1. The Peace and Grace Enjoyed by Those Who Are Justified
David Jang emphasizes that before examining Romans 5:3–5, we should first look at verses 1 and 2. Romans 5:1–2 shows what benefits come to those who are justified by faith in Jesus Christ. Verse 1 says, “since we have been justified by faith, let us have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,” indicating that the believer who has been declared righteous is liberated from the guilt of past sins and thus comes to have peace with God. David Jang explains, “This means that the person once tormented by guilt is now freed from that sin and enjoys genuine peace with God. That is the first blessing of being justified.” It signifies the peace bestowed on us in Christ, the peace that allows us to walk in accord with the heart of God. On this premise—“Since we have been justified by faith”—the Apostle Paul declares this “blessing of peace” we have received through Christ Jesus.
Next, David Jang pays attention to Romans 5:2, which says, “Through Him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God.” Here, the expression “obtained access” should be understood as meaning that humans, once trapped in sin, now boldly enter a realm they could never approach before—like the Holy of Holies—to worship God. Expounding on this, David Jang says, “If we who were sinners have been set free, the next step is that we have received the strength to come before God’s presence—into the King’s court, if you will.” In the Old Testament, the temple system was divided into the Holy Place and the Most Holy Place, and not just anyone could enter the Most Holy Place recklessly. But now, through the atoning work of Christ, we have been cleansed from sin and are free to come before His presence. Paul calls this “entering this grace,” and it is in this sacred realm reached by faith that we behold and rejoice in the glory of God. David Jang also adds, “We might like the image of a ship leaving a narrow harbor to venture out into the vast sea, but it might be more accurate to compare it to returning from stormy seas to a peaceful harbor and dropping anchor in a sense of security.” In this way, the Christian life moves from a place oppressed by guilt into God’s peace, goes further into the place of grace, and there hopes for and delights in God’s glory.
However, David Jang notes that the remarkable blessings shown in Romans 5:1–2 are not all that there is. Immediately in Romans 5:3, Paul begins with the words “Not only that,” implying that there is yet another blessing for those who have been justified. Specifically, “we rejoice in our sufferings.” One might imagine that once we are justified and freed from sin, all of life would unfold smoothly, but Paul clearly knows that a Christian’s life faces countless hardships. David Jang underscores, “It is totally out of line with biblical teaching to say that if you believe in Jesus and become a child of God, only good things await you.” Jesus Himself said in the Sermon on the Mount, “Enter through the narrow gate,” and in Acts 14:22 Paul explicitly states, “We must go through many tribulations to enter the kingdom of God.” This shows that conflict and suffering are inevitable in the path of faith. The key point is that for those outside of Christ, suffering ends in suffering itself, but for those who are in faith, suffering produces endurance, endurance produces character, and character ultimately yields an even stronger hope.
Paul declares in Romans 5:3, “we rejoice in our sufferings.” From the world’s viewpoint, suffering is never something to rejoice in. Yet David Jang draws attention to the profound paradox here. For those justified by faith, suffering no longer means destruction or despair; it instead molds in us endurance, and ultimately lifts us to a higher level of maturity. Here, David Jang introduces the Parable of the Sower. For the seed that falls on good soil to grow and yield a harvest of thirty, sixty, or a hundredfold, there must be a period of endurance. Just as fruit cannot be produced in an instant, so too does the walk of faith require a time of perseverance before it comes to completion. Thus, when Paul says in Romans 5:4, “endurance produces character, and character produces hope,” behind that statement lies the providence of God gradually refining our souls and leading us into greater glory.
This shows that suffering is far from meaningless. Numerous passages throughout Scripture convey the same message. For example, in James 1:2, the Apostle James urges, “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds.” His assurance is that the trials we face are not meaningless afflictions but ultimately make our faith firm and complete. And in 1 Peter 1:6–7, Peter says, “Though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, you rejoice greatly, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found…” emphasizing that we should value the refinement received amid suffering. David Jang unpacks this: “The deeper the suffering, the more earnestly we seek God’s help, and in so doing we learn how to rely solely on Him. In the end, suffering becomes a precious form of training that God grants to those He loves.”
