Romans 26

Peace Through Tribulation

Brian Kocourek

Romans 5:1 ¶ Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only [so], but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; And patience, experience; and experience, hope: And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.

Peace with God. What does that mean? We have peace with God. This morning I would like to speak to you about this “Peace with God”. Because, He never promised us that we would have peace while we are in this world, therefore, I want to know what peace He is speaking of here.

In [Matthew 10:34] Jesus said, “Think not that I am come to send you peace on earth, I am not come to send peace, but a sword.” Therefore, we are not to be looking forward this peace Paul speaks to us of in Romans 5 as one which we will have as pertaining to our life while in this world. Nor does he speak then, of a peace which we will have concerning our stay in this world. Then, if neither of these is the case, what is this peace that Paul is speaking of here, that we are to have concerning our selves with God.

If you read what he said carefully, he was declaring, not the particulars of this peace, but rather how this peace comes. He said, “Peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” That is through our Mediator, and not through ourselves, we are justified through Faith, (which we know is revelation.) Then this is the only way this peace can come. No other way.

Now, another thing we see in these words that Paul spoke is that we are to have tribulation at the same time as we have this peace. Now this is a paradox because when we think of peace, we think of rest and tranquillity, yet this is not the case that Paul is speaking to us here. He says on the one hand that we shall have peace with God, and this peace with God is due to the fact that we have been justified before Him, or in His presence by Faith, by revelation. Then, on the other hand he tells us that although we have this peace with God, we shall also have tribulations. However, these tribulations will not affect us in the same manner in which the world is affected, because while we undergo these tribulations we will actually be glorying in them.

Now this word for glorying is not the same word doxa or any derivative of that word, but is the Greek word kauchaomai which means to boast or rejoice. Therefore, what Paul is telling us here is that this peace with God that comes not from what we do but from what Jesus has already done, also gives us such peace that we can even boast and rejoice in our position whether we appear to be worthy of it or not.

Now, any tribulation is not a pleasant thing to go through, but for some reason while we are able to undergo many tribulations while in this world we can still find the capacity to rejoice in them. And why is this? Because we are so confident in the Faith of Jesus Christ that we know with no uncertainty that “All things will work together for the good of those who love God and those who are the Elect according to His purpose. [Romans 8:26-30](read) Now, this searching of the heart is part of what brings forth our trials as we shall see a little later in this message.

Now, why is it that only the Christian, the Elect of God can rejoice even while under the toughest of trials? Because we know that God is not far from us, and whatever form of trial we may be going through, we know that He has allowed it to work something in us that otherwise would not be there. And that is the key... When you are going through any trial, I don’t care if it is one concerning your job, your finances, your health, your spousal relationship, whatever the trial, don’t forget that God knew about it before it even happened to you. And not only did He know about it, but He allowed it to bring forth something in you that is lacking yet in your character. But just remember, that while you are going through whatever the trial may be, you are not alone. Even Moses, who was left on the backside of the dessert for 40 some years, was not alone.

In fact brother Branham said the reason why God paired Moses up with a hot-headed wife like Zepporah was so that God could work a humility into Moses. After all, for his first 40 years of life he was told how wonderful he was, and so the next 40 years God matched Him up with a wife who reminded him constantly of his faults. She was not a star struck woman, she was a very hard woman who had quite a temper. Now, why do you suppose Moses was given a hot tempered woman for a wife? Because he also had a temper. In fact in the rage of his temper he killed an Egyptian when he saw the man beating a Hebrew slave.

From 185 Perfect Strength Through Perfect Weakness 61-1119 God said, "Forty years out here I've had you and Zipporah fussing and carrying around out here in this wilderness, whether you could find out there's human weakness or not, where you're standing up there as a big prince, 'Hello, Doctor Moses. Good morning, Reverend, Sir. Yes, sir. Moses, you're the coming prince. All... We all think of you.' Now, you're out here in the desert with a bunch of sheep and a high-tempered wife." See? That fixed him up. Yes, sir. Moses in an awful shape, and He said, "Now, I can use you, when you realize that you're nothing. Now, come on up here by this burning bush; I want to send you down yonder." Oh, my. God, give us some more of that kind; give us some more weaklings. That's what we need: some weaklings. Sure.

Now, whether Moses was justified in the slaying of that Egyptian, is not the point. By taking the life of that Egyptian, Moses took the battle into his own hands, and when we do that we are in essence saying, “Lord, I can do it on my own, I don’t need your help.”

