Romans 8

Romans 8:1

If anyone is wrestling with depression, I have good news for you: You’re in the right place, for Romans 8 is the true antidote for depression. You see, when a person is going through depression, it is always in one of three areas. He is either haunted by something in his past, anxious about something in his future, or weighed down by something presently. Romans 8 is the perfect solution for each of these situations. Verse Rom_8:1 declares there is no condemnation concerning the past. Verses Rom_8:38-39 promise there can be no separation from God’s love in the future. And verse Rom_8:28 states that all things are working together for good in the present. Now, if we believe this, there’s no room for depression, and if we’ll embrace it, we’ll experience an alleviation of the depressed spirit that inflicts us so easily. Perhaps that is why Dr. Donald Barnhouse said that whenever a believer’s Bible accidentally falls on the floor, it should automatically open to Romans 8. To the woman taken in the act of adultery, Jesus said, “Where are thine accusers? Go your way and sin no more” (see Joh_8:10-11). So, too, when, in naked honesty, you say to the Lord, “I know I’m a sinner, but I realize You are my Savior and that what You did on the Cross is sufficient to pay the price for my sin,” then you can go your way free. “Wait a minute,” you protest. “Yes, Jesus said, ‘Go your way,’ but He also said, ‘and sin no more.’ That’s the key.” Listen, precious people. I don’t believe Jesus’ tone with the woman taken in adultery was, “I’ll let you off the hook this time, lady. But if it happens again, you’ll be in big trouble.” No, I believe His tone was, “Go your way a free woman. By the Word I’m sharing with you, and the love I’m showing to you, I’m giving you liberation from your tendency to indulge your flesh, and freeing you to live in an entirely different lifestyle.” And I believe there was a smile on His face, not a finger in her face as He said it. We’re in Christ Jesus, folks. That’s the key. The Lord said to Noah, “Rooms shalt thou make in the ark and thou shalt pitch it within and without with pitch” (Gen_6:14). The word “pitch” is the same word used in the Old Testament for “atonement,” so the ark is a perfect picture of our salvation, for when the rain began to fall, the Lord shut Noah and his family in (Gen_7:16). He didn’t say, “I’m going to put eight pegs on the outside of the ark, Noah. You and your family are to hang on for dear life, and as long as you hang on, you’ll make it through.” No, He said, “I’m going to put you in.” And the same is true of us. It’s not a matter of holding on, hoping that if we can keep from sinning, we’ll be okay. No, our Ark is Jesus Christ; and we are in Him. Therefore, there is no condemnation. No matter how rough the seas might be or how heavy the rain comes down, we’re sealed, safe, and secure. A friend came by one day with a couple boxes of Häagen-Dazs barsthe dark chocolate-covered onesmy favorites. Now, if you’ve ever read the ingredients on the side panel of a Häagen-Dazs box, you know they’re sinful. And yet that sinfully delicious Häagen-Dazs is now hidden and buried in me. You no longer see it. So, tooyou are in Christwith all of your sinful tendencies, calories, and fat grams. Thus, when the Father looks on you, He doesn’t see you with all of your failings and shortcomings. No, He sees you robed with the righteousness of Christ Jesus (Isa_61:10). He doesn’t see you in your sin; He sees you in His Son. Therefore, there’s no condemnation whatsoever. Regardless of where you’ve been or how badly you’ve failed, regardless of who you are or where you are, there is no condemnation. After realizing that only Jesus could set him free from the demands and the expectations of the law (Romans 7), Paul explodes with this understanding, as we’ll see him mention the Spirit nineteen times in chapter 8.

Romans 8:2

The law of sin and death is comprised of three forces working in conjunction with each other: Satan, the flesh, and the world. Now, in my own energy, I can take on any two. But I’m doomed by the combination of three. You see, if Satan and the world system were alive and wellbut if I didn’t have a body, sin would have no pull on me. If I had a body and was in the worldbut there was no Satan, there would be no problem because, as the prince of this world (Joh_12:31), it is Satan who activates the world system that plays on my flesh. If I had a body and Satan was presentbut there was no world system, Satan could not have access to me, because he would have no way to influence me. It is because I have a body and live in a world controlled by Satan that, without the Lord, I am subject to the law of sin and death. If you go to the airport, you’ll see planes sitting on the runway. They’re not going anywhere because the law of gravity is keeping them on the ground. But as soon as their engines are turned on, the law of aerodynamics takes over. Although gravity is still in effect and still pulls on the planes, there’s a higher law, a more powerful force at work that allows them to overcome the law of gravity. That’s what Paul is saying. We’re free from this law of sin and death by possibility thinking? No. By positive mental imaging? No. We’re free by the Spirit of Jesus Christ. He lives in us, enabling us to fly high and overcome the law of sin and death.

Romans 8:3

The weakness of the law lies in the fact that we can’t keep it. Folks, you can write, “I’m going to pray three hours every morning” in your journal. You can post, “I will read my Bible three hours every night” on your fridge, But sooner or later, you’ll find the weakness lies not in those commitments, but in your own flesh. That’s why Paul rejoices that God took care of the matter by sending His own Sonthat the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled not by us, but in us, as the Spirit guides us spontaneously, leads us daily, corrects us constantly, and frees us practically.

