• And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. (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 brethren. (30) Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these also He glorified.

The letter to the Romans was written by the apostle Paul and the verses we study today are both pastoral and practical to explain to the early Christians in that ancient time that God’s eternal purpose is not ultimately about us but to glorify His Son, -so this purpose cannot fail. God knew; He predestined; He called, justified and glorified those He loves in His electing purpose. God’s knowledge is not that of a spectator – He ordains election. To predestine means God determined in advance to save these people and conform them to the image of His Son so Christ would have supremacy over many brethren. It is essential to see salvation is first to last TOTALLY of the Lord, not dependent on the will of man as that would make men sovereign. Apart from God’s initiative none would seek Him because of the Fall.

Predestination is God’s purpose and plan to rule the universe as He determines. In the New Testament to be called is always about God’s effectual call which will always be accomplished. This call comes with power so the faithful come from spiritual death to life – the response depends on those God predestined to salvation. To justify means to declare righteous. Our faith does not merit justification but is the channel through which grace is received resulting in regeneration and the elect will inevitably grow in sanctification. Their salvation is secure as God will complete it because God has predestined it according to His purpose. God will complete the salvation of the elect because Christ will be glorified by glorifying them. Glorification is in the future but Paul speaks of it as in the past because it is certain to take place.

To be called in our verses is not the mere external call of the Bible. Paul is speaking of a call which is peculiar to those who are finally saved. Election, calling, justification and salvation are united; if we are called by God according to His purpose, nothing can prevent our final salvation.

• Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intersession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. (27) Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is because He makes intercessions for the saints according to the will of God.

The letter to the Romans was written by the apostle Paul and the verses we study today deal with emotional needs and longings so deep we are unable to articulate them – or in many cases even be unaware of them. All creation and all men suffer because sin entered the world and both groan for ultimate restoration. At the moment of faith believers are sealed with the indwelling Spirit who intercedes for us with the Father as sort of supernatural intervention. The Spirit helps us in our sufferings and weakness and does so on an emotional level and conveys our hurts and cares – we may even be unaware of our needs – to the Father. The bottom line is we need to pray; we are commanded to pray. We may not be sure how or what to pray for but we are guaranteed the Spirit does and will – the basic principal is that prayer must be in harmony with the will of God. What the text is saying is that the Holy Spirit prays FOR us, not that He prays THROUGH us to the Father. What these verses are saying is God Himself, by the Spirit, comes to our aid whenever we need help – we are assured that we will get assistance. Prayer can help us to trust that God’s will be done and this will become apparent in time.
Don’t be discouraged as our present afflictions are of comparative insignificance; we must wait for salvation in patient and joyful expectation. We don’t know what is best for us but the Spirit gives our desires a language heard and understood by God. The Spirit dwells in believers as a principle of life most especially in emotional desires which we are unable to articulate. We have all known emotions too big and overwhelming for utterance and the Spirit reads the unexpressed emotions of the souls. The Spirit dictates or intercedes our petitions and stirs in us the desires which are consistent with the divine purpose and suited for our wants.

• For i consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. (19) For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God. (20) For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope; (21) because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. (22) For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now. (23) Not only that, but we also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body.

The letter to the Romans was written by the apostle Paul and our verses today concern present sufferings, which are the result of past events, and future deliverance. Paul refers to the suffering of present time meaning the entire present age. The entire history of creation since the fall is marked by suffering; catastrophes, wars, natural disasters, conflicts, crime – just the struggles of our lives. But salvation triggers release from the corruption since Adam sinned.
When Adam sinned the whole human race sinned in him. God’s judgment on Adam included a judgment on creation – the botanical world; the animal world. Salvation in faith in Christ Jesus is the promise that there will be a restored world with no violence or death which were not part of original creation. In sin creation was made subject to vanity – meaning futility, aimlessness, the inability to achieve desired results – it’s not something creation did but was done to it. And Paul’s mention of our groaning means to lament – to moan and be aware of living in this world with all the pain and sin – we are groaning for glory.
Future glory includes full renewal of creation to its original perfection and purpose and includes full redemption of our bodies. Future glory is guaranteed by the present possession of the indwelling Spirit which is the promise that God will not abandon us. The biblical perspective is perseverance – to endure – as this future glory with God is absolutely certain for the faithful: God promised and He cannot lie.

• But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. (11) But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you. (12) Therefore, brethren, we are debtors – not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. (13) For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.

The letter to the Romans was written by the apostle Paul to the Christians in that city and the theme of our verses today is the eternal security of believers in Christ; the salvation of those who renounced the law and accepted the gospel is virtually certain. God in His free mercy justified us in Christ Jesus – something the law could never do – nothing comes from the efforts of the flesh but death. All the demands of the law are filled by the sacrifice of Christ and salvation in faith is begun by the Spirit who is indwelling at the moment of faith. If we belong to Christ we are reconciled to God and all our sins are forgiven. Justification is not a matter of going to church or believing certain doctrines or by trying to live by certain moral standards; what is vital is that we are born again.
The Spirit dwells in us and we are growing in sanctity. We do and will have a sinful nature despite being in Christ – to believe otherwise is to minimize that nature. In our new position we are to behave as we believe. Because of grace in faith we have an obligation to act appropriately but we can only do this with the help of the Spirit. All who are led by the Spirit are children of God. We are debtors not to flesh; the believers are now in the Spirit and the necessity of holiness is absolute. The work of the Spirit empowers us for victory over flesh; frees us from sin and spiritual death; changes our nature and confirms our adoption. We are not condemned and will never have to pay the penalty of sin which is eternal death.
We will receive power to control the flesh after the Holy Spirit has come upon us with no caveats and no conditions. How can you tell if you are a Christian – if the sins of the flesh are foreign to your desire; if you don’t want sin and if you don’t rationalize sin.