Romans 8:26-30 Notes

“Security in Sanctification”

By Pastor Rich Paradis

Romans 8:26-30

 

There is a caution to be shared when looking at passages that we have “some” knowledge of. That caution is taking what you “know” and allowing it to get in the way of what is in the text upon further investigation. We have heard some of the words and phrases of this passage before; “interceding with groaning”, “foreknowledge”, “predestined”, “called”, “justified”, and “glorified”. These words and phrases do make up the body of the passage before us, but let’s not jump to conclusions about what the entire passage says. That’s why we study and look closely together. Remember, the entire section before us today is connected to previous thoughts and will give us reason to hope and the truths to hold on to so that a believer’s hope is more than just wishing.

 

Words that appear often in this text:

He / His = 13

Spirit = 3

Called = 3

 

Some words that need defining:

Foreknew – To have knowledge beforehand (Acts 26:5, Romans 8:29, 11:2, 1 Peter 1:20, 2 Peter 3:17)

Predestined – To foreordain or appoint beforehand (Acts 4:18, Romans 8:29, 30, 1 Cor. 2:7, Ephesians 1:5, 11)

Conformed – To have the same form as another, similar, conformed to (Romans 8:29, Philippians 3:21)

Firstborn – The first of the dead that was raised to life; with that added suggestion of the supreme rank by which he excels these other sons

Called – Those who have received the invitation to salvation (1 Corinthians 1:9, 7:20)

Justified – To declare, pronounce, one to be just, righteous, or as one ought to be (Romans 4:2, 5:1)

Glorified – To exalt to a glorious rank or condition. Bringing Christians to a heavenly dignity and condition (John 7:39, Acts 3:13)

 

I.                    The Holy Spirit Provides Security For The Believer   Romans 8:26-27

a.       As we begin this passage, we must remember that which is before it so that we can catch the context. In our previous section, we saw that God Himself subjected the earth to a “futility”. That futility is mentioned to us in Genesis 3:17-19, where the earth was subjected to difficulty in yielding crops, etc. The curse of the Fall did not just affect mankind; it also affected the ground around mankind. The hope of this futility was that mankind would not depend on this cursed earth for their sustenance, but would turn to God and depend on Him instead. But for now, both mankind and the earth are said to be “groaning”, waiting for the time when both the earth and mankind will be redeemed. That “hope” is what we are holding on to as we see both people and the earth seemingly falling apart before our eyes.

b.      Verse 26 opens with the phrase “in the same way”. In the same way as what? In the very same way that we call upon hope when things are out of our hands and sin and brokenness are seemingly winning, we can also call upon the Holy Spirit of God in these times as well. The Holy Spirit that we read of in Romans 5:5 is our resource for all the days of our lives, not just the ones that are difficult.

c.       But the verse before us tells us that the Holy Spirit is resourcing us during difficult days, just like the hope that is in related to the eschatological future that each of us have because we are in Christ.

d.      Have you ever been so overwhelmed by things that you didn’t even know what to pray? That is the scene here. There are times, according to this verse, when we don’t even know how to speak to God. But in those times, we don’t have to know what to say. Why? Because the Holy Spirit does!

e.       Does this strengthen your hope? It should! To know that you don’t have to know, or do, or say the right things before you can receive the help of your Heavenly Father should be an incredible encouragement to you.

f.       But how does the Holy Spirit do it? Verse 26b and 27 help us out here. He groans too! But He doesn’t groan like the earth and like mankind, lamenting and looking forward to another time. He groans in a way that only the Triune Godhead can. These groanings are too deep for the languages that we speak. This is not “speaking in tongues”. Speaking in tongues is a spiritual gift given to some, not all believers, for the building up of the body of Christ. But again, note who is doing the “groaning”. It is the Spirit, not us. And further evidence that this is not “speaking in tongues” is the fact that no spiritual gift is given to everyone. The gifts are distributed to believers individually at His discretion. (1 Corinthians 12:7-11)

g.       But what else does this passage say that can of incredible encouragement to us? This passage offers an incredibly intimate picture of the relationship of the Godhead. It says that as the Spirit does this interceding on our behalf, even as He groans, there is no breakdown in communication because He who searches the heart (God, the Father; Psalm 139) knows exactly what the Spirit is saying, because He would only intercede for us based on the will of God, that each of us be in relationship with Him.