Romans 8:5

The question then becomes, “Paul if this is so, if there’s no condemnation, if we’re free from rules and regulations, then why shouldn’t I just continue in my carnal tendencies and fleshly activities?” “Because,” Paul would say, “to be carnally minded is death.” Want to know how to experience the stench of death in your life? Live carnally. What does it mean to live carnally? Jesus associated it with Gentiles who were concerned with nothing more than what they would eat, what they would wear, and where they would go (Mat_6:31-32). A carnal person asks, “Where can we eat now? What new hobby can we enjoy? What vacation can we take?” You see, we think living in the flesh is synonymous with committing blatant sins. But in reality, to live in the flesh simply means to give priority to the things of the material realm. Why is that death? Because man was created in the image of God. Since God is a TrinityFather, Son and SpiritHe created man as lesser trinity of spirit, soul, and body. The spirit is the deepest part of you, the “real” you.

The soul is your mind and emotions. The body is the thing you live in temporarily. When God created man, there was a beautiful connection between the spirit of man and the Spirit of God as Adam and God walked together in the Garden of Eden in the cool of the day (Gen_3:8). But when Adam gave in to his flesh and ate the forbidden fruit, he allowed his bodythe material aspect of his natureto assume predominance over his spirit, thereby severing his direct communion with God’s Spirit.

Romans 8:7

With the soulthe mindlodged between the spirit and the flesh, the question becomes one of what will control my mind. Will it be the spirit, as my spirit is linked to God’s Spirit? As the day unfolds, will I be a spiritual man? Or will I be carnal, wondering, Where am I going to go? How am I going to be entertained? What am I going to eat? Truly, if my body controls my thoughts, I am carnally minded and cannot please God. What’s life about? wondered Solomon. It must be about money. So he gathered so much gold that even silver had no value in his kingdom. Ever notice how it is the wealthy people in our society who oftentimes end up taking drugs? Why is this? Because the ones who hit the top find out money isn’t the answer, whereas the rest of us think that if we could just make more money, work harder, or invest more wisely we would be happy. Solomon knew better. He had more money than he knew what to do with, and still wasn’t happyso he thought happiness must lie in women. He amassed one thousand wives and concubines, but he found they weren’t the answer either. “Happiness must be found in intellectual pursuit,” he decided. So he became a botanist, a biologist, an ichthyologist. He became so knowledgeable that he penned books by the hundreds. And he became philosophical to such a degree that people traveled from all over the world to hear him share his proverbs. But, after all of this he concluded that much study wearies the flesh (Ecc_12:12). The answer must be in partying, he thought.

So he imported peacocks and apes from Africa, and made sure wine flowed freely during parties so lavish they would make Hollywood jealous. But it was still empty in his eyes. Deciding the answer to his restlessness must lie in power, he built his empire to be the most powerful empire of his day. Yet he remained empty. Poor Solomon. Put yourself in his golden sandals. What frustration! All the power he could ever want, more money than he could even count, one thousand of the most beautiful women at his beck and call, endless parties, education, philosophyhe had it all. But here was his dilemma: Nothing satisfied. Whereas the average person thinks, I’m almost happy. If I can just get a bigger house, or a newer car, I know I’ll be happy, Solomon was stuck. He was at the top. There was no bigger car to buy, no other woman to go after, no higher investment to make. He was at the top and he said, “It’s empty.” And here little Paul comes along with his bowed legs, hooked nose, and bald head, saying, “It’s real simple. To be carnally minded is deathbut to be spiritually minded is life and peace.” Brother Solomon finally did figure it out. After approximately twelve years of women, money, power, and philosophy, he said, “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments; for this is the whole duty of man” (see Ecc_12:13). And from that time on, Solomon was known as “the preacher.” I ask you this question: What has been ruling your soul? Has it been your flesh, or has it been God’s Spirit? If you’re going to pursue the material and live for your flesh, you’ll never be satisfied. But if you live for the Spirit, you’ll know life and peace eternally and presently.

Romans 8:9

The word “dwell” means “to be at home.” Is the Spirit of God at home in you? If you’re a believer, He’s in youwithout question. But is He at home in your life? Can He just kick back in the easy chair of your heart and say, “I’m so glad to be in your life; I’m so glad you’re Mine”? Or do you take Him to activities, listen to conversations, and involve yourself in that which makes Him uneasy? In writing about a believer who joined himself to a harlot, Paul said he was joining Christ Himself to the harlot (1Co_6:15). So, too, I suggest to you that, in these immoral days in which we live, Christians all too often force the Lord into activities of which He wants no part. Would you think about this the next time you turn on TV, listen to gossip, or go to a movie? Praise the Lord, there’s no condemnation (Rom_8:1)but there must be a realization of what’s going on. Although the Spirit may not be comfortable in your life, if you are a Christian, He is still in you. However, if Christ is not in you, you’re not saved.

Romans 8:10

How are we to deal with these sinful tendencies, these carnal activities, habits and thoughts? Paul gives us the key: The Spirit of Him that raised up Jesus from the dead is in us, and He’ll live His life through us.

