ROMANS 8:29-30 THE GOLDEN CHAIN OF SALVATION

 

In Romans 8 Paul has been unpacking the doctrine of Life in the Spirit. 

Being a Christian is no ordinary life. It is a life of miraculous enablement and intervention. It is a life in which God works in a believer, even against our natural sluggishness, our slowness to believe, our humanistic thoughts and responses.  If we are in Christ, Paul points us to the help we receive from the indwelling Holy Spirit as we wrestle against the realities that our flesh (our physical nature) presents. He shows us that we, amid this great battle are wonderfully sustained. 

Above all He points us to the future glory that is our inheritance. The best is yet to be. People  that feel hopeless need to hear this!  Wait a little longer. Your Saviour is near.  He asserts that those who love God (and those alone) - who are called according to His purpose, ALL things ultimately work for good (8:28). 

And from there he proceeds to connect us to God’s great, eternal plan of salvation.

28 “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. 29 For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. 30 And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.

We have a massive statement here. This is truly holy ground.  Paul is giving us insight into God’s eternal mind and purpose in terms of His saving purpose for mankind.  Here we find the sequence known as the golden chain of salvation.  Here is a statement outlining the way in which God saves His people. 

• Here we are helped to see that this salvation is all of God, from first to last.  
•  Here we learn that our salvation begins in the mind of God the Father. 
• Here we are reminded  that our salvation is accomplished by Christ’s finished work on the cross.
• Our salvation is applied by the Holy Spirit. He helps us to see and believe in the finished work of Jesus.   
• Our response to God in repentance is the outcome and proof of our salvation.
• Our love for God is the result of a heart set free.
•  We learn that our salvation never came about because we  made a decision for God or  by being born into a Christian home.  

Augustine of Hippo said, "God elected believers in order that they might believe, not because they already believed."[1] God's choice of us precedes our choice of Him. If the Lord had not chosen us, we never would have chosen to believe in Him.

THE FOUNDATION OF  ROMANS  8:28   – A SURE SALVATION

The First Link of the Chain: Foreknowledge

“For those whom he foreknew …” The Greek word for "foreknew" [2]  literally means to know beforehand.  It is more than simply to be aware of a future event – a passive foresight of human actions, like, “God foreknew that Robert Good was going to choose to become a Christian”. That is not it!

God’s foreknowledge is not passive. It is active. It is loaded with love for His people (see Romans 5:8). He lovingly foreknows them before they are born (Jer. 1:5; Gal 1:15). There is an active  intimacy in that foreknowledge. 

Let’s look at this in another way:  In Matthew 7:23 in context of His future judgement Jesus says to false believers, “I never knew you, depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.”  Jesus obviously “knew” who these people were and what they had done. So, when Jesus says, “I never knew you”, He means, “I have never been in a loving, saving, covenant-love relationship with you, and you show it by the lawlessness (lack of love for me) of your lives.”

To foreknow is to fore-love. We shall see this again in Romans 11:2 where Paul mentions God’s eternal, covenant love for Israel: “God has not rejected his people whom He foreknew” (Rom. 11:2).  There is profound substance to God’s foreknowledge.

The Second Link: Predestination

8:29 For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.   Predestination[3] is not synonymous with foreknowledge. Predestination follows foreknowledge.  Foreknowledge is what is in God’s heart concerning His people right from the very beginning. What is in God’s heart? Love for His people! Predestination follows from that. It points to God’s eternal decree to bring something to pass in time.  God’s ultimate purpose is the establishment of the church – the sum total of His adopted sons and daughters (8:15) consisting of OT (before the cross) and NT (after the cross) believers.

Predestined to which end? Now, notice how Paul completes that thought, “predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son”. The ultimate purpose of salvation is not just to obtain forgiveness from sins (we must and we do!), but to be conformed into Christ's likeness. Remember? We are called to be God’s holy people (1 Pet.2:9,10).  That is what it means to be a Christian!  Those in Matt 7:23, whom Jesus did not know, even though they said that they acted in His Name, did not actually act like Him!  They did not portray family likeness in what they did.  Christians are predestined to become like Jesus - spiritually, morally, and eventually physically as we inherit a resurrection body.

This is what it means “to be conformed” to his “image”.

Also note that Jesus is the firstborn among many brothers (and sisters). The term ‘firstborn’  refers to the fact that our Lord Jesus was the first human to have escaped the bondage of death (cf. 1 Cor. 15:20-23). In that sense He is the firstborn brother (the new Adam) of the new human race (see also Col. 1:15,18). We are predestined  to be imitators of Christ.

