3 And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; 4 And patience, experience; and experience, hope: 5 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. (Romans 5:3-5 KJV)
William Burkitt’s Commentary
Here the apostle mentions a fourth benefit flowing from justification by faith; and that is, glorying in their present sufferings. He told us before, that justified persons, being at peace with God, rejoiced in hopes of future glory; but, says he, that is not all, they glory in their present tribulations also.
Here note, 1. What sort of sufferings they are which the saints glory in; they are tribulations, that is, such trials and persecutions as did befall them for the profession of the gospel: In these, a child of God may rejoice, yea, boast, and glory, as a soldier does of his marks, wounds, and scars received in the wars. However, we do not rejoice, boast, and glory in those sufferings, afflictions, and trials which we bring upon ourselves, as punishments for our sins; these we have no more reason to glory in than a corrected child has to glory in his whipping; What glory is it when we are buffeted for our faults?
Note, 2. To what a height and heroic pitch the spirit of a justified believer may be raised under sufferings for Christ; He may glory in tribulation: It is a high strain of spiritualness in bearing affliction when a Christian can say, I love to bear: Though I love not that which I suffer, and that which I bear, yet I love to bear what I suffer. But it is a higher pitch than this, to say with the apostle, I rejoice in my sufferings, Col 1:24 . For joy is a degree beyond love; yet is it a degree higher still, to take pleasure in reproaches and distresses for Christ’s sake, 2Co 12:10, for pleasure is a degree beyond joy; but to glory in tribulations, is beyond them all; ’tis more than to love, more than to rejoice, more than to take pleasure in them.
Oh, the power of faith in Christ and love for him to support and uphold the soul! yea, cause it to glory under the sharpest sufferings and tribulations for him!
Note, 3. That it is not in the tribulations themselves that believers glory, but in the sweet issue, happy fruits, and gracious effects of them; finding that by the sanctifying influences of the Holy Spirit, tribulation worketh patience; that is, exercises and increaseth patience, and patience begets and gives experience of God’s gracious presence with us, of his assistance of us, and of his faithfulness towards us, in and under all our afflictions: And experience of these things worketh in us hope of reward.
Here observe, How one grace generates and begets another: graces have a generation one from another, though they have all but one generation from the Spirit of Christ.
Observe also, That it is not tribulation in its own nature, but when sanctified by the blessed Spirit that by a happy gradation works patience, and patience experience, and experience hope: For when affliction is not sanctified but meets with a stubborn spirit, Lord, what dreadful effects does it produce! Then tribulation excites impatience, impatience causes perplexity, perplexity despair, and despair confusion.
Note, 4. The effect and property of the believer’s hope. It makes not ashamed; his hope will not make him ashamed, neither will he be ever ashamed of his hope: Frustrated hopes fill men with confusion and shame: The justified person shall not find his hopes of glory frustrated but exceeded, and the reason is added, why the Christian hope will not deceive or shame him, namely, Because the love of God is shed abroad in his heart by the Holy Ghost; that is, the Holy Spirit does, in time of tribulation, testify his love to the hearts of the people which causes them to glory in tribulation.
Learn hence, That in time of affliction, especially of persecution for the sake of Christ, good men have a more sensible feeling of God’s love shed abroad in their hearts by the blessed Spirit, both to prepare them for trials and to support them under them. St. Peter calls this a joy unspeakable; it has the very scent and taste of heaven in it, and there is but a gradual difference between it and the joys of heaven: No sooner does the Holy Spirit, shed forth the love of God into the believer’s heart, by clearing up his interest in the promise, and his title to eternal glory, but the soul is prepared to rejoice in affliction, yea, to glory in tribulation; and it will be as impossible to hinder it, as it is to hinder a man from satisfaction when he is most delighted and pleased: We glory in tribulation because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost.