Romans 15:13 Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost. Consider — I. THE SOURCE OF THIS DESIRED GOOD. God sometimes permits the use of titles descriptive of what He is in Himself, and sometimes of names denoting His relation to His creatures. In the former sense we apply such designations as"the God of mercy," "the God of love," "the God of truth." Examples of the latter are "the God of peace," "the God of patience," "the God of all consolation." In the text He is "the God of hope," because — 1. He is the Fountain from which all hope must flow. Hope, like its sister Faith, is one of those "good and perfect gifts" which, pass through what intermediate channels it may, must come down to us "from the Father of lights." And this hope, which God begets in us, is "a lively hope" that is, God invests spiritual objects with a new attractiveness, and creates within us longing desires after their attainment. 2. He is the object on which all hope must terminate. God can never raise an expectation in His creatures for the mere purpose of disappointing them. It might be optional whether He should give to us a ground of hope or not; but having given us cause to hope, it is no longer an option whether such a hope shall be fulfilled. "God cannot deny Himself." And although God may and will take His own time, we must not, as in the case of human promises, allow the heart to sicken at hope deferred. Delays with God are but invisible means of hastening mercy. "He that believeth" must "not make haste." "In due season we shall reap, if we faint not." II. THE PARTICULAR BLESSINGS. 1. Joy is one of those early fruits of the Spirit which flow from a sense of our interest in the promises — a well-grounded persuasion of our having a part in the great propitiation. It is a joy with which "a stranger intermeddleth not," and of which even adversity depriveth us not. Hence this joy is to be distinguished from every other as having God for its object. It is not in riches, which have wings — not in honours, which may fail — not in health, which may languish, etc.; but it is Isaiah's joy when he said, "My soul shall be joyful in my God." It is the Virgin's joy when she said, "My spirit has rejoiced in God my Saviour." It is the apostle's joy when he said to the Philippians, "Rejoice in the Lord alway." And this may serve to explain the paradox, "sorrowful, yet always rejoicing." For the Christian has meat to eat that the world knows not of. 2. Peace — (1) The peace of reconciliation with a God offended. (2) The peace of conscience for a law infringed. (3) The peace of an assured conscience.The apostle would have us filled with peace — the true peace — the peace which was the Father's token, the Son's legacy, the Spirit's seal and earnest unto the day of a complete redemption. This is a "peace which the world cannot give." 3. "In believing." We might have expected "after ye have believed," as if joy and peace were net to be looked for at the outset of our Christian course, but the recompense of an advanced and established faith. But no; you should expect the blessing as you believe, and because you believe. Faith is the hand which takes the blessing at God's hand. III. THE FRUIT. 1. In ver. 4 and here the respective functions of the Word and the Spirit in our salvation are beautifully brought together. Perfectly distinct as these agencies are, yet their joint operation issues in the same result. The reason is, that one is the agent and the other the instrument in this great work. The Word of God is "the sword of the Spirit"; it is that by which He works. The Word cannot convert without the Spirit; and, as a rule, the Spirit does not convert without the Word. And here the Word and the Spirit join together to make us "abound in hope." 2. What is the hope in which we are to rejoice and abound? Why, we "rejoice in hope of the glory of God"; we "rejoice in hope of the glory" that shall be revealed. We "abound in hope" of entering a world without sin, suffering, and death. (D. Moore, M.A.) Parallel Verses KJV: Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost. |
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