| Romans! |
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| Chapter 8 Continued |
22 For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain
together until now.
But, they are not the only ones who groan, for we who have the
firstfruits of the spirit also groan within ourselves, waiting for
the adoption and release of our bodies from this bondage.
Here Paul brings in the aspect of the firstfruits of the holy
spirit. Those who have received the firstfruits of the spirit are
contrasted to those who will receive the fruits of the spirit later.
They are groaning and so are we, for we have not yet reached
the release of the corruption of our bodies, even as they have
not. We do not yet share in the glory of eternal life even as they
do not. But we are one step further than they are, and it gives
reason for all to hope.
These five verses need to be elaborated on a little further. Why
do most of the translators fit this into a subject of the "whole"
creation, including all living things? For a reason full of error.
They understood salvation as being offered during the lifetime
of each individual and did not understand that most of humanity
will have its opportunity for salvation at a later time after they
have died and been resurrected again. Therefore, they had to
put these scriptures into its present KJV mold in order to keep
from contradicting their doctrine. However, it is obvious that
some things cannot be explained if Paul was referring to all
living things. All living things are not promised that they will
become spirit beings and live forever, not subject to the bondage
of decay. Only human beings have this promise.
It is unlikely that Paul would be introducing a new doctrine here
about animals receiving eternal life when he is discussing:
#1) the justification means for man,
#2) the struggle between sin and righteousness for man,
#3) the addition of the holy spirit so that man can live by the
commandments of God
#4) the making of mankind into sons of God.
Rather, he is showing that all of mankind has groaned and is
even now suffering because of the lies and unrighteousness it
has been subjected to from the time that Adam and Eve ate of
the forbidden fruit in the garden of Eden. And the way that man
can be released from the bondage of corruption that this brought
about (the wages of sin is death) is through son-ship, which is the
case of those who have received the firstfruits of the spirit.
They will lead the way and those who are not included will find
their release from the bondage of corruption through their
efforts. The Messiah was the firstfruit. After He was made
alive, those at the first resurrection, who have received the
firstfruits of the spirit, will be made alive at His return. A
process is being discussed to show that there is an order to the
plan of God. Paul is discussing those who receive the firstfruits
of the spirit, a minority of humans, and what effect they will
have on the majority of humans, who will come into the family of
God later.
1Cor 15:22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made
alive.
23 But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they
that are Christ's at his coming.
24 Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to
God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all
authority and power.
23 And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the
Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the
adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.
For we are saved by this hope. But hope that is seen is no hope
at all. Who hopes for what he already has?
Ga 5:5 For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by
faith.
As Paul shows in Ga 5:5, hope of righteousness is by faith. And
as it is by faith, it is something not yet seen, as shown in the
book of Hebrews. As we have never seen our glorious body, as
we have never seen or experienced eternal life, we obviously
only have a hope for it and that must be by faith. Anything that
is by faith is something not yet seen, therefore, our hope for
salvation, for eternal life, for our glorious body is by faith.
24 For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what
a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for?
And if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with
patience.
The hope of salvation causes us to wait for it patiently. If we
have no hope, or lose our hope for salvation, we are not
patiently waiting for it. Rather, we are caught up in the hopes of
this world, which result in frustration and death, not salvation.
25 But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.
Likewise the spirit also comes to our aid and bears us up in our
weaknesses. For we do not know how we ought to pray;
therefore, the spirit intervenes for us, with our groanings, which
cannot be expressed in words.
The word <likewise> refers back to patience in the previous
verse. In other words, even as we do patiently wait in hope,
even so the Holy Spirit (Holy Spirit used here as a synonym for
God) patiently works with us to ensure our salvation. When we
are weak, the holy spirit (mind of God) strengthens us so we can
continue on the right way. We don't know how to pray, seeing
that we are made of flesh and tend to prefer the immediate in
spite of how it may turn out at the end. In our prayers, the holy
spirit "intervenes for us" or brings to our minds what we should
say. These thoughts that the holy spirit bring to our minds are
thoughts that we would never think to put into words.
Paul is showing that we are being helped by means of the holy
spirit in our prayers, so that we can express our needs and
desires in line with God's thoughts on the matter and not as we
would do if left to our human thoughts only. God is guiding us by
means of His holy spirit (His mind) into all truth.
This verse is not expressing an intercession with God unknown
to us and covering what we do wrong, even if we don't come to
God in prayer. Rather, it is showing how God helps us when we
make an effort to pray by means of His mind (the holy spirit). It
is the Messiah who intercedes for us in heaven. But the holy
spirit intervenes with our spirit here on earth to help us along,
ensuring our success. One commentator says that the word
<helpeth> indicates to "heave with us." In other words, the holy
spirit helps us as we would help a neighbor who has a boulder in
his garden and needs to remove it, but cannot do so on his own.
We would help our neighbor prize out the boulder by heaving
with him on the prizing pole. In the same way, when we pray,
we are using a prizing tool. We are putting forth an effort to
arrive at a solution, and the holy spirit gets in there with us and
prizes with us so we can make a good effort and succeed.
However, if we never put forth an effort through prayer to get
the boulders of sin out of our lives, the holy spirit will not do it
for us! And we are helped just enough to barely get the job
done. That way, we get a good workout and become stronger.