The Third Link: Calling

8:30a “And those whom he predestined he also called…”.  This is the “effectual call“. This is the powerful work of the Holy Spirit in the heart of one that is foreknown and predestined.  It comes in time, and the drawing power is unmistakable. It some that calling works in an instant; in others, over time.  But the point is that this call is effective.  

There may be two people who sit under the same gospel message: Both are called, both are invited to come to Christ – one responds and the other doesn’t.  How does that work?  In one sense God calls everyone, in that the gospel is freely and indiscriminately preached to all, BUT in the end only those who will effectively hear will experience that calling as a strong drawing to trust in Jesus.  In that sense “Many are called but few are chosen” (Matt. 22:14).  In 1 Thess1:5  we read that the gospel came to the Thessalonians “not only in word, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction.”  The gospel landed on fruitful soil. They heard the gospel call, they believed and they became fruitful, but it is all due to the sovereign grace and mercy of God. In Romans 1:6-7, Paul refers to those “called to belong to Jesus Christ”… “loved by God and called to be saints”

We proclaim the gospel indiscriminately and universally to all people. That is a general call, but hearts are dead to the truth of the gospel. Unless God by His Spirit  supernaturally calls people from  the state to spiritual death to spiritual life, they will and cannot hear the life giving Word.  

The Fourth Link: Justification

8:30b “…and those whom he called he also justified…”  We have spent considerable time on this doctrine in earlier chapters. We will make this point in summary form:  When God calls someone, He justifies them, meaning that He forgives their sins and imparts the righteousness of Jesus to them, removing all charges against them. Their legal status before God the Great Judge of all has changed, and we return to Romans 8:1 “There is therefore now no condemnation…”

The Fifth Link: Glorification

8:30c “…and those whom he justified he also glorified.”  We have also deliberated on the subject of glorification (see 8:17,18,21,23).  Glorification is the final step in God’s saving work. This is the future transformation of believers into the perfect, sinless likeness of Jesus Christ, both physically and spiritually. It occurs at Christ's return, resulting in resurrected, immortal bodies, the total eradication of sin, and eternal communion with God. It is interesting to note here that Paul uses the past tense to describe our glorification. This is odd, since our glorification is a future event, but clearly Paul sees this here as good as done – he speaks of it as having already occurred. This is the so-called   cherry on the top of the doctrine of salvation. When that has happened our salvation is accomplished and fully applied

CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATIONS OF THIS DOCTRINE

Here we have the golden chain of salvation, from eternity past to eternity future. 

It leaves us breathless doesn’t it?

1.       8: 29-30 provides the foundation for the promise found in   8:28. Based on this promise we have confidence that God will truly work in all things for our ultimate good.  Even our strange providences, those difficult, strange things that happen to Christians along life’s highway, will ultimately work out for our good. In these experiences, God sanctifies us, and in that process, He draws even nearer to us. Thank God that there will be an end to all this testing when He finally calls us home, frees us from the presence of sin and equips us with bodies fit for heaven and His presence.

2.       Nothing ultimately will hinder His eternal good purpose for His foreknown, predestined, called, justified ones. They will all reach glory! God cannot fail.

3.       He will lose no one in the process!  All whom God foreknows will ultimately be glorified.  Your salvation is utterly secure.  The conclusion of chapter 8 makes that very clear.

4.       Make sure that you are indeed in Christ. Make sure that you know Him and are known by Him (2 Cor.13:5). Again, be reminded that the proof of the life of Christ in the soul is that you bear fruit. At the heart of this text is the ultimate goal: God wants you to be conformed to the image of His Son.  Right now that may look very different for all of us.

·       Some of you are young Christians. You are barely out of starting blocks- you are beginning to blossom and look like Jesus.

·       Others have walked with Jesus for many years. Your godliness is seen, felt and appreciated.

·       Some of you may be backslidden or stagnant or joyless.  Get back to your first love. Deal with the idols. Smash them!

·       A word to the unconverted. Conversion is not mere morality, education, or baptism. Don’t rely on superficial religion. You must have   a thorough change of heart, mind, and life brought by the Holy Spirit. This is the heartbeat of Romans 8. The Holy Spirit makes the difference.

 

 

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[1] "On the Predestination of the Saints" Book I, Chapter 17. In this work, written around A.D. 428–429 near the end of his life, Augustine was defending his doctrine of grace and unconditional election against the teachings of Pelagius.  He cited John 15:16, "You have not chosen me, but I have chosen you".

[2] προέγνω (proegnō), - aorist active indicative form of the verb proginōskō.

[3] Proorizō -  to determine beforehand, foreordain; There are six texts in the NT where this verb is used. Two of them are here in Romans 8:29-30. The other four are these: Acts 4:27-28; 1 Corinthians 2:7; Eph. 1:3-6; Eph. 1:11-12

ROMANS 8:28-30 DO ALL THINGS WORK TOGETHER FOR GOOD?

