Please turn in your Bibles this evening to Romans chapter 8 as we continue our study through the Word of God and we finish our study here in Romans chapter 8. As you remember from our last study, Romans chapter 6 through Romans chapter 8 deals with our sanctification. We have seen that we are dead to sin and alive in Christ. Sin should no longer have dominion over us, lord over our lives because we are no longer in bondage to sin, a slave to sin.
That sounds great and it is but lets face it, we still struggle in these bodies of flesh, the spirit nature is at war with the flesh nature and it can become frustrating, discouraging at times as we seem to be losing these battles. The things we don’t want to do we do and the things we want to do we don’t do.
It is out of that frustration that Paul moves into Romans chapter 8 where he gives to us the power to live a life in the spirit and the power is given to us by the Holy Spirit, empowering us to be holy as the Lord is holy. We are not only illuminated by the Holy Spirit to the Word of God, opening God’s Word up to us, but we are also empowered to live lives that are sanctified, set apart for God by the power of the Holy Spirit. It is as Peter said in I Peter 2:11-12, “Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul, having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles, that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may, by your good works which they observe, glorify God in the day of visitation.”
And in Romans 8:11 Paul said, “But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.” Paul is speaking of our spiritual resurrection that occurs when we receive Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. That is what we have seen in the first seventeen verses of Romans chapter 8. But, not only is there an immediate spiritual resurrection now, but also a physical resurrection of these bodies in the future, during the rapture, when all believers will receive a new body, an eternal body and that is what Paul is now going to speak of as we move on in Romans chapter 8 this evening and lets pick-up our study in verse 18 and see what the Lord has for us this evening.
Paul, in the previous verse, says that we as Christians will suffer before we are glorified just as Christ did and it shows that we are joint heirs with Christ, children of God. Now Paul is saying that these sufferings are only temporary, they don’t compare to what God has for us. Paul, in II Corinthians 4:16-18 tells us, “Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.” If we truly appreciated, understood what God has for us, these sufferings would seem trivial to us! Don’t give up, keeping moving forward knowing what is awaiting you, glorification as God presents you before His holy angels.
All of creation is eagerly waiting for the revealing of the sons of God. Now that sounds strange because we are already sons of God, so what is Paul talking about? Yes, we are sons of God now but creation does not recognize that fact, in reality, they try to destroy it from their sight. But I don’t think this anticipation is speaking of men as the creation but all of the creation, the animal’s and-so-on. The verb “eagerly waits” in the Greek is ADEKDECHOMAI (ap-ok-ar-ad-ok-ee’-ah) and it is used several times in the New Testament to refer to the Lord’s return. So this can be translated that all of creation is “on tip toes to see the wonderful sight of the sons of God coming to their own.” The reason for this is given to us in the next few verses.
When God created the heavens and the earth everything was very good. Animals lived together in harmony; they were not meat eaters but vegetarians. But then sin entered the world through Adam and not only was Adam and all his descendants affected by this, but all of creation was also affected. Paul said in Romans 5:12, “Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned.” Now creation waits for the day when the Lord will return and release them of the bondage of sin that is in this world and that has affected them.
Of this time we are told in Isaiah 11:6-9, “The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, The leopard shall lie down with the young goat, The calf and the young lion and the fatling together; And a little child shall lead them. The cow and the bear shall graze; Their young ones shall lie down together; And the lion shall eat straw like the ox. The nursing child shall play by the cobra's hole, And the weaned child shall put his hand in the viper's den. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all My holy mountain, For the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD As the waters cover the sea.” In Isaiah 35:1-2 we are told “The wilderness and the wasteland shall be glad for them, And the desert shall rejoice and blossom as the rose; It shall blossom abundantly and rejoice, Even with joy and singing. The glory of Lebanon shall be given to it, The excellence of Carmel and Sharon. They shall see the glory of the LORD, The excellency of our God.” And in Hosea 2:18 we are told, “In that day I will make a covenant for them With the beasts of the field, With the birds of the air, And with the creeping things of the ground. Bow and sword of battle I will shatter from the earth, To make them lie down safely.”
Creation didn’t ask for this, but because of man’s sin they were affected by it. Now, they are standing on their tiptoes waiting for the revealing of the sons of God for when that occurs the Lord will return and set up His Kingdom on the earth. This waiting Paul illustrates as a woman in childbirth. Now, how many of you fathers have pictures of your wife in labor? Hopefully none of you because it is not a pretty picture but I bet you do have pictures of the results of that labor, the birth of your child. Now we have a picture of what the kingdom age is going to be like as God has told us, but it is just a glimpse of what it will be like and we can compare it to what we see know, what we might call labor pains and we too wait for the birth of the Kingdom age, the return of Jesus! It is as Morris tells us, “Creation is not undergoing death pangs . . . but birth pangs.”