Romans 8:12

“I must mortify the deeds of the body,” some people say. “I’ve got to crucify my flesh"but it’s impossible to crucify yourself. If you lie down on a cross and pound a nail through your wrist, even if you somehow endure the pain, you’re only half crucified because you can’t pound in the other nail. How do you mortify the deeds of the flesh? There’s only one way: through the Spirit. After capturing the ark of the covenant, the Philistines placed it in the temple of their fish god, Dagon. The next morning, the Philistine priests got up to find Dagon had fallen down before the Ark (1Sa_5:3). They stood Dagon up and went their way. The next morning, they came in again, and there was Dagon, facedown on the floor, with his head and hands cut off. Now, at this point, you would think the priests would have said, “Something’s fishy here. This isn’t working.” But, instead, they chose to side with Dagon. They stood him up, patched him together, and said, “The ark’s gotta go.” Precious people, the way to gain victory over whatever it is you’re struggling with is not to try to topple Dagon, but to bring in the ark, for the ark represents the presence of God. Whatever your Dagon might be, bring in the Spirit of the Lord. How? Just love the Lord. Get up tomorrow morning and before your feet hit the ground, drop to your knees, and give your life to Him. When He whispers in your heart during your coffee break, “Pull away and talk with Me,” do it. When you’re deciding which dial to press on your radio during lunch, just do what the Spirit tells you to do. Allow the Spirit of God to fill your heart, and you know what will happen? You’ll lose interest in the stuff that dominated and controlled younot because you wrestled with Dagon, but because you brought in the ark. That’s why Romans 8 is so thrilling! Too many believers are trying to fight evil habits and tendencies on their ownand it’s exhausting. If you walk into a dark room, you don’t scream, karate chop, give teachings about, or rebuke the darkness. You turn on the light.

Romans 8:14

Just as the Spirit of God gives you victory over the flesh, the Spirit of God will give you guidance in life. People struggle so hard with finding God’s will, yet it’s so simple. When asked how to find the will of God, Augustine simply said, “It’s real simple. Love the Lord and do whatever you want.” How could he say this? Because if we love the Lord, Psalms 37 says the Spirit will change the desires of our heart to conform to His will.

Romans 8:15

The word “Abba” is Aramaic for “Papa.” When my youngest son Benjamin says “Dad, what do you want me to do today?” my answer is not, “I’m not going to tell you.” Yet that’s the way a lot of people see God. They think He gets a kick out of keeping us in the dark as long as possible. “No,” says Paul. “By the spirit of adoption, God is our papa. Therefore, there’s no need to fear.”

Romans 8:17

Many years ago, we adopted our cat Gabriel into our family. From that point on, he had to be adapted for our family. That is, he had to learn not to use Peter’s bed for his litter box, not to climb on the curtains, not to claw the couch. So, too, as adopted sons, the suffering we experience presently is for the purpose of adapting us spiritually and will one day disappear totally in light of the glory we will partake of eternally.

Romans 8:19

There are groups who teach that in the end times the “manifested sons of God” will be super-saints who will not have struggles or problems like others, but will exist on a different level than the rest of us. “Join us,” say these groups, “and you, too, can be one of the manifested sons of God.” I have a real problem with this interpretation because the Bible never even hints at such heresy. Who, then, are the manifested sons of God? We are (1Jn_3:1-2). The manifestation of the sons of God will take place when Jesus comes back, when we see Him, when we are made like Him, and when, at last we will be the kind of people we’ve longed to be.

Romans 8:20

The word “vanity” means “emptiness.” Pascal was right when he said there is a God-shaped vacuum in the heart of every man, for here, Paul tells us the creature was made subject to vanity, or emptiness. Man has a hole in his heartand although we try to fill that hole with materialism, sexual experience, or recreation, nothing can fill the emptiness but God. I once read a story of a goose who chose a mailbox for a mate after its partner died when it was accidentally run over by a snowmobile. The goose flailed wildly at the letter carrier and nipped at anyone who came to get the mail from the box. It stood by the box night and day. Finally, the goose itself died, standing guard next to its chosen matethe mailbox. A lot of people are looking for something to satisfy them, some relationship to fulfill them. But in the end, we all find that anything short of God is a mailbox.

Romans 8:21

Creation is hurting. Julie Andrews notwithstanding, the hills may be alive with the sound of musicbut they’re singing in a minor key. Why? Because all creation was cursed when man sinned in the Garden of Eden. Consequently, the more you study nature, along with its beauty, the more you see its cruelty. We enjoy the delicate flower, but shudder at the devastating flood. Earthquakes and tornadoes, thunder and avalanche are as much a part of nature as gentle streams and peaceful meadows. That is why nature groans and waits for the day when the King comes back and for the day when the trees of the field will clap their hands (Isa_55:12).

Romans 8:23

Not only does nature groan environmentally, but we groan internally. Do you ever wake up in the morning, look in the mirror, and just groan? Our bodies are wearing out, folks. They’re not what they once werebut, praise the Lord, they’re not what they one day will be.

