God working among his own

God’s Workings among His Own.

Romans 8:26-29

I.                   The spirit helps us in infirmities. Vs. 26

II.                The Spirit intercedes for us. Vs. 27

III.             God works all things out for good. Vs.28

IV.             God chose us in eternity past. Vs.29

Whom he did foreknow he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son. All that God designed for glory and happiness as the end he decreed to grace and holiness as the way. Not, whom he did foreknow to be holy those he predestinated to be so. The counsels and decrees of God do not truckle to the frail and fickle will of men; no, God’s foreknowledge of the saints is the same with that everlasting love wherewith he is said to have loved them,

 "The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee." (Jeremiah 31:3, KJV)

God’s knowing his people is the same with his owning them,

 "For the LORD knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish." (Psalm 1:6, KJV)

"I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine." (John 10:14, KJV)

"Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity." (2 Timothy 2:19, KJV)

See ch. 11:2. Words of knowledge often in scripture denote affection; so here: Elect according to the foreknowledge of God, 1 Pt. 1:2. And the same word is rendered fore-ordained, 1 Pt. 1:20. Whom he did foreknow, that is, whom he designed for his friends and favourites. [1]

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[1]Matthew Henry, Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible : Complete and Unabridged in One Volume (Peabody: Hendrickson, 1996, c1991). Ro 8:29.