing in this way, Abraham was made by God “a father of many nations”. Similarly to when Abraham believed God’s words, you who know God in your life may hold Him to the promises He has given you in His Word.

Now read Romans 4:9-17 again.

Reflection: Are there any promises that God has made to you? Do you trust Him to keep them?

Romans 9:14

The Absolute Certainty of Faith

Romans 4:18-19. From the reference verses, it is clear what Abraham believed. In Genesis 15 God called Abraham out of his tent at night to have him look at the sky. There he could see countless stars. Then God said to him: “So shall your descendants be.” Abraham believed what God had said.

He was about 100 years old at the time and that is too old to be able to father children. Sarah was ten years younger, but much too old to get pregnant. Abraham didn’t shut his eyes to this. He contemplated his own body, but “without becoming weak in faith”. He didn’t stop at an impossibility for man. His faith looked up to God. What is impossible with men is possible with God.

Romans 4:20. Therefore, he didn’t doubt God’s promise. By his faith he was made strong. I presume you have experienced at times the faith that gives you strength. Faith is not a fuzzy notion that requires a lot of imagination, but faith brings God into view. This rock-solid faith in God’s power made Abraham overcome all his doubts. Abraham no longer looked at himself and his weakness.

Romans 4:21. When he learned to forget himself and look up to God in the strength of faith, he was fully assured that God had the power to do what He had promised. Anyone who sees the Almighty God in that way will stop doubting whether God is able to give life where death seems imminent. Such an attitude honors and glorifies God.

Romans 4:22. God then reckoned this faith to Abraham as righteousness. God saw that Abraham recognized, trusted and thought of Him correctly. The righteousness that God credited to Abraham meant that God from His perspective said to Abraham, as it were: ”If you think about Me in such a way, you belong to Me.”

Romans 4:23-25. In these verses follows the application that is very important to you as someone young in the faith. That which was said to Abraham was also said to teach you how to receive righteousness. Righteousness means that you, who used to be a sinner far away from God, now belong to God. There is nothing left to fear from Him. God needed a righteous basis to give you that wonderful position. He could not act as if you hadn’t sinned because God cannot act in conflict with Himself. Since you had sinned, God, being holy and righteous, would have had to punish you, but now He doesn’t. He provided the solution Himself. The Lord Jesus completely fulfilled all God’s holy demands and God raised Him from the dead.

This is the basis for your justification: He has raised Jesus our Lord from the dead! The Lord Jesus was given up by God to fulfill the work of redemption on the cross for you. God’s righteousness has been fully satisfied for your sins in the Person of the Lord Jesus who bore them on the cross. God judged your sins in Him and the Lord Jesus died. But how could God leave Him dead when He had suffered for your sins to God’s fullest satisfaction? Therefore God had to raise Him. God had an obligation to Himself and to His Son’s work to carry this out.

The raising up of the Lord Jesus by God is the firm and unchangeable proof that God requires nothing else concerning your sins. All His demands have been met. Your sins no longer exist according to Him. He no longer sees them; they are gone forever. The Lord Jesus is the eternal witness that your sins have been done away with. Never again will we have to fear that God will take back His provision. He has provided everything Himself for your justification. He no longer looks on you in connection with your sins, but in connection with a risen Christ. In the next chapter you will see the tremendous results this brings about for you.

Now read Romans 4:18-25 again.

Reflection: Keep short accounts regarding any doubts about the certainty of your faith that you may still have.

Romans 9:15

The Absolute Certainty of Faith

Romans 4:18-19. From the reference verses, it is clear what Abraham believed. In Genesis 15 God called Abraham out of his tent at night to have him look at the sky. There he could see countless stars. Then God said to him: “So shall your descendants be.” Abraham believed what God had said.

He was about 100 years old at the time and that is too old to be able to father children. Sarah was ten years younger, but much too old to get pregnant. Abraham didn’t shut his eyes to this. He contemplated his own body, but “without becoming weak in faith”. He didn’t stop at an impossibility for man. His faith looked up to God. What is impossible with men is possible with God.

Romans 4:20. Therefore, he didn’t doubt God’s promise. By his faith he was made strong. I presume you have experienced at times the faith that gives you strength. Faith is not a fuzzy notion that requires a lot of imagination, but faith brings God into view. This rock-solid faith in God’s power made Abraham overcome all his doubts. Abraham no longer looked at himself and his weakness.

Romans 4:21. When he learned to forget himself and look up to God in the strength of faith, he was fully assured that God had the power to do what He had promised. Anyone who sees the Almighty God in that way will stop doubting whether God is able to give life where death seems imminent. Such an attitude honors and glorifies God.

Romans 4:22. God then reckoned this faith to Abraham as righteousness. God saw that Abraham recognized, trusted and thought of Him correctly. The righteousness that God credited to Abraham meant that God from His perspective said to Abraham, as it were: ”If you think about Me in such a way, you belong to Me.”

Romans 4:23-25. In these verses follows the application that is very important to you as someone young in the faith. That which was said to Abraham was also said to teach you how to receive righteousness. Righteousness means that you, who used to be a sinner far away from God, now belong to God. There is nothing left to fear from Him. God needed a righteous basis to give you that wonderful position. He could not act as if you hadn’t sinned because God cannot act in conflict with Himself. Since you had sinned, God, being holy and righteous, would have had to punish you, but now He doesn’t. He provided the solution Himself. The Lord Jesus completely fulfilled all God’s holy demands and God raised Him from the dead.

This is the basis for your justification: He has raised Jesus our Lord from the dead! The Lord Jesus was given up by God to fulfill the work of redemption on the cross for you. God’s righteousness has been fully satisfied for your sins in the Person of the Lord Jesus who bore them on the cross. God judged your sins in Him and the Lord Jesus died. But how could God leave Him dead when He had suffered for your sins to God’s fullest satisfaction? Therefore God had to raise Him. God had an obligation to Himself and to His Son’s work to carry this out.

The raising up of the Lord Jesus by God is the firm and unchangeable proof that God requires nothing else concerning your sins. All His demands have been met. Your sins no longer exist according to Him. He no longer sees them; they are gone forever. The Lord Jesus is the eternal witness that your sins have been done away with. Never again will we have to fear that God will take back His provision. He has provided everything Himself for your justification. He no longer looks on you in connection with your sins, but in connection with a risen Christ. In the next chapter you will see the tremendous results this brings about for you.

Now read Romans 4:18-25 again.

Reflection: Keep short accounts regarding any doubts about the certainty of your faith that you may still have.

Romans 9:16

The Absolute Certainty of Faith

Romans 4:18-19. From the reference verses, it is clear what Abraham believed. In Genesis 15 God called Abraham out of his tent at night to have him look at the sky. There he could see countless stars. Then God said to him: “So shall your descendants be.” Abraham believed what God had said.

He was about 100 years old at the time and that is too old to be able to father children. Sarah was ten years younger, but much too old to get pregnant. Abraham didn’t shut his eyes to this. He contemplated his own body, but “without becoming weak in faith”. He didn’t stop at an impossibility for man. His faith looked up to God. What is impossible with men is possible with God.

Romans 4:20. Therefore, he didn’t doubt God’s promise. By his faith he was made strong. I presume you have experienced at times the faith that gives you strength. Faith is not a fuzzy notion that requires a lot of imagination, but faith brings God into view. This rock-solid faith in God’s power made Abraham overcome all his doubts. Abraham no longer looked at himself and his weakness.

Romans 4:21. When he learned to forget himself and look up to God in the strength of faith, he was fully assured that God had the power to do what He had promised. Anyone who sees the Almighty God in that way will stop doubting whether God is able to give life where death seems imminent. Such an attitude honors and glorifies God.

Romans 4:22. God then reckoned this faith to Abraham as righteousness. God saw that Abraham recognized, trusted and thought of Him correctly. The righteousness that God credited to Abraham meant that God from His perspective said to Abraham, as it were: ”If you think about Me in such a way, you belong to Me.”

Romans 4:23-25. In these verses follows the application that is very important to you as someone young in the faith. That which was said to Abraham was also said to teach you how to receive righteousness. Righteousness means that you, who used to be a sinner far away from God, now belong to God. There is nothing left to fear from Him. God needed a righteous basis to give you that wonderful position. He could not act as if you hadn’t sinned because God cannot act in conflict with Himself. Since you had sinned, God, being holy and righteous, would have had to punish you, but now He doesn’t. He provided the solution Himself. The Lord Jesus completely fulfilled all God’s holy demands and God raised Him from the dead.

