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!!

Romans 8:31-39, Notes

“The Security of the Believer”

By Pastor Rich Paradis

Romans 8:31-39

 

Romans 8 is without question one of the great chapters of the Bible. We have taken our time in looking at it, and I suspect we have still missed so much of the depth of its truths. In this final section of the chapter, Paul seems to take an inventory of all that has been considered in the chapter as 7 questions are asked and answered in these final few verses. The answers to these questions should and will offer those that follow Christ a great sense of comfort and motivation moving forward. Let’s see what the final few verses of this great chapter say…

I.                   God is for us!    Romans 8:31-34

a.       The emphasis of this last section of Romans 8 is the security of the believer. Coming out of the incredible truths of Vs. 28-30, we will now see that God is ultimately and completely able to beat and has beaten the most difficult things that can occur in our lives.

b.      Verse 31 starts off with a question (#1) that reminds us of our previous lesson. That question is, “What then shall we say to these things?” What things? The things that directly precede the question. The truth of the entire Triune Godhead watching over us; the Holy Spirit as He intercedes for us in prayer according to the Father’s will and the Father as He not only has been involved in our salvation from eternity past until eternity but also provides the perfect example to follow in Jesus Christ.

c.       With those truths in mind, the verse continues with another question. That question is, “If God is for us, who is against us?” (#2) This question sets up the remainder of the chapter. But let’s not get away from that phrase so fast. Sometimes, we as Christians have the feeling that everything is against us. And without question, there is something against us: the enemy Satan and the world around us. But this question gives us the answer to, “Can the enemy or the world finally win the battle over me?” The answer is NO! Because of passages like Romans 5:1that remind us that by faith we are “at peace” with God, we can know that He is not against us…He is for us!

d.      Verse 32 wastes no time in answering that question in some detail with another question. The answer is that  if God gave His own Son over as the sacrifice for  sin, how would He not give us all things that we need? (#3) The answer to the “all things” that work together for good, even though they themselves may have even been meant for our discouragement and destruction by the enemy, is the “all things” that God freely gives us as we have need.

e.       Verses 33-34 ask another couple of questions. Those questions are, “Who will bring a charge against God’s elect?” (#4) and “who is the one who condemns?” (#5) The court of law is in mind here. No charge can be brought against the Christian because God has already pronounced a verdict of “not guilty”. And in Vs. 34, we have three reasons why no one can condemn God’s elect:

                                                              i.      Christ died for us.

                                                            ii.      He is alive and seated at the right hand of God, the position of power.

                                                          iii.      He is interceding for us. It is interesting to note that the Holy Spirit intercedes before the Father on our behalf when it comes to prayer and Jesus Christ intercedes for us before the Father when someone tries to condemn us or convict us.

 

II.                Nothing Can Separate Us!    Romans 8:35-39

a.       If in Romans 8:31-34, it was proved that God cannot fail us, than the thought of these verses is can we fail Him? What if some incredible trial or temptation comes our way and we fail? Then what? Paul will deal with that problem in this last section of the chapter. He will explain that nothing can separate us from the love of Jesus Christ. Suffering does not separate believers from Christ but actually carries them along toward their ultimate goal.

b.      Verse 35 begins with another question. That question is, “Who will separate us from the love of Christ?” (#6) The list given here goes from lesser to greater in severity and ends with another question mark. (#7)

                                                              i.      Tribulation – Hardships of life

                                                            ii.      Distress

                                                          iii.      Persecution

                                                          iv.      Famine

                                                            v.      Nakedness

                                                          vi.      Peril

                                                        vii.      Sword – Death

 

c.       The question wonders out loud if there can be a stoppage of Christ’s love for believers and His allowing suffering to overtake them and remove them from their position “in Him”. Should a believer ever wonder if His love grows cold? The stoppage of His love for the believer under trial is no more thinkable than if the Father had ceased to love His Son when He allowed Him to endure the agonies of the Cross, apparently forsaken.