 

Dr Martyn Lloyd Jones (1899-1980), the great Welsh Preacher,  is probably best known for his lengthy sermon series on the  epistle to the  Romans. It has been  published in 14 volumes.  He preached 72 sermons on Romans 8 alone. In his commentary on the 8^th chapter of Romans, he says that this chapter is “the brightest gems of all”[1]. It is a great chapter on Christian assurance. This  subject  and chapter is a tonic for our souls, and that is why we are taking our time to savour its contents. 

Assurance (Jesus loves me this I know!) is a vital component of spiritual health for all Christians. When you are secure in your faith and in God's love for you  it moves you from fear-driven performance to joyful obedience. 

Assurance is important when you experience the inevitable  attacks of the devil and when you go through personal struggles,  because  your faith is rooted  in Christ who has overcome the world.  

 REVIEW

This chapter begins with, “no condemnation” and ends with “no separation.”   God is so good!

·       Rom. 8:1-4. Here we find the governing thought of this chapter: “There is therefore now no condemnation for those that are in Christ Jesus.”  In Romans 7 Paul showed us the real struggle between the righteous demands of the law and our inability to keep it.  This can be a very depressing problem. It  easily robs us of joy and assurance.  Who will deliver us from our sin? Thanks be to God – Jesus our Lord!  Therefore, we must learn to  look to Him- continually!  In this we are  helped also by the  indwelling Holy Spirit  by reminding us of the work of Christ: “the law of the Spirit of life has set us free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death”.  When this has happened we can grow in  the grace and the knowledge of God, even though we still must contend with indwelling sin.

·        Rom. 8: 5-11 shows the difference between the Christian and non-Christian. A Christian has their mind set on the things of the Spirit. The product is life and peace and the hope of eternal life. The non-Christian has their mind on the things of the flesh. They are hostile to God; they do not and cannot submit to God’s law.

·       Rom. 8:12 – 17   shows us that Christians, by the help of the Holy  Spirit can live differently to the world. A Christian  is  an  adopted son/ daughter of God. Belonging to a new  family they are not dominated by the spirit of slavery that makes them fall back into fear, but they are enabled by the Spirit of adoption to lean on God, their heavenly Father in the inevitable  trials of life.  

·       Rom 8:18 – 30 reminds   us   of the reality of suffering in a fallen world.  Our focus must not be on the suffering . It must be on the glory to be revealed.  In this, Christians in their weakness have the help of the Holy Spirit. He  intercedes for them with groanings too deep for words. And His prayers on their behalf are understood and heard by the Father –  A wonderful assurance!   

This brings us to 8:28-30. These three verses provide us with profound encouragement.  This is one of the most quoted passages in Romans. 

ROMANS  8:28-30    

1.       8:28a  Everything is ordered by God for our good

Even our sufferings! This is our context.  “ALL things work together for good!” All things?  Yes, everything!  Before we consider this strong assertion, we need to understand what Paul is not saying.

•  Paul is not saying that all things which happen to believers are good in themselves.  There are things that happen to us which are not good. There are evil things that others do to us which are not good. There are choices we make that are not good!   
• What Paul is saying is that God can use the evil things done to us, even our own poor choices,  for our ultimate good.  
• The comforting thought is this: We are not in the hands of an almighty devil; we are not in the hands of an evil world; we are not even finally in our own hands and of our bad choices, which can be very painful.  We are in the hands of a good God. He  is able  to work all things for good in the life of the believer. 

This needs to be seen in context of Rom. 8:26,27. 

What has Paul just said?  

He has said that the Holy Spirit helps us in our times of weakness.  These are times when you have no words to pray.  If you are in that position, then Paul has another word of comfort for you!  

1. Not only do you have a certain future hope when this difficult life is over 
2. Not only does the Holy Spirit intercede for you when you can’t pray 
3. But it is also true that God uses every event (even the messy ones) in your life to work for your ultimate good.  

He begins with this statement, "And we know that for those who love God ALL THINGS work together for good”.  We know!  We may not like to know this, but if you love God, then you know that He is with you in whatever happens …  a death; a severe illness of a loved one; the reality of recurring marital problems; problems with rebellious children; job retrenchment, and even some worse things.   

How can God be in this? How can these things be for good?  We don’t always know, and often it is very hard to see…even for a long time. But we know that God is not the Originator of sin. We also know that God is able to bring good out of evil. Just think what God did on the cross.  God turned a cruel cross into victory. 