This is the basis for your justification: He has raised Jesus our Lord from the dead! The Lord Jesus was given up by God to fulfill the work of redemption on the cross for you. God’s righteousness has been fully satisfied for your sins in the Person of the Lord Jesus who bore them on the cross. God judged your sins in Him and the Lord Jesus died. But how could God leave Him dead when He had suffered for your sins to God’s fullest satisfaction? Therefore God had to raise Him. God had an obligation to Himself and to His Son’s work to carry this out.

The raising up of the Lord Jesus by God is the firm and unchangeable proof that God requires nothing else concerning your sins. All His demands have been met. Your sins no longer exist according to Him. He no longer sees them; they are gone forever. The Lord Jesus is the eternal witness that your sins have been done away with. Never again will we have to fear that God will take back His provision. He has provided everything Himself for your justification. He no longer looks on you in connection with your sins, but in connection with a risen Christ. In the next chapter you will see the tremendous results this brings about for you.

Now read Romans 4:18-25 again.

Reflection: Keep short accounts regarding any doubts about the certainty of your faith that you may still have.

Romans 9:17

The Absolute Certainty of Faith

Romans 4:18-19. From the reference verses, it is clear what Abraham believed. In Genesis 15 God called Abraham out of his tent at night to have him look at the sky. There he could see countless stars. Then God said to him: “So shall your descendants be.” Abraham believed what God had said.

He was about 100 years old at the time and that is too old to be able to father children. Sarah was ten years younger, but much too old to get pregnant. Abraham didn’t shut his eyes to this. He contemplated his own body, but “without becoming weak in faith”. He didn’t stop at an impossibility for man. His faith looked up to God. What is impossible with men is possible with God.

Romans 4:20. Therefore, he didn’t doubt God’s promise. By his faith he was made strong. I presume you have experienced at times the faith that gives you strength. Faith is not a fuzzy notion that requires a lot of imagination, but faith brings God into view. This rock-solid faith in God’s power made Abraham overcome all his doubts. Abraham no longer looked at himself and his weakness.

Romans 4:21. When he learned to forget himself and look up to God in the strength of faith, he was fully assured that God had the power to do what He had promised. Anyone who sees the Almighty God in that way will stop doubting whether God is able to give life where death seems imminent. Such an attitude honors and glorifies God.

Romans 4:22. God then reckoned this faith to Abraham as righteousness. God saw that Abraham recognized, trusted and thought of Him correctly. The righteousness that God credited to Abraham meant that God from His perspective said to Abraham, as it were: ”If you think about Me in such a way, you belong to Me.”

Romans 4:23-25. In these verses follows the application that is very important to you as someone young in the faith. That which was said to Abraham was also said to teach you how to receive righteousness. Righteousness means that you, who used to be a sinner far away from God, now belong to God. There is nothing left to fear from Him. God needed a righteous basis to give you that wonderful position. He could not act as if you hadn’t sinned because God cannot act in conflict with Himself. Since you had sinned, God, being holy and righteous, would have had to punish you, but now He doesn’t. He provided the solution Himself. The Lord Jesus completely fulfilled all God’s holy demands and God raised Him from the dead.

This is the basis for your justification: He has raised Jesus our Lord from the dead! The Lord Jesus was given up by God to fulfill the work of redemption on the cross for you. God’s righteousness has been fully satisfied for your sins in the Person of the Lord Jesus who bore them on the cross. God judged your sins in Him and the Lord Jesus died. But how could God leave Him dead when He had suffered for your sins to God’s fullest satisfaction? Therefore God had to raise Him. God had an obligation to Himself and to His Son’s work to carry this out.

The raising up of the Lord Jesus by God is the firm and unchangeable proof that God requires nothing else concerning your sins. All His demands have been met. Your sins no longer exist according to Him. He no longer sees them; they are gone forever. The Lord Jesus is the eternal witness that your sins have been done away with. Never again will we have to fear that God will take back His provision. He has provided everything Himself for your justification. He no longer looks on you in connection with your sins, but in connection with a risen Christ. In the next chapter you will see the tremendous results this brings about for you.

Now read Romans 4:18-25 again.

Reflection: Keep short accounts regarding any doubts about the certainty of your faith that you may still have.

Romans 9:18

The Absolute Certainty of Faith

Romans 4:18-19. From the reference verses, it is clear what Abraham believed. In Genesis 15 God called Abraham out of his tent at night to have him look at the sky. There he could see countless stars. Then God said to him: “So shall your descendants be.” Abraham believed what God had said.

He was about 100 years old at the time and that is too old to be able to father children. Sarah was ten years younger, but much too old to get pregnant. Abraham didn’t shut his eyes to this. He contemplated his own body, but “without becoming weak in faith”. He didn’t stop at an impossibility for man. His faith looked up to God. What is impossible with men is possible with God.

Romans 4:20. Therefore, he didn’t doubt God’s promise. By his faith he was made strong. I presume you have experienced at times the faith that gives you strength. Faith is not a fuzzy notion that requires a lot of imagination, but faith brings God into view. This rock-solid faith in God’s power made Abraham overcome all his doubts. Abraham no longer looked at himself and his weakness.

Romans 4:21. When he learned to forget himself and look up to God in the strength of faith, he was fully assured that God had the power to do what He had promised. Anyone who sees the Almighty God in that way will stop doubting whether God is able to give life where death seems imminent. Such an attitude honors and glorifies God.

Romans 4:22. God then reckoned this faith to Abraham as righteousness. God saw that Abraham recognized, trusted and thought of Him correctly. The righteousness that God credited to Abraham meant that God from His perspective said to Abraham, as it were: ”If you think about Me in such a way, you belong to Me.”

Romans 4:23-25. In these verses follows the application that is very important to you as someone young in the faith. That which was said to Abraham was also said to teach you how to receive righteousness. Righteousness means that you, who used to be a sinner far away from God, now belong to God. There is nothing left to fear from Him. God needed a righteous basis to give you that wonderful position. He could not act as if you hadn’t sinned because God cannot act in conflict with Himself. Since you had sinned, God, being holy and righteous, would have had to punish you, but now He doesn’t. He provided the solution Himself. The Lord Jesus completely fulfilled all God’s holy demands and God raised Him from the dead.

This is the basis for your justification: He has raised Jesus our Lord from the dead! The Lord Jesus was given up by God to fulfill the work of redemption on the cross for you. God’s righteousness has been fully satisfied for your sins in the Person of the Lord Jesus who bore them on the cross. God judged your sins in Him and the Lord Jesus died. But how could God leave Him dead when He had suffered for your sins to God’s fullest satisfaction? Therefore God had to raise Him. God had an obligation to Himself and to His Son’s work to carry this out.

The raising up of the Lord Jesus by God is the firm and unchangeable proof that God requires nothing else concerning your sins. All His demands have been met. Your sins no longer exist according to Him. He no longer sees them; they are gone forever. The Lord Jesus is the eternal witness that your sins have been done away with. Never again will we have to fear that God will take back His provision. He has provided everything Himself for your justification. He no longer looks on you in connection with your sins, but in connection with a risen Christ. In the next chapter you will see the tremendous results this brings about for you.

Now read Romans 4:18-25 again.

Reflection: Keep short accounts regarding any doubts about the certainty of your faith that you may still have.

Romans 9:19

The Absolute Certainty of Faith

Romans 4:18-19. From the reference verses, it is clear what Abraham believed. In Genesis 15 God called Abraham out of his tent at night to have him look at the sky. There he could see countless stars. Then God said to him: “So shall your descendants be.” Abraham believed what God had said.

He was about 100 years old at the time and that is too old to be able to father children. Sarah was ten years younger, but much too old to get pregnant. Abraham didn’t shut his eyes to this. He contemplated his own body, but “without becoming weak in faith”. He didn’t stop at an impossibility for man. His faith looked up to God. What is impossible with men is possible with God.

Romans 4:20. Therefore, he didn’t doubt God’s promise. By his faith he was made strong. I presume you have experienced at times the faith that gives you strength. Faith is not a fuzzy notion that requires a lot of imagination, but faith brings God into view. This rock-solid faith in God’s power made Abraham overcome all his doubts. Abraham no longer looked at himself and his weakness.

Romans 4:21. When he learned to forget himself and look up to God in the strength of faith, he was fully assured that God had the power to do what He had promised. Anyone who sees the Almighty God in that way will stop doubting whether God is able to give life where death seems imminent. Such an attitude honors and glorifies God.

Romans 4:22. God then reckoned this faith to Abraham as righteousness. God saw that Abraham recognized, trusted and thought of Him correctly. The righteousness that God credited to Abraham meant that God from His perspective said to Abraham, as it were: ”If you think about Me in such a way, you belong to Me.”

