Romans Chapter 12 Vs. 12

 

Marks of the True Christian

Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer; Rom 12:12

Rejoicing in hope... Let your hope be a joy to you.

patient in tribulation... Show patience in all your troubles.

continuing instant in... Live in fervent prayer to God.

The hope that we are to rejoice in is the hope of the resurrection; of Christ’s return and our ultimate redemption. We are warned not to be like those that have no hope of the resurrection.

1Thes. 4:13-14 “But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.” “For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.”

We also know that in this life there will be tribulation. Tribulation comes to make us strong.

John 16:33 “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.”

We see from this that we certainly face tribulation.

Rom. 5:3 ” And not only [so], but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience;”

Eph. 6:18 “Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;”

Prayer is the power available to the Christian. Prayer is so important that even Jesus went aside and prayed to the Father. The disciples that walked with Jesus saw the importance of prayer and asked Jesus to teach them to pray. When we pray, we pray to the Father in the name of Jesus. We are told that anything we ask in the name of Jesus will be done.

John 14:13 “And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.”

The three exhortations in Rom. 12:12 can be understood either as independent items or as additional descriptions of how believers should serve the Lord. They are to be joyful in hope, because their hope in Christ is the basis of their rejoicing (Rom. 5:2-5; 1Pet. 1:6-9). In affliction (thlipsei, “distress, trouble, pressure”; cf. Rom. 8:35) believers are to be patient (hypomenontes, “being steadfast, having endurance”; cf. Rom. 5:3). Also Christians should continue in prayer to God for wisdom, guidance, and strength (cf. 1Thes. 5:17). Being faithful, NIV’s translation of proskarterountes, should be rendered “persisting in” or “devoted to” (cf. Acts 1:14; 2:42; Col. 4:2).