Romans 5.4-Perseverance Produces Tested Character and Tested Character Produces Confidence
Wenstrom Bible Ministries
Pastor-Teacher Bill Wenstrom
Thursday March 27, 2008
Romans: Romans 5:4-Perseverance Produces Tested Character and Tested Character Produces Confidence
Lesson # 146
Please turn in your Bibles to Romans 5:1.
This evening we will note Romans 5:4, in which Paul teaches that perseverance produces tested character and tested character produces confidence in the believer in his relationship with God, that he will be rewarded for enduring undeserved suffering and that God is conforming him into the image of His Son.
Romans 5:1-4, “Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God. And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope.”
“Perseverance” is the noun hupomone (u(pomonhv) (hoop-o-mo-nay), which is steady persistence in a course of action, a purpose, and a state and suggests activity maintained in spite of difficulties, steadfast and long continued application.
For the Christian, “perseverance” is remaining faithful and obedient to the Word of God despite the obstacles in life such as the old sin nature, self, the cosmic system of Satan.
“Proven character” is the noun dokime (dokimhv) (dok-ee-may), which means, “tested character.”
The noun dokime describes the believer who has successfully passed the testing of his faith in the Lord, his obedience to the Lord and his love for the Lord.
The word refers to the believer, who has endured undeserved suffering and thus has been promoted by the Lord to the next stage of spiritual growth.
It describes the believer who has advanced spiritually in the sense that God has developed more of the character of His Son Jesus Christ through the testing of the believer’s faith in Him, his obedience to Him as well as the believer’s love for Him.
The development of Christ-like character is “the good work” mentioned by Paul in Philippians 1:6.
Philippians 1:6, “I am confident of this very same thing, namely that, the One (God the Holy Spirit) who began in all of you a good work that is divine in character, will completely finish it up to the day of Christ who is Jesus.”
The “good work” refers to the Philippians being conformed into the image of the Lord Jesus Christ.
This work began the moment the believer expressed faith alone in Christ alone.
It continues after salvation in the believer who obeys the Father’s will, which is revealed by the Holy Spirit through the communication of the Word of God and which work will be completed at the resurrection of the church.
The “good work” of conforming the believer into the image of the Lord Jesus Christ is the Father’s plan for every believer from eternity past.
Romans 8:28-30, “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified.”
The Father’s purpose for extending us grace, for crucifying us with Christ and burying us with Him as well as raising and seating us with Christ at His right hand is so that we might become conformed to the image of His Son Jesus Christ.
The sole objective of God the Father saving us, justifying, sanctifying and glorifying us through His Son Jesus Christ is so that we might become like His Son Jesus Christ and by doing so bring many sons to glory.
Failure to remain in fellowship after salvation does not hinder God from completed this “good work” since the resurrection does not involve the believer’s volition but it does hinder the Spirit’s work in time after salvation prior to the resurrection.
1 Thessalonians 5:19, “Do not make it a habit of hindering the Spirit.”
Ephesians 4:30, “Do not make it a habit to grieve the Holy Spirit by means of whom all of you have been sealed for the day of redemption.”
The number one objective of the Holy Spirit after salvation is to reproduce the character of Christ in the believer.
Galatians 4:19, “My children, with whom I am again in labor until the character of Christ is formed in all of you.”
Character involves three things: (1) Thoughts (2) Words (3) Actions. The Father desires that the believer’s “thoughts, words and action” be in conformity to His Son’s.
The fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22-23 is simply the characteristics of Christ that are reproduced by the Holy Spirit in the believer who is obedient to the Father’s will, which is revealed by the Holy Spirit to the believer through the communication of the Word of God, which is the mind of Christ.
Galatians 5:22-23, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.”
In Philippians 1:6, Paul is saying that God the Holy Spirit will bring to a successful conclusion the work of conforming the believer into the image of the Lord Jesus Christ, right up to the day of Christ Jesus, which refers to the Bema Seat Evaluation of the church that immediately follows the rapture (1 Cor. 3:11-15; 2 Cor. 5:10).
Since actions are one of three elements that form a person’s character, rewards will be given to believers in direct proportion to the amount of Christ-like character that they permitted the Holy Spirit to develop in them in time after salvation.
Developing the character of Christ in the believer is synonymous with the developing the holiness of God in the believer since Christ is the Holy One of God.
1 Peter 1:14-16, “As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance, but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; because it is written, ‘YOU SHALL BE HOLY, FOR I AM HOLY.’”
Sanctification is simply the process of developing the holiness of God in the believer and the holiness of God is the character of Christ.
The believer who is executing the plan of God and learning Bible doctrine will go through suffering which is undeserved (1 Thess. 3:4).