Hence, what David Jang focuses on is not that suffering itself is precious or that it possesses some mystical power to save us. Rather, suffering that comes upon those who have already been “declared righteous” and who remain in faith is what matures and leads them into greater hope. In 2 Corinthians 1, Paul speaks about the affliction he suffered in Asia, confessing, “we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself…we felt that we had received the sentence of death.” Even so, Paul finds “the comfort of God” in it and gains the extraordinary insight, “that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead.” David Jang summarizes, “The tribulation Paul refers to is not merely the severe hardship Paul personally endured but also the perspective of faith that looks toward the kingdom of God in all those extreme circumstances. For the believer, tribulation ultimately becomes part of God’s greater plan that leads us to His grander purpose.”
David Jang points out that when Paul states in Romans 5:3, “we rejoice in our sufferings,” it must not be misunderstood as naive optimism or a desensitized attitude. Scripture does not teach us to ignore or dismiss the pain of actual hardship. Rather, we are to believe that “ultimately we are moving toward hope, and that present tribulation is a necessary step on the journey to that hope.” Hence David Jang calls this point “the most genuine and realistic kind of joy.” Even though life can be painful and difficult, those who are declared righteous have a guaranteed future of glory, and because that certainty overwhelms the present, we can rejoice even in suffering.
Of course, our sinful nature does not readily accept this. David Jang notes that even those who have been justified by faith can often remain “unfeeling or ungrateful” in their hearts. A person who is declared not guilty in a courtroom naturally rejoices, but spiritually, though being “declared righteous” is a much more amazing event, we quickly grow unresponsive to it. Therefore, David Jang draws attention to Matthew 11, where Jesus speaks of a “heartless generation.” The parable—“We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not mourn”—pinpoints a state in which people do not rejoice when God’s grace and love are poured out, nor do they repent when the time for repentance comes. Yet the conclusion in Romans 5 remains unequivocal: “We rejoice in our sufferings” is revealed as a definitive characteristic of those declared righteous. David Jang repeatedly emphasizes, “The joy we experience even in tribulation is proof of salvation, the mark of those who have peace with God.”
2. Endurance, Character, and Hope in the Midst of Suffering
David Jang sees the heart of Romans 5:3–5 as encapsulated in the sequence “suffering → endurance → character → hope.” This concise pattern illustrates the real faith journey of Christians in a dynamic way. It is not a simplified formula of “When suffering comes, just have hope,” but highlights the indispensable intermediate steps of “endurance” and “character.” When Paul says, “suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope,” his statement does not mean any hardship automatically leads to hope; rather, this result is granted to those who accept and walk this path in faith.
Endurance, simply put, is “holding on and persevering,” but biblical endurance is neither passive nor humiliating. David Jang states, “Endurance is impossible without faith in the future.” Just as the farmer waits patiently for the harvest after sowing the seed, so in Christian faith, “Even if right now our path seems blocked, we wait, trusting that God will bring forth the harvest.” That is the essence of endurance. Thus, we do not let go of hope in our painful and difficult present. Why? Because “faith is the assurance of things hoped for” (Hebrews 11:1), and we confidently persevere out of certainty in what we hope for. David Jang describes it as “the future glory swallowing up the present.” In other words, once we see that the glory to be revealed far outweighs and outlasts today’s suffering, we no longer regard that suffering merely as suffering, but instead view it as “a necessary phase in God’s work.”