Can He turn your cross into victory?  It is often hard to see…

This is where faith in the Word of God and the God of the Word becomes a Christian’s source of hope. A Christian is one who is loved by God (we shall see this now in 8:29,30) and who loves God., even in suffering and  times of trial. In God's  economy there is no wasted suffering.  It may be painful, and it may appear meaningless at face value, but it isn’t, because God remains your Father and you His beloved adopted child, and  as such He is committed to your  welfare,   even in the valleys of life.  

2.        8:28b This is a promise for believers alone!  

“For those who love God…”.  This is a word of comfort for Christians. We cannot use these words to an unbeliever whom you are visiting in hospital.  It belongs to those who love God… those who are called according to His purpose (the same thing).  And the reason they love Him is because He has called them. 

3.       8:29,30 God’s persistent love for His children

This is so big! Our life in Christ is in the hands of omnipotent love- whatever our experience!  

1. Paul says that there is no event in life that God doesn’t use for the good of believers (8:28a).                       
2. God’s promise is for believers alone (8:28b)
3. And now Paul shows us God’s glorious saving purpose from the beginning to the end (8:29,30). His involvement in the life of His children is all encompassing. It extends through their life in this fallen world with all its trials and tribulations. It continues until they are glorified, and back with Him in heaven.  This is so big!  This is the golden chain of salvation - an unbreakable, five-link sequence of God’s redemptive work.  And Paul  put’s it like this: Those God foreknows and predestines, these he  also calls, justifies, and ultimately glorifies - this is the golden chain of salvation. What mighty  assurance  we find here! 

THE GOLDEN CHAIN OF SALVATION 

a.        God foreknows His children. "For those whom He foreknew…". Some have thought that God foresaw that we would choose Him, and therefore, based on our choice, He chose us. That is not biblical. God’s choice of us never rested on our love, our works, or our decision. God‘s choice of us rests in His love for Jesus, His Son, to whom He has given a people, a church (ekklesia),a bride.  As such Jesus dies for those that the Father has given Him out of the world (John 17:2,6,9,10,24).  IN HIM  we  are loved by the Father.  We are  blessed  in the beloved. (Eph 1:6) 

b.      God has predestined His children to be conformed to the image of His Son.  God’s foreknowledge forms the basis of our predestination. Christians are predestined to be  conformed to the image of His Son.  They want to be like Jesus in His moral perfections.  They want to be holy as He is holy.  They want to share in His glory.  Paul also says here that He would be the firstborn among many brothers. We will share in the glory of our older brother! He is the first fruit of the resurrection. When He appears we will be like Him! (1 Jn 3:2) 

c.        Predestination is followed by the calling: While our predestination occurs before the beginning of time, our calling happens in time.  When you become a Christian, you hear the call of Jesus to come and follow (e.g. Matt. 1:18-22; Lk. 5:27,28). This call is irresistible, because it is the voice of the Good Shepherd. It is the voice of Home.

d.      Calling is followed by justification:  Justification is the legal declaration by God that a sinner is righteous i.e. not guilty. God does this by imputing the blood of His Son Jesus to  the sinner's  account.  Jesus our Lord was delivered up for our trespasses and raised  for our justification (Rom. 4:25).  There is now no condemnation (Rom. 8:1)  Who will bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies (Rom. 8:3)

e.       Justification is followed by glorification.  This happens after death, when we, like Jesus following His death, will be clothed in our resurrection bodies.  The text here reads in the past tense, "And you have been glorified."  He speaks of it as if it has already happened. It is as good as done.

CONCLUSION

When we consider the big picture, then all our losses and crosses, all suffering, all unfairness, all our bad decisions, all sin against us, everything.... becomes bearable. Therefore we must persevere. We must be patient.  We must know that this temporary life, with all its hardships and sufferings is just that: temporary. And in the meantime, we must know  that  our Father in heaven is not going to exempt us from doing life with all its complexities.  But He will make sure that we have more than sufficient grace to manage our challenges- many of which will be expressed in groanings, which the Holy Spirit bears on our behalf to the throne of grace.  

But, everything will ultimately work for good,  and  we know this  finally and especially  when we  shall  stand in His presence clothed in our glorified bodies!

 

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[1]  Martyn Lloyd Jones, ROMANS 7:1-8:4, p.258f, Banner of Truth,1973

ROMANS 8:26-27 THE HOLY SPIRIT HELPS US IN PRAYER

 

Romans Chapter 8 is a wonderfully uplifting chapter, following a very sobering assessment in preceding chapters  concerning our true state before God.

All of mankind – you and I included, are God’s created people. 

But we are also fallen beings. 

We are no longer what God had purposed us to be. 

Sin has distorted us – more than we realize. By nature, we are under the wrath of God (Rom. 1:18-32).  The Bible read and understood helps us to see ourselves as God sees us. Paul was helped to see himself realistically in Romans 7. But he also was helped at once to see the solution to all our trouble: Jesus Christ the Saviour (7:24)!  And that is why he begins with that great truth statement in  Romans 8:1-2:

“There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death.”