Romans 4:23-25. In these verses follows the application that is very important to you as someone young in the faith. That which was said to Abraham was also said to teach you how to receive righteousness. Righteousness means that you, who used to be a sinner far away from God, now belong to God. There is nothing left to fear from Him. God needed a righteous basis to give you that wonderful position. He could not act as if you hadn’t sinned because God cannot act in conflict with Himself. Since you had sinned, God, being holy and righteous, would have had to punish you, but now He doesn’t. He provided the solution Himself. The Lord Jesus completely fulfilled all God’s holy demands and God raised Him from the dead.

This is the basis for your justification: He has raised Jesus our Lord from the dead! The Lord Jesus was given up by God to fulfill the work of redemption on the cross for you. God’s righteousness has been fully satisfied for your sins in the Person of the Lord Jesus who bore them on the cross. God judged your sins in Him and the Lord Jesus died. But how could God leave Him dead when He had suffered for your sins to God’s fullest satisfaction? Therefore God had to raise Him. God had an obligation to Himself and to His Son’s work to carry this out.

The raising up of the Lord Jesus by God is the firm and unchangeable proof that God requires nothing else concerning your sins. All His demands have been met. Your sins no longer exist according to Him. He no longer sees them; they are gone forever. The Lord Jesus is the eternal witness that your sins have been done away with. Never again will we have to fear that God will take back His provision. He has provided everything Himself for your justification. He no longer looks on you in connection with your sins, but in connection with a risen Christ. In the next chapter you will see the tremendous results this brings about for you.

Now read Romans 4:18-25 again.

Reflection: Keep short accounts regarding any doubts about the certainty of your faith that you may still have.

Romans 9:20

The Absolute Certainty of Faith

Romans 4:18-19. From the reference verses, it is clear what Abraham believed. In Genesis 15 God called Abraham out of his tent at night to have him look at the sky. There he could see countless stars. Then God said to him: “So shall your descendants be.” Abraham believed what God had said.

He was about 100 years old at the time and that is too old to be able to father children. Sarah was ten years younger, but much too old to get pregnant. Abraham didn’t shut his eyes to this. He contemplated his own body, but “without becoming weak in faith”. He didn’t stop at an impossibility for man. His faith looked up to God. What is impossible with men is possible with God.

Romans 4:20. Therefore, he didn’t doubt God’s promise. By his faith he was made strong. I presume you have experienced at times the faith that gives you strength. Faith is not a fuzzy notion that requires a lot of imagination, but faith brings God into view. This rock-solid faith in God’s power made Abraham overcome all his doubts. Abraham no longer looked at himself and his weakness.

Romans 4:21. When he learned to forget himself and look up to God in the strength of faith, he was fully assured that God had the power to do what He had promised. Anyone who sees the Almighty God in that way will stop doubting whether God is able to give life where death seems imminent. Such an attitude honors and glorifies God.

Romans 4:22. God then reckoned this faith to Abraham as righteousness. God saw that Abraham recognized, trusted and thought of Him correctly. The righteousness that God credited to Abraham meant that God from His perspective said to Abraham, as it were: ”If you think about Me in such a way, you belong to Me.”

Romans 4:23-25. In these verses follows the application that is very important to you as someone young in the faith. That which was said to Abraham was also said to teach you how to receive righteousness. Righteousness means that you, who used to be a sinner far away from God, now belong to God. There is nothing left to fear from Him. God needed a righteous basis to give you that wonderful position. He could not act as if you hadn’t sinned because God cannot act in conflict with Himself. Since you had sinned, God, being holy and righteous, would have had to punish you, but now He doesn’t. He provided the solution Himself. The Lord Jesus completely fulfilled all God’s holy demands and God raised Him from the dead.

This is the basis for your justification: He has raised Jesus our Lord from the dead! The Lord Jesus was given up by God to fulfill the work of redemption on the cross for you. God’s righteousness has been fully satisfied for your sins in the Person of the Lord Jesus who bore them on the cross. God judged your sins in Him and the Lord Jesus died. But how could God leave Him dead when He had suffered for your sins to God’s fullest satisfaction? Therefore God had to raise Him. God had an obligation to Himself and to His Son’s work to carry this out.

The raising up of the Lord Jesus by God is the firm and unchangeable proof that God requires nothing else concerning your sins. All His demands have been met. Your sins no longer exist according to Him. He no longer sees them; they are gone forever. The Lord Jesus is the eternal witness that your sins have been done away with. Never again will we have to fear that God will take back His provision. He has provided everything Himself for your justification. He no longer looks on you in connection with your sins, but in connection with a risen Christ. In the next chapter you will see the tremendous results this brings about for you.

Now read Romans 4:18-25 again.

Reflection: Keep short accounts regarding any doubts about the certainty of your faith that you may still have.

Romans 9:21

The Absolute Certainty of Faith

Romans 4:18-19. From the reference verses, it is clear what Abraham believed. In Genesis 15 God called Abraham out of his tent at night to have him look at the sky. There he could see countless stars. Then God said to him: “So shall your descendants be.” Abraham believed what God had said.

He was about 100 years old at the time and that is too old to be able to father children. Sarah was ten years younger, but much too old to get pregnant. Abraham didn’t shut his eyes to this. He contemplated his own body, but “without becoming weak in faith”. He didn’t stop at an impossibility for man. His faith looked up to God. What is impossible with men is possible with God.

Romans 4:20. Therefore, he didn’t doubt God’s promise. By his faith he was made strong. I presume you have experienced at times the faith that gives you strength. Faith is not a fuzzy notion that requires a lot of imagination, but faith brings God into view. This rock-solid faith in God’s power made Abraham overcome all his doubts. Abraham no longer looked at himself and his weakness.

Romans 4:21. When he learned to forget himself and look up to God in the strength of faith, he was fully assured that God had the power to do what He had promised. Anyone who sees the Almighty God in that way will stop doubting whether God is able to give life where death seems imminent. Such an attitude honors and glorifies God.

Romans 4:22. God then reckoned this faith to Abraham as righteousness. God saw that Abraham recognized, trusted and thought of Him correctly. The righteousness that God credited to Abraham meant that God from His perspective said to Abraham, as it were: ”If you think about Me in such a way, you belong to Me.”

Romans 4:23-25. In these verses follows the application that is very important to you as someone young in the faith. That which was said to Abraham was also said to teach you how to receive righteousness. Righteousness means that you, who used to be a sinner far away from God, now belong to God. There is nothing left to fear from Him. God needed a righteous basis to give you that wonderful position. He could not act as if you hadn’t sinned because God cannot act in conflict with Himself. Since you had sinned, God, being holy and righteous, would have had to punish you, but now He doesn’t. He provided the solution Himself. The Lord Jesus completely fulfilled all God’s holy demands and God raised Him from the dead.

This is the basis for your justification: He has raised Jesus our Lord from the dead! The Lord Jesus was given up by God to fulfill the work of redemption on the cross for you. God’s righteousness has been fully satisfied for your sins in the Person of the Lord Jesus who bore them on the cross. God judged your sins in Him and the Lord Jesus died. But how could God leave Him dead when He had suffered for your sins to God’s fullest satisfaction? Therefore God had to raise Him. God had an obligation to Himself and to His Son’s work to carry this out.

The raising up of the Lord Jesus by God is the firm and unchangeable proof that God requires nothing else concerning your sins. All His demands have been met. Your sins no longer exist according to Him. He no longer sees them; they are gone forever. The Lord Jesus is the eternal witness that your sins have been done away with. Never again will we have to fear that God will take back His provision. He has provided everything Himself for your justification. He no longer looks on you in connection with your sins, but in connection with a risen Christ. In the next chapter you will see the tremendous results this brings about for you.

Now read Romans 4:18-25 again.

Reflection: Keep short accounts regarding any doubts about the certainty of your faith that you may still have.

Romans 9:23

Peace, Access and Hope; Past, Present and Future

Since these two verses are filled with wonderful thoughts, they need a separate section. It is good to memorize them.

From the previous sections you should better understand what it took to justify you. You have seen that everything originated with God.

Romans 5:1. You received God’s righteousness and He has provided everything. You can rejoice! You have been justified, not by your works, but because you believed God. The result is that you have “peace with God”. Once you were living in rebellion against God. You didn’t listen to Him and you did your own will. You didn’t find enjoyment in doing God’s will at all. God judged your deeds very differently from how you judged them yourself.

When you saw God had the right perspective about you and that through the Lord Jesus Christ He has taken away all your sins, there is peace in your heart when you think of God. There is “peace with God” because all the righteous demands of God have been met. When you think of God you will feel rest, joy and gladness that He is with you. You can simply call on Him and talk with Him in your thoughts.