Another benefit from endurance is “character.” Explaining character, David Jang says, “Just as gold is refined from ore, sometimes our faith needs something like the fiery furnace so that every impurity is removed, leaving us as pure gold.” This aligns with 1 Peter 1:6–7, which speaks about “the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire…” Also in Hebrews 12:8 and the following verses, we see the strong warning that those who are not disciplined are illegitimate children, implying that God disciplines those He loves precisely because they are His true sons. David Jang points out, “We often try to avoid the discomfort of being refined, but in reality, this refinement is the necessary training by which God molds us into genuine sons. For depth and maturity to develop in faith, at some point you must pass through this purifying fire.”
Character renders us more pure and steadfast. David Jang likens it to “how astringent persimmons must ripen to become sweet, or raw fish must go through the right cooking process to become a delicious dish; the rough edges within us must continue to be stripped away and polished for us to stand as people pleasing to God.” Our temper, anger, lack of self-control, and other traits must gradually be tempered and purified in the presence of God for us to become the people He truly delights in. Jang cites Moses as an example: without the 40 years of refinement in the wilderness of Midian, Moses would not have been able to serve effectively as leader of the nation. “Those forty years tending sheep in the wilderness molded Moses’ temper and violence into a gentle and mild spirit. That is how he was prepared to accomplish the Exodus.” Yet Jang also recalls how Moses never fully overcame his anger, striking the rock twice and losing the right to enter Canaan, warning that failing to persevere to the very end can lead to tragic consequences.
Through this process, the ultimate outcome is “hope.” In faith, we undergo suffering, which produces endurance, and that endurance refines our character, ultimately leading us to hope. David Jang clarifies that “hope” here is not a vague wishful thought, but rather confidence in the future glory God will accomplish. This, he says, is the strongest driving force underpinning a life of faith. He pays special attention to Romans 5:5, which declares, “hope does not put us to shame.” Under Paul’s circumstances—imprisonments, persecution of the church, the martyrdom of many leaders—there may have seemed to be no hope at all from an outward perspective. Indeed, 2 Timothy shows that people left Paul after he was imprisoned, and some were ashamed of him. Yet Paul boldly insists, “Our hope does not disappoint.” Why? Because this hope is not a humanly conceived illusion; rather, “God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.”
At this juncture, David Jang explains, “The Holy Spirit is not merely a force that arouses our emotions. Rather, the Holy Spirit practically pours God’s love into our hearts so that we can remember and cling to that love in every situation.” The most powerful reason we do not retreat in the face of worldly difficulties and suffering is the certainty of God’s love, given through the Spirit. Hence, Paul can unashamedly say, “From a human standpoint, being imprisoned might be shameful, but I am not ashamed because I know whom I have believed and am convinced He is able to guard until that day what I have entrusted to Him.” David Jang draws attention to Paul’s appeal in 2 Timothy, “Do not be ashamed of me his prisoner,” and suggests we can learn from Paul’s perspective on handling tribulation as a pastor or as a church under trial. Even if the gospel does not promise instant worldly glory, we must remember that the Holy Spirit pours out God’s love, which sustains us to the very end.
Ultimately, Romans 5:1–5 unfolds a progression toward this conclusion: “Therefore, since we have been justified by faith,” we break from the yoke of guilt and enjoy peace with God, and we stand in grace, rejoicing in the anticipation of His glory. Then, however many hardships arise in daily life, they do not plunge us into despair or ruin; rather, within Christ, they serve as materials that lead to hope by producing endurance and refinement. Finally, that hope is never empty, because it is guaranteed by God’s love poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit. Thus, David Jang identifies Romans 5:5 as “the decisive reality that makes this entire process possible—‘the love of God poured out by the Holy Spirit.’ Without it, suffering remains suffering, and endurance becomes merely a painful waiting; but because this love is poured out, we can rejoice even in suffering and walk what seems an impossible path.”
