δόκιμος
Huh? What is this? It is the Greek adjective for “approved” or “tried”. It is the root to the Greek feminine noun “experiment”, “proof” or “character” in Romans 5:4. Here is an excerpt from BlueLetterBible.org,
In the ancient world there was no banking system as we know it today, and no paper money. All money was made from metal, heated until liquid, poured into molds and allowed to cool. When the coins were cooled, it was necessary to smooth off the uneven edges. The coins were comparatively soft, and of course many people shaved them closely. In one century, more than eighty laws were passed in Athens to stop the practice of whittling down the coins then in circulation. But some money-changers were men of integrity, who would accept no counterfeit money; they were men of honor who put only genuine, full-weight money into circulation. Such men were called dokimos, and this word is used here for the Christian as he is to be seen by the world. (Donald Grey Barnhouse, Romans: God’s Glory, p. 18.)
Romans 5:1-5 says, “1 Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. 3 Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4 perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5 And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.”
The Alexander Scouter Greek Lexicon2 says “approvedness”1 or “character”.
Paul says of himself in 1 Timothy 1:12 (NLT), “I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength to do his work. He considered me trustworthy and appointed me to serve him…”
I recently had my son watch his siblings for about an hour and a half recently. I have seen how he is with them over the years and talked it over with my wife and we decided to allow him to watch his younger siblings. Sounds like a small thing to some, but crazy things can happen when kids get together. My son has proven himself in many areas and is a teenager and I trust him. He has integrity and character. I tell my friends and family he is a stand up guy. And that he is. Well, I got home and all of the kids were alive. Everything was good. He did good. I’m proud of him.
I am reminded of another verse, Luke 16:10 (NIV), “Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much.”
Romans 5:3 says that suffering (literally, “a pressing together”) produces perseverance (literally, “a remaining under”), and remaining under produces approvedness. Approvedness produces hope (passive joyful eager expectation).
So, I rejoice through His faith in me when I am pressed and squeezed in the circumstances of life. When the situations arise I have the opportunity to “remain under”. I heard a preacher say that understanding means first under- or to be “yielding”. If I go under a bridge I am yielding to go under it. -Stand means “to have a position or point of view”. Even an “opinion”. This brother said understanding then is yielding our opinion, Proverbs 3:5.
Once that happens clarity will come unto knowledge (my two cents.) Understanding then is a process of yielding my opinion to God’s will.
How does this tie into Romans 5:3? Hebrews 11:3 says we understanding by faith. His faith not mine by revelation and grace apprehends my will if the word is quickened in me and nurtured. It has a passive affect on my being unto godliness. I stand in this faith with understanding in my time of being squeezed. I am remaining under willfully placing my opinion on God’s holy word and truth. Something happens. The bible says essentially supernatural, spiritual integrity and virtue is created! So, I ask myself and God why? Part of integrity is also consistency otherwise where is the integrity? As I am consistently and sincerely placing or yielding my will and opinion to His based on His quickened word I am growing in integrity. I am bearing the load, but growing in the grace and knowledge of Him.
Hebrews 5:8 says, “Although He (Jesus) was a son, he learned obedience from what he suffered…” He learned and acquired and grew in knowledge of the Father, Luke 2:40 (NASB).
Lastly, hope grows. Hope also begins in this process in verse 2. Hope predicates on faith in the grace on which we stand, Rom. 5:2, enabling us to rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
The word the dwells in us richly is in us enabling us to stand by grace. The more pressure to the crucible the more refined and pure the understanding or the yielding of my opinion unto holiness. I am holy because I partake of His divine nature. I am being sanctified more each moment. As I grow in holiness I also grow in integrity.
Leave a Reply