The groanings are not the groanings of the holy spirit, but the
groanings of the human being. The holy spirit could lift the
boulder out very easily without any effort from us at all. We are
the ones who groan and cannot express ourselves. The holy
spirit helps us to put our groanings into words that we could not
otherwise express to God. In this way, we come to know
ourselves, even as we become a known quantity to God.
Matt 10:20 For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father
which speaketh in you.
Joh 16:13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide
you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he
shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.
26 Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what
we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession
for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.
And He (God) who searches the hearts pays attention to the
thoughts of the spirit. For the spirit intervenes for the saints
according to the will of God.
There are several thoughts coming together in this verse. God,
both the Father and the Son search our minds in order to come
to know us. Mat 6.8 shows that the Father knows what we need
even before we ask him. We pray to the Father, according to
the instructions of the Son. Re 2.23 shows that the Messiah,
who is speaking in this verse, searches our hearts. As Paul
shows in Ro 8.34, the Messiah is the one who intercedes for us.
Therefore, the thoughts of the spirit, as an intervention to our
groanings are recognized or paid attention to (as the word
<knows> can be rendered) by God because the holy spirit is the
very mind of God to begin with, and are in fact His thoughts.
Therefore, the holy spirit never intervenes for the saints other
than according to the will of God.
Paul is showing here that the interventions of the holy spirit to
help us in our groanings, when we cannot express them into
words, (but which the holy spirit helps us to express in words)
are recognized by God because this intervention is always based
on the will of God. As the holy spirit is the mind of God, it is
personified here as though it is a live person in our minds helping
us along. Many times the holy spirit is expressed as a
personification or a synonym of God because it is His mind and
therefore, expresses His thoughts. God’s mind permeates the
universe and feeds information back to Him.
The important thing is to not ask for something amiss. As James
shows when we ask for something wrongly, we do not receive it.
We can and do ask for such things but we do not receive
answers in those cases – or the answer we would like to receive.
The holy spirit does not cause us to pray perfect prayers.
However, in those cases where our groanings cannot be
expressed in words, the holy spirit helps us to form words that
are imperative for us to succeed in overcoming our sins and
entering in at the narrow gate to salvation.
Mat 6:8 Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what
things ye have need of, before ye ask him.
Re 2:23 And I will kill her children with death; and all the churches shall
know that I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give
unto every one of you according to your works.
Ro 8:34 Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather,
that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also
maketh intercession for us.
Jas 4:3 Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may
consume it upon your lusts.
27 And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the
Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the
will of God.
So, we know that all things work together for good to those who
love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.
This verse is usually quoted out of context and thereby used in a
wrong way at times. The "all things" that are working together
is what Paul has been speaking of in the previous two verses.
God is searching our minds to see where we need tweaking to
insure better character. The mind of God is working in and with
our minds to help us become a known quantity to ourselves
where otherwise we would groan with unspeakable words, not
being able to know and understand what we should ask of God.
The Messiah is interceding for us in heaven and searching our
minds as well. When we put all of these things together with our
own efforts, we see that all things are working together for our
good. And our good as far as the context of Paul's words is our
salvation. Everything is working together for the good outcome
of our salvation. Everything is in reference to all the things that
Paul has mentioned up to this point, which goes to make
salvation possible for us.
This is true, of course, only to those who love God. And we
know that those who love God are those who keep His
commandments. This is true only to those who have been called
and received the firstfruits of the holy spirit even as God has
purposed for them. God's purpose for them is that they be
brought into glory as His sons so that the rest of humanity can
follow and all of humanity can put off this bondage of decay and
corruption to become eternal glorified beings in God's family.
28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love
God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
In the previous verses we see that all (the vast majority) of
humanity is waiting for the current sons of God, those who are in
the first part of the plan to be revealed in all their glory that
they too may have an opportunity to come into that state where
they are no longer subjected to the bondage of decay and
corruption.
We have also seen that the holy spirit is working in our minds
and with our minds to see that we are helped where needed to
overcome those sins to which we have become slaves. This
would definitely cover habits of sin that we cannot overcome on
our own.
Paul is explaining to us the package of helps that God has given
us to overcome sin and the human, fleshly, sensuous nature that
we need to overcome in order to build righteous character and
become sons of God. In no case has Paul indicated that we have
no part in this. Rather, he shows God <helping> us all along the
way and in several ways to insure our success. The fact that
God is <helping> us shows that He is not doing it all for us! Paul
shows God standing along beside us as we heave against the
boulder of sin, aiding us just enough so we can make a good
effort against sin. Sometimes the boulder will fall back into the
hole, as those who have done this kind of work will agree. I
have worked with a lot of rock removal. Sometimes I would be
on the brink of success and then the rock would fall back into
the hole. I was not strong enough, or the prizing pole broke or
slipped too far to the side. Sometimes many efforts are required
to eventually become successful. God knows just how much to
help us. When we begin to rely on him to do the job for us, He
will let the boulder fall back into the hole. We have other
lessons to learn! It is a process.
And as Paul expresses in verse 28, all of these things are
working together for our good so that we will be successful in
the calling, which God has given to us. If we continue to put
forth our effort, God will bring us through. If we give up, even
God cannot help us!
