New: 19 February 2025
Encouragement
from Scripture
Romans 15:4
For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in Scripture and the encouragement they provide we might have hope.
Romans 15:4 NIV
The Power of Encouragement
Encouragement, like hope, is powerful. Just as hope is oxygen for the soul, the eager expectation that something good will happen (see D4), so is encouragement. It infuses us with courage to go on and not give up. There is encouragement in Scripture. What it teaches us helps us to endure and be strong in hope.
Life has many setbacks that discourage us, yet giving up is not a good option. We need to find a place of gaining endurance and encouragement from Scripture. With it comes the wisdom to handle life well and respond in the best way to life's challenges. We can't control what happens to us, but we can control how we respond to what happens. We have a choice to make. Scripture gives us the wisdom to act wisely, the encouragement to go on and the hope to endure. There are many powerful examples in Scripture that demonstrate this. Job endured, Jospeh persevered and David did not give up. These are but three examples of endurance in Scripture that teach us encouragement in that trusting God and doing the right thing does work. Circumstances may be against us, people may betray us and life may take unforeseen twists and turns, but the wisdom in Scripture gives us strength to endure and the encouragement to trust God.
The Power of Peace
Interestingly, the context of the verse on the encouragement of Scripture to endure with hope (Romans 15:4) speaks of carrying one another's burdens with Christ as the main example. The strong are to help the weak and we are to build up others, not become proud and please ourselves (vv 1-2). Christ is our example to do so, because He carried the burden of sin for us (v 3). The insults of others had fallen on Him who died for us (v 3b), a verse from Psalm 69 which speaks of the troubles of life that sometimes make us feel as if we are drowning (Psalm 69; see E19). When life is difficult and overwhelming, we must find the encouragement and hope to endure: Scripture offers is wisdom to heed; Christ offers us the example to follow. Elsewhere, the same principle of carrying one another's burdens speaks of fulfilling 'the law of Christ' (Galatians 6:2). There Paul emphasised that the spiritually mature are to help those given to weakness and temptation in a' spirit of gentleness' (v 1). The competent ones help the weak by their strength without being arrogant. True maturity and competence is expressed in humility, wisdom and gentleness, especially when we need to correct others (1 Timothy 2:24-26). A show of competence with a proud attitude is repulsive. We are to be meek without being weak and strong without being arrogant. The idea is to build others up, not to break them down.
The God who gives us endurance and encouragement also gives us the same attitude Christ had to endure in unity with other believers and glory God together (Romans 15:5-6). We are to accept one another as Christ has accepted us, so that we may bring praise to God together (v 7). The church in Rome Paul wrote to at the time was mixed with Jewish and Gentile believers. This was no easy matter as cultures and customs differed. One of the main challenges in the early church was how to live united after being united in Christ: the Messiah who brought peace to us in reconciliation wants us to live in peace with one another in brotherhood (see Ephesians 2:11-21). Martin Luther King rightly noted that unless we learn to live together as brothers we will die together as fools. We may be different, yet a healthy focus on Christ as 'our peace' (v 14) helps us live in peace with others who are different. Jews and Gentiles were different, yet united in Christ. The acceptance for one another Paul wrote about (Romans 15:7) has the unity of Jews and Gentiles in Christ in mind. Christ is a servant to both Jews and Gentiles to confirm God's promises of old and fulfilled His purpose for all nations (vv 8-12).
God had promised Abram that all nations would be blessed in his seed (Genesis 12:1-3) and that was fulfilled in Christ (Galatians 3:13-14). Now the church had to live together in peace, under the lordship of the Prince of peace. It is in this that there is joy and peace given by the God of hope (Romans 15:13). God is the God of both Jews and Gentiles (3:29) and the Gospel is for all peoples (1:16-17). By faith in Christ, we are all one (Galatins 3:26-29). Christ came to preach peace to those who were near (Jews) and those who were far (Gentiles), in order to make them one in Him (Ephesians 2:11-18). The previously alienated people (2:1-3; 12) should be reconciled with God and with others in order to become His dwelling place on earth (vv 19-21). The Messiah brought peace and wants us to be a community of faith and peace. What really matters is 'faith working through love' (Galatians 5:6). This is the New Covenant in Christ (see A9). Paul was an apostles to both Jews and Gentiles (Romans 15:14ff), for God wants all nations to come to know Him and His saving power. The Gospel is the message of peace (see A6).