Jesus Christ frees us from the righteous wrath of God! THEREFORE, look to Him and believe in Him!  And then, look again at those two opening verses and find mention made of the Holy Spirit, who is mentioned 20 times in this chapter.  

Who is the Holy Spirit?  What is the nature of His Being? What is the nature of His work?  We are best helped by considering Jesus’ own teaching concerning Him in John 14:15-18; 14:25-26; 16:7-15.

In a nutshell: 

The Holy Spirit is the promise of the Father (Acts 1:4, Jn.14:16,26) and of the Lord Jesus (Jn.16:7). 

Following Christ’s ascension (Lk. 24:50-53; Acts 1:6-11), the Holy Spirit would be the Helper (parakletos) who comes alongside and inside God’s people, being the Spirit of Truth (Jn.14:17;16:13; Rom.8:11). The Holy Spirit would not leave the people of Jesus as orphans (Jn.14:18) [Note, in Romans 8:15, He is the Spirit of adoption by who we cry Abba, Father!]. He is the One, says Jesus, “teaching you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you” (Jn.14:26). 

He is the One who will convict the world concerning sin.... (Jn. 16:8) 

He is the outpoured Holy Spirit of Acts 2. It  is He who makes all the difference in us, because He embodies all that God is! He, the outpoured Spirit makes the difference in us- experientially! Let us learn to appreciate Him, to honour Him, to praise Him as the third  member of the Holy Trinity!  

Paul reveals Him in Romans 8 as the Spirit of life- the life - giving Spirit, who sets us free from religious formalism (i.e. mere adherence to the law) (8:2). 

He helps us to walk not according to the flesh (i.e. by giving into sinful impulses) (8:4). 

He helps us to set the mind on godly thoughts (8:5) 

He produces life and peace in the soul (8:6).  

He makes us feel that we belong to a new family, because He is the Spirit of adoption (8:15). To be a Christian is to be a son /daughter of God. To be a Christian means that we have new abilities through His indwelling presence and power. We are able to overcome sin. The Holy Spirit makes the difference even while you and I  continue to live in a fallen body, and in a fallen world in which Satan exercises his destructive and deceptive rule.  

If you have trusted the Lord Jesus Christ as your Saviour, remember  that  the Holy Spirit is the Helper - He  helps you even when you still struggle with sin  in every conceivable way (Romans 7:15-20). 

Truly, this world is a battleground for the Christian. It is a peculiar mixture of suffering and glory. This is the  subject we considered last time in 8:18-25.  Take courage! 

The Holy Spirit is here to help you in the midst of your  groaning [1].  This is a word which we find three times in this chapter:  8:18,22,23.  There we find that (i) creation groans (ii) we groan) (iii) the Spirit groaning  on our behalf  making our groans intelligible before the Father’s throne of grace. Groaning  will accompany us (and all of creation) in this life, and on our way to future glory. We groan under the weight of the wages of sin.  

Is there any help available?  Jesus has saved us, and for this we are immensely thankful, but how will we cope NOW whilst living out our lives in this fallen world, and in this fallen body? The answer is : BY PRAYER! 

I trust that these 2 verses will help and encourage you greatly.  

THE HOLY SPIRIT MAKES THE DIFFERENCE IN PRAYER: 8:26,27

Our text begins with an affirmation: “The Spirit helps us in our weakness“.  That word ‘help’ is a very long word in the biblical Greek[2]- made up of three words.  The word conveys the idea of assisting; to help another in sharing a burden – to jointly tackle a task.  

The word is used in Luke 10:40 where Martha asks Mary to help her with food preparations. 

Notice then, the Holy Spirit does not take our responsibility away. He helps us.  He assists us, particularly in our state of weakness.   

What is that state of weakness? Here it is: “For we do not know what to pray for as we ought....”. Isn’t that a real problem for us in prayer? How do we ever know what to pray for? We don’t always know what is best for us. If that frustrates you then remember that we are in good company. 

Paul did not always know where the Spirit of God would take him next (e.g. Acts 16:6-10 and the Macedonian call).  

Furthermore, Paul asked the Lord three times to remove the thorn in his flesh in 2 Cor.12:8-10, thinking that this was a hindrance to ministry, but God said, “no! My grace is sufficient for you...”.  Who would have thought that the thorn in the flesh was a good thing for Paul?  

And, what should the Apostle Paul pray according to Philippians 1:23?  Here he is at the end of his life and in prison, potentially facing execution. He has a desire to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better; but is it not perhaps better for the sake of the church that he gets out of prison and remains useful a little longer?  Can you sense the tension – we do not know how to pray as we ought?  What is better? Well, God’s plans are better. They may take us via some strange providences, but if the outcome is that He get’s more glory, then that is the better way.