Romans 8:26

I spent some time with a man in his early thirties who was on his deathbed. The body of this young man, once a good athlete and a vibrant father, was racked by cancer. His family asked, “Why doesn’t the Lord just take him home? Why the suffering? We prayed for his healing and that didn’t happen. What’s the Father doing?” I understood the family saying, “Take him home.” But what if, in these final days of our brother’s difficulty and suffering, the Father is putting on the final touches of the inner person, shaping and molding what he will be for the next billion years in heaven? Is that what’s happening? I don’t know, for, like Paul, I know not how to pray. The only thing I do know is that I don’t know. Let us ever remember that while prayer is to be directed to God, it is not to be directing God. Most people, at least for part of their pilgrimage, try to direct the Lord, thinking that’s what prayer is about. “Let me explain the situation, Lord. Here’s what you need to do,” we say with great authority and audacity. “We know not how to pray,” said Paul. Someone comes to us and says, “Pray I’ll get the job.” “Pray this project will prosper.” Wait a minute. So many things I thought would be wonderful have proven to be detrimental, a distraction, and a curse. Conversely, so many things I thought would be terrible have proven to be a huge blessing. The same is true nationally. It might be that the Lord wants to close us down. That’s a possibility. Maybe the best thing that could happen to our country would be a collapse economically, politically, or militarilybecause that’s what it might take to heal us spiritually. I don’t know. I’m not God. Therefore, I’m not going to give Him direction on what He should or should not do. Instead, I just groan, “Lord, You see what’s going on in the nation. You see what’s going on with that person. You see what’s going on in our congregation. I don’t know how to pray. I don’t know what Your will is. But I just give it all to You to work out according to Your perfect and beautiful plan.” Now, if we don’t know how to pray, then why pray at all? Understand this: Prayer is not getting my will done in heaven. Prayer is getting God’s will done on earth. It’s not me giving directions to the Father, but rather me saying, “Father, direct me. I open the door for You to work. I hold up this need for You. I place this situation in Your hand.” I do this all through prayer because the Word tells us that God has chosen to work through the vehicle of prayer. And if we do not pray we will limit what He would do, what He could do, what He desires to do (Jas_4:2). Therefore, if I don’t pray, I will never know if God got His way with Peter-John, this congregation, or our nation. But if I do pray and say, “Lord, here’s the situation. I’m not directing You, but I’m just looking to You to have Your will done"then I can be at peace. Whatever happens, I know I played my part; I opened the door, and since the Father knows best, I can rest. The Spirit groans through me, the Son intercedes for me, and the Father will do what’s right concerning me. But if I don’t pray, I’ll always wonder if things would have been different if I had.

