For the last couple of weeks,
I've been reading out of Romans chapter 5 and kind of been working
on a message that I was actually able to finish and put together.
And if you're still turned with me to Romans chapter 5, they're
found in verses 3 through 5. How many times have I read these
verses and never really gave them much thought? Paul says
in verse 3, "...and not only so, but we glory in tribulations
also, knowing that tribulation worketh patience, and patience
experience. Patience worketh experience,
and experience hope, and hope make it not a shame, because
the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost,
which is given to us." Tribulation. Patience. experience, hope, and
love. And when the first link is connected
to the last, and tribulation is welded onto the love of God,
the chain is complete. God has determined which link
is laid hold of first. You see, the first link is a
very heavy one. And it'd weigh down the rest
if it weren't divinely sustained by the last, which is the love
of God. The first link in this chain
is tribulation. Tribulation. Some might say,
well, that the love of God should come first. But let me ask you,
Did the crown come before the cross? Doesn't the believer have
to be brought down to be lifted up? Don't we, according to Scripture,
have to die to ourselves to be made alive unto God? God says the first link in the
chain is tribulation. And may we always remember that
God's order in all things must be followed, not ours. That's
the reason that so many perish today. They do things their way
instead of God's way. Yes, tribulation is a heavy and
strong link with extreme weight and substance. When we think
of tribulation, we have conceived in our own mind what that means.
But in the original language, the word tribulation, if you
look it up in your Strong's Concordance, it literally means being pressed
down. It means distressed. It means
afflicted. It means troubled. It means to
be burdened. The Lord's people had many tribulations. No wonder the Scripture says,
and it's clear that we must, through much tribulation, enter
into the kingdom of God. Acts 14.22. We must, through much tribulation,
enter into the Kingdom of God. Job said, man that is born of
woman is a few days, and what? Full of trouble. However, it
is vital, dear friends, for us to know who's behind the tribulations. Do you know who's behind these
tribulations? It's God Almighty. It's God Almighty. And this is why the psalmist
David, king of Israel, said, it is good for me that I have
been afflicted. How could anyone say such a thing?
It is good for me that I've been afflicted. Can you say that?
By the grace of God you can if you know Him. And David finished
that statement with, that I might learn thy statues. It's good
for me to be afflicted if I learn your ways. If I see your purpose
and bow and submit to it, then it's a good thing to be afflicted.
And here's where we find the blessing of tribulation. Now
there are people that do not understand how tribulation can
be a blessing, but a child of God can. As I think back on my
life, it was a hard tribulation, friends, that caused me to start
seeking the truth about eternity. The first thing concerning tribulation
is that it has all been weighed out and comes timely appointed
by God Almighty. It may catch you and I by surprise,
but it was no surprise to God. He sent it. Job said, man is
born to trouble as the sparks fly upwards. You've heard that
verse. But listen to this, "...yet affliction
cometh not forth of the dust, neither doth trouble spring out
of the ground." Now what does he mean by that? Well, he means,
in other words, tribulation and affliction is not by chance,
or what men call bad luck. Boy, he's having a tough time.
He's going through some real bad luck. No, he's not. No, he's
not. It doesn't come forth from the
dust. Trouble doesn't spring forth out of the ground. It doesn't
come about by a second cause. Now, you've heard me and other
men here say the first cause of everything but sin, let me
make that distinction, but sin is from God Almighty. Consider
also that tribulation, trouble, and affliction are made to work
together for good to those who love God. You see, we've got
a lot of the same tribulations as believers that the world has.