In this regard I  remind you also  that even the Lord Jesus, experiencing life as a man (yet without sin) praying as a man, bearing our sins as a man,  asked  that this cup of suffering might pass from Him, knowing that God’s will, not His be done. Jesus knew what God's will was, and we know what God’s will was for Jesus, but can you see the real struggle involved in prayer in this fallen world? Can you hear Jesus’ real groaning? And aren't you thankful that He took the way of the cross?

You and I will praise God in eternity for Christ’s active obedience!

Next, we read, 

“...but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words”. 

Here is the help that the Holy Spirit provides for us in prayer. Dear friends, God knows our weakness. He knows that we are subject to the fall and He bears with us, and He helps us by the Holy Spirit  to articulate our groanings and perplexities in prayer.  

The same idea is found in Matthew 11:28ff where Jesus says, 

“Come to me all you who labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest ...”.  

Here are people that are groaning under the weight of their crushing burdens – and Jesus says, “Come to me... I will help you.”  Think of a heavy object that is too much to carry for you. Another person comes along and says, “let me help you”, and the two of you manage that heavy load. Your helper does not do all the work. He helps you. He helps  to carry your heavy load successfully and effectively. This text does not teach us to be passive.  The Holy Spirit helps us, and in this case, He helps us by interceding for us. 

The word[3] used for intercession is only found here in the NT, and it translates best as making representation for another person. He is, as it were, taking upon Himself my muddled thinking, my overburdened mind, and my inability to formulate something correctly, and with words unutterable He presents the prayer in an understandable form before the throne of God. So, I am helped in prayer.

I have a confession to make: I mostly don’t know how to pray for you, particularly if I have little understanding of your situation and your spiritual well being. I confess, that I mostly groan and trust the Holy Spirit to make my prayers for you legible in the Father’s heavenly courts.

Two things must be said about the Holy Spirit’s groaning on our  behalf :

(i)             He is the omniscient Spirit. Sharing the attributes of God, He knows everything. So, it cannot mean that He is struggling to understand or interpret my prayer. His groaning simply amounts, from my perspective,  to being “too deep for words” (NIV groans that words cannot express) - literally 'wordless' language. But the effect of the Spirit’s groaning upon my groaning  is that my  Heavenly Father receives an exact interpretation of that which I actually need.

(ii)            It cannot refer to speaking in tongues, as some have maintained. The translation is “too deep for words”. This excludes language – even tongues, which  are also a form of  language. This is much deeper.  At any rate, the onus here is not on the speaker but on the Holy Spirit,  formulating in wordless language my groaning before the throne of mercy.  Thank God for the great help which is promised to us in prayer. I am so encouraged by this!

Finally, in 8:27 we read, 

“And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.”  

God is the searcher of our hearts. He is also the One who is  in eternal fellowship with the Holy Spirit. He knows the mind of the Spirit.  Father, Son and Holy Spirit truly KNOW one another in the fullest sense of that word. 

There is a actually  never any explanation needed between them. They perfectly understand each other. And their  greatest certainty and agreement is this: God‘s people, here called saints, must be brought safely home through this temporary trial, in which they will suffer many things.  They must be helped in prayer and they must  be  glorified.  The 8th chapter will take us steadily into that direction.  The Holy Spirit has been given to that end, and the work of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit will be completed to that end.  You, dear saint, are safe in  God’s  hands.

What you read here is indeed high theology. But it has been written for people like you and I, who are not God. It is written for people who see in a mirror dimly.  What is utterly clear to God is not yet clear to me, and when I look into His Word, and consider  texts like these, I am given a perspective that is not ordinary. This perspective tells me that, despite my experience, God knows what He is doing.  And He knows and He helps His people in their weakness.  He helps them  in prayer.   

This puts a fresh perspective on prayer and I trust that you will be bold enough to test God in this matter. Ask Him this week to help you in prayer.

 

 

 

 

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[1] Gr.  stenazo - groan, sigh, express deep inward  grief - from steno – narrow/ constricted - being in a tight spot

[2] Gr sunantilambanetai

[3] Gr. huperentugchanei – to intercede for another person

ROMANS 8:18-25 “PRESENT SUFFERINGS AND FUTURE GLORY”

 

Romans 8 is a very special chapter, mainly because it offers us so much comfort. We see that the Holy Spirit makes a real difference in the life of the believer. He is mentioned 20 times in this chapter.  