2Pe 1:10 Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your
calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:
As Peter says in the above verse, give diligence to make your
calling and election sure and if you do these things you shall
never fall.
For God, in His foreknowledge, has chosen them (the called: see
previous verse) to bear the family likeness of His Son, that He
might be the eldest of a family of many brothers.
The word <whom>, as translated by the KJV translators, is
clouding the meaning of this verse. The primary meaning of this
word is <which>. This verse is referring directly back to verse
28. The word <for> connects verse 29 to verse 28. Therefore,
this verse is referring to those who are being called according to
the purpose of God.
God, knowing from the ages past what His plan was for
mankind, is choosing those referred to in verse 28, those now
being called, for the very purpose of bearing the family likeness
of the Messiah, which is their predestined purpose. The result
God was looking for was that the Messiah would be the firstborn
or the eldest of a family of <many> brothers!
29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed
to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many
brethren.
JMT: Then He calls those whom He has thus decreed; then He
justifies those whom He has called; then He glorifies those
whom He has justified.
God's plan called for the Messiah to be the firstborn of many
brothers as we saw in the previous verse. This plan, which God
foreordained, required that many brothers would follow in the
footsteps of the Messiah. Therefore, God called them according
to his foreordained purpose as we saw in verse 28. After their
calling, He justifies them to close the gap that sin has brought
between them and God. The final step will be to glorify them in
the end and bring them into the family of God.
Many religionists believe that God has predestined those who
will and who will not be glorified, or given eternal life. We have
thought in the past that the predestination was of those who are
to be called for the purpose of bringing them into the family of
God. However, it is the plan of God that is being referred to in
these verses. God had planned out and determined long ago that
He would send the Messiah down to the earth to become the
firstborn of many brothers. This would require that some be
called and justified and then ultimately at the resurrection
glorified to complete this first phase of the plan. It was the plan
that was pre-determined, not that certain people were pre-
determined to be called or glorified!
The word <predestinate> means to determine in advance. The
question is: What did God determine in advance? It was the
<plan> that was predetermined. The translations would lead one
to believe that it was the calling of certain individuals that was
predetermined. Some have made an even greater leap and
decided that it was the glorification of certain individuals that
was intended to be predetermined. The calling and the
glorification was predetermined, not the individuals.
It was the <plan> that was predetermined. The plan required
that the Son would be the firstborn, that many people would be
called and justified, and that those justified would be worked
with until they were brought into glory and made the brothers of
the Messiah. The calling and glorification would take place
according to a predetermined plan, not according to pre-selected
individuals.
30 Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom
he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also
glorified.
In view of all this, what can we say? If God is for us, who can be
against us?
At this point, we see that God has sent His Son to become our
justification and our high priest to intercede on our behalf when
we need forgiveness. He has made a covenant with us, in which
we are given a keen understanding of the law and a desire to
keep that law. It is God's plan to begin with. He wants this plan
to succeed and has sent His Son to be the firstborn of many
brothers. He has called us and justified us according to the very
plan, which He determined from the foundation of the world.
Therefore, everything is proceeding according to the plan and
purpose of God. Who then can be against us? This is what God
wants and has planned for from the beginning. We are in the
center of His will according to His plan. What more could we
ask for? Everything has been offered to see that we succeed.
31 What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be
against us?
He who spared not His own Son, but gave Him up for us all, how
shall He not, with Him, also freely give us all things?
The predetermined plan called for God to give up His Son for us
so that the plan would succeed. The plan called for the Son to be
the heir of <all things>. And here we see that Paul understands
that we too will be given <all things> with the Son.
For those who have not yet come to the conclusion that Paul
wrote the book of Hebrews, notice that it is in the book of
Hebrews that we receive the most plain of descriptions
concerning this inheritance. Heb 1:2 says that the Messiah has
been appointed heir of all things. Heb 2:8 is referring to <man>,
and says that God will put all things in subjection to man.
Nothing is left out, except of course, the Father and the Son.
Paul understood that the Messiah is our brother! So did the
writer of Hebrews.
Heb 1:2 Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath
appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;
Heb 2:8 Thou hast put all things in subjection under his (man's) feet.
For in that he put all in subjection under him, he left nothing that is not
put under him. But now we see not yet all things put under him.
Heb 2:10 For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are
all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their
salvation perfect through sufferings.
11 For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one:
for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren,
32 He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how
shall he not with him also freely give us all things?
Who will accuse God's chosen people? God who justifies?
At this point, Paul begins a series of questions aimed at giving
hope and assurance to the believer. His first question is, Who
will accuse God's chosen people? Will God accuse them? It is
God who justifies them! Therefore, if God has gone to the
great effort and sorrow of giving up His own Son so that He may
justify them, why would He accuse them? The point Paul is
making here is that God is in there rooting for us! That He has
made every possible effort for us to succeed. It is not His
purpose or part of His plan to watch for us to slip up so that He
can accuse us!
33 Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that
justifieth.
Who then will condemn us? Will the Messiah who died - rather,
who was raised from the dead, Who is at the right hand of God
actually pleading as He intercedes for us?
The second question Paul asks is, Who is going to condemn us?