Moreover, it is essential to note that the foundation of this hope rests on the fact that “we have already been justified by faith.” David Jang highlights Paul’s conviction that “the immovable foundation of our salvation and justification means that no trial can become ultimate condemnation or destruction.” If we still thought we were under guilt, we would see tribulation as punishment from God. Rather than learning endurance and refinement in that suffering, we would sink into defeat and despair. Yet, as Romans 5:1 declares, we are “justified,” at peace with God, and no hardship can ever serve as proof that He does not ultimately love us. On the contrary, we must interpret it as God’s process of refinement to grant us something better. Therefore, the way we respond to tribulation changes entirely. David Jang explains, “The fact that we have been justified alone gives us every right to be joyful, and that joy penetrates our present suffering and our glorious future, strengthening us all the way.”
Hence, the main message of Romans 5:3–5 is: “You will face tribulations. But do not lose heart. Those tribulations will produce endurance, which will produce character, which in turn leads to a greater hope. And that hope will never put you to shame. For God has already poured His love into your hearts through the Holy Spirit.” David Jang adds that there is “a perspective we believers must change in our daily lives.” The world regards tribulation as a calamity, but faith sees it as a chance to be refined. This fundamental shift in interpretation enables us to “rejoice in our sufferings.” And it is this attitude that defines the true identity of the justified—those set apart from the world.
In concluding his reflection on Romans 5:5 and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, David Jang reiterates that it does not merely refer to signs and gifts. “‘God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit’ essentially means that we come to realize and experience at a deep, personal level the love of God proven through the cross of Jesus Christ.” Therefore, when suffering and trials come, if we have that assurance of love, we will never collapse. Our hearts are filled with that love. David Jang teaches that this is “the essential factor that makes a God who might seem distant instead feel intimately near, rooting the essence of the gospel in our daily lives.” Without God’s love truly poured into our hearts, no matter how solemn our knowledge of doctrine or how devout our outward form of faith may seem, we would easily waver when affliction arises. But if we are filled with God’s love by the Holy Spirit, we can, like Paul singing in prison without shame, confidently say, “I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him,” experiencing joy in any circumstance alongside God.
David Jang enjoys sharing the actual experiences of believers to illustrate this. In his local congregation, whenever numerous trials appeared—whether financial crises, conflicts among people, or criticism from the world—people wavered. However, they never let go of their conviction that “God will open another door.” Sharing testimonies of how “at the most severe hour when we had to endure to the very end, hope became even clearer,” the congregation endured together. In the end, they repeatedly witnessed astonishing restoration and growth. Such testimonies practically confirm Paul’s words that “tribulation produces endurance, endurance produces character, and character produces hope.” And when the results appear in real life, people see once again that “hope does not put us to shame.” David Jang looks back on his pastoral ministry and says, “The afflictions confronting us were never trivial, but instead of destroying the church, they refined us, fashioning the faith of our congregation like pure gold.”
This is the paradox of faith. It might seem like suffering comes to tear us down, but for those who have been justified, that suffering leads to endurance, which produces character, purging out the dross in our faith, ultimately spurring us on to greater hope and God’s glory. And the reason that hope is never put to shame is the love of God already poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit. Therefore, David Jang concludes, “How can we who live in such great grace and love regard tribulation solely as tribulation? On the contrary, through tribulation we see the even greater providence of God, so that in our sorrows we find true joy, and in our hearts a peace that does not waver.”
Summarizing the flow of the text: believers in Jesus Christ, declared righteous, are freed from past guilt and enter God’s peace, living in a hope fixed on His glory. Even when numerous sufferings attack, they do not leave us despairing or ruined; rather, in Christ, those sufferings guide us to hope by teaching us endurance and character. And this hope is not empty, for the love of God poured out by the Holy Spirit stands as a clear pledge in our hearts. David Jang concludes, “No suffering or trial can drag us into eternal ruin. Rather, since we are children of God, those trials are an inevitable process He uses to train and refine us, and whenever the Lord leads us into suffering, He unfailingly comforts us, turns us back, and opens a new path for us. If we accept this in faith, we can rejoice even in tribulation.”
