'We rejoice in hope of the glory of God. 3. And not only
so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that
tribulation worketh patience; 4. And patience, experience;
and experience, hope.'--ROMANS v. 2-4.
We have seen in a previous sermon that the Apostle in the foregoing
context is sketching a grand outline of the ideal Christian life, as
all rooted in 'being justified by faith,' and flowering into 'peace
with God,' 'access into grace,' and a firm stand against all
antagonists and would-be masters. In our text he advances to complete
the outline by sketching the true Christian attitude towards the
future. I have ventured to take so pregnant and large a text, because
there is a very striking and close connection throughout the verses,
which is lost unless we take them together. Note, then, 'we rejoice
in hope,' 'we glory in tribulation.' Now, it is one word in the
original which is diversely rendered in these two clauses by
'rejoice' and 'glory.' The latter is a better rendering than the
former, because the original expression designates not only the
emotion of joy, but the expression of it, especially in words. So it
is frequently rendered in the New Testament by the word 'boast,'
which, of course, has unpleasant associations, which scarcely fit it
for use here. So then you see Paul regards it as possible for, and
more than possibly characteristic of, a Christian, that the very same
emotion should he excited by that great bright future hope, and by
the blackness of present sorrow. That is strong meat; and so he goes
on to explain how he thinks it can and must be so, and points out
that trouble, through a series of results, arrives at last at this,
that if it is rightly borne, it flashes up into greater brightness
the hope which has grasped the glory of God. So then we have here,
not only a wonderful designation of the object around which Christian
hope twines its tendrils, but of the double source from which that
hope may come, and of the one emotion with which Christian people
should front the darkness of the present and the brightness of the
future. Ah! how different our lives would be if that ideal of a
steadfast hope and an untroubled joy were realised by each of us. It
may be. It should be. So I ask you to look at these three points
which I have suggested.
I. That wonderful designation of the one object of Christian hope
which should fill, with an uncoruscating and unflickering light, all
that dark future.
'We rejoice in hope of the glory of God.' Now, I suppose I need not
remind you that that phrase 'the glory of God' is, in the Old
Testament, used especially to mean the light that dwelt between the
cherubim above the mercy-seat; the symbol of the divine perfections
and the token of the Divine Presence. The reality of which it was a
symbol is the total splendour, so to speak, of that divine nature, as
it rays itself out into all the universe. And, says Paul, the true
hope of the Christian man is nothing less than that of that glory he
shall be, in some true sense, and in an eternally growing degree, the
real possessor. It is a tremendous claim, and one which leads us into
deep places that I dare not venture into now, as to the resemblance
between the human person and the Divine Person, notwithstanding all
the differences which of course exist, and which only a presumptuous
form of religion has ventured to treat as transitory or
insignificant. Let me use a technical word, and say that it is no
pantheistic absorption in an impersonal Light, no Nirvana of union
with a vague whole, which the Apostle holds out here, but it is the
closest possible union, personality being saved and individual
consciousness being intensified. It is the clothing of humanity with
so much of that glory as can be imparted to a finite creature. That
means perfect knowledge, perfect purity, perfect love, and that means
the dropping away of all weaknesses and the access of strange new
powers, and that means the end of the schism between 'will' and
'ought,' and of the other schism between 'will' and 'can.' It means
what this Apostle says: 'Whom He justified them He also glorified,'
and what He says again, 'We all, beholding as in a glass'--or rather,
perhaps, mirroring as a glass does--'the glory, are changed into the
same image.'
The very heart of Christianity is that the Divine Light of which that
Shekinah was but a poor and transitory symbol has 'tabernacled'
amongst men in the Christ, and has from Him been communicated, and is
being communicated in such measure as earthly limitations and
conditions permit, and that these do point on assuredly to perfect
impartation hereafter, when 'we shall be like Him, for we shall see
Him as He is.' The Three could walk in the furnace of fire, because
there was One with them, 'like unto the Son of God.' 'Who among us
shall dwell with the everlasting fire,' the fire of that divine
perfection? They who have had introduction by Christ into the grace,
and who will be led by Him into the glory.
Now, brethren, it seems to me to be of great importance that this,
the loftiest of conceptions of that future life, should be the main
aspect under which we think of it. It is well to speak of rest from
toil; it is well to speak of all the negations of present
unfavourable, afflictive conditions which that future presents to us.
And perhaps there is none of the aspects of it which appeals to
deeper feelings in ourselves, than those which say 'there shall be no
night there,' 'there shall be no tears there, neither sorrow nor
sighing'; 'there shall be no toil there.' But we must rise above all
that, for our heaven is to live in God, and to be possessors of His
glory. Do not let us dwell upon the symbols instead of the realities.
Do not let us dwell only on the oppositions and contradictions to
earth. Let us rather rise high above symbols, high above negations,
to the positive truth, and not contented with saying 'We shall be
full of blessedness; we shall be full of purity; we shall be full of
knowledge,' let us rather think of that which embraces them all--we
shall be full of God.