Obviously it won't be the Messiah for after all it was He who
died for us! Then Paul thought of an even greater reason that
the Messiah would not condemn us. In fact, it was He who was
resurrected from the dead and is even now at the right hand of
God actually pleading and interceding for us! Certainly the
Messiah would not condemn us.
34 Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is
risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh
intercession for us.
Who then can separate us from the love of the Messiah? Can
trouble do it, or hardship, or persecution, or hunger, or poverty,
or danger, or death?
The third question Paul asked was - Who then can separate us
from God's love? We have seen that God the Father is not
going to do so! We have seen that The Son is not going to do
so! Then if God is for us, who can be against us?
But there is a third question! Notice that Paul did not say that
these things could not separate us from God's love, but he poses
the question, Will these things do what the Father and the Son
will not do?
The answer to this question hinges on us! Will we allow trouble,
hardship, persecution, hunger, poverty, danger or death to
separate us from God? Our destiny is in our own hands! We
must determine that if God is for us that we will never allow
things of the earth to separate us from God. We can leave God,
but He will never leave us! There is no reason that these things
should separate us from God, as his power of love is so great for
us. The Bible shows that some few have allowed the cares of
this world to take over and separate them from God. Paul is not
saying that it is impossible, but that there is no need for it to
happen if we think of all the help that God is giving us to make
sure - from His side - that it does not happen.
35 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 killed all the day long; we
are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.
Paul took this scripture from Ps 44:22. Those who would live
godly will suffer persecution.
2Ti 3:12 Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer
persecution.
There are places on the earth, even today, where it is a
dangerous thing to be a believer. We are living in relatively
good times and in a good nation where we can obey God and
follow our own conscience. That may not always be so, and in
some places of the world it is not so, even now. But this refers
back to some of the things that Paul posed in his question. Will
these things separate us from God's love? Will we allow
anything to keep us from doing our part of the covenant and
being over comers so that our part of the plan of God will not be
the occasion of our separation from it?
36 As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are
accounted as sheep for the slaughter.
No! In all these things we are more than conquerors through
Him who loved us.
Paul was confident that in his case and in ours if we rely totally
on God for our help, that there was no reason that these things
should foul us. Paul said that in these things <we> are more than
conquerors. Paul was referring to himself and perhaps others he
knew that were fervent for God's work. In other places, Paul
shows that some had forsaken the faith! So what Paul is saying
here is not a concrete statement that it is impossible to fall away
from the truth, rather that there is no reason to do so
considering all that God has done to see that we make it.
Because some misunderstand Paul's statements here, I am
including two verses below that show the possibility that there
are things that can turn us from the faith.
1Ti 4:1 Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some
shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines
of devils;
1Ti 6:10 For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some
coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves
through with many sorrows.
But, there is every reason that the plan of God that is to create
brothers for His firstborn Son, Joshua, should be completed in us.
37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that
loved us.
For I am persuaded that neither death, life, angels, principalities,
powers, things present, things to come, height, depth, nor any
other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of
God, which is in the Messiah, Joshua, our Master.
It was Paul's firm conviction, belief, confidence and trust that
none of these things mentioned, nor anything else for that
matter would be able to separate us from the love of God
(keeping God's commandments - our part of the covenant). This
is all made possible through the justification and intercession of
the Messiah.
There is only one thing that can make us fail. We are the only
ones who can throw in the towel. It is the pollutions of the world
that can entangle us. We must be on our guard against those
things that would separate us from God.
2Pet 2:20 For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world
through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are
again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them
than the beginning.
21 For it had been better for them not to have known the way of
righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy
commandment delivered unto them.
22 But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog
is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her
wallowing in the mire.
38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor
principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
39 Nor height, or depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate
us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
In this part, we have seen that God has a plan, which he
foreordained. He worked out this plan from the foundation of
the world. In that plan, His Son would come to the earth and
become the means of justification to close the gap created by sin
(the breaking of the commandments of God) from the time of
Adam and Eve. Furthermore, He would become the high priest
for a group of people who would be called, justified and
eventually glorified in order to make of them sons of God,
brothers of the Messiah.
At the time of Paul's writing of Romans, the plan was well
underway, although not complete. Only the Messiah was born
into the family of God. Many however, were called and justified
and waiting for the resurrection when they would become
glorified.
Paul shows that God is for us in this matter because we are a
part of the very purpose of the plan that God came up with at
the foundation of the world. He has helped us as much as
possible to ensure our success. He is going to give us
"everything" with His Son at the time we are glorified.
God is not going to accuse us; the Messiah is not going to
condemn us. We are the only ones who can turn our backs on
God's plan and fail, but as we have been given every aid to keep
that from happening, surely we will succeed. Surely we will
become conquers! Paul's message is that we have every reason
to believe that we can and will make it into the glory of the
Father.
We are part of the plan and purpose of God - we have been
called. God has justified us and closed the gap that was between
Him and us. God has given us the holy spirit to make us keenly
knowledgeable of His law and the desire to keep that law so that
the gap will not be opened, so that we should not be separated
from His love. It is up to us! We should succeed. Will we?
Every individual must answer that question for himself.
Home
Commentaries
Chapter:
One
Two
Three
Four
Four Continued
Five
Six
Seven
Seven Continued
Eight
Eight Continued
together until now.
