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RPM, Volume 14, Number 04,
January 22 to January 28, 2012 |
Romans 15:13
In his
preceding Prayer the Apostle Paul had made request that the God of patience and
consolation would grant the saints at Rome to be "like-minded one toward
another, according to Christ Jesus" (Rom. 15:5) so that amity and concord
might prevail among them. He had followed this by reminding them that the
Redeemer?s mission embraced not only the Jews but also the Gentiles, that the
eternal purpose of God respected an elect portion from both parts of the human
race (Rom. 15:8-9). In support of this statement he quoted no less than four
Old Testament passages, taken respectively from the Law, the Psalms, and the
Prophets (the principal sections into which the divine oracles were divided;
see Luke 24:44), each of which foretold that the Gentiles would take their
place alongside the Jews in worshiping the Lord. Thus the Hebrew Christians
need have no hesitation in welcoming believing Gentiles into their midst. The
apostle then concluded this section of his epistle, by again supplicating the
throne of grace on their behalf, thereby evidencing his deep solicitude for
them, and intimating that God alone could impart the grace necessary for
obedience to the injunctions given them.
Vital
instruction is to be obtained by attending closely to the connection between
Romans 15:13 and the verses which immediately precede it. In the context Paul
had cited a number of Old Testament passages which announced the salvation of
the Gentiles and their union with believing Jews. Now the prophecies of
Scripture are to be viewed in a threefold manner. First, as proofs of their
divine inspiration, demonstrating as they do the omniscience of their Author in
unerringly forecasting things to come. Second, as revelations of the will of
God, announcements of what He has eternally decreed, which must therefore come
to pass. Third, as possessing a moral and practical bearing upon us: where they
are predictions of judgment, they are threatenings and therefore warnings of
the objects to be avoided and the evils to be shunned?as the before announced
destruction of the papacy bids us have nought to do with that system; but where
they consist of predictions of divine blessing, they are promises for faith to
lay hold of and for hope to anticipate before their actual fulfillment. Paul is
viewing them in this third respect.
Here the
apostle shows us what use we are to make of the divine promises, namely, turn
them into believing prayer, requesting God to make them good. As God draws near
to us in promise, it is our privilege to draw near to Him in petition. Those
prophecies were infallible assurances that God intended to show mercy to the
Gentiles. No sooner had Paul quoted them than he bowed his knees before their
Giver, thereby teaching the Roman saints?and us?how to turn the promises to
practical account, instructing them what to ask for. In like manner when he
would have the Ephesian saints beg God to enlighten their understandings, that
they might know the great things of the gospel, he set them an example by
praying for that very thing (Rom. 1:17-18). So here; it was as though he said,
"Thou hast promised that the Gentiles should hope in Thee [Romans 15:12].
Thou art ?the God of hope.? Graciously work in these saints so that they ?may
abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost,? and that they too may
from my example be constrained to supplicate Thee and plead this promise for
the attainment of this very blessing."
That the
reader may have a more definite view of the connection, we will now quote the
verse before our prayer: "And again, Esaias [Isaiah] saith, There shall be
a root of Jesse, and he that shall rise to reign over the Gentiles; in him
shall the Gentiles trust." That is taken from one of the great Messianic
prophecies, recorded in Isaiah 11. Whatever may or may not be its ultimate
accomplishment, Paul was moved to make known to us that that prediction was
even then receiving fulfillment. Literally the Greek reads, "In Him shall
the Gentiles hope," and it is thus rendered correctly in the Revised
Version. Though intimately connected, as Hebrews 11:1 shows, there is a real
difference between faith and hope. Faith is more comprehensive in its range,
for it believes all that God has said concerning the past, present, and future?the
threatenings as well as the promises?but hope looks solely to a future good.
Faith has to do with the Word promising; hope is engaged with the thing
promised. Faith is a believing that God will do as He has said; hope is a
confident looking forward to the fulfillment of the promise.
