HOPE THAT DOESN'T PUT US TO SHAME

By Linda Cucci

“Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.”—Romans 5:1-5 (NIV)

Justification. Peace. Unrestricted access. HOPE! This is what we have from God through Jesus. After spending pretty much the first four chapters of Romans laying out how undeserving we are to stand before a holy and perfect God, outlining the separation caused by our sin, explaining our standing with God before Jesus came, the apostle Paul shifts here to what we receive by grace through faith in Jesus. The question is . . . WHY?  

Why would God grant hopeless, helpless sinners, those who were alienated from God (Colossians 1:21), who were enemies of God (Romans 5:10) such grace and justification? There is only one explanation for Almighty God’s actions toward us: LOVE! This is made clear a few verses after today’s passage in Romans 5:8 (NIV): “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” The Lord, in His loving kindness, in His compassion, in His mercy, reconciled us to Himself through His Son, “in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins" (Colossians 1:14 NIV).

Jesus has bridged the eternal gap. By His grace, we now have access into the holy of holies. With unveiled faces, we can approach His throne, no longer ashamed but confident He will never reject us. The indwelling spirit of God within us is the evidence of HIs abiding love!

It’s because of this and only this . . . because of His LOVE that we are justified by faith and have peace with God. We no longer live under the penalty of sin that entangles us. We’re no longer crushed under the weight of hopelessness and helplessness, because where sin abounded, grace came and covered and saved, providing us with an unfailing, unstoppable hope. And this hope does not disappoint; it acts as an anchor for our souls, reminding us of what Christ did for us and pointing us to what awaits us in Christ. And because of this hope, we can “glory in our sufferings.”

You see, our suffering matters to the One who sanctifies us. His desire is to use it to establish our faith, to build us up, make us strong, and draw us into intimacy with Him. He alone can provide the strength we need to press on. The choice we make to submit our will to His will develop the character necessary to represent Him to a lost world. 

So, let’s be steadfast in hope, fixing our eyes on the author and perfecter of our faith. His love always protects, always hopes, always preserveres. Love never fails. 

Pause and Reflect: How does God’s love fuel our hope?

Practice: Make a list of ways you can share this hope with others.

Pray: Thank the Lord for His love and grace, the source of our hope.