But, they are not the only ones who groan, for we who have the
firstfruits of the spirit also groan within ourselves, waiting for
the adoption and release of our bodies from this bondage.
Here Paul brings in the aspect of the firstfruits of the holy
spirit. Those who have received the firstfruits of the spirit are
contrasted to those who will receive the fruits of the spirit later.
They are groaning and so are we, for we have not yet reached
the release of the corruption of our bodies, even as they have
not. We do not yet share in the glory of eternal life even as they
do not. But we are one step further than they are, and it gives
reason for all to hope.
These five verses need to be elaborated on a little further. Why
do most of the translators fit this into a subject of the "whole"
creation, including all living things? For a reason full of error.
They understood salvation as being offered during the lifetime
of each individual and did not understand that most of humanity
will have its opportunity for salvation at a later time after they
have died and been resurrected again. Therefore, they had to
put these scriptures into its present KJV mold in order to keep
from contradicting their doctrine. However, it is obvious that
some things cannot be explained if Paul was referring to all
living things. All living things are not promised that they will
become spirit beings and live forever, not subject to the bondage
of decay. Only human beings have this promise.
It is unlikely that Paul would be introducing a new doctrine here
about animals receiving eternal life when he is discussing:
#1) the justification means for man,
#2) the struggle between sin and righteousness for man,
#3) the addition of the holy spirit so that man can live by the
commandments of God
#4) the making of mankind into sons of God.
Rather, he is showing that all of mankind has groaned and is
even now suffering because of the lies and unrighteousness it
has been subjected to from the time that Adam and Eve ate of
the forbidden fruit in the garden of Eden. And the way that man
can be released from the bondage of corruption that this brought
about (the wages of sin is death) is through son-ship, which is the
case of those who have received the firstfruits of the spirit.
They will lead the way and those who are not included will find
their release from the bondage of corruption through their
efforts. The Messiah was the firstfruit. After He was made
alive, those at the first resurrection, who have received the
firstfruits of the spirit, will be made alive at His return. A
process is being discussed to show that there is an order to the
plan of God. Paul is discussing those who receive the firstfruits
of the spirit, a minority of humans, and what effect they will
have on the majority of humans, who will come into the family of
God later.
1Cor 15:22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made
alive.
23 But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they
that are Christ's at his coming.
24 Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to
God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all
authority and power.
23 And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the
Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the
adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.
For we are saved by this hope. But hope that is seen is no hope
at all. Who hopes for what he already has?
Ga 5:5 For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by
faith.
As Paul shows in Ga 5:5, hope of righteousness is by faith. And
as it is by faith, it is something not yet seen, as shown in the
book of Hebrews. As we have never seen our glorious body, as
we have never seen or experienced eternal life, we obviously
only have a hope for it and that must be by faith. Anything that
is by faith is something not yet seen, therefore, our hope for
salvation, for eternal life, for our glorious body is by faith.
24 For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what
a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for?
And if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with
patience.
The hope of salvation causes us to wait for it patiently. If we
have no hope, or lose our hope for salvation, we are not
patiently waiting for it. Rather, we are caught up in the hopes of
this world, which result in frustration and death, not salvation.
25 But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.
Likewise the spirit also comes to our aid and bears us up in our
weaknesses. For we do not know how we ought to pray;
therefore, the spirit intervenes for us, with our groanings, which
cannot be expressed in words.
The word <likewise> refers back to patience in the previous
verse. In other words, even as we do patiently wait in hope,
even so the Holy Spirit (Holy Spirit used here as a synonym for
God) patiently works with us to ensure our salvation. When we
are weak, the holy spirit (mind of God) strengthens us so we can
continue on the right way. We don't know how to pray, seeing
that we are made of flesh and tend to prefer the immediate in
spite of how it may turn out at the end. In our prayers, the holy
spirit "intervenes for us" or brings to our minds what we should
say. These thoughts that the holy spirit bring to our minds are
thoughts that we would never think to put into words.
Paul is showing that we are being helped by means of the holy
spirit in our prayers, so that we can express our needs and
desires in line with God's thoughts on the matter and not as we
would do if left to our human thoughts only. God is guiding us by
means of His holy spirit (His mind) into all truth.
This verse is not expressing an intercession with God unknown
to us and covering what we do wrong, even if we don't come to
God in prayer. Rather, it is showing how God helps us when we
make an effort to pray by means of His mind (the holy spirit). It
is the Messiah who intercedes for us in heaven. But the holy
spirit intervenes with our spirit here on earth to help us along,
ensuring our success. One commentator says that the word
<helpeth> indicates to "heave with us." In other words, the holy
spirit helps us as we would help a neighbor who has a boulder in
his garden and needs to remove it, but cannot do so on his own.
We would help our neighbor prize out the boulder by heaving
with him on the prizing pole. In the same way, when we pray,
we are using a prizing tool. We are putting forth an effort to
arrive at a solution, and the holy spirit gets in there with us and
prizes with us so we can make a good effort and succeed.
However, if we never put forth an effort through prayer to get
the boulders of sin out of our lives, the holy spirit will not do it
for us! And we are helped just enough to barely get the job
done. That way, we get a good workout and become stronger.