Having sought
to point out the instructive connection between the apostle?s prayer and the
verses immediately preceding, a word now on its remoter context. This prayer
concludes that section of the epistle begun at Romans 14:1, on unhappy division
in the company of the Roman saints. Without taking sides and expressly
declaring which was in the wrong, Paul had laid down broad and simple
principles for each to act upon, so that if their conduct was regulated
thereby, Christian love and Christian liberty would alike be conserved. He set
before them the example of their Master, and then showed that both Jews and
Gentiles were given equal place in the Word of prophecy. To borrow the lovely
language of Moule, "He clasps them impartially to his own heart in this precious
and pregnant benediction, beseeching for both sides, and for all their
individuals, a wonderful fullness of those blessings in which most speedily and
most surely the spirit of their strife would expire." The closer a company
of Christians are drawn to their Lord, the closer they are drawn to one
another.
"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." The "God of hope" is
both the Object and the Author of hope. He is the One who has prepared the
blessings which are to be the objects of our hope, who has set them before us
in the gospel, and who by the power of the Spirit enables us to understand and
believe the gospel, which awakens motives and sets in action principles that
ensure hope. The burden of Paul?s prayer was that the saints might abound in
this spiritual grace, and therefore he addressed the Deity accordingly. As
Matthew Henry pointed out, "It is good in prayer to fasten upon those
names, titles and attributes of God which are most suitable to the errand we
come upon and will best serve to encouragement concerning it." A further
reason why the apostle thus addressed the Deity appears from the preceding
verse, where it was announced of the Lord, "In him shall the Gentiles
hope." More literally our verse reads, "Now the God of that [or
?the?] hope"?the One who is the Inspirer of all expectations of blessing.
This
expression "the God of [that] hope" had special pertinency and
peculiar suitability to the Gentiles?who are mentioned by name no less than
four times in the verses immediately preceding. Its force is the more apparent
if we consider it in the light of Ephesians 2:11-12, where Gentile believers
are reminded that in time past they "were without Christ [devoid of any
claim upon Him], being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers
from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the
world"?without any knowledge of Him, without a written revelation from Him.
But the incarnation of Christ had radically altered this. The grand design of
His mission was not restricted to Palestine but was worldwide, for He shed His
atoning blood for sinners out of all peoples and tribes and, upon the
triumphant conclusion of His mission, commissioned His servants to preach the
gospel to all nations. Hence the apostle had reminded the Roman saints that God
said, "Rejoice, ye Gentiles, with his people" (Rom. 15:10). He had
now become to them "the God of hope."
If God had
not revealed Himself in the Word of truth we should be without any foundation
of hope. But the Scriptures are windows of hope to us. This is evident from the
fourth verse of our chapter: "For whatsoever things were written aforetime
were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the
scriptures might have hope" (Rom. 15:4). Thus the God of hope is revealed
in His living oracles with the design of inspiring hope. If we would be filled
with faith, joy, and peace it must be by believing what :is presented to us in
Holy Writ. Before we have any true inward ground of hope, God Himself as
revealed in the Bible must be our confidence. Through God?s Word the apostle
discovered there was hope for the Gentiles; and so may the most burdened heart
find solid consolation therein if he will search and believe its contents.
Every divine promise is calculated to inspire the believer with hope. Therein
is to be found a sure foundation, on which to rest.
Let us now
consider the petition the apostle here presented to the God of hope: that He
would "fill you with all joy and peace in believing." This is to be
considered first in its local bearing. The phrase "in believing"
looks back to those blessed portions of the Old Testament which had just been
quoted. Paul prayed that God would graciously enable those saints to lay hold
of such promises and conduct themselves in harmony therewith. We quote Charles
Hodge: "In the fulfillment of that promise [Romans 15:12] Christ came, and
preached salvation to those who were near and to those who were afar off (Eph.
2:17). As both classes had been thus kindly received by the condescending
Savior and united into one community, they should receive and love each other
as brethren, laying aside all censoriousness and contempt, neither judging nor
despising one another." In other words, the apostle longed that both
should be occupied alike with Christ. Let faith and hope be duly operative, and
joy and peace would displace discord and strife.