Accordingly, David Jang strives to unearth the truths of Romans 5:3–5 in a way that closely applies to everyday life for believers. In response to the question, “What does faith really provide us in our numerous daily problems?” he gives this definite answer: “Having been justified, we already have peace with God, and within that relationship, however severe life’s trials and crises may be, they unavoidably produce endurance and refinement that strengthen our hope.” This hope does not put us to shame. It is not a delusion invented by human beings; it is the tangible experience of the Holy Spirit pouring out God’s love into our hearts.
The overall message of the beginning of Romans 5 is that the Christian path is not a “sweet illusion in which everything is rosy just because we hope for glory.” We traverse a wilderness-like life, are sometimes confined, and often face contempt. Yet the Holy Spirit’s internal fullness, the conviction of God’s love, enables us to enjoy “a peace that remains unshaken in any circumstance.” Hence, we can rejoice in tribulation and never give up or retreat in shame. This is the power of the gospel that Paul proclaims, and it is the “truth that must be seized not only intellectually but also experientially,” in David Jang’s words.
When tribulation comes, the world readily says, “It’s all over,” but for the believer, tribulation can be “the starting point of a new leap forward.” David Jang notes that God sometimes leads His beloved people into the wilderness to perfect them. There, the wilderness becomes a place to experience God’s deeper love and presence, as well as a place of purification to remove the impurities in us. Abandoned as that setting might seem, we learn to “depend on God alone” in the thick of it. And the fruit of that is “a deeper faith, and a hope that will never be ashamed.” That, in essence, is the principle in Romans 5.
Furthermore, David Jang warns that for contemporary Christians, if we do not want these words to remain “utopian language relevant only within the church,” we must see how we respond when genuine tribulation strikes. Do we only grumble, “Why does this hardship happen to me?” or do we persevere with the mindset, “God’s deeper purpose is here”? That difference marks the dividing line of practical faith. David Jang explains, “Falling into complaint and despair is the world’s logic. Faith does not frantically search for hope in the midst of despair. Rather, by the Holy Spirit’s work within us, it advances confidently. When Paul suffered in prison, he never felt shame or surrendered. As believers, because ‘God’s love is poured out,’ we too must cast off our fears and learn to rejoice in tribulation.”
The message David Jang aims to convey from Romans 5:1–5 is crystal clear. First, those justified by faith are released from guilt and enjoy peace with God, and in that relationship, they come to rest in true grace and look ahead to the joy of glory. Second, however, this road is not free of suffering. The Christian life likewise passes through the narrow gate, facing numerous trials and persecutions, as seen in Acts and in Paul’s own life. Yet that tribulation does not defeat us; it produces endurance, which leads to character and, finally, hope. And that hope is not empty, because God’s love has already been poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit. Therefore, we have no reason to be ashamed. In this context, Paul’s exhortation “to rejoice in suffering” in Romans 5 is no hollow slogan. Because it is a real power given by the Holy Spirit, anyone who believes can experience this joy.
By teaching these principles from Romans 5, David Jang explains, “When genuine tribulation arises in our lives, how we interpret that tribulation shows us the current state of our faith.” If, in times of hardship, we despair and think, “Has God abandoned me?” we may be lacking solid confidence in being justified or lacking the real experience of God’s love poured into us by the Spirit. But if we affirm, “This hardship is still under God’s sovereignty. It will produce endurance, and through refinement I will gain a greater hope,” and thus pray with that attitude, we will see in reality the fruits of a saved life described in Romans 5. David Jang calls this “the path Paul personally attested to, the path the early church saints walked at the cost of their lives,” and insists it is the true path of discipleship.
