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Scripture Reading: 8:19-25, Rom. 8:31-34, 8:35-39; 5:2; 9:23
We cannot avoid the process mentioned in the previous message, for it is the purpose of the Holy Spirit’s intercession with groanings. God the Father knows the purpose of the Spirit’s groaning and thus He causes all things to work together (v. 28). Following verses 26 and 27 which speak of the Spirit’s intercession, we have verse 28 which says, “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 the purpose.” The Holy Spirit groans within us, interceding for us, and God the Father answers this intercession by causing all things to work together for good. In Greek the word translated “all things” means all matters, all persons, all things, all in all. God the Father is sovereign and He arranges everything. He knows how many hairs you need (Matt. 10:30) and how many children you should have. Do not complain about your children, for God will not give you more or less than you need. He is sovereign. He knows. He knows whether you need obedient children or naughty children. He knows whether you need boys or girls. Again and again I say that He knows. He causes all things, all matters, and all persons to work together for your good. It seems that God sacrifices everyone for you. To the wife her husband is a sacrifice, and to the husband his wife is a sacrifice. To the children the parents are a sacrifice, and to the parents the children are a sacrifice. Who can do such a work? Only God. I have told the Lord, “Lord, why do You sacrifice everyone just for me?” I have the inward sensation that all the brothers with whom I coordinate and even all the churches are sacrifices for me. Nevertheless, when you suffer, I suffer more. When the wife suffers loss, the husband suffers more, and when the children suffer, the parents suffer more. Praise the Lord that God causes all things, all matters, and all persons to work together for good to those who love Him and who have been called by Him to the end that He may fulfill His purpose.
God has determined our destiny beforehand, and this destiny can never be fulfilled without the divine arrangement which causes all things to work together for us. Our destiny is to be conformed to the image of the firstborn Son of God. We are not yet fully in the image of the firstborn Son of God, but God the Father is planning, molding, and performing by causing all things to work together for good. Praise the Lord! While we are growing, He is molding.
We all should be comforted. If you have a nice wife, praise the Lord for your nice wife. If you have a difficult wife, praise the Lord even more for your difficult wife. Whether you have a nice wife or a difficult wife, a nice husband or a difficult husband, obedient children or naughty children — whatever you have you should be comforted. You should tell the Lord, “Lord, I can make and I have made many mistakes, but You can never be mistaken. Even my mistakes are in Your hands. If You do not allow me to make a mistake, You just move Your little finger and change the situation and I will not make one. Everything is in Your hands.” Therefore, we all must be comforted.
However, do not be so spiritual that you go to an extreme and pray the Father to give you suffering. Do not pray for sufferings. Instead you should pray, “Father, deliver me from temptation. Deliver me from all manner of sufferings. Keep me away from every kind of disturbance.” Although you pray in this way, some hardships and afflictions will visit you. When they come, do not complain and do not be troubled, but say, “Father, thank You for this. Father, if it is possible, take this cup away from me. Nevertheless, Father, not my will but Thine be done.” This is the proper attitude. Never pray that sufferings come, but pray the Father to keep sufferings away from you. However, when the sufferings come, do not be disappointed; accept them and continue to pray, “Father, if possible take this away. Keep me in Your presence, away from every trouble and distraction.” On one hand we must pray in this way; on the other hand we must be happy with all that the Father gives us, because we know that everything is in His hands and comes our way that we may be conformed to the image of His firstborn Son. This conformation is the preparation for our glorification.
Let us now proceed to verse 31. “What shall we then say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?” We should not take this word according to our natural concept. God is not for us in our way, but in His.
Verse 32 says, “He Who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not also with Him freely give us all things?” The word “all” in this verse is also the Greek word panta, which means all things, matters, and persons. All things, matters, and persons have been freely given to us. We must believe that everything works together for good. Even our enemies are for our good.
“Who shall bring a charge against God’s chosen ones? It is God Who justifies” (v. 33). Only God is qualified to place a charge against us, but He justifies us.
“Who is he that condemns? It is Christ Jesus Who died, but rather Who was raised, Who is even at the right hand of God, Who also intercedes for us.” In verse 10 we see clearly that Christ is in us, but here in verse 34 we are told that Christ is at the right hand of God. Thus, in one chapter we are told that Christ is in two places — in us and at the right hand of God. Where is Christ? Because He is the Spirit (2 Cor. 3:17), He is omnipresent. He is both in heaven and on earth, both at the right hand of God and in our spirit. According to verse 26 the Spirit intercedes within us, and according to verse 34 Christ intercedes for us at the right hand of God. Do we have two intercessors — one within us and the other at the right hand of God? No, these two are one. This is similar to electricity. We have electricity in our homes as well as in the power plant; nevertheless there is just one electricity. Likewise, Christ intercedes for us both at the right hand of God and from within our spirit.