Romans 5:2. You are favored by Him. What a grace it is to have free access to God, the God Who would have had to judge you for all your terrible sins. You can come to Him now without having to make an appointment or stand in line, and without fear He will send you away. You can tell Him everything that’s on your mind or that you are experiencing. He appreciates this demonstration of confidence in Him.

In the future you will be forever in God’s glory. You should rejoice in this hope. In the Bible hope is never something uncertain. Today, it indicates a degree of uncertainty. We say ‘I hope so’, when we mean we would like it to happen, although we are not certain it will happen. In the Bible, hope always represents a certainty, but of something still awaiting fulfillment. If you are hoping for something, it is not yet present. It is just the same with God’s glory. This is where you will be forever. But you’re still living here on earth.

However, that you will arrive in God’s glory is a fact beyond a doubt. It is even something in which to exult. The guarantee is not in your faith and strength, but is anchored in what God has done in raising the Lord Jesus. This has made you righteous (Romans 4:24-25). What a change has occurred in you! Remember Romans 3:23. You read there that you fell short of God’s glory (Romans 3:23). Your sins had cut you off completely from Him. It is impossible for God to allow sin into His presence and into His glory. Now you have been justified and you look forward to it with all your heart. And so does He! What a wonder of God! What a reason to give thanks to Him!

When you come to God with all you have in your heart, He wants you to thank Him for all He and the Lord Jesus have done. Just lay this book aside for a moment to tell God what you have understood so far from this letter He wrote to you. Tell Him you love Him. Then you will experience what the Bible calls fellowship. You can talk with Him about things that are very valuable to you and Him. Do it right now and then you can continue reading.

Now read Romans 5:1-2 again.

Reflection: Memorize these two verses.

Romans 9:24

Peace, Access and Hope; Past, Present and Future

Since these two verses are filled with wonderful thoughts, they need a separate section. It is good to memorize them.

From the previous sections you should better understand what it took to justify you. You have seen that everything originated with God.

Romans 5:1. You received God’s righteousness and He has provided everything. You can rejoice! You have been justified, not by your works, but because you believed God. The result is that you have “peace with God”. Once you were living in rebellion against God. You didn’t listen to Him and you did your own will. You didn’t find enjoyment in doing God’s will at all. God judged your deeds very differently from how you judged them yourself.

When you saw God had the right perspective about you and that through the Lord Jesus Christ He has taken away all your sins, there is peace in your heart when you think of God. There is “peace with God” because all the righteous demands of God have been met. When you think of God you will feel rest, joy and gladness that He is with you. You can simply call on Him and talk with Him in your thoughts.

Romans 5:2. You are favored by Him. What a grace it is to have free access to God, the God Who would have had to judge you for all your terrible sins. You can come to Him now without having to make an appointment or stand in line, and without fear He will send you away. You can tell Him everything that’s on your mind or that you are experiencing. He appreciates this demonstration of confidence in Him.

In the future you will be forever in God’s glory. You should rejoice in this hope. In the Bible hope is never something uncertain. Today, it indicates a degree of uncertainty. We say ‘I hope so’, when we mean we would like it to happen, although we are not certain it will happen. In the Bible, hope always represents a certainty, but of something still awaiting fulfillment. If you are hoping for something, it is not yet present. It is just the same with God’s glory. This is where you will be forever. But you’re still living here on earth.

However, that you will arrive in God’s glory is a fact beyond a doubt. It is even something in which to exult. The guarantee is not in your faith and strength, but is anchored in what God has done in raising the Lord Jesus. This has made you righteous (Romans 4:24-25). What a change has occurred in you! Remember Romans 3:23. You read there that you fell short of God’s glory (Romans 3:23). Your sins had cut you off completely from Him. It is impossible for God to allow sin into His presence and into His glory. Now you have been justified and you look forward to it with all your heart. And so does He! What a wonder of God! What a reason to give thanks to Him!

When you come to God with all you have in your heart, He wants you to thank Him for all He and the Lord Jesus have done. Just lay this book aside for a moment to tell God what you have understood so far from this letter He wrote to you. Tell Him you love Him. Then you will experience what the Bible calls fellowship. You can talk with Him about things that are very valuable to you and Him. Do it right now and then you can continue reading.

Now read Romans 5:1-2 again.

Reflection: Memorize these two verses.

Romans 9:25

Exult in Tribulations and Exult in God

Romans 5:3. The word exult may make you think of being glad. Well, why shouldn’t you be glad when you see your future before you in Romans 5:2? The prospect of being allowed to enter God’s glory gives you joy, even though you’re not there yet. You’re still on the way to glory and living a life on earth with all its cares and troubles. Is this something in which to exult or to be glad? Romans 5:3 reads: “We also exult in our tribulations.” Well, that sounds like a beautiful text, but you may wonder how it is possible. To make this possible you must first be able to say “knowing” with full confidence that all these tribulations are not happening at random.

If God permits difficulties to enter your life, He has a purpose for them. God uses the difficulties that confront you to prove the reality of your faith. It is not so difficult to have faith when everything is running smoothly in your life. It is only when difficulties come that you can show of what your faith is made. If your faith is real you will endure and keep on trusting God. Then you will not, at the first sign of trouble, lose your assurance. You will find these difficulties will only strengthen you because you know it is all in God’s hands and will never get out of His hands.

The real problem comes when a tribulation lasts longer than you think it should. This is when you will need “perseverance” or endurance. You must count on the faithfulness and help of the Lord to endure these difficulties that seem to have no end in sight. He will sustain you and give you the strength to endure.

Romans 5:4. The result is that you will experience His support. This is the “proven character” that is spoken of in this verse. You can feel His help. What a marvelous experience this is when surrounded by all these troubling things! The result of this experience is “hope”. Once you have the experience of Who God is in your life, you will know He will never leave you, but He will bring you to where He wants you to be, in His glory. You can see how these things create a cause and effect.

Romans 5:5. Now “love” is added to these things. Love is God’s nature. God is love and He has poured out His love into your heart. Things may be ever so difficult, but in your heart you have the conviction that God in His love will never lose grip of what is happening. You don’t have to carry out special things to experience this love of God. You don’t have the power to make yourself feel His love, just as you didn’t have the power to justify yourself before God. But now there is a new power source within us, “the Holy Spirit” Who has been given to us. The Holy Spirit, being Himself God, has shed abroad God’s love in you.

Romans 5:6-8. The strongest proof of God’s love is the fact that Christ has died for helpless and ungodly ones. Occasionally among men someone dies for another because the other is worth such a sacrifice, but that is not the way God loves. God demonstrates His love toward you, in that while you were still a sinner, Christ died for you.

God couldn’t find any attractive thing within you, but God is love. He gave Christ out of His own desire without you asking for it, because He is love. If God proved His love in such a way when you didn’t want Him, would He not in His love take care of you as long as you are still on earth?

Romans 5:9. You have been justified by Christ’s blood. You belong to Him. God always sees Christ’s blood. He no longer sees you as a sinner, but in connection with the Lord Jesus. Christ is the guarantee that you will be saved from wrath. It is now impossible for God’s wrath to touch you. God’s wrath over you had its effect on Christ when He died for you. He bore your sins!

Romans 5:10. You once were an enemy of God. You had to be reconciled to God. Now you’re no longer an enemy of God. You have been reconciled to God, and the Son of God is no longer dead. He lives eternally! Do you know why He lives? He is alive to save you. The phrase “shall be saved” means to guide safely through all life’s dangers and to bring you into God’s glory. Do you think He is able to do that? You can be sure of it!

Romans 5:11. In this verse the third time the idea of exulting occurs: “We also exult in God.” This is the best way to exult. It is not exulting in the hope of the glory of God as in Romans 5:2. Neither is it exulting in tribulations as in Romans 5:3. In Romans 5:2 and Romans 5:3 the exulting is connected with the present and future. The future will one day reach its fulfillment and everyday life will one day come to its end. Therefore the exulting of Rom 5:2-3 will one day end.

But with the exulting of Rom 5:11 it’s different. It is rejoicing in God Himself as the Source and Origin of all blessings. Here you’re no longer talking about yourself and what you have received. God the Giver is before you in all His greatness. You may now rejoice in God through the Lord Jesus Christ through Whom you now have received the reconciliation. To “exult in God” is something you can start with right now, and it will not cease even when we have arrived in the glory of God. Throughout eternity He will be the Subject of your admiration and adoration.

Now read Romans 5:3-11 again.

Reflection: Tell God what you think of Him. Tell God how you appreciate experiencing His love toward you from day to day, and for the gift of His Son.