The groanings are not the groanings of the holy spirit, but the
groanings of the human being. The holy spirit could lift the
boulder out very easily without any effort from us at all. We are
the ones who groan and cannot express ourselves. The holy
spirit helps us to put our groanings into words that we could not
otherwise express to God. In this way, we come to know
ourselves, even as we become a known quantity to God.
Matt 10:20 For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father
which speaketh in you.
Joh 16:13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide
you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he
shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.
26 Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what
we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession
for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.
And He (God) who searches the hearts pays attention to the
thoughts of the spirit. For the spirit intervenes for the saints
according to the will of God.
There are several thoughts coming together in this verse. God,
both the Father and the Son search our minds in order to come
to know us. Mat 6.8 shows that the Father knows what we need
even before we ask him. We pray to the Father, according to
the instructions of the Son. Re 2.23 shows that the Messiah,
who is speaking in this verse, searches our hearts. As Paul
shows in Ro 8.34, the Messiah is the one who intercedes for us.
Therefore, the thoughts of the spirit, as an intervention to our
groanings are recognized or paid attention to (as the word
<knows> can be rendered) by God because the holy spirit is the
very mind of God to begin with, and are in fact His thoughts.
Therefore, the holy spirit never intervenes for the saints other
than according to the will of God.
Paul is showing here that the interventions of the holy spirit to
help us in our groanings, when we cannot express them into
words, (but which the holy spirit helps us to express in words)
are recognized by God because this intervention is always based
on the will of God. As the holy spirit is the mind of God, it is
personified here as though it is a live person in our minds helping
us along. Many times the holy spirit is expressed as a
personification or a synonym of God because it is His mind and
therefore, expresses His thoughts. God’s mind permeates the
universe and feeds information back to Him.
The important thing is to not ask for something amiss. As James
shows when we ask for something wrongly, we do not receive it.
We can and do ask for such things but we do not receive
answers in those cases – or the answer we would like to receive.
The holy spirit does not cause us to pray perfect prayers.
However, in those cases where our groanings cannot be
expressed in words, the holy spirit helps us to form words that
are imperative for us to succeed in overcoming our sins and
entering in at the narrow gate to salvation.
Mat 6:8 Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what
things ye have need of, before ye ask him.
Re 2:23 And I will kill her children with death; and all the churches shall
know that I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give
unto every one of you according to your works.
Ro 8:34 Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather,
that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also
maketh intercession for us.
Jas 4:3 Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may
consume it upon your lusts.
27 And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the
Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the
will of God.
So, we know that all things work together for good to those who
love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.
This verse is usually quoted out of context and thereby used in a
wrong way at times. The "all things" that are working together
is what Paul has been speaking of in the previous two verses.
God is searching our minds to see where we need tweaking to
insure better character. The mind of God is working in and with
our minds to help us become a known quantity to ourselves
where otherwise we would groan with unspeakable words, not
being able to know and understand what we should ask of God.
The Messiah is interceding for us in heaven and searching our
minds as well. When we put all of these things together with our
own efforts, we see that all things are working together for our
good. And our good as far as the context of Paul's words is our
salvation. Everything is working together for the good outcome
of our salvation. Everything is in reference to all the things that
Paul has mentioned up to this point, which goes to make
salvation possible for us.
This is true, of course, only to those who love God. And we
know that those who love God are those who keep His
commandments. This is true only to those who have been called
and received the firstfruits of the holy spirit even as God has
purposed for them. God's purpose for them is that they be
brought into glory as His sons so that the rest of humanity can
follow and all of humanity can put off this bondage of decay and
corruption to become eternal glorified beings in God's family.
28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love
God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
In the previous verses we see that all (the vast majority) of
humanity is waiting for the current sons of God, those who are in
the first part of the plan to be revealed in all their glory that
they too may have an opportunity to come into that state where
they are no longer subjected to the bondage of decay and
corruption.
We have also seen that the holy spirit is working in our minds
and with our minds to see that we are helped where needed to
overcome those sins to which we have become slaves. This
would definitely cover habits of sin that we cannot overcome on
our own.
Paul is explaining to us the package of helps that God has given
us to overcome sin and the human, fleshly, sensuous nature that
we need to overcome in order to build righteous character and
become sons of God. In no case has Paul indicated that we have
no part in this. Rather, he shows God <helping> us all along the
way and in several ways to insure our success. The fact that
God is <helping> us shows that He is not doing it all for us! Paul
shows God standing along beside us as we heave against the
boulder of sin, aiding us just enough so we can make a good
effort against sin. Sometimes the boulder will fall back into the
hole, as those who have done this kind of work will agree. I
have worked with a lot of rock removal. Sometimes I would be
on the brink of success and then the rock would fall back into
the hole. I was not strong enough, or the prizing pole broke or
slipped too far to the side. Sometimes many efforts are required
to eventually become successful. God knows just how much to
help us. When we begin to rely on him to do the job for us, He
will let the boulder fall back into the hole. We have other
lessons to learn! It is a process.
And as Paul expresses in verse 28, all of these things are
working together for our good so that we will be successful in
the calling, which God has given to us. If we continue to put
forth our effort, God will bring us through. If we give up, even
God cannot help us!