Regarding
this prayer of the Apostle Paul, Handley Moule wrote: "Let that prayer be
granted, in its pure depth and height, and how could the ?weak brother? look
with quite his old anxiety on the problems suggested by the dishes at a meal
and by the dates of the Rabbinic calendar? And could ?the strong? bear any
longer to lose his joy in God by an assertion, full of self, of his own insight
and liberty? Profoundly happy and at rest in the Lord, whom they embraced by
faith as their Righteousness and Life, and whom they anticipated in hope as
their coming Glory; filled through their whole consciousness by the indwelling
Spirit with a new insight into Christ, they would fall into each other?s
embrace, in Him. They would be much more ready when they met to speak
?concerning the King? than to begin a new stage of their not very elevating
discussion. How many a church controversy now, as then, would die of inanition,
leaving room for living truth, if the disputants could only gravitate, as to
their always most beloved theme, to the praises and glories of their redeeming
Lord Himself!"
As our Lord?s
prayer in John 17 was not confined to His disciples then but reached forward to
"them also which shall believe" (Rom. 5:20), so this prayer of Paul?s
is suited to all the children of God. "The God of hope fill you with all
joy and peace in believing." Let it be duly noted that Paul did not
hesitate to ask for these particular blessings. We make that remark because we
very much fear that some of our readers are well-nigh afraid to cry to God for
such things; but they need not be. Fullness of spiritual joy does not unfit its
possessor to live his life in this world, nor does fullness of peace produce
presumption and carnal security. If such experiences were dangerous, as Satan
would fain have us conclude, the apostle would not have sought them on behalf
of his fellow Christians. From his making request for these very blessings we
learn they are eminently desirable and furnished warrant for us to supplicate
for the same, both for ourselves and our brethren.
The example
which the apostle has here set before us evidences not only that it is
desirable for Christians to be filled with joy and peace, but also that such a
delightful experience is attainable. C. H. Spurgeon stated, "We may be
filled with joy and peace believing, and may abound in hope. There is no reason
why we should hang our heads and live in perpetual doubt. We may not only be
somewhat comforted, but we may be full of joy; we may not only have occasional
quiet, but we may dwell in peace, and delight ourselves in the abundance of it.
These great privileges are attainable or the apostle would not have made them
the subject of prayer . . . The sweetest delights are still grown in Zion?s
gardens, and are to be enjoyed by us; and shall they be within our reach and
not be grasped? Shall a life of joy and peace be attainable, and shall we miss
it through unbelief? God forbid. Let us as believers resolve that whatsoever of
privilege is to be enjoyed we will enjoy it."
Once again we
appeal to the context, for clear proof is found there that it is God?s revealed
will for His saints to be a rejoicing people. In Romans 15:10 the apostle cited
a verse from the Old Testament which says, "Rejoice, ye Gentiles, with his
people." Israel had been given no monopoly of joy; those whom God had
purposed to call from out the nations would also share therein. If there was
joy for Israel when redeemed from the house of bondage and led through the Red
Sea, much more so is there joy for those delivered from the power of Satan and
translated into the kingdom of God?s dear Son. Observe that the passage quoted
is not in the form of a promise, but is a specific precept: regenerated
Gentiles are expressly bidden to "rejoice." Nor did the apostle stop
there. As though anticipating our slowness to enter into our privileges, he
added, "And again, Praise the Lord, all ye Gentiles" (Rom. 15:11)?not
merely the most eminent among them but all alike. Where there is praise there
is joy, for joy is a component part of it. Thus one who professes to be a
Christian and at the same time complains that he is devoid of joy and peace,
acknowledges that he is failing to obey these precepts.
"The God
of hope fill you with all joy and peace" intimates three things. First,
there are degrees of these blessings. A few Christians enjoy them fully, but
the great majority (to their shame) experience but a taste thereof. Each of us
should look to God for the fullest communication of these privileges. Second,
the breadth of the apostle?s words, as also his "that ye may abound in
hope," manifest how his heart was enlarged toward the saints and what
comprehensive supplies of grace he sought for them. Third, thus we honor God in
prayer: by counting on the freeness of His grace. There is no straitness in
Him, and there should be none in us. Since we are coming to heaven?s King, let
us "large petitions with us bring." Has He not given us encouragement
to do so? Having given His beloved Son for us and to us, "how shall he not
with him also freely give us all things" (Rom. 8:32)! Has He not invited
us to "drink, yea, drink abundantly" (Song 5:1)! Then let our
requests be in accord with His invitation; let us not approach Him as though He
were circumscribed like ourselves.
