Romans # 15 Rom 8-18 thru 8-39
We’re going to continue on the book of Romans. Last week we left off at (ROM 8:17), so we’re going to pick up from there.
I. Turn to ROM 8:15-18
A. 1st of all in V 17 Paul says that we are heirs of God and joint heirs with the Lord Jesus Christ.
1. But in this same V he says that we will suffer with Him.
a. There are going to be persecutions that we are going to face.
i. In America the suffering is so small, because the persecution is limited. But there are things that we’re going to face in this world.
ii. We will face a limited amount of persecution, but we will also face the attacks of the enemy.
2. But I like what Paul adds in this V. He says, “We will also be glorified together.” He goes on to add more to that in the next V.
3. ROM 8:18
a. In this V Paul is saying that the things that we go through on Earth cannot even be compared to the things in glory.
i. I had to stop for a moment on this V because Paul says, “The glory which shall be revealed in us.”
b. The NIV says the same thing, but as I began to look at other translations it says, “The glory revealed to us.”
i. In the Strong’s concordance the Greek word can mean either “In” or “To.”
c. The things of this world are only temporal, but the things in heaven will last forever.
i. I don’t thing that anyone fully comprehends what we’ll have in heaven.
B. ROM 8:19-21
1. In these Vs here Paul is telling us about the curse that came upon the Earth from Adam’s sin.
a. All creation, living and nonliving, has come under the curse.
i. Everything decays, falls apart, breaks down, and becomes useless.
2. But there is coming a day when creation itself shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption. (Romans 8:21)
a. That day will be, as Paul puts it, when there is the manifestation of the sons of God. (V 19)
b. When is that?
i. When we return with the Lord Jesus Christ.
c. When Paul says “Manifestation of the sons of God,” the word “Manifestation” means “Appearance or appearing.” (V 19)
i. Right now we don’t appear any different to another person.
ii. But when we return with the Lord Jesus Christ we will truly appear as the sons of God, with our glorified bodies.
iii. At that time creation will be delivered from the bondage of corruption. (V 21)
C. ROM 8:22-23
1. In (V 23) Paul talks about believers having the “Firstfruits of the Spirit.”
a. What Paul is saying here is that the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit in the believers lives, is a foretaste of what is to come, receiving all of God’s blessings, including living in God’s presence forever.
2. ROM 8:24-25
a. Paul says in (Ephesians 2:8) “For by grace are ye saved through faith.”
b. When Paul says in (ROM 8:24) “For we are saved by hope” He’s saying that because we are saved by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ we have hope.
D. ROM 8:26-27
1. In (V 26) Paul says, “Spirit also helpeth our infirmities.”
a. The word “Helpeth” means “to take hold with another.”
b. The HS takes hold with us.
i. The word WITH is important in this definition.
ii. It means that He is not going to do it all alone, but that He is going to do it WITH us.
2. In the next phrase Paul says that “The HS will take hold with us because of our infirmities.”
a. “Our infirmities” means “weakness.”
b. He goes on to explain what he means, “For we know not what we should pray for as we ought.”
i. And because we don’t know how or what to pray for the HS will help us pray.
c. Then he goes on to say “but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.” (End of V 26)
i. The HS will pray through us.
3. ROM 8:27
a. As the HS is praying through us He will pray for the saints according to God’s perfect will.
II. ROM 8:28
A. All things don’t work together for good.
1. They only work together for good for those that love God and are called according to His purpose or His plan.
a. Sometimes people have a hard time with the last part.
i. They think that things may not work out for good, because they don’t know if they’re called according to His plan.
ii. But this is in a very general sense.
b. What is God’s main plan? Salvation.
2. In other words Paul is saying that all things work out together for good if we’re saved and love God. (Repeat)
a. Now there are things that happen that are not good, but God has a way of turning those things around.
B. ROM 8:29-30
1. In (Ephesians 1:4) Paul said, “He hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world.”
a. It’s not that you never had a choice to receive Jesus or not, but God in His foreknowledge knew that you would receive Jesus as Lord and Saviour.
2. ROM 8:31-32
a. “If God be for us, who can be against us?”
i. The question is not so much, “That there is no one against us,” but rather “Who can possibly rise up in victory over us.”
b. We know that Satan and his demonic host are against us.
i. (Ephesians 6:12) Says, “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.”
ii. Even though there are battles, God will continue to lead us into victory as we walk with Him.
c. In (V 32) Paul says that God gave the most precious thing in heaven and Earth, and that was the Lord Jesus Christ.
i. If God was willing to give us Jesus, wouldn’t He be willing to give us all things?
III. ROM 8:33-34
A. Who will lay any charge against God’s elect?
1. The Bible says in (REV 12:10) that Satan is “the accuser” of the brethren.
a. When Satan brings up false accusations against us, they will be “thrown out and dismissed.”
2. Jesus is at the right hand of the Father interceding for us.
B. ROM 8:35-37
1. Some have thought that God doesn’t love us any longer because the storms of life or persecution that come.
a. But Paul says in (V 37) “NAY or NO.”
i. Nothing can separate us from the Love of God.
2. At the end of (V 37) Paul responds to the subject of persecutions and the enemy that rises up against us, by saying “In all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.”
a. I like how the NASB puts (Romans 8:37) “But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us.”
C. ROM 8:38-39
1. Paul says, “For I am persuaded” that would be better translated “I am convinced.”
a. Convinced of what?
b. That nothing shall separate us from the Love of God. NOTHING.
WOLCC 10/5/95 Thus PM