Romans 9:26

Exult in Tribulations and Exult in God

Romans 5:3. The word exult may make you think of being glad. Well, why shouldn’t you be glad when you see your future before you in Romans 5:2? The prospect of being allowed to enter God’s glory gives you joy, even though you’re not there yet. You’re still on the way to glory and living a life on earth with all its cares and troubles. Is this something in which to exult or to be glad? Romans 5:3 reads: “We also exult in our tribulations.” Well, that sounds like a beautiful text, but you may wonder how it is possible. To make this possible you must first be able to say “knowing” with full confidence that all these tribulations are not happening at random.

If God permits difficulties to enter your life, He has a purpose for them. God uses the difficulties that confront you to prove the reality of your faith. It is not so difficult to have faith when everything is running smoothly in your life. It is only when difficulties come that you can show of what your faith is made. If your faith is real you will endure and keep on trusting God. Then you will not, at the first sign of trouble, lose your assurance. You will find these difficulties will only strengthen you because you know it is all in God’s hands and will never get out of His hands.

The real problem comes when a tribulation lasts longer than you think it should. This is when you will need “perseverance” or endurance. You must count on the faithfulness and help of the Lord to endure these difficulties that seem to have no end in sight. He will sustain you and give you the strength to endure.

Romans 5:4. The result is that you will experience His support. This is the “proven character” that is spoken of in this verse. You can feel His help. What a marvelous experience this is when surrounded by all these troubling things! The result of this experience is “hope”. Once you have the experience of Who God is in your life, you will know He will never leave you, but He will bring you to where He wants you to be, in His glory. You can see how these things create a cause and effect.

Romans 5:5. Now “love” is added to these things. Love is God’s nature. God is love and He has poured out His love into your heart. Things may be ever so difficult, but in your heart you have the conviction that God in His love will never lose grip of what is happening. You don’t have to carry out special things to experience this love of God. You don’t have the power to make yourself feel His love, just as you didn’t have the power to justify yourself before God. But now there is a new power source within us, “the Holy Spirit” Who has been given to us. The Holy Spirit, being Himself God, has shed abroad God’s love in you.

Romans 5:6-8. The strongest proof of God’s love is the fact that Christ has died for helpless and ungodly ones. Occasionally among men someone dies for another because the other is worth such a sacrifice, but that is not the way God loves. God demonstrates His love toward you, in that while you were still a sinner, Christ died for you.

God couldn’t find any attractive thing within you, but God is love. He gave Christ out of His own desire without you asking for it, because He is love. If God proved His love in such a way when you didn’t want Him, would He not in His love take care of you as long as you are still on earth?

Romans 5:9. You have been justified by Christ’s blood. You belong to Him. God always sees Christ’s blood. He no longer sees you as a sinner, but in connection with the Lord Jesus. Christ is the guarantee that you will be saved from wrath. It is now impossible for God’s wrath to touch you. God’s wrath over you had its effect on Christ when He died for you. He bore your sins!

Romans 5:10. You once were an enemy of God. You had to be reconciled to God. Now you’re no longer an enemy of God. You have been reconciled to God, and the Son of God is no longer dead. He lives eternally! Do you know why He lives? He is alive to save you. The phrase “shall be saved” means to guide safely through all life’s dangers and to bring you into God’s glory. Do you think He is able to do that? You can be sure of it!

Romans 5:11. In this verse the third time the idea of exulting occurs: “We also exult in God.” This is the best way to exult. It is not exulting in the hope of the glory of God as in Romans 5:2. Neither is it exulting in tribulations as in Romans 5:3. In Romans 5:2 and Romans 5:3 the exulting is connected with the present and future. The future will one day reach its fulfillment and everyday life will one day come to its end. Therefore the exulting of Rom 5:2-3 will one day end.

But with the exulting of Rom 5:11 it’s different. It is rejoicing in God Himself as the Source and Origin of all blessings. Here you’re no longer talking about yourself and what you have received. God the Giver is before you in all His greatness. You may now rejoice in God through the Lord Jesus Christ through Whom you now have received the reconciliation. To “exult in God” is something you can start with right now, and it will not cease even when we have arrived in the glory of God. Throughout eternity He will be the Subject of your admiration and adoration.

Now read Romans 5:3-11 again.

Reflection: Tell God what you think of Him. Tell God how you appreciate experiencing His love toward you from day to day, and for the gift of His Son.

Romans 9:27

Exult in Tribulations and Exult in God

Romans 5:3. The word exult may make you think of being glad. Well, why shouldn’t you be glad when you see your future before you in Romans 5:2? The prospect of being allowed to enter God’s glory gives you joy, even though you’re not there yet. You’re still on the way to glory and living a life on earth with all its cares and troubles. Is this something in which to exult or to be glad? Romans 5:3 reads: “We also exult in our tribulations.” Well, that sounds like a beautiful text, but you may wonder how it is possible. To make this possible you must first be able to say “knowing” with full confidence that all these tribulations are not happening at random.

If God permits difficulties to enter your life, He has a purpose for them. God uses the difficulties that confront you to prove the reality of your faith. It is not so difficult to have faith when everything is running smoothly in your life. It is only when difficulties come that you can show of what your faith is made. If your faith is real you will endure and keep on trusting God. Then you will not, at the first sign of trouble, lose your assurance. You will find these difficulties will only strengthen you because you know it is all in God’s hands and will never get out of His hands.

The real problem comes when a tribulation lasts longer than you think it should. This is when you will need “perseverance” or endurance. You must count on the faithfulness and help of the Lord to endure these difficulties that seem to have no end in sight. He will sustain you and give you the strength to endure.

Romans 5:4. The result is that you will experience His support. This is the “proven character” that is spoken of in this verse. You can feel His help. What a marvelous experience this is when surrounded by all these troubling things! The result of this experience is “hope”. Once you have the experience of Who God is in your life, you will know He will never leave you, but He will bring you to where He wants you to be, in His glory. You can see how these things create a cause and effect.

Romans 5:5. Now “love” is added to these things. Love is God’s nature. God is love and He has poured out His love into your heart. Things may be ever so difficult, but in your heart you have the conviction that God in His love will never lose grip of what is happening. You don’t have to carry out special things to experience this love of God. You don’t have the power to make yourself feel His love, just as you didn’t have the power to justify yourself before God. But now there is a new power source within us, “the Holy Spirit” Who has been given to us. The Holy Spirit, being Himself God, has shed abroad God’s love in you.

Romans 5:6-8. The strongest proof of God’s love is the fact that Christ has died for helpless and ungodly ones. Occasionally among men someone dies for another because the other is worth such a sacrifice, but that is not the way God loves. God demonstrates His love toward you, in that while you were still a sinner, Christ died for you.

God couldn’t find any attractive thing within you, but God is love. He gave Christ out of His own desire without you asking for it, because He is love. If God proved His love in such a way when you didn’t want Him, would He not in His love take care of you as long as you are still on earth?

Romans 5:9. You have been justified by Christ’s blood. You belong to Him. God always sees Christ’s blood. He no longer sees you as a sinner, but in connection with the Lord Jesus. Christ is the guarantee that you will be saved from wrath. It is now impossible for God’s wrath to touch you. God’s wrath over you had its effect on Christ when He died for you. He bore your sins!

Romans 5:10. You once were an enemy of God. You had to be reconciled to God. Now you’re no longer an enemy of God. You have been reconciled to God, and the Son of God is no longer dead. He lives eternally! Do you know why He lives? He is alive to save you. The phrase “shall be saved” means to guide safely through all life’s dangers and to bring you into God’s glory. Do you think He is able to do that? You can be sure of it!

Romans 5:11. In this verse the third time the idea of exulting occurs: “We also exult in God.” This is the best way to exult. It is not exulting in the hope of the glory of God as in Romans 5:2. Neither is it exulting in tribulations as in Romans 5:3. In Romans 5:2 and Romans 5:3 the exulting is connected with the present and future. The future will one day reach its fulfillment and everyday life will one day come to its end. Therefore the exulting of Rom 5:2-3 will one day end.

But with the exulting of Rom 5:11 it’s different. It is rejoicing in God Himself as the Source and Origin of all blessings. Here you’re no longer talking about yourself and what you have received. God the Giver is before you in all His greatness. You may now rejoice in God through the Lord Jesus Christ through Whom you now have received the reconciliation. To “exult in God” is something you can start with right now, and it will not cease even when we have arrived in the glory of God. Throughout eternity He will be the Subject of your admiration and adoration.

Now read Romans 5:3-11 again.

Reflection: Tell God what you think of Him. Tell God how you appreciate experiencing His love toward you from day to day, and for the gift of His Son.