Romans 8:28

We usually rewrite Rom_8:28 to read: “Most things,” or “some things work together for good.” Paul says even though there’s groaning and suffering as we’re being adapted for heaven, know this: It’s all working for good.” “We know all things work together for good,” said Paul. You see, it’s not something we have to learnit’s something the Spirit witnesses in our hearts. No matter what’s coming down, no matter what’s going onwe know innately that all things are working together for good.” Jacob declared just the opposite. Famine was in the land. His wife, Rachel, was dead. He thought his beloved son, Joseph, was dead as well. His oldest son, Simeon, was being held hostage in Egypt. And the man in charge was saying, “I will give you no more supplies until you bring your youngest son, Benjamin, to Egypt.” It was more than Jacob could bear. “All things are working against me,” he said (see Gen_42:36). But then what happened? In the succeeding chapter, he did, indeed, send Benjamin to Egypt. Why? I suggest it was because even though he was murmuring, complaining, and doubting, Jacob knew Benjamin would come back, that things would work out, that everything would be okay. Otherwise, he never would have allowed Benjamin to go. So, too, in the times we have, like Jacob, said, “Everything’s working against me,” even then we knew that wasn’t true. That’s why Paul said, “We know"not “I want you to know,” not “I’m going to teach you"but “We already know that all things are working for good.” By the Spirit we know this intuitively, and by our experience, we see how God has worked everything together for good previously. Therefore, we can trust Him to keep working for our goodand for His glory. It’s All for Good A Topical Study of Rom_8:28 There are certain things we don’t know. For example, we don’t know how a honeybee can fly. You see, theoretically, the wings of a honeybee are too short and too light to support him when he is carrying pollen. It’s an aerodynamic impossibility for a honeybee to fly when he’s loaded with pollen. But guess what. Honeybees fly even when loaded with pollen. Certain things we don’t knowthings as simple as the flight of a bee. There are some things we can’t knowthings like the day or hour of the Rapture (Mat_25:13), or who will be in heaven (Mat_13:24-30). There are several things we should know. “Don’t be ignorant,” admonished Paul, “concerning the second coming (see 1Th_4:13), spiritual gifts (see 1 Corinthians 12), and Satan’s devices” (see 2Co_2:11). And there are some things we truly do know… The Promise Given to Us In our text, Paul doesn’t say, “You should know that all things work together for good.” He doesn’t say, “I want you to know all things work together for good.” He says, “You already know that all things work together for good to them that love God and are called according to His purpose.” How do we know this? “Because this verse is in the Word,” you answer. “Therefore, it must be true.” All right. But what about those in Rome to whom Paul was writing? They had never heard of Rom_8:28. How, then, could Paul assume they knew its truth? The Price Paid for Us Look down a few verses to verse Rom_8:32: “God spared not His own Son but delivered Him up for you and me.” If He loved you enough to send His Son to be slaughtered in your stead to pay the price for your sin, don’t you know God will do what’s good for you continually? When I begin to doubt the love of God, or wonder if things are really working together for good, all I need to do is look to Calvary and see Jesus there dying for me. The Peace Within Us God’s goodness was known and understood by Old Testament saints long before the Cross of Calvary. How? Because, deep within their hearts, in the midst of tragedy, in the face of difficulty, all those who love God know that all things are truly working together for good. There is a man in the Old Testament who did this very thing. His name is Jacob, and this part of his story is found in Genesis 42. Jacob had twelve sons. Although he loved them all, number eleven was especially dear to him. His name? Joseph. You recall the story… Jacob gave Joseph a “coat of many colors,” or, more accurately, “a coat with big sleeves.” You see, in those days, laborers wore vests without sleeves in order that their arms could be unrestricted. But the bossesthe head honchoswore coats with sleeves, which served as lunchboxes or briefcases because they kept important documents and/or food in them. Joseph’s big sleeves made his brothers so jealous that they threw him into a pit, where they were going to leave him to dieuntil one of the brothers suggested they could make some money if they sold him as a slave. So sell him they did, after which they smeared blood all over his coat and took it to Jacob, saying, “Bad news, Dad. Joseph was eaten by wild animals.” Meanwhile, through an incredible series of events, Joseph became prime minister of Egyptsecond in command only to Pharaoh himself. When famine hit Israel, Jacob called his sons together and said, “I’ve heard there’s a man in Egypt who has food. Go ask him if we can buy some grain.” So his sons, ten in number, appeared before the prime minister, whom they didn’t recognize. “Why are you here?” asked Joseph. “We’re here to buy grain, Your Highness.” “I think you’re lying,” said Joseph. “I think you’ve come to spy out the land.” “No,” insisted his brothers. “We’re brothers. In fact, there were twelve of us originallybut one of our brothers is dead, and our youngest brother is at home.” “If that’s true,” countered Joseph, “go bring your youngest brother to me. That will validate your story. Meanwhile you, Simeon, will stay in prison until the youngest one is brought back.” The nine went back home, taking the grain with them that Joseph had given them. The famine grew worse, and soon they were out of food once more. “Go back to Egypt,” Jacob said. “We can’t go back unless we take Benjamin,” said the brothers. Watch what Jacob said in verse Gen_42:36: “Me have ye bereaved of my children; Joseph is not, and Simeon is not, and ye will take Benjamin away: all these things are against me,” or literally, “all is working against me.” What does Romans 8 say? “All things work for good.” What is Jacob declaring? “Everything is working against me. My son, Simeon, is a hostage. My son Joseph is dead. And my son Benjamin is soon to disappear.” Jacob was completely wrong about what had happened: Joseph wasn’t dead. As a matter of fact, he was in perfect health. And Jacob was wrong about what would happen: Benjamin would return, and Simeon would be released. “Doesn’t what Jacob said disprove your premise that everyone who loves God knows innately that everything is working out for good?” you ask. Even though Jacob said, “Everything is against me,” I suggest to you deep down inside, he didn’t believe it. Why? Read the next chapter. Knowing Jacob, if he really believed Benjamin would die in Egypt, he would not have allowed Benjamin to go. Clever, cunning Jacob would have figured out another way. But his sending Benjamin proves he didn’t really believe everything was working out negatively for him. The story continues… The brothers return to Egypt and appear before Joseph with Benjamin in tow. “I’m the brother you put in a pit, the one you sold into slavery,” announced Joseph. And the brothers fell at his feet in fear. “Don’t fear,” he said. Although you meant evil against me, God meant it for good” (see Gen_50:20). Joseph said, “Everything you did to me was part of a plan, so don’t worry.” And he spoke kindly to them and showed great love toward them. Here’s the question: How do I react to difficulty? Am I like Jacob, saying, “All things are working against me. How can this be happening to me? What good is going to come out of this tragedy"even though I know in my heart that such is not the case? Or am I like Joseph, saying, “Man may have meant this for evil, but God meant it for good”? Unfortunately, all too often I choose the sniveling of Jacob rather than the security of Joseph. Why? To elicit sympathy. My flesh is terribly ugly, and one of the things that makes it that way is my desire for you to feel sorry for me. What is it about our flesh that wants people to think we have it harder than anyone else? While that may seem an insignificant quirk, in reality it borders on blasphemy because in getting you to feel sorry for me, I get you to question God’s goodness, provision, and protection in my life. Thus, your pity for me is at God’s expense. Who am I going to be? Am I going to be self-indulgent and allow God to be cast in a bad lighteven though I know in my heart the promise given to me, the price paid for me, the peace available for me? Am I going to deny all of that and say, “I want you to feel sorry for me. Listen to my tragedy”? Or am I going to say, “I will not dishonor this good, gracious, loving God who has been so kind to me, who has been so good to me. Therefore, I will not bring shame to His name in eliciting sympathy from anyone”? That is called the fear of the Lord. It’s respect. It’s reverence. It’s saying, “Father, I care more about Your reputation than I do about getting sympathy from the congregation. I don’t want them to think questioningly, negatively, or blasphemously of You.” What is the fear of God? The fear of God means you’re so in love with God that you are afraid of doing anything that would hurt Him. Oh, that we would be those who say, “We fear God. We will not snivel. God is good and we know in our hearts deep within us that all things are working together for good”? Does this mean we’re not to sympathize with others when they’re going through difficulties? While the Bible does, indeed, say we are to weep with those who weep (Rom_12:15), what does it actually mean? Whenever you want to know what a verse or concept means, look at Jesus Christ who was the Word made flesh. “Come quickly, Lord. The one whom thou lovest is sick,” pleaded Martha and Mary (Joh_11:3). Four days later, when Jesus finally arrived, Martha greeted Him, saying, “Where were You?” Do you ever hear yourself talking like that? Do you ever hear yourself saying, “The bills are stacking up; my marriage is falling apart, my health is breaking downwhere’s the Lord?” After Martha came Mary. “Lord,” she cried, “if only You had been here, our brother would not have died.” Seeing her weep, Jesus wept. Why? Was it because Lazarus died? No. Jesus knew Lazarus would soon be called back from the dead. He wasn’t weeping for Lazarus. He was weeping because Mary didn’t get it. In Luke 19, we read of Jesus weeping againthis time over the city of Jerusalem. As the multitude shouted, “Hosanna! Blessed is He that comes in the name of the Lord,” Jesus wept over the city. Why? Because of the people’s failure to understand that He came to give them spiritual salvation, not a political solution. The third time Jesus spoke of weeping was in Luke 23. His back was beaten, His face swollen, and a crown of thorns was smashed into His skull, as He stumbled down the Via Dolorosa up to a hill called Calvary. To the women weeping along the way He said, “Don’t weep for Me. Weep for yourselves because you don’t understand what lies ahead for this city” (see verses Luk_23:28-29). When I see Jesus weeping, I am amazed because He never weeps for Himself. He only weeps when other people don’t understand. Here, then, is the question: Thinking you’re being compassionate, are you one who constantly weeps with others? Perhaps what we need in the Christian community during this time of self-centered Christianity are men and women who say, “I fear God. Dear brother, even if you don’t understandprecious sister, even if you think this is cold-hearted or lacking compassion, you know that this difficulty or this tragedy will work for good. Stand on that knowledge.

