Romans 13

Romans 13:1

Children and Heirs of God

Romans 8:15. Being led by the Spirit is quite different from planning your life according to some law. If your rule of life is a law, then you’re nothing but a slave to it. A slave doesn’t have a tender and intimate relationship with his master. He must simply do what he is told. In the back of the mind, there is always the fear of doing something wrong.

The Spirit, that is, the new life you have received, has nothing to do with slavery and fear. The Spirit you have received is a Spirit of adoption. There’s the difference. Through this you can address God as Father. You cry out: “Abba, Father!” This indicates a trusting and friendly relationship. You know the Father as Someone Who is very close to you and to Whom you have been brought very close. He loves you and you trust Him completely. You have been brought into a family relationship with Him. You have become His child.

Romans 8:16. The Holy Spirit dwelling in you testifies with your spirit, that is, the new life you have received, that you are a child of God. You are a child of your parents because you have been born out of them. This is a completed, irreversible fact. Nothing can change this. Similarly, you’re a child of God because you have been born of God. Nothing can change this either. Hence it can be said that once a child of God, always a child of God. In a child the features of the parents are visible. Likewise, God’s features find their expression in a child of God. In Philippians 2 you can read about this, but there it addresses more your responsibility (Philippians 2:14-16). Here in Romans 8, it speaks more of your privileges. This chapter is full of them.

Romans 8:17. If you’re a child, then you’re an heir as well. An heir is someone who receives property from someone else. God is the Owner of all creation. He will give His property to you when you are glorified with Christ. Christ is the Heir and you are a fellow heir with Him. Whatever you receive, it is always in connection with Him. This includes suffering. If you suffer with Him, it proves you possess the new life. Here it is the kind of suffering our Lord Jesus knew when on earth. He suffered in this creation when He saw what sin had done and how it was doing its devastating work.

Romans 8:18. You will suffer in the same way if you see the consequences of sin around you. What misuse man makes of what God has created! He uses everything for his own glory and satisfaction. Don’t you long for the moment when the inheritance, the creation, will again be in the hands of its rightful Owner? Paul did. He was looking forward to the future glory he was going to see. The suffering he had to bear was nothing compared with the future glory. For us, this is an encouraging lesson. The more this glorious future becomes a reality to you, the more you will be able to bear the unpleasant things you experience as a believer.

Romans 8:19-20. What does the “revealing of the sons of God” mean? This means a moment is coming when all the sons of God, all the believers, will visibly appear in this creation to reign over it together with the Lord Jesus. As a result of man’s mismanagement, creation fails to yield as much as God put in it. Despite all the attempts of man to reach a fair distribution of creation’s riches, the chaos is constantly increasing. Man trusts in his abilities, but forgets he is fallen in sin. He has dragged creation along with him in his fall. So, creation has been made subject to vanity, not of its will, but by the conscious sin of man.

Romans 8:21. And yet, there is hope for creation. It will be set free. Currently the curse rests on creation like a slave’s yoke. You can see this by the corruption that attaches itself to everything. The corruption of the creation means that creation has been pulled downward to a lower state. She no longer has the glorious state of Eden. This pulling down is because of the corruption that entered creation along with sin. But the moment is close when the children of God will be in glory. When the Lord Jesus takes them away, they will really be free and out of the reach of the corruption in creation. And soon afterward, the creation itself will be set free. Do you also look forward to this?

Now read Romans 8:15-21 again.

Reflection: Can you say what Paul says in Romans 8:18?

Romans 13:2

Children and Heirs of God

Romans 8:15. Being led by the Spirit is quite different from planning your life according to some law. If your rule of life is a law, then you’re nothing but a slave to it. A slave doesn’t have a tender and intimate relationship with his master. He must simply do what he is told. In the back of the mind, there is always the fear of doing something wrong.

The Spirit, that is, the new life you have received, has nothing to do with slavery and fear. The Spirit you have received is a Spirit of adoption. There’s the difference. Through this you can address God as Father. You cry out: “Abba, Father!” This indicates a trusting and friendly relationship. You know the Father as Someone Who is very close to you and to Whom you have been brought very close. He loves you and you trust Him completely. You have been brought into a family relationship with Him. You have become His child.