We do. Whether it be health issues,
believers and unbelievers alike have those troubles. Whether
it be financial matters, family troubles, these things afflict
the believer and the unbeliever. Believers have tribulations that
are distinct to themselves. Some of these are because of
our witness for Christ. And they come in the way of persecution
and scorn. There's a suffering that comes
with serving Christ. Just the oppression of a believer
that a believer experiences knowing that his family, his children,
his parents, his siblings are without Christ. It's something
that the world don't experience. Those of you that love someone
who has no interest in the things of God, it's easy to be oppressed
by. That's an affliction and a tribulation
that the world doesn't experience, knowing that one we love has
no interest in Christ, who is the only one able to save their
soul. As I said, our hearts break over
children, parents, siblings, close friends. who have no interest
in the Lord Jesus Christ. It's a burden. Many times we're
hated because those that hate us hate our Lord. I don't know
if you've experienced this. There's been friends of mine
that have ended long friendships because of my stand with Christ.
It was very subtle and it was obvious as to why. No wonder
our Lord said, if the world hate you, you shall know it hated
me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the
world would love his own, but because you're not of the world,
but I've chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth
you. Prince, don't let it come to any big surprise if you lose
people in the world that you thought were friends because
of your stand for Christ. But our chief troubles and tribulations,
now listen to me, arise mostly from the inward soul. The troubles
within. We battle with the assaults of
Satan, with powerful temptations that face us day in and day out.
We battle with the guilt of sin that's laid on our conscience.
Are you like me? Do you ever just find yourself
pondering, how in the world could God love someone like me that's
done the things I've done? If you've ever done that, that's
a tribulation that I'm talking about. Oh, doubts and fears about
a true interest in Christ. How many times do I say to myself,
do I really love Christ? Often times when I'm trying to
prepare a message, I think to myself, do I really believe this? Oh, it's a conflict. It's a struggle. It's doubts and fears we have
about a true interest in Christ. And it's a daily, hourly, second-by-second
thing, conflict, ever lusting to evil. Now tell me, has this
not been your experience? No wonder tribulation is the
first link in the chain. The next thing that we see is
that tribulation worketh patience. Now, as you stay with me on these,
I think you'll find it a great blessing and comfort to you.
Now, the word patience in this context, in this verse, does
not mean what we think it does. There again, if you look into
a concordance, you'll see that there are several words translated
in our language that are two different words all together
in the original language. And usually when we think of
the definition of patience, we think of meekness, a quiet, easygoing
temperament. Why, she's so patient, he's so
patient. But the spiritual meaning of
this word, patience, means endurance. Endurance. There are two different
words in the original language translated patience, as I said.
One means a quiet, suffering disposition, as in James 5, 7.
It says, Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of
the Lord. However, the other word, which is here in Romans
5, means endurance, perseverance, tenacity. Consider the tribulation
of Job. Now, we all know the story of
Job, which led to great endurance. He lost his family. He lost all
his property, all his possessions. And his wife whom he loved said,
why don't you just curse God and die? Now that's tribulation. I guarantee you that's tribulation.
You lose ten kids? You're a wealthy man. You've
got farms and animals and your wealth is known all over the
land. And within a matter of, it's all gone, everything. And
then the one whom you seek comfort from the most, your partner in
life says, won't you just curse God and die? Oh my goodness. That'd be tough, wouldn't it?
That's tribulation. "...but he endured." How do you
know he endured, David? Because here's what he said,
"...naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return.
The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away. Blessed be the name
of the Lord." And the Scripture said, "...in all this Job sinned
not, nor charged God foolishly. Now, is that not tribulation? Working patience and endurance
in this case? Job bore what God laid upon him. That's what I'm trying to tell
you. And he endured. He endured. He held fast his
faith in his Maker and he didn't give way to the tempter's suggestion
to curse God and die. He endured and lived through
all his trials. So one might ask, how does tribulation
work patience? How does it? I once heard a story
about unbroken horses, untamed horses. An unbroken horse, an
untamed horse, cannot bear the slightest load on its back. That's
why they buck and throw a fit. when somebody gets on their back.
So in order to teach the horse to carry a load, do you know
what they do? They put a load on him. And the carrying of that
load for a length of time teaches him to endure it. That's how
they break a horse. Now listen, God through tribulation
is going to teach you endurance if you're one of His. And if
you're one of His chosen, He's going to lay a load on you. That's
how tribulation works patience. By the grace of God, we learn
to endure. But there's still something more.
