Verses 1, 2, 9-11. What blessings does justification bring with it? List the things which are now ours to enjoy. Note how much is covered by these statements. What ought such awareness to make us do? Answer: It brings peace in us, it brings praise, saved from His wrath, and reconciliation to God. I think that it covers just about everything. Such awareness for me, fills me with joy. I thank God every day that He has poured out is grace, love, mercy, ….. on me!!
Someone, however, may say: ‘But what of the sufferings attending the Christian life? Do they not detract from its blessedness?’ What is Paul’s answer to this? See. V 3-5. What is the value of suffering, and how can we be sure that our hopes are not mere wishful thinking? Answer: Paul plainly says that suffering brings us closer to Christ; suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character, and character, hope. It is through this hope and faith that God gives us favor through the sufferings. (I hope I understood that correctly)
Veres 5-8. By what evidence can we be doubly sure that God loves us? Notice the importance of having at least two witnesses. Cf. Deut. 19:15; 2Cor 13:1. In what ways are the witnesses mentioned here different and complementary? Answer: In reviewing this I was a bit lost. Then the NIV study Bible put me back to Deuteronomy 17:6 On what testimony of two or three witnesses a man shall be put to death, but no one shall be put to death o the testimony of only one witness. Which to me went back to verses 5-8 better than the other two (but then again I may be missing his point) references.
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