I would now like to call your attention to the fact that in verse 30 all of the verbs are in past tense. Let us read this verse once again. “And whom He predestinated, these He also called; and whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.” Since glorification will occur in the future, why does Paul say “glorified” and not “He will glorify”? Although glorification has not yet occurred, Paul uses the past tense. What does this mean? Once again we see that if we only read the Bible according to the black and white letters we will get into difficulty. I ask you, has glorification been accomplished? Why does the Apostle Paul here say “glorified”? Have you been glorified? The Bible says that we have been glorified already. Everything mentioned in verse 30 is an accomplished fact — predestinated, called, justified, and glorified. There is no problem with saying “predestinated,” because that was an action performed in the past. We may also say “called”; however, many people have not yet been called and we must preach the gospel to them that they may be called. Furthermore, although we have been justified, many new converts will be justified. Moreover, none of us, including Paul himself, has been glorified. Nevertheless, Paul put everything in the past tense.
We must remember that we are subject to time. One great teacher has said that there is no clock in heaven because God is the God of eternity. He is the eternal God; with Him there is no time. When were you glorified? You were predestinated, called, justified, and glorified in eternity past. In God’s eyes and according to His concept everything has been accomplished. Tell me, if glorification has not been accomplished, how could the Apostle John have seen the New Jerusalem nineteen hundred years ago? He was not dreaming — he actually saw it (Rev. 21:2). Have you ever noticed that nearly all the verbs used in the book of Revelation, a book filled with prophecies of future events, are in the past tense, indicating that everything has been accomplished? Why do I mention this? Because this explains why verse 31 follows verse 30. Our predestination has been secured, and we do not need an insurance company. Our justification and glorification are secured and insured in the eternal God Himself. There is no insurance company on earth that can compare with Him. He Himself is the greatest insurance company. Our salvation, justification, and glorification are insured because He has accomplished everything. According to our feeling, glorification will happen in the future, but according to God’s concept it has occurred already. With God everything is timeless. Our predestination, calling, justification, and glorification are eternal matters, not matters of time. Thus, we are insured.
We come now to the matter of glorification and continue with verse 19. “For the anxious watching of the creation eagerly expects the revelation of the sons of God.” The word “revelation,” a more accurate rendering of the Greek word used in this verse, is a better word than manifestation. Revelation means to open the veil. Something has been veiled, covered by a veil. One day the veil will be removed, and the hidden things will be revealed. Although we are the sons of God, we are veiled, not yet revealed. When the Lord Jesus was on earth He was the Son of God, but He was veiled by His human flesh. One day on the mountain He was unveiled and revealed (Matt. 17:1-2). It is the same with us. Although we are sons of God, yet we are under a veil. One day this veil will be removed — that will be our glorification. All the sons of God will come out from under the veil and be revealed. Then the whole universe will behold the sons of God.
The creation is eagerly expecting and anxiously watching to see this revelation of the sons of God, because “the creation was subjected to vanity, not of its own will, but because of Him Who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will also be freed from the slavery of corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God” (vv. 20-21). As we have seen, the entire creation is under vanity, bondage, and the slavery of corruption. Creation’s only hope is to be freed from this slavery of corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God when the sons of God are revealed. Although the entire creation is presently held in a condition of vanity and corruption, God will bring in a kingdom to replace this present condition. The present condition is a condition of vanity and slavery of corruption; the coming kingdom will be a kingdom of the glory of God, a kingdom composed primarily of revealed sons of God. At the time of the revelation of this kingdom the whole creation will be liberated. The creation is eagerly expecting and anxiously watching for this kingdom to come. Thus, “the whole creation groans together and travails in pain together until now” (v. 22). The universe is groaning and travailing in birth awaiting the revelation of the sons of God. Furthermore, we ourselves, “having the firstfruit of the Spirit,” also groan as we expect sonship, the redemption of our body (v. 23).
In verse 24 Paul says that “we have been saved in hope; but hope that is seen is not hope; for what anyone sees, why does he also hope?” The hope mentioned in this verse is the hope of glory. Since none of us has ever seen this hope, it is a hope complete and genuine. Some hope is partial because we have seen a certain percentage of it. However, the hope of glory is a whole hope, for we have not seen any part of it. Hence, we are waiting for that hope, “eagerly expecting it through endurance” (v. 25).
Chapter 5:2 says, that we “boast in hope of the glory of God,” and 9:23 says that we are “vessels of mercy, which He had before prepared unto glory.” This glory will be in the revelation of the coming kingdom in which we, as revealed sons of God, shall participate. God has called us into this glory (1 Thes. 2:12; 2 Thes. 2:14; 1 Pet. 5:10). Christ Himself is the hope of this glory (Col. 1:27) which we are expecting and for which we are waiting. Our hope is none other than Christ Himself who will be revealed as our glory. We now boast and rejoice in this hope of glory. We shall share this glory at the day of our glorification. When Christ appears, we shall appear with Him in glory (Col. 3:4). This is our destiny.
