Truth for Difficult Times

God wants us to Reign in Life, not be reigned over. He has made every provision for us to not be reigned over by sin. Now as we move into Romans 18-38, we will find that God also does not want us to be reigned over by suffering.

This world is full of suffering, is it not? And none of us are immune from the suffering that is taking place.

These truly are difficult days we live in.

As we were coming to the end of Romans 8:17, and how we reign in life over sin, we found something interesting.

Romans 8:17 NIV

Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.

Sufferings

sufferings - persecution (they won’t like what we teach)

Jesus warned us

john 15.20

John 15:20 NIV

Remember what I told you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also.

sufferings - persecution (they won’t like how we live)

2 tim 3 12

2 Timothy 3:12 NIV

In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted,

1 pet 4 12-19

1 Peter 4:12–19 NIV

Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. If you suffer, it should not be as a murderer or thief or any other kind of criminal, or even as a meddler. However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name. For it is time for judgment to begin with God’s household; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God? And, “If it is hard for the righteous to be saved, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?” So then, those who suffer according to God’s will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good.

Physical sufferings

2 Corinthians 12:8–10 NIV

Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

2 cor 4.17

2 Corinthians 4:17 NIV

For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.

sufferings is temporary

Where is there hope in suffering?

Romans 8:18 NIV

I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.

The Glory to come

Philippians 3:21 NIV

who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.

1 John 3:2 NIV

Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.

Matthew 13:43 NIV

Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Whoever has ears, let them hear.

1 Corinthians 15:42–43 NIV

So will it be with the resurrection of the dead. The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable; it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power;

1 Corinthians 15:54 NIV

When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.”

1 Corinthians 15:57 NIV

But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Temporary sufferings now, are not worthy to be compared to the glory that is to come

let us move on, because there is more...

Romans 8:19–21 NIV

For the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed. For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God.

Creation is eagerly waiting

Creation is Groaning

Romans 8:22–23 NIV

We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies.

We are groaning

We are eagerly waiting

Romans 8:24–25 NIV

For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.

Hope and Patience

Hope - expectation that lifts the spirit

Patience…

We are not alone...

Romans 8:26–27 NIV

In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God.

The Spirit Groans

Romans 8:28–30 NIV

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.

God is working

What is Our Response

Romans 8:31 NIV

What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?

Who can be against us?

Accusation

Romans 8:32–34 NIV

He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.

Hardship and Persecution

Romans 8:35–36 NIV

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: “For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”

Suffering

this all is a great expansion on Romans 5

Romans 5:3 NIV

Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance;

But let’s see how Paul concludes this...

Romans 8:37–39 NIV

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.