8:18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy
to be compared with the glory which will be revealed toward us.
8:19 For the creation waits with eager expectation for the children
of God to be revealed.
8:20 For the creation was subjected to vanity, not of its own
will,
but because of him who subjected it, in hope
8:21 that the creation itself also will be delivered
from the bondage of decay into the liberty of the glory of the children
of God.
8:22 For we know that the whole creation groans and travails in pain together
until now.
8:23 Not only so, but ourselves also, who have the first fruits of the
Spirit,
even we ourselves groan within ourselves,
waiting for adoption, the redemption of our body.
8:24 For we were saved in hope, but hope that is seen is not
hope.
For who hopes for that which he sees?
8:25 But if we hope for that which we don't see,
we wait for it with patience.
The Spirit Helps Us to Pray
8:26 In the same way, the Spirit also helps our weaknesses,
for we don't know how to pray as we ought.
But the Spirit himself makes intercession for us with groanings which
can't be uttered.
8:27 He who searches the hearts knows what is on the Spirit's mind,
because he makes intercession for the saints according to God.
Eternal Security
Because of God's Plan
8:28 We know that all things work together for good for those who love
God,
to those who are called according to his purpose.
8:29 For whom he foreknew, he also predestined to be conformed
to the image of his Son,
that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.
8:30 Whom he predestined, those he also called.
Whom he called, those he also justified.
Whom he justified, those he also glorified.
Secure from Condemnation
8:31 What then shall we say about these things?
If God is for us, who can be against us?
8:32 He who didn't spare his own Son, but delivered him up for us all,
how would he not also with him freely give us all things?
8:33 Who could bring a charge against God's chosen ones?
It is God who justifies.
8:34 Who is he who condemns?
It is Christ who died, yes rather, who was raised from the dead,
who is at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.
Secure from Separation
8:35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?
Could oppression, or anguish, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness,
or peril, or sword?
8:36 Even as it is written,"For your sake we are killed all
day long. We were accounted as sheep for the slaughter." (Ps 44:22)
8:37 No, in all these things, we are more than conquerors through him who
loved us.
8:38 For I am persuaded, that neither
death, nor life,
nor angels, nor principalities,
nor things present, nor things to come,
nor powers,
8:39 nor height, nor depth,
nor any other created thing,
will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus
our Lord.
Discussion Questions
vs 18 What does it mean "the glory that will be revealed in us"?
What is the "hope" that dominates your perspective on the future?
vs 26-27 How does the Spirit help us to pray?
vs 28 Does God work for the good of those who do not love Him?
Can you think of a situation from which it is difficult to imagine
any good would come?
How confident are you of going to heaven?
What is your imagine of the day in which you will stand before God
in judgment?
How would you respond if God brought charges against you?
What can cause you to fall away from Christ and lose your salvation?
vs 37 In what way are we more than conquerors?
Comments
vs 18 is actually a "for" statement. It should be "For I consider".
And as such it is logically connected to vs 17. In fact the section
from vs 18-23 is related back to vs 14-17
18 I consider that our present sufferings
17 if indeed we share in his sufferings
19 The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons
of God to be revealed.
14 because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons
of God.
21brought into the glorious freedom of the children of
God.
16 The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are
God's
children.
23 we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons,
"adoption as sons" = "huiothesia"in greek
15 you received the Spirit of sonship.
"sonship" = "huiothesia" in greek
Therefore if the emphasis in Romans 8 is the various roles of the Spirit,
what role is emphasized here? It comes from vs 16 "The Spirit himself
testifies
with our spirit that we are God's children." The Spirit testifying
that we are children of God leads to the hope of glory that will be revealed
in the future. This is how these fit in the general outline of Romans 8.
Outline for Romans 8
If you belong to Christ, Then there is no condemnation for you because:
4You are justified 9 You have the Holy Spirit in you
9 Who is conforming you to the image of Christ in the inner
man
11 Who will transform the your physical body in the resurrection
15 Who makes us children of God
16 Who testifies that we are children of God
18-25 which leads to the hope of glory that will be revealed
in you
26-27 Who helps us to pray
28-39 You have Eternal Security
28-30 Because of God's Plan
31-34 You are secure from condemnation
35-39 You are secure from being separated from God's love
vs 18 Glory will be revealed in us, "To
whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery
among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:" Col
1:27
The Christian hope is to become like Christ. Or another way
of saying it is for Christ to reveal himself in us. This was why Christians
yearn for the second coming:
1John 3:2,3 "Beloved, now are we the
sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that,
when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he
is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as
he is pure."
vs 91-21 The liberation of the creation is referring to the new
heavens and the new earth. This is mentioned in 2Pet 3:10-13. The
old is not going to be reformed, but destroyed and replaced, just as Peter
says. And so also is true of our physical bodies, which is what he means
by the "redemption of our bodies".
vs 31-34 Since salvation is not performance-based and God is
our justifier. There can be no condemnation for the believer. To be justified
is passive. It is something done to the believer. We need not defend ourselves
on judgment day, for God Himself is our defense. Our sins are already payed
for on the cross, thus there can be no condemnation. But for those who
don't put their trust in the atoning work of Christ, but rather put their
trust in their own performance, they are not qualified
vs 33 It is God who justifies. Xref:
Rom 4:5 "But
to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly,
his faith is counted for righteousness."
vs 35-39 Those verses speak of eternal security in that nothing shall separate
us from God's love. Having been born of God, under what conditions
is our salvation secure?
Our salvation is secure
regardless of circumstances
regardless of what authority figures say and do to us
regardless of time (present and future). For if we have been saved
that fact will never change.
regardless of any created thing (which includes ourself)