How true that is when Paul says, “we ourselves groan within ourselves” because of what is manifested in these bodies of flesh, the sins that are born in our lives, the tragedies of nature and-so-on. But we too are standing on our tiptoes awaiting the redemption of our bodies but until that day, we groan! Paul, in II Corinthians 5:1-8 tells us the same thing, “For we know that if our earthly house, this tent, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed with our habitation which is from heaven, if indeed, having been clothed, we shall not be found naked. For we who are in this tent groan, being burdened, not because we want to be unclothed, but further clothed, that mortality may be swallowed up by life. Now He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who also has given us the Spirit as a guarantee. So we are always confident, knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord. For we walk by faith, not by sight. We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord.”
Of this Ray Stedman writes: “Our lives consist of groans. We groan because of the ravages that sin makes in our lives, and in the lives of those we love. Also we groan because we see possibilities that are not being captured and employed. And then we groan because we see gifted people who are wasting their lives, and we would love to see something else happening. It is recorded that, as He drew near the tomb of Lazarus, Jesus groaned in His Spirit because He was so burdened by the ravages that sin had made in a believing family. He groaned, even though He knew He would soon raise Lazarus from the dead. So we groan in our spirits – we groan in disappointment, in bereavement, in sorrow. We groan physically in our pain and our limitation. We consist of a great deal of groaning.”
But the glorious promise, our hope, is that Jesus Christ is coming back and when He does this body of flesh will be redeemed, the Lord will give to us a new body for our spirit and soul to dwell in. We can’t see it now but we are standing on our tiptoes waiting for this to occur. Of this event, Paul tells us in I Corinthians 15:50-58, “Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does corruption inherit incorruption. Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed — in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: ‘Death is swallowed up in victory.’ ‘O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?’ The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.” We are waiting for that day, the redemption of our bodies! That word “perseverance” in verse 25 of Romans chapter 8, Morris tells us “It is the attitude of the soldier who in the thick of battle is not dismayed but fights on stoutly whatever the difficulties.” May we continue to do so – don’t lose that hope!
Now, can you ever be cast out of the family of God, the adoption papers torn up, you lose your salvation? Not at all, for God has begun this good work in us and He will complete it, these bodies will be changed. It is as Thomas Watson, the Puritan Pastor, said regarding this issue: “The godly may act faintly in religion, the pulse of the affections may beat low. The exercise of grace may be hindered, as when the course of water is stopped. Instead of grace working in the godly, corruption may work; instead of patience, murmuring; instead of heavenliness, earthliness . . . Thus lively and vigorous may corruption be in the regenerate; they may fall into enormous sins . . . [But] though their grace may be drawn low, it is not drawn dry; though grace may be abated, it is not abolished . . . Grace may suffer an eclipse, not a dissolution . . . A believer may fall from some degrees of grace, but not from the state of grace.” If you don’t believe that then believe what Jesus said in John 5:24, “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life.”
Not only do we groan but also the Holy Spirit groans in situations when we don’t know how to pray. Paul says He “helps us in our weakness” and it carries with it the idea of physical weakness, spiritual weakness, and even emotional weakness. I have been there when I have groaned over a situation not knowing what to pray and the Holy Spirit, knowing my heart, my weakness, interceded for me, He helped me to pray! In fact, the word “helps” carries with it the idea of helping another to carry a heavy load. It goes beyond my ability to express in words what is needed in a situation. Is this the gift of tongues? I don’t believe so, for tongues is a praise language unto God.
Here is a verse we like to share with people who are going through a difficult time, a real storm of life, but it is not for all people! That statement may shock some of you, but Paul tells us this is for Christians, not the unsaved, for those who love God! Let me say this, throughout my 21 years of being a Christian this verse I have held onto and I still hold onto. I may not understand the good that will come out of the situation, but I believe it by faith, I know it intuitively! That phrase “work together” is SUNERGE in the Greek and it is a word from which we get our English word “synergism.” It is a word that means “the working together of various elements to produce an effect greater than, and often completely different from, the sum of each element acting separately.” A great example of this is table salt, which is composed of two poisonous chemicals, sodium and chlorine but together they produce a chemical that is extremely beneficial, sodium chloride or table salt!
Why does God allow those difficult times in our lives? Not to hurt us but to help us to grow, strengthen our faith, draw us closer to God, protect us from other tragedies and ultimately, conforming us into His image. For some, this is hard to believe. How can God turn a tragedy into good? Let me give you the ultimate example of how God can do this. God sent His Son into the world to save the world by going to the cross of Calvary, taking all that Satan could devise and turned God’s people against Jesus, turned the Gentiles against Jesus, and it looks like all things are not working together for good, but for evil, but that was not the case as we know because we can look back and see what took place, the good that came out of it. You see, out of that evil that was thrown at Jesus came the ultimate gift, eternal life, eternal salvation, the forgiveness of our sins! God is working in us for good – ultimately, even though in the here and now we may not see it or fully understand it.
Here again we see Paul show us that every person who is genuinely saved is eternally saved, they cannot lose their salvation. It is a free gift of God that He does not take back. As you look at these verses you see God working in a person and completing that work and as we are going to see, He already states that we are completed before we are because He is that sure, it will be done!
First of all God foreknew us, which should be no surprise, He knows everyone that has ever been born or ever will be born. We are told of Jeremiah the prophet, “Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying: ‘Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; Before you were born I sanctified you; I ordained you a prophet to the nations.’” Jeremiah 1:4-5. Here in Romans Paul is speaking of those who are believers or will be believers He foreknew and He foreknew us with a purpose in mind.
