All Things Work Together
Three Groans
III. No Separation: The Spirit and Suffering (8:18–39)
Though believers endure suffering now, they will enjoy glory when Christ returns. In fact, the whole creation (“creature” in vv. 19–21) is groaning under the bondage of sin, thanks to Adam’s disobedience. When Christ finally imprisons Satan, He will deliver the entire creation from this bondage, and all nature will enjoy with us “the glorious liberty of the children of God” (v. 21). What a thrilling salvation we have: free from the penalty of sin because Christ died for us (chap. 5); free from the power of sin because we died with Christ to the flesh (chap. 6) and to the Law (chap. 7); and someday we shall be free from the very presence of sin when nature is delivered from bondage.
We have the Spirit of adoption, but we are “waiting for the adoption, that is, the redemption of the body” (v. 23). The soul has been redeemed, but not the body. We wait in hope, however, because the indwelling Spirit is given as “the firstfruits” of the deliverance God has for us in the future. Even if we die, the Spirit who has sealed us unto the day of redemption (Eph. 1:13–14) will raise our body to life (v. 11).
Note the three “groans” in vv. 22–26: (1) all creation groans, v. 22; (2) the believer groans awaiting Christ’s coming, v. 23; and (3) the indwelling Spirit groans as He intercedes for us, v. 26. Note John 11 where Jesus “groaned within Himself” as He visited the grave of Lazarus. How the heart of God is burdened because of the bondage of creation. What a price Christ paid to deliver us.
Paul points out that while we endure this suffering in hope we have the privilege of praying in the Spirit. Perhaps too much of our praying is of the flesh—long, beautiful, “pious” prayers that glorify man and nauseate God (Isa. 1:11–18). Paul indicates that the most spiritual prayer could be a wordless groan that comes from the heart! “Sighs too deep for words” is the way one translation renders v. 26. The Spirit makes intercession for us, the Father searches our hearts and knows what the Spirit desires, and this He grants to us. The Spirit always prays in the will of God. What is the will of God? That believers might be conformed to the image of Christ (v. 29). We can claim the promise of v. 28 because of the purpose of v. 29. Note that all the verbs in v. 30 are past tense: the believer has been called, justified, and glorified. Why faint under the sufferings of this world when we have already been glorified? We simply wait for the revelation of this glory at the return of Christ.
28 The activity of the Spirit on our behalf points to the ultimate security in God of those whom he has chosen. The presence of the Spirit, the first-fruits, is a proof that the Age to Come has dawned, and that its consummation cannot be long delayed. We know that all things co-operate for good to those who love God. On the text of this passage see p. 151, n. 2. The sentence may be taken in several different ways. If the text that includes the word God (ὁ θεός) is accepted, the translation is clear; God must be the subject of the verb (συνεργεῖ) and in this compound verb the preposition (σύν) will govern the dative those who love God (τοῖς ἀγαπῶσιν τὸν θεόν): We know that God co-operates for good in all things with those who love God. If the noun God is to be omitted several possibilities arise. (i) It may simply be replaced by the pronoun He: We know that he (=God) co-operates, etc. (ii) The subject of the verb may be taken from the preceding sentence—the Spirit: We know that he (=the Spirit) co-operates, etc. (iii) The subject of the verb may be all things (πάντα, which as a neuter plural will in Greek take a singular verb): We know that all things co-operate for good to those who love God. The last, the text and construction of AV, has been attacked as attributing to Paul an evolutionary optimism foreign to his thought; but it is less harsh as a rendering of the Greek, and though Paul was not an evolutionary optimist he did believe that Christ had overcome and was overcoming (vv. 35, 38 f.; 1 Cor. 15:24–8; Col. 2:15) the powers of evil, and that the last period of world history was speeding to a close that would bring salvation to the elect (13:11).
Paul does not often describe Christians as ‘those who love God’. For him, love generally describes the relation of God to men, while for the relation of men to God he reserves the term faith. In this he displays an accurate use of words, for men can never love God (who is altogether worthy of our regard) in the sense in which God loves us, his enemies (5:8). It is evidently appropriate to speak of love for God, and both Testaments provide examples; it is a grateful, trustful love. But Paul cannot allow himself to leave the impression that men may exercise an initiative which properly belongs to God alone. Those who love God are more searchingly defined as those who are called in accordance with his purpose.
For ‘called’ see on 1:1, 6. ‘Calling’ is the realization in history of God’s eternal purpose (cf. 9:11; also Eph. 1:11; 3:11). It is here, in God’s purpose, not in experience, even the experience of the Spirit, that the ultimate assurance of salvation rests. This purpose and its realization are analysed in the next two verses. V. 29 deals with what may be called the pre-temporal (or extra-temporal) aspects of the process, v. 30 with the temporal, though it also looks beyond history to the final glory.
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose (verse 28). This verse is so rich in comfort and substantive in meaning that it is frequently memorised by itself. But if we take this particular verse out of the context in which it is written, we could distort the meaning. There are three elements that require specific attention.
The first element is the meaning of the phrase, ‘in all things’. One natural conclusion from such a statement is that every single thing which happens to us, by us, with us or for us, in this world, is added together by the sovereign God and brought to a great and wonderful conclusion. Well, I am not denying that God does that. But in the context of this verse, the use of the phrase ‘all things’ does not refer to each and every thing that happens.
Obviously what the apostle has in view is the infirmities and the sufferings of the people of God. These sufferings that we endure in this world are not worthy to be compared with the glory that God has laid up for us in the future. These present sufferings are the ‘things’ that Paul has in mind. They are actually in a sense blessings in disguise, because the sufferings in this world are used by God for our ultimate good and for our ultimate benefit
Suffering is a tragic, physical evil. I am not supposed to say to another believer who is suffering, ‘Rejoice, this is a wonderful benefit that you are experiencing here, because it is working together for your good.’ We are not to praise God for the presence of suffering, particularly in the case of others, because that would lead us to the same smug attitude that is so destructively manifest in Job’s friends. Rather if I see another suffering, I must do everything in my power to alleviate that suffering.
