Originally posted: 4/10/2020
Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit, (15:13).
Paul continues this portion of his letter to the Romans with his charge to all believers towards selfless-living in order to build each other up in the faith.
Now we who are strong ought to bear the weaknesses of those without strength and not just please ourselves. 2 Each of us is to please his neighbor for his good, to his edification, (15:1-2).
And in the next breath, Paul begins to turn our focus to our only Hope in fulfilling such a non-characteristic of human behavior, to Him, the God of Hope.
And this Hope of which Paul speaks, is not wishful, maybe it will come true, kind of Hope. Quite the contrary, as the Greek word conveys an expectation with confidence to obtain what is desired.
Hope:
1680. ἐλπίς elpís; gen. elpídos, fem. noun. Hope, desire of some good with expectation of obtaining it. Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance
25.59 ἐλπίζωa; ἐλπίςa, ίδος f: to look forward with confidence to that which is good and beneficial—‘to hope, to hope for, hope.’ Louw-Nida Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament
Consider Him, the God of Hope
- The God of Hope Who Selflessly Took All Our Reproach
- for even Christ did not please Himself; but as it is written, “The reproaches of those who reproached You fell on Me,” (15:3).
- The God of Hope Who Was Revealed through the Scriptures for Our Instruction
- For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, so that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope, (15:4).
- The God of Hope Who Gives Perseverance and Encouragement
- Now may the God who gives perseverance and encouragement… (15:5).
- The God of Hope Who is Glorified in Our Unity
- …grant you to be of the same mind with one another according to Christ Jesus, 6 so that with one accord you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, (15:5-6).
- The God of Hope Who is Glorified in His Mercy
- Therefore, accept one another, just as Christ also accepted us to the glory of God. 8 For I say that Christ has become a servant to the circumcision on behalf of the truth of God to confirm the promises given to the fathers, 9 and for the Gentiles to glorify God for His mercy… (15:7-9).
- The God of Hope Who Fills Us with Joy and Peace through Believing
- Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing… (15:13).
- The God of Hope Who Empowers Us to Abound in Confident Expectation
- …so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit, (15:13).
How do we respond to Him, the God of Hope?
Every promise uttered from the mouth of God, every Hope we have for fellowship and eternal life is fulfilled in the Son of God.
But as God is faithful, our word to you is not yes and no. 19 For the Son of God, Christ Jesus, who was preached among you by us—by me and Silvanus and Timothy—was not yes and no, but is yes in Him. 20 For as many as are the promises of God, in Him they are yes; therefore also through Him is our Amen to the glory of God through us, (2 Corinthians 1:18-20).
And in Christ Jesus, the God of Hope fills us with assurance that what He has promised He is faithful to accomplish.
Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful; (Hebrews 10:23).
In light of these difficult days, and in light of what is revealed throughout Romans 15 regarding Him, the God of Hope, we must respond with, and in, His Hope.
And as we as we commit in faith to believe His Word, convinced He is Faithful regarding all His Promises, we will be filled with confident expectation to obtain all His good desires for us…
- …for He took all our reproach, paying the penalty of sin we ourselves deserve.
- and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed, (1 Peter 2:24).
- …for He has given us exactly what is needed in His Holy Scriptures to grow and mature in our faith.
- All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; 17 so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work, (15:4).
- …for He is faithful to give His Perseverance and Encouragement, through His Love and Holy Spirit.
- And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; 4 and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; 5 and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us, (15:5).
Let us commit to seek Him in His Word, that we will grow in our knowledge and faith to believe His Promises with full expectation of all we have yet to receive. And as we grow in our faith, He will grow our assurance in Him, the God of Hope, to do do in us what only He can do…
- …to be faithful to Glorify Him in Our Unity.
- So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience; 13 bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you. 14 Beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity. 15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful, (Colossians 3:12-15).
- …to live so as to purposely Glorify Him with unceasing gratitude for His surpassing Mercy.
- But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), 6 and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. (15:7-9).
- …to rest in Him, the God of Hope, fully confident in His inexplicable provision of Joy and Peace.
- Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice! 5 Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near. 6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus, (Philippians 4:4-7).
- …to so trust in Him, the God of Hope, to Empower us to Abound in Confident Expectation that what He has promised He is able to perform.
- yet, with respect to the promise of God, he did not waver in unbelief but grew strong in faith, giving glory to God, 21 and being fully assured that what God had promised, He was able also to perform, (Romans 4:20-21).
Oh that we would be filled, each and every day, with overflowing confidence in His Truth so as to grow in our desire to reach others. Let us ask Him to grow us in our conviction and ability to share with all who are not yet convinced of the goodness and knowledge of Him, the God of Hope.
And concerning you, my brethren, I myself also am convinced that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge and able also to admonish one another, (15:14).