2Pe 1:10 Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your
calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:
As Peter says in the above verse, give diligence to make your
calling and election sure and if you do these things you shall
never fall.
For God, in His foreknowledge, has chosen them (the called: see
previous verse) to bear the family likeness of His Son, that He
might be the eldest of a family of many brothers.
The word <whom>, as translated by the KJV translators, is
clouding the meaning of this verse. The primary meaning of this
word is <which>. This verse is referring directly back to verse
28. The word <for> connects verse 29 to verse 28. Therefore,
this verse is referring to those who are being called according to
the purpose of God.
God, knowing from the ages past what His plan was for
mankind, is choosing those referred to in verse 28, those now
being called, for the very purpose of bearing the family likeness
of the Messiah, which is their predestined purpose. The result
God was looking for was that the Messiah would be the firstborn
or the eldest of a family of <many> brothers!
29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed
to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many
brethren.
JMT: Then He calls those whom He has thus decreed; then He
justifies those whom He has called; then He glorifies those
whom He has justified.
God's plan called for the Messiah to be the firstborn of many
brothers as we saw in the previous verse. This plan, which God
foreordained, required that many brothers would follow in the
footsteps of the Messiah. Therefore, God called them according
to his foreordained purpose as we saw in verse 28. After their
calling, He justifies them to close the gap that sin has brought
between them and God. The final step will be to glorify them in
the end and bring them into the family of God.
Many religionists believe that God has predestined those who
will and who will not be glorified, or given eternal life. We have
thought in the past that the predestination was of those who are
to be called for the purpose of bringing them into the family of
God. However, it is the plan of God that is being referred to in
these verses. God had planned out and determined long ago that
He would send the Messiah down to the earth to become the
firstborn of many brothers. This would require that some be
called and justified and then ultimately at the resurrection
glorified to complete this first phase of the plan. It was the plan
that was pre-determined, not that certain people were pre-
determined to be called or glorified!
The word <predestinate> means to determine in advance. The
question is: What did God determine in advance? It was the
<plan> that was predetermined. The translations would lead one
to believe that it was the calling of certain individuals that was
predetermined. Some have made an even greater leap and
decided that it was the glorification of certain individuals that
was intended to be predetermined. The calling and the
glorification was predetermined, not the individuals.
It was the <plan> that was predetermined. The plan required
that the Son would be the firstborn, that many people would be
called and justified, and that those justified would be worked
with until they were brought into glory and made the brothers of
the Messiah. The calling and glorification would take place
according to a predetermined plan, not according to pre-selected
individuals.
30 Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom
he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also
glorified.
In view of all this, what can we say? If God is for us, who can be
against us?
At this point, we see that God has sent His Son to become our
justification and our high priest to intercede on our behalf when
we need forgiveness. He has made a covenant with us, in which
we are given a keen understanding of the law and a desire to
keep that law. It is God's plan to begin with. He wants this plan
to succeed and has sent His Son to be the firstborn of many
brothers. He has called us and justified us according to the very
plan, which He determined from the foundation of the world.
Therefore, everything is proceeding according to the plan and
purpose of God. Who then can be against us? This is what God
wants and has planned for from the beginning. We are in the
center of His will according to His plan. What more could we
ask for? Everything has been offered to see that we succeed.
31 What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be
against us?
He who spared not His own Son, but gave Him up for us all, how
shall He not, with Him, also freely give us all things?
The predetermined plan called for God to give up His Son for us
so that the plan would succeed. The plan called for the Son to be
the heir of <all things>. And here we see that Paul understands
that we too will be given <all things> with the Son.
For those who have not yet come to the conclusion that Paul
wrote the book of Hebrews, notice that it is in the book of
Hebrews that we receive the most plain of descriptions
concerning this inheritance. Heb 1:2 says that the Messiah has
been appointed heir of all things. Heb 2:8 is referring to <man>,
and says that God will put all things in subjection to man.
Nothing is left out, except of course, the Father and the Son.
Paul understood that the Messiah is our brother! So did the
writer of Hebrews.
Heb 1:2 Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath
appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;
Heb 2:8 Thou hast put all things in subjection under his (man's) feet.
For in that he put all in subjection under him, he left nothing that is not
put under him. But now we see not yet all things put under him.
Heb 2:10 For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are
all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their
salvation perfect through sufferings.
11 For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one:
for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren,
32 He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how
shall he not with him also freely give us all things?
Who will accuse God's chosen people? God who justifies?
At this point, Paul begins a series of questions aimed at giving
hope and assurance to the believer. His first question is, Who
will accuse God's chosen people? Will God accuse them? It is
God who justifies them! Therefore, if God has gone to the
great effort and sorrow of giving up His own Son so that He may
justify them, why would He accuse them? The point Paul is
making here is that God is in there rooting for us! That He has
made every possible effort for us to succeed. It is not His
purpose or part of His plan to watch for us to slip up so that He
can accuse us!
33 Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that
justifieth.
Who then will condemn us? Will the Messiah who died - rather,
who was raised from the dead, Who is at the right hand of God
actually pleading as He intercedes for us?
The second question Paul asks is, Who is going to condemn us?