The fact that
the apostle prayed for these blessings indicated not only that they are
desirable and attainable, but also that it is incumbent upon us to enter into
possession of them. We cannot now attempt proof, but will here state the fact
that the things we may ask God to give us are, at the same time, obligations
upon ourselves. Privileges and duties cannot be separated. It is the duty of
the Christian to be joyous and peaceful. If any should question that statement,
we would ask him to consider the opposite; surely none would affirm that it is
a spiritual duty to be miserable and full of doubts! We do not at all deny that
there is another side to the Christian?s life, that there is much both within
and without the believer to make him mourn. Nor is that at all inconsistent.
The apostle avowed himself to be "sorrowful," yet in the very same
breath he added "yet alway rejoicing" (2 Cor. 6:10). Most assuredly
those who claim to be accepted in the Beloved and journeying to everlasting bliss
bring reproach on Him whose name they bear and cause His gospel to be evil
spoken of, if they are doleful and dejected and spend most of their time in the
slough of despond.
But we
proceed one step further. The apostle here made known how these most desirable
and requisite blessings may be obtained. First, they are to be sought in
prayer, as is evident from Paul?s example. Second, they can only be attained as
the heart is occupied with "the God of hope," that is, the promising
God, for the things we are to hope for are revealed in His promises. Third,
these blessings come to us "in believing," in faith?s laying hold of
the things promised. "Fill you with all joy and peace in believing."
Many seek, though vainly, to reverse that order. They will not believe God till
they feel they have joy and peace, which is like requiring flowers before the
bulb has been set in the ground. You ask, "But how can I have joy and
peace while engaged in such a conflict?mostly a losing one?with indwelling sin?"
Answer: You cannot successfully oppose indwelling sin if you are joyless and
full of doubts, for "the joy of the Lord is your strength" (Nehemiah
8:10). There is no genuine joy and peace except "in believing," and
in exact proportion to our faith will be joy and peace.
"That ye
may abound in hope." This clause gave the Roman saints and us the reason
why the apostle made the above request, or the design he had in view for them.
They were established as to the past, joyous in the present. He would have them
to be confident as to the future. The best is yet to be, for as yet the
Christian has received but an earnest of his inheritance, and the more he is
occupied with the inheritance itself the better equipped he will be to press
forward to it, through all difficulties and obstacles, for hope is one of the
most powerful motives or springs of action (Heb. 6:11-12). In our day some of
the Lord?s people need to be informed that the word hope has quite a different
meaning in Scripture from that accorded to it in everyday speech. On the lips
of most people "hope" signifies little more than a bare wish, and
often with considerable fear that it will not be realized, being nothing better
than a timid and hesitant desire that something may be obtained. But in Scripture
(e.g., Romans 8: 25; Hebrews 6:18-19) hope signifies a firm expectation and
confident anticipation of the things God has promised. As joy and peace
increase "in believing" so too does hope.
"Through
the power of the Holy Ghost." The Father is the Giver, but the Spirit is
the Communicator of our graces. Though it is the Christian?s duty to be filled
with joy and peace in believing and to abound in hope, yet it is only by the
Spirit?s enablement such can be realized. Here, as everywhere in the Word, we
find the kindred truths of our accountableness and dependency intimately
connected. The joy, peace, and hope here are not carnal emotions or natural
acquirements but spiritual graces, and therefore they must be divinely
imparted. Even the promises of God will not produce these graces unless they be
divinely applied to us. Note that it is not merely "through the
operation" but "through the power" of the Holy Spirit, for there
is much in us which opposes! Nor can these graces be increased or even
maintained by us in our own strength?though they can be decreased by us,
through grieving the Spirit. They are to be sought by prayer, by eyeing the
promises, and by looking for the enablement of the Holy Spirit. That hope is
but a vain fancy which is not fixed on God and inwrought by Him. "Remember
the word unto thy servant, upon which thou hast caused me to hope" (Ps.
119:49).
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