Romans 9:28

Exult in Tribulations and Exult in God

Romans 5:3. The word exult may make you think of being glad. Well, why shouldn’t you be glad when you see your future before you in Romans 5:2? The prospect of being allowed to enter God’s glory gives you joy, even though you’re not there yet. You’re still on the way to glory and living a life on earth with all its cares and troubles. Is this something in which to exult or to be glad? Romans 5:3 reads: “We also exult in our tribulations.” Well, that sounds like a beautiful text, but you may wonder how it is possible. To make this possible you must first be able to say “knowing” with full confidence that all these tribulations are not happening at random.

If God permits difficulties to enter your life, He has a purpose for them. God uses the difficulties that confront you to prove the reality of your faith. It is not so difficult to have faith when everything is running smoothly in your life. It is only when difficulties come that you can show of what your faith is made. If your faith is real you will endure and keep on trusting God. Then you will not, at the first sign of trouble, lose your assurance. You will find these difficulties will only strengthen you because you know it is all in God’s hands and will never get out of His hands.

The real problem comes when a tribulation lasts longer than you think it should. This is when you will need “perseverance” or endurance. You must count on the faithfulness and help of the Lord to endure these difficulties that seem to have no end in sight. He will sustain you and give you the strength to endure.

Romans 5:4. The result is that you will experience His support. This is the “proven character” that is spoken of in this verse. You can feel His help. What a marvelous experience this is when surrounded by all these troubling things! The result of this experience is “hope”. Once you have the experience of Who God is in your life, you will know He will never leave you, but He will bring you to where He wants you to be, in His glory. You can see how these things create a cause and effect.

Romans 5:5. Now “love” is added to these things. Love is God’s nature. God is love and He has poured out His love into your heart. Things may be ever so difficult, but in your heart you have the conviction that God in His love will never lose grip of what is happening. You don’t have to carry out special things to experience this love of God. You don’t have the power to make yourself feel His love, just as you didn’t have the power to justify yourself before God. But now there is a new power source within us, “the Holy Spirit” Who has been given to us. The Holy Spirit, being Himself God, has shed abroad God’s love in you.

Romans 5:6-8. The strongest proof of God’s love is the fact that Christ has died for helpless and ungodly ones. Occasionally among men someone dies for another because the other is worth such a sacrifice, but that is not the way God loves. God demonstrates His love toward you, in that while you were still a sinner, Christ died for you.

God couldn’t find any attractive thing within you, but God is love. He gave Christ out of His own desire without you asking for it, because He is love. If God proved His love in such a way when you didn’t want Him, would He not in His love take care of you as long as you are still on earth?

Romans 5:9. You have been justified by Christ’s blood. You belong to Him. God always sees Christ’s blood. He no longer sees you as a sinner, but in connection with the Lord Jesus. Christ is the guarantee that you will be saved from wrath. It is now impossible for God’s wrath to touch you. God’s wrath over you had its effect on Christ when He died for you. He bore your sins!

Romans 5:10. You once were an enemy of God. You had to be reconciled to God. Now you’re no longer an enemy of God. You have been reconciled to God, and the Son of God is no longer dead. He lives eternally! Do you know why He lives? He is alive to save you. The phrase “shall be saved” means to guide safely through all life’s dangers and to bring you into God’s glory. Do you think He is able to do that? You can be sure of it!

Romans 5:11. In this verse the third time the idea of exulting occurs: “We also exult in God.” This is the best way to exult. It is not exulting in the hope of the glory of God as in Romans 5:2. Neither is it exulting in tribulations as in Romans 5:3. In Romans 5:2 and Romans 5:3 the exulting is connected with the present and future. The future will one day reach its fulfillment and everyday life will one day come to its end. Therefore the exulting of Rom 5:2-3 will one day end.

But with the exulting of Rom 5:11 it’s different. It is rejoicing in God Himself as the Source and Origin of all blessings. Here you’re no longer talking about yourself and what you have received. God the Giver is before you in all His greatness. You may now rejoice in God through the Lord Jesus Christ through Whom you now have received the reconciliation. To “exult in God” is something you can start with right now, and it will not cease even when we have arrived in the glory of God. Throughout eternity He will be the Subject of your admiration and adoration.

Now read Romans 5:3-11 again.

Reflection: Tell God what you think of Him. Tell God how you appreciate experiencing His love toward you from day to day, and for the gift of His Son.

Romans 9:29

Exult in Tribulations and Exult in God

Romans 5:3. The word exult may make you think of being glad. Well, why shouldn’t you be glad when you see your future before you in Romans 5:2? The prospect of being allowed to enter God’s glory gives you joy, even though you’re not there yet. You’re still on the way to glory and living a life on earth with all its cares and troubles. Is this something in which to exult or to be glad? Romans 5:3 reads: “We also exult in our tribulations.” Well, that sounds like a beautiful text, but you may wonder how it is possible. To make this possible you must first be able to say “knowing” with full confidence that all these tribulations are not happening at random.

If God permits difficulties to enter your life, He has a purpose for them. God uses the difficulties that confront you to prove the reality of your faith. It is not so difficult to have faith when everything is running smoothly in your life. It is only when difficulties come that you can show of what your faith is made. If your faith is real you will endure and keep on trusting God. Then you will not, at the first sign of trouble, lose your assurance. You will find these difficulties will only strengthen you because you know it is all in God’s hands and will never get out of His hands.

The real problem comes when a tribulation lasts longer than you think it should. This is when you will need “perseverance” or endurance. You must count on the faithfulness and help of the Lord to endure these difficulties that seem to have no end in sight. He will sustain you and give you the strength to endure.

Romans 5:4. The result is that you will experience His support. This is the “proven character” that is spoken of in this verse. You can feel His help. What a marvelous experience this is when surrounded by all these troubling things! The result of this experience is “hope”. Once you have the experience of Who God is in your life, you will know He will never leave you, but He will bring you to where He wants you to be, in His glory. You can see how these things create a cause and effect.

Romans 5:5. Now “love” is added to these things. Love is God’s nature. God is love and He has poured out His love into your heart. Things may be ever so difficult, but in your heart you have the conviction that God in His love will never lose grip of what is happening. You don’t have to carry out special things to experience this love of God. You don’t have the power to make yourself feel His love, just as you didn’t have the power to justify yourself before God. But now there is a new power source within us, “the Holy Spirit” Who has been given to us. The Holy Spirit, being Himself God, has shed abroad God’s love in you.

Romans 5:6-8. The strongest proof of God’s love is the fact that Christ has died for helpless and ungodly ones. Occasionally among men someone dies for another because the other is worth such a sacrifice, but that is not the way God loves. God demonstrates His love toward you, in that while you were still a sinner, Christ died for you.

God couldn’t find any attractive thing within you, but God is love. He gave Christ out of His own desire without you asking for it, because He is love. If God proved His love in such a way when you didn’t want Him, would He not in His love take care of you as long as you are still on earth?

Romans 5:9. You have been justified by Christ’s blood. You belong to Him. God always sees Christ’s blood. He no longer sees you as a sinner, but in connection with the Lord Jesus. Christ is the guarantee that you will be saved from wrath. It is now impossible for God’s wrath to touch you. God’s wrath over you had its effect on Christ when He died for you. He bore your sins!

Romans 5:10. You once were an enemy of God. You had to be reconciled to God. Now you’re no longer an enemy of God. You have been reconciled to God, and the Son of God is no longer dead. He lives eternally! Do you know why He lives? He is alive to save you. The phrase “shall be saved” means to guide safely through all life’s dangers and to bring you into God’s glory. Do you think He is able to do that? You can be sure of it!

Romans 5:11. In this verse the third time the idea of exulting occurs: “We also exult in God.” This is the best way to exult. It is not exulting in the hope of the glory of God as in Romans 5:2. Neither is it exulting in tribulations as in Romans 5:3. In Romans 5:2 and Romans 5:3 the exulting is connected with the present and future. The future will one day reach its fulfillment and everyday life will one day come to its end. Therefore the exulting of Rom 5:2-3 will one day end.

But with the exulting of Rom 5:11 it’s different. It is rejoicing in God Himself as the Source and Origin of all blessings. Here you’re no longer talking about yourself and what you have received. God the Giver is before you in all His greatness. You may now rejoice in God through the Lord Jesus Christ through Whom you now have received the reconciliation. To “exult in God” is something you can start with right now, and it will not cease even when we have arrived in the glory of God. Throughout eternity He will be the Subject of your admiration and adoration.

Now read Romans 5:3-11 again.

Reflection: Tell God what you think of Him. Tell God how you appreciate experiencing His love toward you from day to day, and for the gift of His Son.