Obviously it won't be the Messiah for after all it was He who
died for us! Then Paul thought of an even greater reason that
the Messiah would not condemn us. In fact, it was He who was
resurrected from the dead and is even now at the right hand of
God actually pleading and interceding for us! Certainly the
Messiah would not condemn us.
34 Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is
risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh
intercession for us.
Who then can separate us from the love of the Messiah? Can
trouble do it, or hardship, or persecution, or hunger, or poverty,
or danger, or death?
The third question Paul asked was - Who then can separate us
from God's love? We have seen that God the Father is not
going to do so! We have seen that The Son is not going to do
so! Then if God is for us, who can be against us?
But there is a third question! Notice that Paul did not say that
these things could not separate us from God's love, but he poses
the question, Will these things do what the Father and the Son
will not do?
The answer to this question hinges on us! Will we allow trouble,
hardship, persecution, hunger, poverty, danger or death to
separate us from God? Our destiny is in our own hands! We
must determine that if God is for us that we will never allow
things of the earth to separate us from God. We can leave God,
but He will never leave us! There is no reason that these things
should separate us from God, as his power of love is so great for
us. The Bible shows that some few have allowed the cares of
this world to take over and separate them from God. Paul is not
saying that it is impossible, but that there is no need for it to
happen if we think of all the help that God is giving us to make
sure - from His side - that it does not happen.
35 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 killed all the day long; we
are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.
Paul took this scripture from Ps 44:22. Those who would live
godly will suffer persecution.
2Ti 3:12 Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer
persecution.
There are places on the earth, even today, where it is a
dangerous thing to be a believer. We are living in relatively
good times and in a good nation where we can obey God and
follow our own conscience. That may not always be so, and in
some places of the world it is not so, even now. But this refers
back to some of the things that Paul posed in his question. Will
these things separate us from God's love? Will we allow
anything to keep us from doing our part of the covenant and
being over comers so that our part of the plan of God will not be
the occasion of our separation from it?
36 As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are
accounted as sheep for the slaughter.
No! In all these things we are more than conquerors through
Him who loved us.
Paul was confident that in his case and in ours if we rely totally
on God for our help, that there was no reason that these things
should foul us. Paul said that in these things <we> are more than
conquerors. Paul was referring to himself and perhaps others he
knew that were fervent for God's work. In other places, Paul
shows that some had forsaken the faith! So what Paul is saying
here is not a concrete statement that it is impossible to fall away
from the truth, rather that there is no reason to do so
considering all that God has done to see that we make it.
Because some misunderstand Paul's statements here, I am
including two verses below that show the possibility that there
are things that can turn us from the faith.
1Ti 4:1 Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some
shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines
of devils;
1Ti 6:10 For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some
coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves
through with many sorrows.
But, there is every reason that the plan of God that is to create
brothers for His firstborn Son, Joshua, should be completed in us.
37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that
loved us.
For I am persuaded that neither death, life, angels, principalities,
powers, things present, things to come, height, depth, nor any
other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of
God, which is in the Messiah, Joshua, our Master.
It was Paul's firm conviction, belief, confidence and trust that
none of these things mentioned, nor anything else for that
matter would be able to separate us from the love of God
(keeping God's commandments - our part of the covenant). This
is all made possible through the justification and intercession of
the Messiah.
There is only one thing that can make us fail. We are the only
ones who can throw in the towel. It is the pollutions of the world
that can entangle us. We must be on our guard against those
things that would separate us from God.
2Pet 2:20 For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world
through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are
again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them
than the beginning.
21 For it had been better for them not to have known the way of
righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy
commandment delivered unto them.
22 But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog
is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her
wallowing in the mire.
38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor
principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
39 Nor height, or depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate
us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
In this part, we have seen that God has a plan, which he
foreordained. He worked out this plan from the foundation of
the world. In that plan, His Son would come to the earth and
become the means of justification to close the gap created by sin
(the breaking of the commandments of God) from the time of
Adam and Eve. Furthermore, He would become the high priest
for a group of people who would be called, justified and
eventually glorified in order to make of them sons of God,
brothers of the Messiah.
At the time of Paul's writing of Romans, the plan was well
underway, although not complete. Only the Messiah was born
into the family of God. Many however, were called and justified
and waiting for the resurrection when they would become
glorified.
Paul shows that God is for us in this matter because we are a
part of the very purpose of the plan that God came up with at
the foundation of the world. He has helped us as much as
possible to ensure our success. He is going to give us
"everything" with His Son at the time we are glorified.
God is not going to accuse us; the Messiah is not going to
condemn us. We are the only ones who can turn our backs on
God's plan and fail, but as we have been given every aid to keep
that from happening, surely we will succeed. Surely we will
become conquers! Paul's message is that we have every reason
to believe that we can and will make it into the glory of the
Father.
We are part of the plan and purpose of God - we have been
called. God has justified us and closed the gap that was between
Him and us. God has given us the holy spirit to make us keenly
knowledgeable of His law and the desire to keep that law so that
the gap will not be opened, so that we should not be separated
from His love. It is up to us! We should succeed. Will we?
Every individual must answer that question for himself.
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Commentaries
Chapter:
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Five
Six
Seven
Seven Continued
Eight
Eight Continued