Endurance in the scriptural sense includes submission to the will
of God. It includes submission. When
the soul is brought to endure and submit to the afflicting
strokes of God's hand, tribulation has done its proper work and
it brings about patience and endurance. And when this is accomplished,
the first link of the chain is welded on to the second. May
God teach us to say in submission to His teaching hand, Even so,
Father, it seemed good in Thy sight. Why me, Lord? That's my usual response. Well,
what have I done, Lord? Why me, Lord? Even so, Father,
it seemed good in Thy sight. That's where I desire to be.
Right here. Right here. That's what James
means when he says, Brethren, he said, count it all joy when
you fall into divers' temptations. Knowing this is a trying of your
faith. Work with patience. Endurance. And then he says,
let patience have her perfect work. that you may be perfect
and entire, wanting nothing." James 1, verses 2 and 4. James is saying that temptations
and trials try faith. They're trying to do our faith.
And the trying of our faith worketh patience, But patience must have
its perfect work. That is, it must be completely
worked out in the soul of the believer and brought out and
wanting nothing but what God wants. Now you think about that.
Do you want what God wants? And that's what Paul means for
us to understand in our text. This is the welding on of the
link. Tribulation works patience, endurance. And it causes me to want what
God wants. Why? Because God knows what's
best for me. Does He not? Do I know what's
best for me? Does God? Absolutely. So what
does patience work? It has a work to perform patience
works experience. Isn't that what our text says?
This is the third link in the chain. Now what is the meaning
of the word experience here? Well, again, it does not mean
the usual sense of the term, which is skill, knowledge, and
understanding. It doesn't mean that in this
verse. Look it up in your concordance. You'll see that it comes from
a different root word. This experience has a more limited
significance, and it means a special experience of the power, wisdom,
and grace of God in and under tribulation. See, these link
together. It's a chain. Tribulation, patience,
endurance. And now experience. The word
experience here literally means proof. Proof. And therefore gives proof that
the saved sinner's soul possesses the goodness, grace, and mercy
of God in and under trial and affliction. Now, you've heard
men say this, and you know it for yourself. It's easy to trust
God when everything's going good. It's easy to say, oh, bless His
holy name, when you've got a bunch of money in the bank and a nice
home to live in and your car's running good, but it's a whole
different thing when it's not, when you're broke. Your roof's
leaking and your car don't run. Can you see the process here?
Do you see the importance of how the links are chained together? Tribulation works endurance and
submission. And as the soul endures and submits,
it gains an experience and proof of the power of the mercy, grace,
and goodness of God. What a God! This experience is
two-fold. First of all, it's a proof of
who God is, and secondly, it's a proof of what we are. The first
thing usually experienced is an inward proof of the wisdom
of God in the choosing of our tribal. A patient is not usually
allowed to choose his own medicines when he goes to the doctor. The
doctor decides what medicine is best for his ailment. The
trial, whatever it may be for the believer, is chosen in infinite
wisdom by the disposer of all things, God Almighty. If it be
sickness, it's His choice. If it's an affliction in the
family, it's His choice. If it's a trial in financial
circumstances, it is His choice. God sent it. God sent it. So friends, we see that when
patience has its perfect work in the soul, and we can submit
to the trial, it's coming from God. The trial comes from God. His wisdom in selecting and determining
that particular trial, we by grace begin to see. We begin
to feel a measure of growing in grace out of the tribulation.
And we see that it is having a good effect in the working
of ourselves. It's hard now. It's hard, especially
when you're the one in the trial. We see the Almighty separating
us from the world. bringing us near to God, conforming
us more into the image of Christ. Then we gain an experience of
the wisdom of God in sending that particular trial. It's usually
then, now listen, it's usually then in humility that we acknowledge
and say, that was the very trial that I needed. No other trial
would have done for me what that trial has done. You see, it was
your trial. God sent it to you. God sent
it to you on purpose. And God sent it to you for your
good. And He's going to make it work
for your good, spiritually speaking, eternally speaking. Now tell
me you haven't experienced that, dear child of God. I know that
you have. God's blow struck me in the most
tender part. Boy, sometimes He hits right
where it hurts, doesn't He? And yet it was the very spot
where it was most needful for me to be wounded. God knows what
He's doing. And we see God's wisdom in it.