The power of the gospel revealed in Romans 5:3 and onward is more than a soothing emotional comfort. It is a “solid reality” that enables us to maintain our faith in God under any circumstances. When we know for certain that God’s love is poured out into our hearts by the Spirit, it means the fountain of consolation and joy deep within us never runs dry, even in tribulation and trials. As a result, we can confidently say, “we rejoice in our sufferings.” David Jang remarks, “As you keep meditating on this passage, it naturally brings to mind Paul’s other confession in Romans 8: ‘Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?’ If we have truly been justified and have experienced the Spirit’s indwelling, no hardship can bring about ultimate destruction. Rather, it drives us into a stronger faith and a firmer hope.”
In short, the thrust of David Jang’s exposition of this text is that believers must not separate “the joy of salvation we already have” from “the process of refinement we meet in tribulation.” For those who would avoid suffering at all costs or find their faith shaken when suffering comes, Romans 5:3–5 speaks plainly: “That suffering produces endurance, which leads to character, and finally hope. And that hope will never let you down. For God’s love has been poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit.” This majestic confidence in God’s love is the very root of true joy and boldness. Those who hold this word can no longer view suffering, fear, or despair as final reasons to give up. Since we are justified and have already received the status of the redeemed, let us rejoice and give thanks with all our hearts. And along the way, let us see for ourselves how God refines our faith and leads us to a greater hope.
Paul’s statement in Romans 5, “we rejoice in our sufferings,” is grounded in the “absolute trust in God’s sovereignty and love” that David Jang repeatedly emphasizes. Though we cannot fully understand God’s providence, and though it sometimes takes us down mysterious paths, we have no fear because we trust in His wisdom and goodness. That faith, tested by tribulation, produces endurance; the fruit of endurance is character, which finally produces hope. At that point, we have nothing left but gratitude and praise for the way God includes us in His glory. This participation in God’s glory is no human boast but solely the work of His grace. Having received this grace, how can we not now “enjoy peace with God and rejoice even in tribulation”? That astounding affirmation is made real in our lives through the power of the gospel testified to in Romans 5.
Thus, in David Jang’s exposition of Romans 5:3–5, he gives a broad view of the present joy and the future hope of those who are saved, as well as the tension created by tribulation and refinement lying in between. Rather than promoting a superficial idea of “believe in Jesus and everything will go well,” he offers a biblical interpretation that “for those who are justified by faith, suffering is no longer God’s penalty but rather a tool for growth.” In this journey, we do not lose heart because of “the love of God poured out by the Holy Spirit.” No matter what the world says, or how fiercely the waves roar, believers who stand at peace with God and have the Holy Spirit dwelling within will not be destroyed. On the contrary, tribulation ends up further solidifying them, maturing them, and leading them to see that “hope does not put us to shame.” This is the blessed truth David Jang insists on and the vibrant testimony found in Romans 5.
From Romans 5:3–5, we learn that rejoicing in suffering is not grounded in mere optimism or emotional solace but in the assurance of salvation—being declared righteous—and the unshakable conviction of God’s love poured out by the Holy Spirit. David Jang calls this “the privilege of the redeemed,” asserting that if we fail to enjoy this privilege, the fault lies not in the gospel but in our own “lack of faith and ignorance of the Word.” Conversely, a person who knows the gospel correctly and stands upon faith no longer fears any tribulation. Such hardship is rightly understood as a step paving the way to greater glory, so we embrace it with joy. This is at the heart of David Jang’s consistent teaching on Romans 5:3–5.
Hence, the theme “we rejoice in our sufferings” in Romans 5:3–5 emerges as a genuine guide for living out our faith, not just a theoretical concept. As David Jang repeatedly stresses, believers who have been justified and live in God’s love must keep remembering Paul’s cry: “suffering produces endurance, endurance produces character, and character produces hope.” This hope never puts us to shame because God’s love has been poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit. There, Romans 5’s teachings on salvation and the Spirit intersect perfectly, granting us complete joy and boldness. And for the one who truly embraces this gospel, suffering ultimately becomes a signpost directing them to God’s greater glory and love. That is the central truth David Jang continually highlights, and it is vividly proclaimed in Romans 5.
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