Charles Spurgeon Commentary Romans 5:3-5

"And not only so, but we also rejoice in our tribulations: knowing that tribulation worketh stedfastness; and stedfastness, approvedness; and approvedness, hope: and hope putteth not to shame; because the love of God hath been shed abroad in our hearts through the Holy Spirit which was given unto us." — Romans 5:3-5 (ASV)

Knowing that tribulation works patience; and patience, and experience, hope: and hope makes not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.

Like a sweet perfume, which enters every room, and fills every nook and cranny in the house, so does the delightful love of God fill the entire soul when, by the Holy Ghost, it is shed abroad in the heart. Beloved, may you feel that blessed influence this evening!

This next verse may help us to love God, and to feel the love of God shed abroad in our hearts.

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.

So that even what might seem to be the disadvantages of this present life are made to work into advantages; and what at one time might threaten our prosperity, really contributes to it. Patience, which we never could have if we never had a trouble, is given to us, and experience, which we never could have if we did not patiently endure the trouble, we obtain. We get pearls out of these deep seas.

We get treasures out of these blazing furnaces which seem to smelt our blessings, that they may come to us rich and pure. And, above all, there rises a glorious hope, never to be drowned – never to be made ashamed – because we feel the love of God shed abroad in our hearts like a sweet perfume, making every part of our nature fragrant, because the Holy Ghost is there.

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.

Beloved, it is a mark of great grace to be able to acquiesce in tribulation, and to accept it with patient resignation at the Lord's hands. But it is a sign of a still higher state of grace when we glory in tribulation—when we welcome it and say, "Now, the Lord is about to elevate me to the upper class in His school—to teach me some deeper truths than I have until now learned, to give me a closer acquaintance with some mystery of His kingdom than I have previously had—to work in my heart some new grace which has never been there before."

We glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience. You cannot learn to swim on dry land, and you cannot learn to be patient without having something to endure. Tribulation worketh patience; and patience, experience.

There are some who think that they will get experience through tribulation. So they do, in a certain sense, but not experience of the right kind. There is a middle term—patience—which keeps its right place: Tribulation worketh patience; and patience, experience. I know some people who have had a thousand troubles, but they have no more experience now than they had when they began. I mean, they are just as foolish—just as untaught in the things of God—just as ready as before to blunder into a fresh trouble, because they have lacked that middle term.

Then, further Paul says, and experience, hope. Our experience of the Lord's goodness in the past leads us on to hope for still greater things in the future and, thus, experience works hope. I have seen some persons, who were called experienced Christians, in whom it seemed to me that experience had worked despair; for their faces were always very long and very sad, and their speech was as dolorous as it well could be. But here I find that true Christian experience works hope—a hope that maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.