That purpose was to predestine us to be conformed to the image of His Son! Now if we are predestined to be saved, why witness, why do anything, for if you are going to be saved there is nothing you can do to stop it and if you are not going to be saved then there is noting you can do to be saved! I disagree for I believe that is an unhealthy and unbiblical position to take regarding predestination. I truly believe the Scriptures teach that it is 100% predestination and 100% free choice for us to choose for the Scriptures speak of both and I don’t believe it is 50% of each!
I know, that doesn’t make sense; I have to agree with you on that. But God never said to us that we have to fully understand it with our finite minds but that we would believe it by faith! Think of it like this, I believe it was Ironside who gave this illustration of free will and predestination. When you die you arrive in the afterlife and you see a door, which says, “All who will may enter.” And as you open the door and enter in you see a huge and beautiful banquet table all set for a feast and names at every place setting. Now, to your surprise, as you look at the names on the cards you find your name. As the door begins to close you notice on the inside of the door a sign that says, “predestined before the foundations of the world.” I think that is the correct perspective of free will and predestination, at least to try to understand it with our human minds!
So as God’s plan of redemption continues in our lives predestination leads to our calling. God has a plan for each of our lives and as He calls we are to walk. He has not only prepared the work for us but He has prepared us for the work.
After God calls us, we then are justified by Him, declared innocent before Him. It is as Paul said in Romans 3:24, “being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.”
Lastly, He not only called us, justified us, but He also glorified us. This is the final step of the sanctification process and it will occur when we go to be with the Lord and yet Paul states this work, by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, is in the past tense. Why does Paul speak of something that has not happened as if it already did? Because that is how sure it is, God will complete the work He started because He foreknew us! It is as Jesus said in John 6:37, “All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out.” And in John 18:9 we are told by Jesus, “ . . . ‘Of those whom You gave Me I have lost none.’” If you are His, He will not lose you – it is a promise – you are already seen as glorified in the Father’s eyes – that is how certain it is!
We tend to think the whole world is against us, but that is not a true statement. 99.9% of the world may be against you but if you are in Christ, it doesn’t matter, for He is on your side and Paul is going to tell us that nothing is going to be able to destroy the love that God has for us! Yes, the world, the flesh and the Devil are against us, but they are no match for God – remember that fact! I like the way that Newell put it. He said, “Our weak hearts, prone to legalism and unbelief, receive these words with great difficulty: God is for us . . . They have failed Him; but He is for them. They are ignorant; but He is for them. They have not yet brought forth much fruit; but He is for them.” May we all believe that fact, God is for us and no one can be against us and win! How do we know that? What is the evidence? Look at the next verse.
God has given to us the ultimate gift, the best gift, His Son to pay in full the penalty for our sins while we were still sinners, in rebellion against God. If that is true, and it is, then God will surely take care of the other issues in our lives – God is for us!
We are justified, there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, and so God does not bring these things against us. The Devil does as Revelation 12:10 says, “Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, ‘Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down.’” Also, even though the Devil may be our accuser, look at who is on our side as Hebrews 7:25 tells us, “Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.” Thus, if God is for us, then who can be against us? Absolutely no one!
Then how come we feel at times or should I say don’t feel the love of Christ in our lives? Because we don’t believe what Paul has stated here! God’s love is constant towards us, it is unconditional, we may lose the perspective of that truth, but it doesn’t change God’s love for us. And as we apply this to our lives we become conquerors over the world, the flesh and the Devil not by our strength but by His working in us and through us knowing nothing can separate us from the love of God!
When Chrysostom was brought before the Roman Emperor, the Emperor threatened him with banishment if he remained a Christian. Chrysostom replied, “Thou canst not banish me for this world is my father’s house.” “But I will slay thee,” said the Emperor. “Nay, thou canst not,” said the noble champion of the faith, “for my life is hid with Christ in God.” “I will take away thy treasures.” “Nay, but thou canst not for my treasure is in heaven and my heart is there.” “But I will drive thee away from man and thou shalt have no friend left.” “Nay, thou canst not, for I have a friend in heaven from whom thou canst not separate me. I defy thee; for there is nothing that thou canst do to hurt me.”
May we be able to echo those words because we believe what the Bible says, that God is for us, no one can be victorious against us, there are no charges that can be brought against us because we have been set free by Jesus and thus, no matter what comes our way, we are more than conquerors through Him because He loves us unconditionally and eternally!
Can anything or anyone separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus? Of course not, which again should give to each of us a security of our salvation! Spurgeon put it this way in regards to the love of God as the great men and women of faith had. He said: “They did not speak of Christ’s love as though it were a myth to be respected, a tradition to be reverenced; they viewed it as a blessed reality, and they cast their whole confidence upon it, being persuaded that it would bear them up as upon eagles’ wings, and carry them all their days; resting assured that it would be to them a foundation of rock, against which the waves might beat, and the winds blow, but their soul’s habitation would stand securely if founded upon it.” May we not forget that! If God is for us – who can be against us? Absolutely no one!