BIBLE MESSAGES

Romans Ch. 8

  “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose” [Rom. 8:28].

  I believe it fitting to follow last week’s article with a study of Romans, chapter eight. To begin our study we look at what the chapter is saying. There are four paragraphs for us to look at.
  1. Vers one and two say there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus “for” the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the Law of sin and death. A work of the Spirit.
  2. Verse nine through eleven says, however, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you.... But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.
  3. Verse thirteen says, For if you are living according to the flesh, you must die, but if by the Spirit you are putting to death the deeds of the body, you will live, for all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.
  4. Verse sixteen says, The Spirit Himself testifies with out spirit that we are the children of God. Paul then talks about the suffering of the present time.

  Now to verse twenty six: “Likewise the Spirit also helps us in our weakness”. Likewise, means that as He, the Spirit, has helped us as mentioned above, He also helps us in our weakness. What weakness? “For we do not know how to pray as we should”. Paul wrote this by inspiration and I believe it. Now look at what he says next. “But the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. Now He who searches the heart knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God” Then Paul, like someone had said to him, “I don’t know that I want the Spirit taking my prayer and giving it to God”, adds, “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose”.

  I suppose this passage is quoted by more people than any other in the Bible. Before we move on, take heed to whom these things work for. To those who love God. How do we know who loves God? “If you love Me keep my commandments” [John 14;15]. “For this is the love of God that we keep His commandments; and His commandments are not burdensome” [1 John 5:3]. Called according to His purpose, has a particular meaning. “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, (1) who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in heavenly places in Christ, (2) just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, (3) that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself according to the good pleasure of His will...(4) in Him we also have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things to the counsel of His will” [Eph. 1:4,5, 11]. How was this brought about? “But we are bound to give thanks to God always for you, brethren, beloved by the Lord, because god from the beginning chose you for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth, to which he called you by our gospel for the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ” [2 Thess. 2:13,14]. Now let us look at what Paul has said. First, all spiritual blessing are in Christ. That means there are no spiritual blessings anywhere but those which are in Christ. The second thing he says is that the blessing which we have in Christ are in complete harmony with the plan God made before the foundation of the earth, and third, we were to be holy and without blame and receive the adoption of sons through Christ. And fourth, we have received an inheritance which is in keeping with the purpose of Him who does all things according to His will. The promise He makes in this verse is for His children only.

  Now to prove that all things work together for good of the believer, He says “we know it ‘for’ (because) whom He foreknew, He also predestined to e conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be among many brethren. Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called these He also justified; these he also glorified”. All the comment one needs is to consider what god did during the some four thousand years that He might bring to fruition the birth of a Savior. Does that not show that everything God does for our spiritual welfare is for our good. So why worry about the Spirit presenting our prayers to God? Here we need to observe that everything Paul has talked about has to do with the spiritual well being. God, in creation provided for our physical well being. I am not sure that god is concerned about our physical well being other than that He gives us sunshine and rain, and all the necessary things to keep this universe in order. God hears our prayer, but his answer is an immediate blessing; not providence.

Written by: Clifford Sims