h.      Is that encouraging truth or what? WOW!! God is interested and at work for my good…

II.                 The Father and the Son Also Provide Security For The Believer    Romans 8:28-30

a.       In Verse 28-30, we have some of the meatiest theological verses that we have encountered thus far in the book of Romans. We have heard these things before, and we have feelings about their content, but let’s consider them in light of the context that we have been working through.

b.      The context is security and provision during the difficult times in our lives. Sanctification (the greater context of this section) is aided, in fact provided for, in the blessed Holy Spirit who intercedes for us during those trying times. He does and will continue to do this only in God’s will; that is with the knowledge of knowing exactly what the Father desires for us and through us and what will draw us nearest to Him in relationship.

c.       Let’s look  at some words closely in Verse 28 as we begin to gain insight into this important passage:

                                                              i.      Who is doing the work? God

                                                            ii.      What are “all things”? This is the key to understanding the passage as a whole. “All things”, according to the context of the passages seems to be a general term for those things that while adverse in themselves are turned to “good” by the sovereign operation of God on our behalf.

                                                          iii.      What is “good”? Again, in the context of the passage, “good” seems to be those things that help to “conform us to the image of His Son”.  

                                                          iv.      Who are the benefactors of this work? There are two answers to this question provided by the text; from the human side it is those that love Him and from the divine side it is those that are called according to His purpose.

d.      So what do we have when we put these thoughts together? We have a thought that looks something like this: God is at work, taking those things that would ordinarily dishearten or even break those that love God and are His and sovereignly using them to shape us so that we can be even more like Christ, the very goal and example for our sanctification.

e.       In Verses 29-30, we see salvation in all of its glory. It is critical that we see that God gets the glory for the entire work before us. Again, we ask some important questions as we begin trying to understand it:

                                                              i.      Who is doing the work? God

                                                            ii.      What is the work? The work of salvation

                                                          iii.      What are the details of the work?

1.      “For those who He foreknew, He also predestined…” – There are those that believe that the word “foreknew” means that God knew in eternity past those that would by faith become His people. There are also those that think that this knowledge goes beyond just knowing what they would decide; it also is a statement of love and purpose that goes beyond knowing the decisions only to actually knowing the person and choosing them in His grace, not due to any credentials of their own. This predestination is to the believer’s ultimate destiny…

2.      “to become conformed to the image of His Son…” – This is the ultimate destiny of those that are His! There will not just be one Son in the family! There will be many who will through adoption be in the family…

3.      “so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren…” – And their example and their role model will be Jesus. He will not only hold the position of role model, He will hold the highest place of honor in the family of God!

4.      “and these whom He predestined, He also called…” – In between the start and the finish of God’s plan are three steps: calling, being justified, and being glorified. Those that are in this family are called, not just invited. We are called by God Himself into the family…

5.      “and these whom He called, He also justified…” – Remember, the work of a peaceful reconnection with God is His! He made that restored relationship possible by the death and resurrection of His Son. (Romans 5:1)

6.      “and these whom He justified, He also glorified. – Ultimately, those that are His will be glorified, that is taken to a place (heaven) and a condition where the very presence of sin and its affects will be gone from the believer’s life.

f.       So in the work of God in salvation, we again see an encouraging help in times of trouble that is… He will ultimately get the glory!

 

III.               An Application For All Of Us

a.       As we continue in our sanctification, we can be assured that His perfect plan includes both our good and His glory! Hallelujah!!