A true believer, empowered and indwelt by the Holy Spirit is no longer a slave to their former nature (the flesh 8:2,4,5).  A true believer experiences life and peace (8:6,10). A true believer has the same Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead working in them – both now and in their resurrection from the dead (8:11). True believers are led by the Spirit of God; they are sons of God (8:14).  They have received the Spirit of adoption (8:15).  They have assurance that they are the children of God (8:16). They are heirs of God (8:17).

Those are wonderfully strong statements and assurances.  They say something of the reality of the Life of God in our souls. They confirm the ability of a believer to say no to the powerful impulses of the flesh.  If you call yourself a Christian consider this and test yourself this coming week, when inevitable challenges come to pull you down. Remember the promise given in Peter 1:3-11 and remind yourself that you are empowered by the Spirit of life. 

This brings us to a very real   issue and the apostle Paul is not slow to capitalize on this. Take note how Paul ends in 8:17. After showing us the wonderful benefits of being a Christian (i.e. sons of God/ children of God, adopted into God’s family, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ) he says this: “… provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.”  Here is a real issue for a Christian believer to consider- the doctrine of suffering.  The Christian person is not free from suffering but helped in suffering.  

TWO IMPORTANT WORDS: SUFFERING AND GLORY

These two words/concepts will stay with us and occupy our thinking until the end of the chapter. These two words seem antithetical, but in biblical thinking they belong together. In this life they run side by side.  You hear of a death (suffering) and you hear of a birth (glory). In fact, every birth has and experience of suffering followed by glory! Every life has stories of suffering and glory.  

The subject of suffering and glory permeates the Bible.

·       In the law:   Sin enters the world and with sin enters suffering and death; but God provides atonement for sin and restoration (glory).

·       The book of Job: Job is handed over to Satan to be tested (suffering). One of Job’s statements is this: “But he knows the way that I take; when he has tried me (suffering) I shall come forth as gold (glory).” (Job 23:10) The end of Job’s story is just that (cf. Job 42:10 “And the LORD restored the fortunes of Job.”(glory)

·       The Psalms e.g.  Ps 23:4 “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death (suffering), I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and staff, they comfort me (glory)”

·        The gospels. The cross of Christ (suffering); the resurrection of Christ (glory). 

·       Acts of the Apostles. The church suffers and the church advances (glory).

·       Paul’s writings e.g. 2 Cor 4:8-10: “we are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed but not driven to despair; persecuted but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed, always carrying in the body the death of Jesus (suffering) so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies (glory).”

Notice then that in terms of Christian experience, suffering and glory are often found in close proximity to one another, and so also 8:17 which serves as our introduction  to this subject

The subject of suffering in particular has perplexed Christians in every age. If God is good, why do we have to suffer? Suffering can test our faith severely, particularly if we do not have a firm biblical perspective on the subject, and the KEY ISSUE that we learn here is that suffering and glory for Christians stand in close  connection and 8:18 will make it explicit that our present sufferings cannot be compared to the glory that is to be revealed to us. Paul knows that Christians will experience suffering in this fallen world, but that is not the end of our story.  and that is what he is addressing here.  

Chapter 8 is so rich and so deep that we will have to take more than one sermon to think through this matter.

PROPOSED OUTLINE

(i)                  8: 18-25   Our present sufferings cannot be compared with our future glory

(ii)                8: 26-30   The Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness

(iii)              8:31-39   All things work together for the good of the believer  

In this sermon we will  cover verses 18-25 

 1.  8:18-25  PRESENT SUFFERINGS CANNOT BE COMPARED TO FUTURE GLORY

Paul has just asserted in 8:17 that suffering with Christ and for the sake of Christ is an inevitable accompaniment of being a Christian. In fact, it is a mark of being a Christian, and it is a very challenging one. 

Are you presently suffering for the sake of Christ? Don’t think now of your brothers and sisters in countries where they are being literally persecuted, forced into the underground, and if found, killed.  

Think of your own situation. 

• Are you pained by the things that Jesus would be pained with in this world? 
• Are you feeling the sense of ridicule imposed upon when you refuse to agree with current views on marriage, family, and sexuality which are at odds with biblical norms?
• Have you been accused of being intolerant because you believe the Bible more than modern social norms? 
• Do you feel the growing divide between biblical teachings and societal norms?  
• Do you feel pressure to keep your faith hidden to avoid ridicule, career setbacks, or social exclusion? 
• How do you as a Christian woman honour Christ, when living with a non-believing husband? Not without some sense of suffering.  
• Do you find it hard to make decisions like, saying to your visiting non-church going family – “I have an appointment with my God and Saviour this Sunday morning between 10.30 and11.30 – I will see you afterwards!”? I remind you that choosing to honour God above family is no small thing, and it does induce discomfort and it forces us to deal with texts like,  “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.” (Lk 9:23). "Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. And whoever does not take up his cross and follow me is not worthy of me" (Matt.10:37,38). 
• Taking your stand with Christ is guaranteed to bring peculiar sufferings, and each Christian has their own story to tell, and sometimes our suffering is due to our own foolishness.  1 Peter 4:16,17 makes a helpful differentiation here. But that is not what our context addresses here.   Paul addresses the matter of Christian suffering for the sake of Christ. It is to them that he now has these following words of comfort and perspective in 8:18: “For I consider that the sufferings of the present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us”.