Now, if we look at the point that Moses ran from his troubles, we are shown by this example, that to separate or divorce yourself from your troubles is not and has never been God’s way of doing things. Moses thought he was running from his temper or the fruits of his temper, ( one dead Egyptian), but God sent Him into that Dessert for 40 years with an angry woman. Whew! I think I’d rather take my chances with an angry pharaoh. But this goes to show you that when God wants to deal with you and your weaknesses, no matter how far you run, it will not be far enough.

E-9 LIFE STORY 51-0722A Now, there's a perfect way and a permissive way. And I feel that if God, here on the platform, can show me things that has been, and in my rooms and so forth, He's able to tell me just where He wants me and what He wants me to do. But I feel as long as I've got it all hooked up, or I feel like then He won't put His hands on it, as long as I'm doing it. And that's the way it is, anything. As long as you're going to do it... If someone talks about you, and you talk back about them, God can't fight your battle; you're fighting it yourself. See? Just--just let loose and let Him do it. And just commit it to Him.

Another thing I see in this verse of scripture (Romans 5: 1-5) that we are studying this morning, is that since God has justified us by Faith and not by works, we have peace with Him, both in heart and conscience, but this does not guarantee that we will have any peace with the world or with the flesh, nor with the world and the devil. He said our peace is with God, through our Lord Jesus Christ. Believers, therefore have all the more trials. The peace then that Paul is speaking of is not a worldly peace, but rather a Spiritual peace as He declares, “our peace is with God.” This peace consists of an appeased conscience and also in bringing about a confidence in God, just as conversely the lack of peace means spiritual anxiety and a disturbed conscience that mistrusts God.

Because of this Peace, Christ is called the “Prince of Peace” [Isa 9:6]. Furthermore, in [Eph 2:14] we are told, “He is our peace, who hath made both one” And again in [Eph 2:17] “He came and preached peace to you who were afar off, and to them that were nigh.” So we can see that this expression must not be interpreted as signifying an earthly peace, because Jesus told us Himself that He came not to bring peace but a sword.

However, He also said in [John 6:33] Jesus said, “In me ye may have peace. In the world ye will have tribulation.” Therefore we can find that there are basically (4) things that Paul is bringing forth as he makes this declaration in Romans chapter 5.

Namely, #1) He who is justified by Faith has peace with God, but will have tribulation in the world, because his life is spiritual.

#2) The unrighteous have peace with the world, but anguish and tribulation with God, because their life is carnal.

#3) As God is Eternal, so then also is the peace that He gives the righteous, but then the tribulation that the unrighteous will receive must be everlasting as well.

Lastly, we see, that since the flesh is temporal, so also the tribulation of the righteous and the peace of the unrighteous will be temporary.

Now, with these thought in mind, I want you to also notice the way in which Paul directs his statement against the arrogance of those who believe that they may have access to God without Christ, just as though their mere believing would suffice for salvation. They want to have access to God by faith, yet they do not want to come through Christ, but they wish in their hearts to by-pass Christ altogether, just as though they had no need for Christ. Their desire to have access to God without Christ, by their bare faith, means that they are actually rejecting the salvation of Christ. And remember, Christ is the Word made manifest. Therefore, to believe in a historical Christ but to reject the Present day Christ, or rather to reject Christ in His Present day revelation is to reject Christ entirely. And such a faith is not a true faith, or a faith based upon truth, but is actually counterfeit, or rather a false faith which is based upon presumptions which are lies. Then their faith is actually a sham, and by their sham faith, they do not and can not have access to God, but rather, they depart from God.

Now, on the other hand I want you to also keep in mind is that Paul is also directing his thoughts against those who feel they are secure through Christ, yet without having Faith which we know is revelation. In other words, those people who believe that they are saved through Christ, yet they don’t believe in revelation, are therefore without faith. Therefore, it is very vital and important that you have both together: “By Faith” and “through our Lord Jesus Christ”. So that by faith in Christ we accomplish and endure all things. Yet despite all this the goal of our trials and tribulations is that we might acknowledge ourselves as unprofitable servants, and that we might be sure that our access to God comes solely through Christ. In all works of faith our main concern then, must be that we become worthy of Christ and His favor which gives us His Righteousness.

[Romans 5:3] Paul says, “We Glory in tribulations also” From this verse appears the distinction between the two-fold wrath of God, the two-fold divine mercy, and the two-fold tribulation; for there is a tribulation which comes to us from divine wrath, and another which comes from divine goodness. The tribulation which comes from divine Love can work that only which is good for us, even though for a time it may appear to be otherwise.