Cling to it. I will weep for you if you don’t get it. But I’m not going to weep with you as you question God and snivel. He’s too good for that. Righteous and true are His judgments (Psa_19:9). Whatever He does will prove to be excellent.

And I will stand on that.” May God give us wisdom. May God give us peace. May God give us understanding. All things work together for good to them that love God, to them that are called according to His purpose. I know this to be true. So do you.

Romans 8:29

Suppose you had absolute foreknowledge. For you, playing the lottery wouldn’t be gambling because you could pick the winning numbers with absolute certainty. The same is true for God. When He predestined you before the world began, He knew you would make it (Php_1:6). Folks, God is not in heaven biting His nails saying, “Boy, I hope that gang makes it.” No, God foreknows, then He predestines, calls, justifies, and glorifies. It is tremendous news to me that when God looks at me, He sees a winner. Now, although He has predestined us, concerning His people, God says, “I’m choosing you. I’m going before you. I’m guaranteeing victory to you, but it’s not because of your righteousness, for you are a stiffnecked people” (see Deu_9:6). In other words, the Lord was saying, “I know what you are. So when you come into the Promised Land and experience victories, watch out that you don’t think they’re because of your righteousness or spirituality. No, you are a stiffnecked, hard-hearted, uncircumcised people. However, knowing you are but dust (and some are a lot dustier than others!)I have compassion on you” (see Psa_103:14). I know God loves me. He’s elected me. Therefore, He’s going to see me through and usher me into eternity. At the same time, however, I recognize it’s not because of my righteousness or anything I am or have done that causes Him to elect me into the kingdom. Quite the contrary. We are all trophies of His grace. Angels will scratch their heads with their wings and marvel perpetually at the grace and goodness God demonstrated in choosing a guy like me. You see, wanting to illustrate His grace to all of creation through all of the ages to come, the Father chose not righteous people, but sinners and rebels and stiffnecked people like you and me. “I don’t get down on myself,” said Paul. “I did that in my Romans 7 days when I was under the lawreligion, rules, and regulations. But now I realize I am a trophy of His grace, and that He, by His goodness and because of His big-heartedness, chose people like me in order that all of eternity might marvel at His mercy.” “If a person is indeed predestined, what choice does he have?” you ask. “What about free will?” Picture with me two chess players. One is a master, the world’s best. He knows hundreds of opening and closing moves. Having only learned to play a week ago, the other player forgets which way the pawn goes and how the horse hops. These two players are engaged in a match, the master and the novice. Now, the novice has free will. He can move wherever he wants. But, by playing against the master, he’s going to find that any move he makes is countered brilliantly. In the end, he will find himself boxed into a corner, surrounded by the master’s men. Thus, although the novice is exercising his freedom, he really doesn’t have a chance. The same is true, as it relates to our freewill vs. God’s election and predestination. Man has free willbut he’s boxed in because the Master will inevitably corner those He chooses and bring them into the kingdom. “That’s great,” you say, “if you’re part of the chosen. What about the person who’s not elected?” Jesus said, He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.Joh_3:18-20 You see, the singular issue concerning predestination is neither intellectual nor theological. It’s moral. Through His foreknowledge, God sees the person who wants to continue to walk in darknessand doesn’t choose him. So, too, before the foundation of the world, He saw those who, like you, wanted to walk in lightand chose them. As we saw in Romans 5, “justified” means “just as if I never sinned.” The word “glorified” is in the aorist tensemeaning it’s taking place right now. This is great news! You see, Paul didn’t say, “Whom He justified, them He will glorify.” No, he said, “Whom He justified, them He is glorifying right now.” Why? Because Godwho transcends the time/space continuum, God who is light, God who lives in the eternal nowsees our glorified state as if it has already taken place. What is the implication for us? Suppose you knew the person sitting next to you was about to inherit fifty billion dollars next week. Not only that, but he would have the heart of a philanthropist as well. Wouldn’t you be just a tad bit nicer to him? Understand this: The one you’re sitting next to is richer than that. He or she is a joint-heir with Christ (Rom_8:17). From our vantage point, we all have a long way to go. But from God’s perspective, our glorification is a done deal. Therefore, before we pick on one another, it would be wise to stop and look at one another through our Father’s eyes.