Romans 9:30

Exult in Tribulations and Exult in God

Romans 5:3. The word exult may make you think of being glad. Well, why shouldn’t you be glad when you see your future before you in Romans 5:2? The prospect of being allowed to enter God’s glory gives you joy, even though you’re not there yet. You’re still on the way to glory and living a life on earth with all its cares and troubles. Is this something in which to exult or to be glad? Romans 5:3 reads: “We also exult in our tribulations.” Well, that sounds like a beautiful text, but you may wonder how it is possible. To make this possible you must first be able to say “knowing” with full confidence that all these tribulations are not happening at random.

If God permits difficulties to enter your life, He has a purpose for them. God uses the difficulties that confront you to prove the reality of your faith. It is not so difficult to have faith when everything is running smoothly in your life. It is only when difficulties come that you can show of what your faith is made. If your faith is real you will endure and keep on trusting God. Then you will not, at the first sign of trouble, lose your assurance. You will find these difficulties will only strengthen you because you know it is all in God’s hands and will never get out of His hands.

The real problem comes when a tribulation lasts longer than you think it should. This is when you will need “perseverance” or endurance. You must count on the faithfulness and help of the Lord to endure these difficulties that seem to have no end in sight. He will sustain you and give you the strength to endure.

Romans 5:4. The result is that you will experience His support. This is the “proven character” that is spoken of in this verse. You can feel His help. What a marvelous experience this is when surrounded by all these troubling things! The result of this experience is “hope”. Once you have the experience of Who God is in your life, you will know He will never leave you, but He will bring you to where He wants you to be, in His glory. You can see how these things create a cause and effect.

Romans 5:5. Now “love” is added to these things. Love is God’s nature. God is love and He has poured out His love into your heart. Things may be ever so difficult, but in your heart you have the conviction that God in His love will never lose grip of what is happening. You don’t have to carry out special things to experience this love of God. You don’t have the power to make yourself feel His love, just as you didn’t have the power to justify yourself before God. But now there is a new power source within us, “the Holy Spirit” Who has been given to us. The Holy Spirit, being Himself God, has shed abroad God’s love in you.

Romans 5:6-8. The strongest proof of God’s love is the fact that Christ has died for helpless and ungodly ones. Occasionally among men someone dies for another because the other is worth such a sacrifice, but that is not the way God loves. God demonstrates His love toward you, in that while you were still a sinner, Christ died for you.

God couldn’t find any attractive thing within you, but God is love. He gave Christ out of His own desire without you asking for it, because He is love. If God proved His love in such a way when you didn’t want Him, would He not in His love take care of you as long as you are still on earth?

Romans 5:9. You have been justified by Christ’s blood. You belong to Him. God always sees Christ’s blood. He no longer sees you as a sinner, but in connection with the Lord Jesus. Christ is the guarantee that you will be saved from wrath. It is now impossible for God’s wrath to touch you. God’s wrath over you had its effect on Christ when He died for you. He bore your sins!

Romans 5:10. You once were an enemy of God. You had to be reconciled to God. Now you’re no longer an enemy of God. You have been reconciled to God, and the Son of God is no longer dead. He lives eternally! Do you know why He lives? He is alive to save you. The phrase “shall be saved” means to guide safely through all life’s dangers and to bring you into God’s glory. Do you think He is able to do that? You can be sure of it!

Romans 5:11. In this verse the third time the idea of exulting occurs: “We also exult in God.” This is the best way to exult. It is not exulting in the hope of the glory of God as in Romans 5:2. Neither is it exulting in tribulations as in Romans 5:3. In Romans 5:2 and Romans 5:3 the exulting is connected with the present and future. The future will one day reach its fulfillment and everyday life will one day come to its end. Therefore the exulting of Rom 5:2-3 will one day end.

But with the exulting of Rom 5:11 it’s different. It is rejoicing in God Himself as the Source and Origin of all blessings. Here you’re no longer talking about yourself and what you have received. God the Giver is before you in all His greatness. You may now rejoice in God through the Lord Jesus Christ through Whom you now have received the reconciliation. To “exult in God” is something you can start with right now, and it will not cease even when we have arrived in the glory of God. Throughout eternity He will be the Subject of your admiration and adoration.

Now read Romans 5:3-11 again.

Reflection: Tell God what you think of Him. Tell God how you appreciate experiencing His love toward you from day to day, and for the gift of His Son.

Romans 9:31

Exult in Tribulations and Exult in God

Romans 5:3. The word exult may make you think of being glad. Well, why shouldn’t you be glad when you see your future before you in Romans 5:2? The prospect of being allowed to enter God’s glory gives you joy, even though you’re not there yet. You’re still on the way to glory and living a life on earth with all its cares and troubles. Is this something in which to exult or to be glad? Romans 5:3 reads: “We also exult in our tribulations.” Well, that sounds like a beautiful text, but you may wonder how it is possible. To make this possible you must first be able to say “knowing” with full confidence that all these tribulations are not happening at random.

If God permits difficulties to enter your life, He has a purpose for them. God uses the difficulties that confront you to prove the reality of your faith. It is not so difficult to have faith when everything is running smoothly in your life. It is only when difficulties come that you can show of what your faith is made. If your faith is real you will endure and keep on trusting God. Then you will not, at the first sign of trouble, lose your assurance. You will find these difficulties will only strengthen you because you know it is all in God’s hands and will never get out of His hands.

The real problem comes when a tribulation lasts longer than you think it should. This is when you will need “perseverance” or endurance. You must count on the faithfulness and help of the Lord to endure these difficulties that seem to have no end in sight. He will sustain you and give you the strength to endure.

Romans 5:4. The result is that you will experience His support. This is the “proven character” that is spoken of in this verse. You can feel His help. What a marvelous experience this is when surrounded by all these troubling things! The result of this experience is “hope”. Once you have the experience of Who God is in your life, you will know He will never leave you, but He will bring you to where He wants you to be, in His glory. You can see how these things create a cause and effect.

Romans 5:5. Now “love” is added to these things. Love is God’s nature. God is love and He has poured out His love into your heart. Things may be ever so difficult, but in your heart you have the conviction that God in His love will never lose grip of what is happening. You don’t have to carry out special things to experience this love of God. You don’t have the power to make yourself feel His love, just as you didn’t have the power to justify yourself before God. But now there is a new power source within us, “the Holy Spirit” Who has been given to us. The Holy Spirit, being Himself God, has shed abroad God’s love in you.

Romans 5:6-8. The strongest proof of God’s love is the fact that Christ has died for helpless and ungodly ones. Occasionally among men someone dies for another because the other is worth such a sacrifice, but that is not the way God loves. God demonstrates His love toward you, in that while you were still a sinner, Christ died for you.

God couldn’t find any attractive thing within you, but God is love. He gave Christ out of His own desire without you asking for it, because He is love. If God proved His love in such a way when you didn’t want Him, would He not in His love take care of you as long as you are still on earth?

Romans 5:9. You have been justified by Christ’s blood. You belong to Him. God always sees Christ’s blood. He no longer sees you as a sinner, but in connection with the Lord Jesus. Christ is the guarantee that you will be saved from wrath. It is now impossible for God’s wrath to touch you. God’s wrath over you had its effect on Christ when He died for you. He bore your sins!

Romans 5:10. You once were an enemy of God. You had to be reconciled to God. Now you’re no longer an enemy of God. You have been reconciled to God, and the Son of God is no longer dead. He lives eternally! Do you know why He lives? He is alive to save you. The phrase “shall be saved” means to guide safely through all life’s dangers and to bring you into God’s glory. Do you think He is able to do that? You can be sure of it!

Romans 5:11. In this verse the third time the idea of exulting occurs: “We also exult in God.” This is the best way to exult. It is not exulting in the hope of the glory of God as in Romans 5:2. Neither is it exulting in tribulations as in Romans 5:3. In Romans 5:2 and Romans 5:3 the exulting is connected with the present and future. The future will one day reach its fulfillment and everyday life will one day come to its end. Therefore the exulting of Rom 5:2-3 will one day end.

But with the exulting of Rom 5:11 it’s different. It is rejoicing in God Himself as the Source and Origin of all blessings. Here you’re no longer talking about yourself and what you have received. God the Giver is before you in all His greatness. You may now rejoice in God through the Lord Jesus Christ through Whom you now have received the reconciliation. To “exult in God” is something you can start with right now, and it will not cease even when we have arrived in the glory of God. Throughout eternity He will be the Subject of your admiration and adoration.

Now read Romans 5:3-11 again.

Reflection: Tell God what you think of Him. Tell God how you appreciate experiencing His love toward you from day to day, and for the gift of His Son.