May the God of hope fill you
with joy and peace as you trust in him,
so that you may overflow with hope
by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Romans 15:13 NIV
Instructions from History in Scripture
The is another passage in the NT where Paul wrote of past history to learn from (1 Corinthians 10). There we have lessons from negative examples about the dramatic consequences sinful behaviour without repentance that can come upon God's people. Some people shy away from such 'stories,' but we should not. We should rather learn so that we will not repeat the wrongs others have committed and, in consequence, suffered from. These things 'occurred as examples,' Paul wrote about the rebellious generation in the wilderness after the exodus from Egypt, with the purpose that we should not lust after evil things and die as they died (1 Corinthians 10:5-6). Paul does not want us to be ignorant of history (v 1). We should realise that although all these people were under the same cloud, seen God's power in parting the Red Sea and had the same spiritual food to eat, they still perished because they did the things that displeased God (vv 2-5). Even Christ was present at the time as the rock from which water flowed in the wilderness as God's provision (v 4). Paul is referring to the stories from Exodus and Numbers from which we should learn. There was sin (v 6), idolatry (v 7), immorality (v 8), disrespect (v 9) and complaining (v 10), none of which we should imitate, for these things happened to them 'as examples' and 'warnings' for us living in the end of time (v 11). We should heed the instruction from history in Scripture.
It is the fear of God that keeps us from sinning (Proverbs 8:13; Job 28:28) and it is the fear of God that is the beginning of wisdom (Proverbs 1:7; see Q7), because we adopt an attitude of humility to learn under the authority of the One who knows best. We are not wise in our own eyes, but trust our Father for good instructions that help us in life. We should never become proud and think we are invincible, for we are not. Humility is the right way in life (see D2) and true greatness before God (see Q5). Humility keeps us from pride. Those who think they stand should be careful not to fall (1 Corinthians 10:12). This is not a cause to worry that something bad will happen every time life is good, but rather a warning against a false sense of triumph and the misguided attitude of pride. But life has temptations and we must deal with them properly.
No temptation has overtaken you
except what is common to mankind.
And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted,
he will also provide a way out
so that you can endure it.
1 Corinthians 10:13 NIV
Handling Temptations Properly
Job, Jospeh and David had their temptations and challenges to deal with and they did well. Jesus had His temptations to handle and He did so victoriously. We have ours and we should follow the instructions from Scripture in order to gain endurance, encouragement and hope. First of all, we must realise that everyone has 'stuff' to deal with. When things happen to us, it is as if we are the only ones fighting this. Others, too, have their battles to fight. It is not uncommon to face challenges; we have to learn to handle them well. Secondly, God is faithful and we can trust Him. He is not the One tempting us, but the One protecting us from what we can't bear, giving us strength to handle what we need to handle. If God does not save us from the fire, He will save us in the fire (Daniel 3). He can trust Him! Thirdly, there is a way out and we must take responsible action. James stated that evil desires bring us into temptation (James 1:13-16), so we should avoid such circumstances. But if we do get into the wrong environment or with the wrong people, we must take action and do not do as the sinful generation who died in the wilderness did. God is good and gives good gifts (v 17), and He gives us strength and wisdom to endure and overcome (vv 2-8, 12).
Paul instructed the believers to be wise and responsible in view of the negative examples that illustrate negative consequences. It is smart to learn from our mistakes, but it is wise to learn from other people's mistake. But make sure you avoid pride and the thinking that this will never happen to you. It might, so remain humble. It is foolish to gossip about the misery that befalls others; it is wise to learn and do better, and even help others. We should be responsible in our conduct with one another and not cause others to stumble (1 Corinthians 10:14ff). As a general principle, we should do everything for God's glory, not cause others to stumble and seek the welfare of those around us (v 31-33). Paul had as his greatest priority the salvation of others in mind. This is a noble goal.
When we learn from history and handle temptations well, we are a positive example to others. When we don't, we become a negative example. It is our choice, but we should choose with the consequences and future in mind. Christ is our greatest example to handle life well and help others carry their burdens. God is faithful to help us through our challenges so that we can help others by what we have learned. Remain humble, be wise and trust God.