d.      Christ predicted trouble for His people who are left in the world (John 16:33) In fact, Verse 36 is a quotation from Psalm 44:22. That the one who is following Christ will go through trouble is no new news. Suffering has always been a part of the experience of God’s people since the Fall of man.

e.       I really like Verse 37. It says that in all of the things listed above, as tough as they are, we are conquerors. In fact, we are “super-conquerors”. How is this possible? The verse gives us the answer: “through Him who loved us”. This “loved” is not some past tense type of statement. It is a statement of how He loved us: with His death at the Cross. This statement is especially meaningful in that this conquering is not contingent on something that we do; it is based on something that was already done! The believer can know that nothing can separate us from His love! Believe it and rejoice!!

f.       Paul now wraps up this glorious section with a strong statement. He says in Verses 38-39 that “I am convinced that none of the things that I will list can separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus, our Lord”. Why is he convinced? Based on all that has preceded this statement! He begins a list of 10 that starts where the last list ended up in Vs.35:

                                                              i.      Death – Our death doesn’t separate us from the love of God

                                                            ii.      Life – All the things that life throws at us can’t separate us from the love of God

                                                          iii.      Angels – The angels wouldn’t separate us from the love of God

                                                          iv.      Demons (Principalities) – The demons, as much as they would like to, can’t separate us from the love of God

                                                            v.      The Present – All things that surround us today can’t separate us from the love of God

                                                          vi.      The Future – Nothing that will happen to us in the future will separate us from the love of God

                                                        vii.      Powers – Neither Satan and his demons nor any human government can separate us from the love of God

                                                      viii.      Height – Nothing overhead can separate us from the love of God

                                                          ix.      Depth – Nothing beneath us can separate us from the love of God

                                                            x.      Any Created Thing – Nothing in the entire created order can separate us from the love of God

g.      What an incredible way to affirm the certainty of the believer’s salvation! Even if there were other possibilities, Paul is sure that any of them would be equally as impotent to separate the love of the Savior from His people.

 

III.             An Application For All Of Us

a.       God is for us…so who or what could possibly separate us from the love of God through Christ Jesus, our Lord? Nothing!!!!

Romans 8:14-25, Notes

“The Now and the Not Yet of Adoption”

By Rich Paradis

Romans 8:14-25

 

As we concluded the previous paragraph of Romans 8:1-12, we were left with a contrasted life of fleshly living versus Spirit-led living. The reality of Christ in us gives us direction moving forward. We are not under obligation to the flesh and all of its short-lived enticements. We are living in the Spirit, continually putting more and more of the deeds of the body to death so that our lives might be lived to the fullest. Now we move forward to an incredible description of the one who is “in Christ”. He is not a slave, he is a son!

Words that are often used in the passage:

 Spirit = 6

Sons, Children, Heirs, Childbirth, Adoption = 13

Slavery, Set free, Freedom = 4

Suffer, Sufferings, Groan = 5

 

I.                    The “Now” Of Being Adopted Sons of God    Romans 8:14-18

a.       As this section opens, we are introduced to an incredible truth. Verse 14 tells us that those that are being led by the Spirit of God are “sons of God”. What a powerful word picture!

b.      First of all, who are these that are being led by the Spirit? These are those people who have placed their faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ at the Cross. They are believers, they are those that have been justified by faith, they are Christians.

c.       If someone bought you, what would you expect to be to them? The first thought that comes to mind is noted in Verse 15. Our logic would say that if someone bought you, you would be their slave. And you would be their slave in all of the worst ways. But this verse says that those who are being led by the Spirit do not live by a “spirit of slavery”, with all of its fears and concerns, but in a spirit of adoption.

d.      Adoption was common in the world of the Bible. It was well understood and a picture that would have been easy to understand. The adopted child of the ancient world would be granted all of the privileges of the natural-born children. Note the end of Verse 15, where we are given some insight into the closeness of this relationship. The relationship is not just father, it is “daddy”. This term (Abba!) of endearment and love is very expressive of what is going on.