But we see in this in [1 Peter 1: 3-7] (read) The tribulation which comes from divine Love can work that only which is good for us, as we already read in Romans 8, even though for a time it may not appear to be so as we see in 1 Peter. Then this lack of understanding the outcome of this trial, and our misperception of what is taking place is not the fault of the tribulation which God so chooses for us to endure, but rather the misperception comes from our weakness during the tribulation. In such a case we fail to understand the nature, power and operation or (purpose) of the tribulation and therefore we judge it only according to its outward appearance and our perception. when this occurs, we think wrongly about what is happening, when we should be reverencing the trial as the very Cross of Christ itself.

[Romans 5:4] “Knowing that Tribulation worketh patience.” He who has faith, has all the excellent things which Paul mentions in the text, but in a hidden way. Through tribulation they are tried and purified to the highest degree. Whatever tribulation finds in us, it develops more fully.

And therefore the purpose of the trial or tribulation is to expose where we are carnal, weak, blind, wicked, haughty, and so forth. Because without this understanding of how Christ works in us His will, tribulation will only make us more carnal, more weak, more blind, more wicked and more haughty. On the other hand, if we are spiritual, then our tribulations will make us strong, wise, pious, gentle and humble. We will become more spiritual, more powerful, more wise, more pious, more gentle and more humble, as we see in [Psalm 4:1] “Thou hast enlarged me when I was in distress.” So we see here that distress will enlarge what ever condition we are in, whether in a carnal condition or in a spiritual one. And that is the purpose of the trials and tribulations. And in fact when the great tribulation comes, it will only manifest to those left behind what their true condition is. Both to the foolish Virgin who think that somehow the Blood of Christ isn’t strong enough for their sins, as well as to those who are lost who will in tribulation, become more angry, more demanding, more demeaning, more veracious, more selfish, more animalistic.

People today have become so immature in their thinking that they want to blame their anger and their impatience on the one who happens to be offending them. But this is only foolish thinking, and we all need to grow up in Christ and get away from such foolish notions as this. Because tribulation does not make a person impatient, but only proves that they are impatient. Tribulation does not make a person angry, but only proves that they are angry. Therefore, tribulation is meant to teach our hearts of what we are constituted.

The Christian who outwardly worships the Cross of Christ yet flees from and detest tribulation and affliction, are simply ignorant and childish in their thinking and indeed are hypocritical in their thinking because the Scriptures tell us that the Cross of Christ is not just that wooden object in which Jesus was stretched out upon, but as we read in [Matthew 10:38], Jesus said, “He that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.”

In other words, he is no Christian who refuses to bear this cross; for Paul said, “we glory in tribulation.” And in Acts 14:22 we read, “ We must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.” And the word, Must does not mean that tribulation comes by chance, or that it is a matter of choice for us, or that we may take it or leave it. As we had mentioned a few weeks ago, God is our Savior and Healer and helper in times of trouble, and those who would bypass tribulation are saying in effect, I don’t want to have to make any dependence upon God, and thus by doing so, we are literally robbing God of His titles, and His honor. In essence making Him a god of no substance to us. And to those people who think this way our Lord could never be their savior, nor could He be their healer, nor could He be their helper in times of need, because they will not admit that they are under condemnation. To them God is never mighty, He is never Wise, nor is He gracious, because they do not desire to honor Him as creatures that are weak, foolish and subject to punishment.

Experience worketh hope. Experience must here be understood to be the object of tribulation, or the good which tribulation is to effect. God accepts no one as righteous whom He has not first put to the test or tried. But He tries us through the fire of affliction, as we read in Psalm 11:5 “The Lord Trieth the Righteous.” God tries us in this way in order that we may really know whether we love Him for His own sake. We read in Psalm 139:23, 24 “Search me , Oh God, and know my heart: try me and know my thoughts: and see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” If God would not try us by tribulation, it would be impossible for us to be saved.

Rom 5:5 . Hope maketh not ashamed. Tribulation takes from man everything in which He trusts and leaves him naked and destitute. It also prevents him from seeking help and salvation in his own temporal and spiritual works.

Finally, it causes him to despair of every creature, to look away from himself, and apart from himself and everything else, to seek help alone from God, the Creator, as we see in Psalm 3:3 “But thou oh, Lord art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head.” That is what hope means, and through the experience of tribulation such hope is confirmed in us. On the other hand, the wicked who trust in their own virtues, and do not endure tribulations with patience, do not allow themselves to be tried by it, and they never discover that we must put our trust alone in God. Therefore, when the last trial or affliction will come, and all their virtues and merits will disappear, then, when they sink into a hopeless eternity they will cry out tot he mountains: “Fall on us (Lk 23:30) Their assumed hope is actually no hope at all, but only a perverse, arrogant trust in their own works and righteousness.