“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, For Your sake we are being put to death all day long, we have been reckoned as sheep for slaughter” (vv. 35-36). Although this certainly speaks of suffering, the following verses declare, “But in all these things we more than conquer through Him Who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (vv. 37-39). We are not defeated; we more than conquer because God loves us. Why does God care so much for us and do so many things for us? Simply because we are His beloved. No one can separate us from His love. Once He loves us, He loves us forever with an eternal love. Nothing can separate us from Him. Because He loves us and because we are His beloved, sooner or later we all shall be sanctified, transformed, conformed, and glorified.
Paul was wise and very deep. As I have pointed out previously, he composed three of the sections in Romans according to three of the attributes of God — His righteousness, holiness, and glory. Eventually, however, Paul guides us into the love of God. Ultimately, our security is not only God’s righteousness, holiness, and glory, but also His love. What is God’s love? Love is the heart of God. God’s love issues out of His heart. Righteousness is the way of God, holiness is the nature of God, glory is the expression of God, and love is the heart of God. After speaking of God’s righteousness, holiness, and glory, Paul brings us into God’s heart of love. Why has God demonstrated His righteousness? Because man was fallen. Man was wrong with God and needed His righteousness. Why must God exercise His holiness? Because man is common. God must sanctify all of His common, chosen ones. Why must God give us His glory? Because all His chosen ones are low, mean, and vile. Hence, He must exercise His glory to transfigure us. But what was in God’s heart originally? Love. Before God exercised His righteousness, holiness, and glory He loved us. Love was the fountain, love was the root, and love was the source of it all. God loved us before He predestinated us, He loved us before He called us, He loved us before He justified us, and He loved us before He glorified us. Before everything and anything else He loved us. Our salvation originated with the love of God. Love is the source of all that God does for us, and this love is His heart. Love was the source of God’s eternal salvation which includes redemption, justification, reconciliation, sanctification, transformation, conformation, and glorification. Salvation began with God’s heart of love.
Therefore, after God’s salvation has been fully accomplished, His love remains our security. The love of God is not only the source of our salvation, it is the security of our salvation. Many Christians talk about eternal security. Eternal security is the love of God. God cannot be wrong in any of His attributes. Our security is His love. In verse 31 Paul asks, “What shall we then say to these things?” What shall we say about predestination, calling, justification, and glorification? We have nothing to say except, “Hallelujah!” “If God is for us, who can be against us?” Now we can understand this word in a deeper way. God is for us because from eternity His heart loved us. Thus, His love is our security.
Paul touched upon this love in 5:8 when he said that “God commends His own love to us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us.” This actually was an introduction to and a recommendation of the love of God. When we believed in Jesus the Holy Spirit poured out God’s love into our hearts (5:5). Although Paul touched upon this matter of love in Romans 5, he did not cover it adequately. He waited until he had compassed the vast scope of God’s predestination, calling, justification, and glorification. After finishing the entire record he reached the appropriate time and place to present us a full revelation of the love of God. Paul was persuaded that nothing can separate us from the love of God because he knew that this love does not derive from nor depend upon us, but upon God Himself. This love was not initiated by us; it was initiated by God in eternity. Because of this Paul could say that we conquer in all things. Paul was convinced that nothing can “separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
This phrase “in Christ Jesus” is very significant. Why did Paul say this? Because he knew that there would be a problem if the love of God had been shown apart from Christ Jesus. Apart from Christ Jesus even a little sin such as losing our temper would separate us from the love of God. However, the love of God is not merely the love of God in itself, but the love of God which is in Christ Jesus. Since the love of God is in Christ Jesus everything is insured, and we are assured that nothing can separate us from it. Are you insured? Paul was. I use the word insured; Paul uses the word “persuaded” saying, “I am persuaded.” Paul was convinced that in all things “we more than conquer through Him Who loved us.” This does not mean that we in ourselves are able to overcome; it means that God is love and that Christ is victor. God loves us and Christ has accomplished everything for us. Since God’s love is eternal, His love in Christ Jesus is our security. We are not only under God’s righteousness, holiness, and glory, but we are in His heart of love. Now we can understand 2 Corinthians 13:14 which says, “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with you all.” The love of God is the source. Therefore, the Apostle Paul has brought us through the righteousness of God, the holiness of God, and the glory of God into the heart of the God of love. This is where we are. Hallelujah! This is our eternal insurance policy. Now you know how to answer people when they ask you if you have insurance. You can say, “I have insurance. My insurance policy is Romans 8:31-39. I am insured by the love in God’s heart.” We are insured by God’s eternal love in Christ Jesus.
