Search Results

What, then, shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us? He who did not spare His own Son but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things? Who will bring a charge against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies; who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us. Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? Just as it is written, “For Your sake, we are being put to death all day long; We were considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” Romans 8:31-36 In verse 31, Paul acknowledges that Christians may have enemies, but God is stronger than any. However, he knows Christians may sometimes doubt whether God is on their side. So, in verse 32, Paul provides more assurance. The verb he uses for 'delivered' is the same verb used in the gospels to describe Judas' betrayal of Jesus. By using this verb, Paul reminds us that Jesus was not delivered up to his enemies because of Judas' greed, the priests' envy, or even Pilate's fear. Instead, Jesus was delivered to his enemies because of the Father's love. This is the ultimate assurance that if God has delivered up his son, then he will surely provide us with all that we need.

And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters; and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified. What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us? Romans 8:28-31 We see here in verse 31 that Paul gets it. He understands the objections to foreknowledge and predestination. Many object by asking, how can God save some and not others just because He feels like it? Paul puts forth a similar thought: What then shall we say to these things? Good question: what should we say to the doctrine of predestination? Paul says If God is for us, who is against us? The principle of predestination should bring Christians great comfort, not anger and anxiety. God is with us by predestining us before the foundations of the world. If the God who does that calls us to His Son justifies and glorifies us, then who in this world or the next could ever stand against us? Folks, this is the most hopeful and encouraging verse in all Scripture.

And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters; and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified. Romans 8:28-30 Verse 30 is often referred to as the Ordo Salutis or Order of Salvation. God knows who He will call and chooses them beforehand. Then He calls them, justifies them, and glorifies them. I know this goes against our delicate sensibilities by not having any skin in the game in terms of salvation. That is because we do not. It is a biblical concept that we have to come to grips with because every ounce of our flesh we inject into the order of salvation we reduce Christ’s work on the cross. We worship a crucified savior for a reason as there is nothing we can add or take away from the cross.

And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters; and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified. Romans 8:29-30 The Bible is full of references to predestination, so there is no doubt that it is a biblical principle. However, the debate arises over how the term is applied. The arrangement of letters in the Greek alphabet for the word predestination suggests that it is not just a matter of foreseeing something in advance but that the determination is a sovereign decision. Precisely, to be conformed to Christ. What is the purpose of that? Paul tells us at the end of verse 29, “. . . so that He would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.” The primary purpose for predestination is for Christ. The Father predestines those He will give to The Son, then the Son gives eternal life (John 17:1-2).

And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters; and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified. Romans 8:28-30 Theologians refer to verses 29-30 in the Bible as the “Golden Chain” of salvation. Verse 28 emphasizes God’s sovereignty, and while Paul lists foreknowledge before predestination in the chain, the order should not determine the means. It is important to note that foreknowledge should not automatically be understood as God looking into the future and making decisions based on what people will or will not do. Scripture does not describe this method and would indicate that works determine salvation. By contrast, in the next chapter of Romans, a different kind of foreknowledge is described where God chooses one twin over the other before they were born to fulfill His will and states explicitly that His choice was made regardless of anything either twin would or would not do. This understanding of foreknowledge aligns with the Greek definition of the term, which often refers to God having personal and intimate knowledge of those whom He will redeem based solely on His choice.

And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. Romans 8:28 There are two things in this verse and its context: God’s sovereignty and effectual calling. First, while the Bible does not use the phrase “God’s sovereignty,” it is saturated with the concept of it. To be sovereign means to have absolute power and control over something. Thus, it is a biblical principle that God is sovereign over His creation, which is everything. Specific to this verse, “God causes all things to work together for good” would imply that some things are not good. The general principle here is that God is sovereign either by decree or by permission. Consequently, His ultimate power and authority do not eliminate free will. A couple of biblical examples of this understanding come from Job and Genesis with the accounts of Joseph. So, when Paul writes, “God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God,” he emphasizes that the will of humanity is always secondary to the will of God. Thus, there is never a moment when God is not sovereign. I am fond of a quote from R.C. Sproul that I believe is appropriate, “If God is not sovereign, then He is not God.” The second is effectual calling, which goes hand in hand with sovereignty. Because if God is sovereign, then whatever his purpose is in calling will come to pass; “. . .to those who are called according to His purpose.” If God is, in fact, who the Bible claims He is, then absolutely nothing can resist His will. Now, this doesn’t mean we do not possess the capacity to resist; I am pretty sure the whole concept of sin puts that to rest. But God’s sovereignty always overrides our limited ability to resist. This is not just some outward summons when I speak of an effectual call, this is a calling that cuts deep through flesh and bone and into the soul. Take, for example, what Paul writes in his epistle to the Galatians, “Paul, an apostle (not sent from men nor through human agency, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised Him from the dead).” In other words, this effectual call comes from the same source that said, “Let there be light,” called out to the storm, “Quiet, be still,” and raised Christ from the dead. I can say with absolute confidence that whoever God calls according to His purpose, whether it is the hard way or the easy way, they are coming.

