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The passage in James sheds light on another part of Rom. 5:: "Patience works
experience." Now the word "experience" is dokime, and the word "trying" is dokimion,
which indicates that there is a process of testing going on all the way. Tribulation, when
it tests faith and finds it true, works patience. Patience, when it is tested, manifests this
proof and leads on to experimental appreciation of that hope which is ours already, by
grace.
Peter expresses similar truth in his first epistle, chapter 1: 2-9. There, as in Romans,
is the "living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ". There, too, is the hope of
glory, "an inheritance incorruptible . . . . . reserved in heaven for you". There, again, are
accompanying trials, "for a season, if need be", and these manifold temptations are "that
the trial (dokimion) of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth,
by means of fire being tried (dokimazo), may be found unto praise and honour and glory
(doxa) at the revelation of Jesus Christ". Here another item of truth is added, the words
"trial", dokimion, and "glory", doxa, being allied.
The teaching of Rom. 5:, then, may be expressed in some such terms as these:--
"By being justified by faith through Christ, you have a perfect standing, and, in Him,
you can even boast upon the hope of a full approval after the most searching test of God
(doxa). Let not this future acceptableness be wasted, let it have its full effect now upon
your life and service. Tribulation and the trial of faith will be like fire that tries gold, and
the experimental proof (dokime) thus made will produce in you a blessed assurance."
There is, however, no false introspection advocated here. We are to be thankful for
the trial that reveals the true gold, but we are not to look to experiences to justify us
before God. When we do look within it is to see, not self, but "the love of God shed
abroad": not the work of the flesh, but the fruit of the work of "the Holy Ghost which is
given unto us." This is the spirit of sonship, as we shall learn later. The believer who
thus has the answer of a good conscience, and who sees the fruit of the spirit, "faith, love,
patience" (I Tim. 6: 11; II Tim. 3: 10; Titus 2: 2) is nevertheless brought back swiftly
and surely to the great foundation of all his hope, and is once again told,
uncompromisingly, that this whole standing is in grace, is by pure, unmerited, favour. So
it is that, immediately following this experimental passage, we read: "For when we were
yet without strength, in due time Christ died for us", and the argument proceeds to a
double "much more":--
"Much more, being justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him."
"Much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by His life."
The one great basis.
Readers who have the volume entitled The Apostle of the Reconciliation will find the
structure of Rom. 5: 6-10 set out in it on page 205. We set it out afresh here, omitting
some detail in the last member, in order that the contrast between the "scarcely" and
"peradventure" of man's love may be the better contrasted with the "much more" of the
love of God. We make this comment lest any reader should be disturbed at finding an