                                                               i.      How does it feel to be a “child of God”?

                                                             ii.      What emotions come to mind as you consider this relationship?

                                                            iii.      How does sin in our lives affect our relationship with our Father?

1.      Does it break the relationship or does it cause distance between us and our Father?

e.       Verse 16 tells us that this relationship is not just a mind-set or something that we conjure up in our own minds. This relationship is testified to by the Holy Spirit of God. The Holy Spirit is testifying to us of the reality of this relationship and it benefits.

f.        What are some of those benefits? Verse 17 says that if we are children by adoption, than we are also heirs. There are 2 phrases here that are worth taking a little longer look at:

                                                               i.      Heirs of God – Who are we “sons” of? God the Father. With that designation comes incredible blessing and benefit. Can you imagine being the son of the One who has all power and all riches? There is both inheritance now and inheritance to come. What are the blessings of being a “son of God” now? And what will be the blessing of being His son in the future?

                                                             ii.      Heirs with Christ – As sons of God, we are now the inheritors of both blessing and suffering. We have access to the blessings of the Father, the same as Jesus Christ does. We also have the blessings to come because of our adoption. But we also will be inheritors of suffering, the same as our Savior, Jesus Christ. What are some of the sufferings that the adopted sons of God go through because of this “family” connection? (persecution, misunderstanding, isolation at times, etc.)

g.       Verse 18 reminds us that even though there are sufferings that the “child of God” will go through because of his or her family connection, they are nothing in comparison to the glory that is to be revealed to these same sons and daughters in the future. In other words, the glory of heaven will be so indescribable as to pale the difficulties of this life by comparison. As you struggle at times in this life, do you think about the promise of this verse? What will heaven be like that it makes the troubles of this life seem small?

 

II.                 The “Not Yet” Of Being Adopted Sons Of God    Romans 8:19-25

a.       In Verse 19, we are immediately taken to a look into the reality of the Fall. The impact of the Fall was so profound that it affected not only the human life, but the very earth itself! And this creation awaits the “revealing” of the sons of God. This does not mean that it is waiting until the end to see the final score on each of us as to whether we are “in or out”. It means that in addition to the “now” of our adoption, there is a “not yet” to it. While there is unquestionably inheritance and blessing that has been distributed already, there is an inheritance to come as well that we do not have at this point in time.

b.      Verse 20 reminds us of the reality of the Fall. Genesis 3:17-19 and 5:29 tell us of the impact of the Fall on not only mankind, but also the creation as well. The curse is articulated in this passage and it is discussed further in Ecclesiastes 1:2 where life on the horizontal is vanity, or “hevel” in the original Hebrew language (a vapor, here today and gone tomorrow, meaningless). And was this “futility” just the result of Fall? Was it chosen willingly by those affected? No, the Father exacted this curse upon mankind and upon the earth.

c.       Why? Verse 21 tells us that this inability to be satisfied by the earth or its contents will hopefully cause mankind to embrace the glory of the sons of God and be released from the slavery to corruption through Jesus Christ. Just like the earth will be renewed in the future and is not destined for destruction, the hope is that the same will be embraced by mankind.

d.      Verses 22-23 continue by telling us that creation is awaiting glorification like an expectant mother awaits painfully the birth of her child. And the earth is not all that is waiting. We who have the Holy Spirit, the first fruits of the Spirit, while understanding that this Spirit is an undeniable evidence of our salvation await the ultimate glorification of the body and the inheritance to come.

e.       Verse 24-25 we see the “hope” of salvation. It is not just a hope that is demonstrated in our salvation, but it is also a hope of things to come. A hope that is already seen is not hope anymore. So there is again the “now” and the “not yet” of this adoption that we await with perseverance and an eagerness of spirit.

 

III.               An Application For All Of Us

a.       Being adopted sons of God assures us of both an inheritance now and an inheritance in the future!!