It is called undeserved because they did not bring this suffering upon themselves (1 Pet. 2:19-20; 2 Cor. 1:6).
“Suffering for blessing” is designed to build up your spiritual muscles and to bring you to spiritual maturity, thus bringing glory to Him in the Angelic Conflict.
There are three categories of suffering for blessing for the believer who advances to spiritual maturity.
(1) “Providential preventive suffering” is experienced by the believer at the 1st stage of spiritual adulthood, spiritual self-esteem and is designed to keep the believer from getting arrogant as well as to advance the believer to the 2nd stage of spiritual adulthood, which is spiritual independence (2 Cor. 12:7).
2 Corinthians 12:1-8, “Boasting is necessary, though it is not profitable; but I will go on to visions and revelations of the Lord. I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago -- whether in the body I do not know, or out of the body I do not know, God knows -- such a man was caught up to the third heaven. And I know how such a man -- whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, God knows -- was caught up into Paradise and heard inexpressible words, which a man is not permitted to speak. On behalf of such a man I will boast; but on my own behalf I will not boast, except in regard to my weaknesses. For if I do wish to boast I will not be foolish, for I will be speaking the truth; but I refrain from this, so that no one will credit me with more than he sees in me or hears from me. Because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, for this reason, to keep me from exalting myself, there was given me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me -- to keep me from exalting myself! Concerning this I implored the Lord three times that it might leave me.”
(2) “Momentum testing” is experienced by the believer at the 2nd stage of spiritual adulthood, which is spiritual independence.
2 Corinthians 12:9-10, “And He has said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.’ Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ's sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong.”
2 Corinthians 12:10 teaches the principle of momentum testing, which is experienced by the believer at spiritual autonomy and is designed to advance him to spiritual maturity and comes in four categories: (1) “In slanders”: People Testing (2) “In pressures”: Thought Testing (3) “In persecutions”: System Testing (4) “In stresses”: Disaster Testing.
(3) “Evidence testing” is experienced by the believer in spiritual maturity and is the privilege of the believer to become a witness for the Prosecution (God) in the rebuttal phase of Satan’s appeal trial (Job 1-2).
It is a privilege to suffer undeservedly for Christ’s sake.
Philippians 1:29, “It has been graciously granted (the privilege) because of Christ, not only to believe in Him, but also, to suffer (hardship) because of Him.”
God never permits us to undergo any testing that we don’t have the capacity for.
1 Corinthians 10:13, “No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it.”
Just as the Father’s plan for the Lord Jesus Christ involved undeserved suffering so the plan of God for our lives involves undeserved suffering.
Adversity is an opportunity to advance spiritually and for promotion in the spiritual life.
Exploiting adversity by obeying the will of the Father produces spiritual prosperity, which is the production of Christ-like character and more intimate fellowship with the Lord resulting in rewards at the Bema Seat.
Advancement, promotion, spiritual growth and prosperity in the spiritual life can only be achieved through undeserved suffering, which is experiencing identification with Christ in His death (1 Pet. 4:12-13).
If the believer meets adversity with divine provisions of prayer and the Word of God, then he will prosper spiritually.
God is most concerned with our “spiritual” prosperity rather than our “temporal” prosperity since our spiritual growth into greater Christ-likeness is His objective for our lives from eternity past according to Romans 8:29.
The believer’s undeserved suffering will result in a more intimate fellowship with the Lord Jesus Christ and form more of the character of Christ in him, which would result in rewards for him at the Bema Seat Evaluation of the church.
The believer who perseveres while under trial will be prospered with the “crown of life” at the Bema Seat.
James 1:12, “Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.”
The fact that the believer would be prospered spiritually in the sense of experiencing a more intimate fellowship with the Lord and greater Christ-like character as well as rewards was the reason why the apostles commanded their readers to rejoice in the midst of adversity.
1 Peter 1:3-9, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ and though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, obtaining as the outcome of your faith the salvation (soteria, “spiritual prosperity”) of your souls.”
Romans 5:4, “and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope.”
“Hope” is the noun elpis (e)lpi$) (el-pece), which refers to the believer’s “confidence” in the Lord’s ability to sustain and prosper in the midst of adversity.
In Romans 5:4, the noun elpis refers to the believer’s “confidence” in the Lord’s ability to not only deliver the believer out of adversity but also to sustain and even prosper him in the midst of adversity as well.
Also, the word refers to the believer’s “confidence” that he will be rewarded for enduring undeserved suffering and the testing of his faith in the Lord and his obedience to the Lord as well as his love for the Lord.
It also denotes the believer’s “confidence” that God is indeed transforming him into the image of Jesus Christ through various trials and tribulations.