 Paul affirms that Christians will suffer. We have covered this point sufficiently.  But He  also affirms that Christian suffering will be eclipsed by the revelation of God’s glory, which from his (and our) present perspective is still in the future. 

This must now be investigated.

8:19  confirms the anticipation/ waiting  for  this future glory:  For the creation[1] waits[2] with eager longing[3]  (literally with outstretched neck) for the revealing of the sons of God (those that are adopted- see 8:15).How long? The keyword for suffering Christians is “wait”[4].  The implication is this: a. the answer is coming  b. God knows and is in control. He remains the sovereign God in all His people’s temporary suffering. C. their deliverance is coming

8:20-21  A perhaps not so surprising fact:  God Himself has subjected His  creation to this suffering. The biblical foundation of this argument is found in Genesis 3: 16ff.  God is the one who imposed this state as a judicial act following the fall, not because of a choice by creation, but because He decreed it (Gen 2:17).  Adam and Eve were told that they will die if they disobeyed! Every form of suffering flows from that and dying is the ultimate experience associated with suffering. And remember this! Our Lord Jesus Christ at His first coming entered this world and what did He experience? Suffering!  And God did not let the cup of suffering pass from Him. He drank that cup right down to its very dregs.  And by this He took upon Himself my sin and your sin, and if you have believed in the Lord Jesus Christ then you are justified. You are adopted. You are an heir of God and a fellow heir with Christ.

In the meantime we must wait UNTIL Christ comes to restore all things at His second coming! He is the hope of 8:20,24,25.  He is the glorified Christ, and we are waiting to be glorified with him, but that can only happen when He returns.  Until then we will have to wait. Until then there will be a sense of frustration, vanity, and there will be suffering under the sun. It is so important that we understand this.  And when you suffer this does not always indicate that you have disobeyed God in the present. No! Much of our present suffering is the result of the original fall, as a result of which God has subjected this world to futility – to its own way of godless thinking and godless doing. But wait patiently with outstretched neck. Christ is coming.  All the spiritual and moral  and physical  deficiencies  will be something of the past.

8:22 In the meantime remember that not only you, but the whole universe groans and  longs for redemption.   The whole universe suffers as a result of the fall. The whole universe   longs for expresses the hope of future glory. When man, who is created in the image of God,  fell it was indeed a great fall. This fall  sends echoes back into this vast universe!

8:22,23 Again we are reminded that alongside this groaning creation, there is a groaning church - those who have the first- fruits of the Spirit.  The groaning church is waiting for her adoption as sons. But wait a minute! Haven’t we been adopted already (8:15)? Yes, but remember that our salvation is an ongoing process.  We are adopted, but this is a process. The process will be complete when Christ returns, and kills all sin and death itself in the lake of fire.

8:24,25  In this hope we were saved !  We are heirs, but we have not yet received the fullness of the inheritance. We have within us the first fruits of the Spirit, but we have not yet received the redemption of our bodies. We live in that hope- and hope that is seen is no hope. We wait for it with patience. And so, every believer needs to live in anticipation of the best which is yet to be –  the  return of our Lord Jesus! Don’t waste your energies on present sufferings. Focus  on the future glory!

Our celebration of the Lord’s supper now  shows this aspect of anticipation. We proclaim the death of Christ … until when?  "Until He comes!"   

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[1] Ktiseos (κτίσεως)  "creation," root ktisis:". It is used in the New Testament to describe the act of creation, the created world/universe (Rom. 8:20-22), or a new creature in Christ (2 Cor. 5:17). 

Definition: Originates from ktizō (κτίζω - to create), referring to the formation, act of creating, or the thing created.

[2] Ἀπεκδέχεται (Apekdechetai - "Waits eagerly"): A compound verb (apo-ek-dechomai) intensifying the act of waiting, indicating a confident, patient, and expectant, long-term waiting.

[3]Apokaradokia (ἀποκαραδοκία) is a Greek noun meaning intense, earnest, or "eager expectation". Derived from words meaning "head" (kara) and "watching" (dokeo), it literally describes stretching the head forward in anticipation. It appears twice in the New Testament (Rom. 8:19, Phil. 1:20)

[4] See also  Revelation 6:9-11. Those slain for the Word of God cry out “How long?”. They are told to wait a little longer.