Romans 5:3 - And we glory in our sufferings - by Ken Clezy

Romans 5:3.  And we glory in our sufferings . . .

Is Paul boasting, or is this another place where the subjunctive mood (let us glory) sounds better?  This is the man who says in 2 Cor 4:17

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

No,

Rom 5:3 isn’t an idle boast. 

Paul knew that nothing worthwhile is achieved without effort.  Have you watched Olympic gymnasts on the Roman rings?  They swing into the cross position and hold it almost effortlessly, until you look at their bulging neck veins and realise that huge strength is required.  This isn’t achieved by casual effort but by practice for a very long time.

As Christians we must display similar effort (perseverance) so serious and severe that Paul calls it suffering, if we are to behave consistently (i.e. display the right character) and always be obedient, as God requires of us.

If we live like this, we will have hope in the Christian sense: certainty.  And this hope doesn’t put us to shame, because God has poured his love into our hearts through the Holy Spirit whom he has given us.  (Ro 5:4-5)

This almost sounds as if Paul says our salvation is dependent on our obedience.  He can’t mean that; it’s contrary to his entire message.  Rather, he must be saying our salvation and our obedience should be inseparably intertwined.  This may be the ideal, but he knew very well that many Christian lives aren’t like that; he warns against sin many times.

Rom 5:7 sounds confusing; ‘righteous’ and ‘good’ can mean the same thing in ordinary English usage.  In this verse they are contrasted, with good better than righteous.  It makes sense if we take righteous to mean justified (declared not guilty).  They are virtually the same word in Greek.  If we understand the righteous person to be a brand-new Christian – a babe in Christ – who hasn’t had time to do anything that God or man will call good, the verse makes sense.  

We may possibly love one (or even both) of these, but God’s love is far greater.  He loves sinners that we find totally unlovable.  We must never take this to mean he is soft on sin.