Romans 8:31

In light of the fact that there’s no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, in light of the fact that everything is working out for our good because of Christ, in light of the fact that we are already glorified from God’s perspective, Paul finds himself speechless. When Nathan told David that, although he wouldn’t be able to build a temple for the Lord, the Lord wanted to establish His royal line through David, David was amazed. “What can I say?” he said (see 2Sa_7:18-20)which was quite a question for David to ask, considering the psalmist had a way with words, and was perhaps more skilled in expression than anyone else in history. Yet here he was, speechless in response to God’s kindness to him. Do you ever feel that way? The Lord touches you and ministers to you, gives you a verse in your devotional time, or impresses you with a truth as you’re driving in your car, or looking at your grandchildren or wifeand you just become overwhelmed at the goodness and mercy of God. I believe praise often reaches its highest point when we’re speechless, blown away by His mercy and grace. This verse literally reads, “Since God is for us, who can be against us?” We have the tendency to think God is disappointed with us. Not true. God is for you. And He’s for me. God views His people very highly and loves His people very deeply. Why? Because He already sees the end product. We’re already glorified in His eyes. If God be for us, who would dare to be against us? Only one: Satan. But Satan is no problem because Satan is not God’s counterpart. He’s only a fallen angel whose equivalent is, perhaps, Michael. God is so far above Satan and so much greater than this world system that any power that comes against you or any problem that creeps up within you is no match for the One who says, “I’m for you.” God is for you. “That sounds nice,” you say. “It might even be true theologically. But you don’t know where I’ve been personally. You don’t know how weak I am.” About a week ago I was reading through the Gospel of John once more, and I had to stop and chuckle. You see, the problem for a lot of us is, because we are so familiar with the stories in the gospel, they lose their impact. I mean, think with me… Two stories appear in John 2, both dealing with Jesus and a table. Around the first table, men have been drinking quite heartilyso much so that there was no wine left at the party. Around the second table, men were in the courtyard of the temple, exchanging money into Jewish currency that they might buy doves, lambs, and cattle to offer to Jehovah. Jesus turned over the table in one of those vignettes. Which one? If you hadn’t heard the story, you would say, “It’s obvious. He would be ticked off with the party-ers. He would overturn their table. He would drive them out.” But that’s not what happened, because time and again, Jesus did the opposite of what people expected Him to do. And the only reason His actions don’t shock us is because we’re so familiar with them. You see, if you didn’t know the story, you would say, “He dealt with the party-ers. But in reality, He made them more wine but overturned the tables of the outwardly pious moneychangers. Jesus is radical, folks. He caused the religious people of His day to be continually shocked and scandalized. They didn’t know what to do with Him because He loved to be with real peoplepeople who had struggled with life, people who knew they weren’t all that greatpeople just like us.

Romans 8:32

The word “spared” is used only one other place in the Septuagint, the Greek translation of the Old Testament. When Abraham took his son Isaac to Mount Moriah (today called Golgotha, or Calvary), God said, “Abraham, lay not your hand upon the lad. Neither do anything unto him, for now I know that thou fearest God seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from Me” (see Gen_22:12). The word “withheld” is the same word translated “spared” here in Romans. I suggest to you the reason God could pour out so many blessings on Abraham in so many ways was because Abraham was ready to sacrifice the one thing in his life that mattered most. In so doing, Abraham said, “I’ll plunge a knife into my son’s chest, even though I don’t understand, because I love You, Father, more than I trust my ability to figure out what’s going on.” So, too, if the thing that means the most to yoube it your wife, kids, house, car, job, futuredoesn’t matter at all to you in comparison to your relationship with your Father, God can pour out all kinds of blessings on you because they won’t be a distraction for you. Here, God is saying, “You can be sure that because I gave you My Son, I’ll do what’s best for you from this point on.” When God gave His Son, He proved His magnanimity, His generosity, and His kindness conclusively. So why question what’s going on presently? Anything He shares with us or withholds from us cannot begin to compare with what He’s already given us in Christ. Embedded in the phrase “all things” is the idea “all good things.” In other words, if it’s a good thing, He’ll give it to you because He already gave you the best in Christ Jesus.