Now in the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know what to pray for as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words; and He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. Romans 8:26-27 As a reminder to Christians, our covenant union with Christ is sealed with the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Therefore, just as the grace of God saves us through Christ without any help from our weak and fallen bodies, similarly, even our prayers are mediated through the Holy Spirit. We should not be so arrogant as to petition God outside of Christ and removed from the Spirit, because the answer will most certainly be a resounding NO. However, as the Holy Spirit of God forever dwells in all who believe, then only through Him will we pray as we should according to His will.

For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us. For the eagerly awaiting creation waits for the revealing of the sons and daughters of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now.   And not only that, but also, we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons and daughters, the redemption of our body. For in hope we have been saved, but hope that is seen is not hope; for who hopes for what he already sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, through perseverance, we wait eagerly for it. Romans 8:24-25 How hope is discussed in the New Testament differs from how we usually understand it. In English, hope often refers to an expectation for something uncertain. However, when Paul uses the word hope in Greek, he means an expectation for something certain. This hope is the foundation of Christian faith because we are confident that everything God has promised will be fulfilled. Therefore, Christians eagerly wait for the fulfillment of these promises.

For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us. For the eagerly awaiting creation waits for the revealing of the sons and daughters of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now. And not only that, but also, we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons and daughters, the redemption of our body. For in hope we have been saved, but hope that is seen is not hope; for who hopes for what he already sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, through perseverance, we wait eagerly for it. Romans 8:23 This statement from Paul is an excellent example of why we shouldn't base an entire theology on a single verse. At first glance, it may seem like Paul is saying that Christians are still waiting to be adopted by God. However, when we read his letters to the Ephesians, Galatians, and earlier in Romans, we know that he writes differently. In those letters, he states that Christians, sealed by the Spirit, are already adopted sons of God through Jesus Christ. So, what is Paul saying then? If we read the surrounding text, we can see that Paul is saying that the adoption will be finalized upon our bodies’ redemption upon the Son’s return. Until then, we eagerly wait with great anticipation and hope, knowing that even though we have already been saved, we will still struggle and suffer with sin until the end.

For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us. For the eagerly awaiting creation waits for the revealing of the sons and daughters of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now. And not only that, but also, we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons and daughters, the redemption of our body. For in hope we have been saved, but hope that is seen is not hope; for who hopes for what he already sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, through perseverance, we wait eagerly for it. Romans 8:22 Paul uses the illustration of a woman experiencing the pain of labor to emphasize that the entire creation suffers similarly, as a result of humanity's fall in the garden. However, it is important to understand that Paul’s context is that no amount of suffering can be compared to the glory that will be revealed when Christ returns and restores everything.

For the eagerly awaiting creation waits for the revealing of the sons and daughters of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now. And not only that, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons and daughters, the redemption of our body. For in hope we have been saved, but hope that is seen is not hope; for who hopes for what he already sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, through perseverance, we wait eagerly for it. Romans 8:20 For the time being, the entire creation remains useless, which is not its own doing. This condition has come about by God's word. Everything has been subjected to pain and suffering as a result of our fall into sin. We chose to go against God's will; now everything is suffering. However, despite our mistakes, God still loves His creation. He sent His Son to die a painful death so that all of creation could be set free from the bondage of sin and into the glory of God. Through the gospel, God offers us the opportunity to experience the magnificent glory of heaven, which is far beyond any earthly blessing.

For the eagerly awaiting creation waits for the revealing of the sons and daughters of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now. And not only that, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons and daughters, the redemption of our body. For in hope we have been saved, but hope that is seen is not hope; for who hopes for what he already sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, through perseverance, we wait eagerly for it. Romans 8:19 In his discourse, the apostle Paul accentuates that redemption is not limited to humans but extends to the entire creation. This is an instance where Paul uses personification, in which human attributes are ascribed to something non-human, as seen in Psalms 98:8-9. One may have observed how animals react to humans in the wild, where they bolt at the first sight of us, and even fish dart for cover when they perceive our shadow on the surface of the water. Or the devastation caused by weather, volcanos, shifts in the earth, and deadly disease. This was not how creation was initiated. When humanity fell in the garden, all of creation fell as well. Hence, all of creation eagerly anticipates the revelation of God’s glory in humanity once more.