The second thing we need to note is that there is a restriction here. God is not promising to bring goodness out of all suffering for everybody. Rather he says, that in all things God works for the good of those who love him (verse 28b). It is not in the final analysis a matter of mental assent but of affection for God. Obedience, discipleship and living the Christian life are a consequence of loving God. If you love me, Jesus said, keep my commandments (John 14:15). Our obedience is based upon a prior love. The love of God is the motivating force for living a Christian life. It is not the desire to merit one’s own salvation, nor even an altruistic beneficent attitude towards our fellow men. The ultimate motivator for Christian service, Christian ministry and Christian obedience, is a personal affection for God.
The third aspect of this verse to be noted is a second distinction that makes it a passage of particular rather than universal application: who have been called according to his purpose (verse 28c). When the Bible speaks of God’s call, it never means simply the external call whereby the invitation to fellowship with God is given. Those who are called by God experience, what we call in theology, effectual calling
Various theologians have given specific terms to a number of these events, and have often listed them in a specific order in which they believe that they occur in our lives. Such a list of the events in which God applies salvation to us is called the order of salvation and is sometimes referred to by a Latin phrase, ordo salutis which simply means “order of salvation.
“The Order of Salvation”
1. Election (God’s choice of people to be saved)
2. The gospel call (proclaiming the message of the gospel)
3. Regeneration (being born again)
4. Conversion (faith and repentance)
5. Justification (right legal standing)
6. Adoption (membership in God’s family)
7. Sanctification (right conduct of life)
8. Perseverance (remaining a Christian)
9. Death (going to be with the Lord)
10. Glorification (receiving a resurrection body)
We should note here that items 2–6 and part of 7 are all involved in “becoming a Christian.” Numbers 7 and 8 work themselves out in this life, number 9 occurs at the end of this life, and number 10 occurs when Christ returns
The term predestination is also frequently used in this discussion. In this textbook, and in Reformed theology generally, predestination is a broader term and includes the two aspects of election (for believers) and reprobation (for unbelievers).
We may define election as follows: Election is an act of God before creation in which he chooses some people to be saved, not on account of any foreseen merit in them, but only because of his sovereign good pleasure.
Several passages in the New Testament seem to affirm quite clearly that God ordained beforehand those who would be saved. For example, when Paul and Barnabas began to preach to the Gentiles in Antioch in Pisidia, Luke writes, “And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and glorified the word of God; and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed” (Acts 13:48). It is significant that Luke mentions the fact of election almost in passing. It is as if this were the normal occurrence when the gospel was preached. How many believed? “As many as were ordained to eternal life believed.”
The view goes something like this. From all eternity God has prior knowledge of the actions and responses of humans. This is part of God’s omniscience, since he knows everything from an eternal perspective. Since God knows in advance with respect to time what we will do as human creatures, he knows in advance who will and who will not respond to the gospel. So the idea is this: God looks down the corridors of time from his vantage point in eternity and he sees the different responses people make to the gospel of Christ. On the basis of his prior knowledge of how we will respond freely to the invitation of the gospel, God then predestines those whom he knows will say yes to salvation. Predestination, according to this view, is not an actual foreordaining that people will believe, but only a foreordaining that those who believe will be saved. God does not work the faith into their hearts. That is something they do by their response, by their will, by their choice
It is not easy to distinguish between ‘foreknew’ and ‘fore-ordained’; God’s knowledge must surely involve ordination, since men and things must be and become what he knows them to be. The slightly ambiguous phraseology may serve as a warning that we are dealing here not with a rigidly thought out and expressed determinist philosophy, but with a profound religious conviction. To say this, however, does not mean that predestination is to be emptied of its meaning. The history and personal make-up of the Church are not due to chance or to arbitrary human choices, but represent the working out of God’s plan. Only here can peace and security be found. Our own intentions, like our own virtues, are far too insecure to stand the tests of time and judgement.
God’s intention is that Christ shall be the eldest (cf. Col. 1:18; 1:15 is less close) of many brothers, who become joint-heirs (cf. v. 17) with him, and so enter with him into his inheritance. This picture of Christ as the eldest in the family explains what is meant by ‘bearing the same image as his Son’. ‘Image’ is for Paul primarily an eschatological word (though this is not inconsistent with its origin in Gen. 1:27). Compare 1 Cor. 15:49; 2 Cor. 3:18; 4:4; Col. 1:15; 3:10. When God’s purpose is fully realized we shall share Christ’s glorious body in God’s likeness. At present we are conformed (συμμορφιζόμενοι) to his death (Phil. 3:10); we shall be conformed (σύμμορφοι, used by Paul in the present verse) to the body of his glory (Phil. 3:21).
30 Predestination is worked out in time: those whom he fore-ordained he also called. See above on v. 28; also 1:1, 6. Calling brings God’s purpose into time. In human terms, calling is conversion; compare 1 Cor. 7:18; Gal. 1:6; Col. 3:15; 1 Thess. 4:7. Man becomes aware of the predestinating love of God. Those whom he called he also justified, because they responded in faith to his call. Life and glory are impossible apart from the righteousness conferred in justification (see pp. 30 ff.). With justification Paul has reached the present; but so sure is his confidence, and so certain the purpose of God, that he can go on to describe a future event in a past tense: those whom he justified he also glorified. For glory as the final consummation of God’s saving purpose, see pp.44 f. Beyond this there is no more to say.