Romans 8:33

There is one who does indeed lay things to the charge of God’s elect. Satan, the accuser of the brethren (Rev_12:10), points his finger at us constantly. As Joshua, the high priest, stood in the presence of the Lord, his garments became filthy (Zec_3:3), because in God’s presence, man’s spirituality always appears as filthy rags (Isa_64:6). Quick to exploit the situation, Satan pointed his finger at Joshua’s sin. “Is not this a stick I have plucked out of the fire?” said the Lord as Joshua’s garments became dazzling white. The same is true of us. We were little sticks headed for the fire of damnation. But the Lord plucked us out, robed us in His righteousness, and gave us the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness (Isa_61:3). “Look at his sin,” thunders Satan. “What sin?” asks God. “All I see is My Son.” There is no condemnation to them who are in Christ Jesus. Then what were we doing on our knees this morning, confessing sin? Confession is the result of conviction, not condemnation. Conviction is the work of the Spirit. When He convicts me of sin, I say, “Oh, Father, I realize this is wrong. I agree with You. And I thank You that I’m forgiven.” Conviction draws me to the Father. Condemnation, on the other hand, drives me from the Father. Condemnation makes me say, “I’m such a wretch. I can’t pray and I sure can’t go to church.” When Adam sinned in the Garden of Eden, God asked him a simple question. He didn’t say, “Where were you? How could you? Why did you?” No, He simply said, “Where are you?” (Gen_3:9). And that’s still the heart of the Father. His heart is not, “Where have you been?” or “What did you do? but “Where are you right now? Take off those scratchy fig leaves, and let Me clothe you with My righteousness.”

Romans 8:34

In Mark 16, we read that when Jesus ascended into heaven, He sat down at the right hand of the Father (Mar_16:19). This interests me because when you look at the temple or the tabernacle, you find no place for the priest to sit. There was a table to eat from, a lamp stand to see by, a laver to wash in, an alter to sacrifice onbut there was no place to sit because the work of the Old Testament priest was never done. It went on and on and on. But when the Great High Priest Jesus Christ died and said, “It is finished” (Joh_19:30), He meant it. He went to the right hand of the Father and sat down. When a person is tense and unsure of the outcome, he stands to his feet and paces. Jesus sits. The only record of Him standing in heaven is when He stood to welcome Stephen, the first martyr, home (Act_7:56).

Romans 8:35

Paul is saying to you and me, “God is for you. He’ll never lay any charge against you. He doesn’t come down on you. He’ll give you every good thing freely because He already gave you the best in Jesus.” The question then becomes, “If this be so, why do we go through tribulation, famine, distress, nakedness, peril, sword?” The answer is because we are like sheep (Psa_44:11). Sheep are easily picked off, easily put down, easily done in. It seems the Christian community has forgotten that it is comprised of lambs. We gear up, arm ourselves, and come out swinging. But the imagery is all wrong. After all, which NFL football team goes by the Lambs? Which Marine Corps unit would choose the lamb for its mascot? “If they hated Me, they’ll hate you,” Jesus said (see Joh_15:18). But the Good News is that in all these things we are more than conquerors. What does it mean to be more than a conqueror? It means that, instead of flexing our muscles politically or marching in protest socially, we draw people’s attention to an entirely different dimension spiritually. We’re to influence positivelyno question about it. But it’s not our passion, our purpose, or our priority to conquer the system. “Aren’t we to be salt and light?” you ask. “Yes, but salt is meant to be sprinkled. I had some clam chowder last night and asked for some salt. Now, what if the waiter had said, “You want salt? Here you go,” and proceeded to unscrew the lid and empty the shaker into my bowl? The chowder would have been ruined. The same is true of light. Do you appreciate it when an oncoming car shines its high-beams in your face? We wonder why the world doesn’t listen to us. Could it be because we empty the saltshaker in its soup and shine high beams in its face in our attempt to be salt and light? We’re to be lambs. We’re to be salt that’s sprinkled to add flavor, create thirst, and bring healing. We’re to be light that illuminates, not dominates. And know this: From the world’s perspective, we’ll never win. If you don’t understand this, you’ll be frustrated, disillusioned, embittered. We’re not conquerors. We’re more than conquerors. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego were tossed into the fiery furnace. But while they were in it, even Nebuchadnezzar saw Jesus Christ in the fire with them (Dan_3:25). Do the Nebuchadnezzars of this world look at us and say, “They went into the furnace without a fight, but somehow they’re walking around. They’re doing fine. We’re the ones who are hurting”? That’s what it means to be more than a conqueror.

Romans 8:38

Although we are “accounted as sheep for the slaughter,” in the place of slaughter, we see the Savior and He will never leave us. We will never be separated from His love. Paul is elated bythisfor if God be for us, who can be against us?