Romans 9:32

Exult in Tribulations and Exult in God

Romans 5:3. The word exult may make you think of being glad. Well, why shouldn’t you be glad when you see your future before you in Romans 5:2? The prospect of being allowed to enter God’s glory gives you joy, even though you’re not there yet. You’re still on the way to glory and living a life on earth with all its cares and troubles. Is this something in which to exult or to be glad? Romans 5:3 reads: “We also exult in our tribulations.” Well, that sounds like a beautiful text, but you may wonder how it is possible. To make this possible you must first be able to say “knowing” with full confidence that all these tribulations are not happening at random.

If God permits difficulties to enter your life, He has a purpose for them. God uses the difficulties that confront you to prove the reality of your faith. It is not so difficult to have faith when everything is running smoothly in your life. It is only when difficulties come that you can show of what your faith is made. If your faith is real you will endure and keep on trusting God. Then you will not, at the first sign of trouble, lose your assurance. You will find these difficulties will only strengthen you because you know it is all in God’s hands and will never get out of His hands.

The real problem comes when a tribulation lasts longer than you think it should. This is when you will need “perseverance” or endurance. You must count on the faithfulness and help of the Lord to endure these difficulties that seem to have no end in sight. He will sustain you and give you the strength to endure.

Romans 5:4. The result is that you will experience His support. This is the “proven character” that is spoken of in this verse. You can feel His help. What a marvelous experience this is when surrounded by all these troubling things! The result of this experience is “hope”. Once you have the experience of Who God is in your life, you will know He will never leave you, but He will bring you to where He wants you to be, in His glory. You can see how these things create a cause and effect.

Romans 5:5. Now “love” is added to these things. Love is God’s nature. God is love and He has poured out His love into your heart. Things may be ever so difficult, but in your heart you have the conviction that God in His love will never lose grip of what is happening. You don’t have to carry out special things to experience this love of God. You don’t have the power to make yourself feel His love, just as you didn’t have the power to justify yourself before God. But now there is a new power source within us, “the Holy Spirit” Who has been given to us. The Holy Spirit, being Himself God, has shed abroad God’s love in you.

Romans 5:6-8. The strongest proof of God’s love is the fact that Christ has died for helpless and ungodly ones. Occasionally among men someone dies for another because the other is worth such a sacrifice, but that is not the way God loves. God demonstrates His love toward you, in that while you were still a sinner, Christ died for you.

God couldn’t find any attractive thing within you, but God is love. He gave Christ out of His own desire without you asking for it, because He is love. If God proved His love in such a way when you didn’t want Him, would He not in His love take care of you as long as you are still on earth?

Romans 5:9. You have been justified by Christ’s blood. You belong to Him. God always sees Christ’s blood. He no longer sees you as a sinner, but in connection with the Lord Jesus. Christ is the guarantee that you will be saved from wrath. It is now impossible for God’s wrath to touch you. God’s wrath over you had its effect on Christ when He died for you. He bore your sins!

Romans 5:10. You once were an enemy of God. You had to be reconciled to God. Now you’re no longer an enemy of God. You have been reconciled to God, and the Son of God is no longer dead. He lives eternally! Do you know why He lives? He is alive to save you. The phrase “shall be saved” means to guide safely through all life’s dangers and to bring you into God’s glory. Do you think He is able to do that? You can be sure of it!

Romans 5:11. In this verse the third time the idea of exulting occurs: “We also exult in God.” This is the best way to exult. It is not exulting in the hope of the glory of God as in Romans 5:2. Neither is it exulting in tribulations as in Romans 5:3. In Romans 5:2 and Romans 5:3 the exulting is connected with the present and future. The future will one day reach its fulfillment and everyday life will one day come to its end. Therefore the exulting of Rom 5:2-3 will one day end.

But with the exulting of Rom 5:11 it’s different. It is rejoicing in God Himself as the Source and Origin of all blessings. Here you’re no longer talking about yourself and what you have received. God the Giver is before you in all His greatness. You may now rejoice in God through the Lord Jesus Christ through Whom you now have received the reconciliation. To “exult in God” is something you can start with right now, and it will not cease even when we have arrived in the glory of God. Throughout eternity He will be the Subject of your admiration and adoration.

Now read Romans 5:3-11 again.

Reflection: Tell God what you think of Him. Tell God how you appreciate experiencing His love toward you from day to day, and for the gift of His Son.

Romans 9:33

Exult in Tribulations and Exult in God

Romans 5:3. The word exult may make you think of being glad. Well, why shouldn’t you be glad when you see your future before you in Romans 5:2? The prospect of being allowed to enter God’s glory gives you joy, even though you’re not there yet. You’re still on the way to glory and living a life on earth with all its cares and troubles. Is this something in which to exult or to be glad? Romans 5:3 reads: “We also exult in our tribulations.” Well, that sounds like a beautiful text, but you may wonder how it is possible. To make this possible you must first be able to say “knowing” with full confidence that all these tribulations are not happening at random.

If God permits difficulties to enter your life, He has a purpose for them. God uses the difficulties that confront you to prove the reality of your faith. It is not so difficult to have faith when everything is running smoothly in your life. It is only when difficulties come that you can show of what your faith is made. If your faith is real you will endure and keep on trusting God. Then you will not, at the first sign of trouble, lose your assurance. You will find these difficulties will only strengthen you because you know it is all in God’s hands and will never get out of His hands.

The real problem comes when a tribulation lasts longer than you think it should. This is when you will need “perseverance” or endurance. You must count on the faithfulness and help of the Lord to endure these difficulties that seem to have no end in sight. He will sustain you and give you the strength to endure.

Romans 5:4. The result is that you will experience His support. This is the “proven character” that is spoken of in this verse. You can feel His help. What a marvelous experience this is when surrounded by all these troubling things! The result of this experience is “hope”. Once you have the experience of Who God is in your life, you will know He will never leave you, but He will bring you to where He wants you to be, in His glory. You can see how these things create a cause and effect.

Romans 5:5. Now “love” is added to these things. Love is God’s nature. God is love and He has poured out His love into your heart. Things may be ever so difficult, but in your heart you have the conviction that God in His love will never lose grip of what is happening. You don’t have to carry out special things to experience this love of God. You don’t have the power to make yourself feel His love, just as you didn’t have the power to justify yourself before God. But now there is a new power source within us, “the Holy Spirit” Who has been given to us. The Holy Spirit, being Himself God, has shed abroad God’s love in you.

Romans 5:6-8. The strongest proof of God’s love is the fact that Christ has died for helpless and ungodly ones. Occasionally among men someone dies for another because the other is worth such a sacrifice, but that is not the way God loves. God demonstrates His love toward you, in that while you were still a sinner, Christ died for you.

God couldn’t find any attractive thing within you, but God is love. He gave Christ out of His own desire without you asking for it, because He is love. If God proved His love in such a way when you didn’t want Him, would He not in His love take care of you as long as you are still on earth?

Romans 5:9. You have been justified by Christ’s blood. You belong to Him. God always sees Christ’s blood. He no longer sees you as a sinner, but in connection with the Lord Jesus. Christ is the guarantee that you will be saved from wrath. It is now impossible for God’s wrath to touch you. God’s wrath over you had its effect on Christ when He died for you. He bore your sins!

Romans 5:10. You once were an enemy of God. You had to be reconciled to God. Now you’re no longer an enemy of God. You have been reconciled to God, and the Son of God is no longer dead. He lives eternally! Do you know why He lives? He is alive to save you. The phrase “shall be saved” means to guide safely through all life’s dangers and to bring you into God’s glory. Do you think He is able to do that? You can be sure of it!

Romans 5:11. In this verse the third time the idea of exulting occurs: “We also exult in God.” This is the best way to exult. It is not exulting in the hope of the glory of God as in Romans 5:2. Neither is it exulting in tribulations as in Romans 5:3. In Romans 5:2 and Romans 5:3 the exulting is connected with the present and future. The future will one day reach its fulfillment and everyday life will one day come to its end. Therefore the exulting of Rom 5:2-3 will one day end.

But with the exulting of Rom 5:11 it’s different. It is rejoicing in God Himself as the Source and Origin of all blessings. Here you’re no longer talking about yourself and what you have received. God the Giver is before you in all His greatness. You may now rejoice in God through the Lord Jesus Christ through Whom you now have received the reconciliation. To “exult in God” is something you can start with right now, and it will not cease even when we have arrived in the glory of God. Throughout eternity He will be the Subject of your admiration and adoration.

Now read Romans 5:3-11 again.

Reflection: Tell God what you think of Him. Tell God how you appreciate experiencing His love toward you from day to day, and for the gift of His Son.