Now, do you not see how patience works experience? We gain the
experience of God supporting the soul. We gain the experience
of the wisdom and goodness of God. We gain the experience of
the long-suffering of God. The mercy of God. We experience
something else, and that's hope. Do you notice where the apostle
places this link? Is it in the beginning, middle,
or end of this chain? Most people would place it at
the beginning. They begin with hope. No tribulation. Without patience and without
experience. But that's not where Paul begins.
The chain contains five links, friends. We've seen four of them.
But he does not put hope as the first. Tribulation is the first. then patience, endurance, then
experience, and then linked on to experience is hope. It works
a particular hope that only we can have in Christ. It's a hope
connected with experience, as experience is connected with
patience, and as patience with tribulation. But how does a special
experience work a special hope? The believer walking in tribulation. Now listen. Walking in tribulation's
path says God sends trouble. Tribulation. And this tribulation
has, by grace, taught me to submit to the will of God. And to endure
the tribulation that's coming from His hand. That is a needful
lesson. I now gain an experience of the
wisdom, power, and goodness of God displayed in the trial that
He sent. You're talking about growing
in grace. This is how. And as I gain this, I gain some ground
of hope for the future. You see, I've obtained some firm
basis on which to place my hope. He's delivered me before. Won't
He deliver me again? The Lord's been with me in six
troubles. Will He not be with me in the
seventh? You see what I'm saying? In my tribulation, I obtained
strength to endure and then was brought to submission, bowing
to the fact that God sent the trouble. I experienced the wisdom,
power, and love of God. For He knew what trial to send,
just what I needed, when I needed it. So in all my future trials,
there rises up in my soul hope. a blessed hope that I shall experience
the same deliverance that I experienced before, feel the same power,
and enjoy the same blessing. And when speaking of this hope,
the Apostle adds, not ashamed." Do you see that in verse 5? "...and
hope maketh not ashamed." You see, the hope that is not wrought
in the heart by the power of God will leave the soul at the
last, and therefore it's a hope which maketh ashamed. What a
fearful thing it is when a man comes to a dying hour to that
point of taking his last breath, or when he stands before God
in judgment at that great day, and his hope makes him ashamed.
He's ashamed of it, and it's a shame to him. And why? Because he didn't have any foundation,
any root. It was not grounded and rooted
in the soul by the power of God. It didn't come through tribulation. or patience or experience. It
was a solitary link. Have you ever seen a broken chain
and there's just one little link and it's broke? And it's not
joined to anything. There's nothing at the other
end. It's rusty and laying in the street. What's it worth?
Nothing. It ain't worth a thing. May God cause us to examine our
hope. and see whether it be a solitary
link or one in a chain of which tribulation forms one end and
the love of God the other. Now let me ask you, has tribulation
bowed your soul down? And was submission given to endure
it? The child of God says yes. Did
any sweet experience come into your heart? An experience of
the mercy, goodness, and love of God in your tribulation? The child of God says, yes. When
it was all over and I saw God's hand, I said, yes, it was sweet.
Did there spring out of this a sweet almost childlike blessed
hope in the mercy of God and an interest in the precious blood
of Christ. The child of God says, yeah,
I know whom I believe and I'm persuaded that He's able. That's
what I've learned. That's what I've learned. Have
you learned from experience that the Lord will support you through
every trial, every trial, and eventually set you before His
face in glory? Have you seen that? A child of
God has. Let me say this and I'm done.
The apostle adds the chief reason why this hope maketh not ashamed. Because the love of God is shed
abroad in the heart by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.
All these things come from the simple fact that God loved me
and gave himself for me. What?