Romans 8:16. The Holy Spirit dwelling in you testifies with your spirit, that is, the new life you have received, that you are a child of God. You are a child of your parents because you have been born out of them. This is a completed, irreversible fact. Nothing can change this. Similarly, you’re a child of God because you have been born of God. Nothing can change this either. Hence it can be said that once a child of God, always a child of God. In a child the features of the parents are visible. Likewise, God’s features find their expression in a child of God. In Philippians 2 you can read about this, but there it addresses more your responsibility (Philippians 2:14-16). Here in Romans 8, it speaks more of your privileges. This chapter is full of them.

Romans 8:17. If you’re a child, then you’re an heir as well. An heir is someone who receives property from someone else. God is the Owner of all creation. He will give His property to you when you are glorified with Christ. Christ is the Heir and you are a fellow heir with Him. Whatever you receive, it is always in connection with Him. This includes suffering. If you suffer with Him, it proves you possess the new life. Here it is the kind of suffering our Lord Jesus knew when on earth. He suffered in this creation when He saw what sin had done and how it was doing its devastating work.

Romans 8:18. You will suffer in the same way if you see the consequences of sin around you. What misuse man makes of what God has created! He uses everything for his own glory and satisfaction. Don’t you long for the moment when the inheritance, the creation, will again be in the hands of its rightful Owner? Paul did. He was looking forward to the future glory he was going to see. The suffering he had to bear was nothing compared with the future glory. For us, this is an encouraging lesson. The more this glorious future becomes a reality to you, the more you will be able to bear the unpleasant things you experience as a believer.

Romans 8:19-20. What does the “revealing of the sons of God” mean? This means a moment is coming when all the sons of God, all the believers, will visibly appear in this creation to reign over it together with the Lord Jesus. As a result of man’s mismanagement, creation fails to yield as much as God put in it. Despite all the attempts of man to reach a fair distribution of creation’s riches, the chaos is constantly increasing. Man trusts in his abilities, but forgets he is fallen in sin. He has dragged creation along with him in his fall. So, creation has been made subject to vanity, not of its will, but by the conscious sin of man.

Romans 8:21. And yet, there is hope for creation. It will be set free. Currently the curse rests on creation like a slave’s yoke. You can see this by the corruption that attaches itself to everything. The corruption of the creation means that creation has been pulled downward to a lower state. She no longer has the glorious state of Eden. This pulling down is because of the corruption that entered creation along with sin. But the moment is close when the children of God will be in glory. When the Lord Jesus takes them away, they will really be free and out of the reach of the corruption in creation. And soon afterward, the creation itself will be set free. Do you also look forward to this?

Now read Romans 8:15-21 again.

Reflection: Can you say what Paul says in Romans 8:18?

Romans 13:3

Children and Heirs of God

Romans 8:15. Being led by the Spirit is quite different from planning your life according to some law. If your rule of life is a law, then you’re nothing but a slave to it. A slave doesn’t have a tender and intimate relationship with his master. He must simply do what he is told. In the back of the mind, there is always the fear of doing something wrong.

The Spirit, that is, the new life you have received, has nothing to do with slavery and fear. The Spirit you have received is a Spirit of adoption. There’s the difference. Through this you can address God as Father. You cry out: “Abba, Father!” This indicates a trusting and friendly relationship. You know the Father as Someone Who is very close to you and to Whom you have been brought very close. He loves you and you trust Him completely. You have been brought into a family relationship with Him. You have become His child.

Romans 8:16. The Holy Spirit dwelling in you testifies with your spirit, that is, the new life you have received, that you are a child of God. You are a child of your parents because you have been born out of them. This is a completed, irreversible fact. Nothing can change this. Similarly, you’re a child of God because you have been born of God. Nothing can change this either. Hence it can be said that once a child of God, always a child of God. In a child the features of the parents are visible. Likewise, God’s features find their expression in a child of God. In Philippians 2 you can read about this, but there it addresses more your responsibility (Philippians 2:14-16). Here in Romans 8, it speaks more of your privileges. This chapter is full of them.

Romans 8:17. If you’re a child, then you’re an heir as well. An heir is someone who receives property from someone else. God is the Owner of all creation. He will give His property to you when you are glorified with Christ. Christ is the Heir and you are a fellow heir with Him. Whatever you receive, it is always in connection with Him. This includes suffering. If you suffer with Him, it proves you possess the new life. Here it is the kind of suffering our Lord Jesus knew when on earth. He suffered in this creation when He saw what sin had done and how it was doing its devastating work.

Romans 8:18. You will suffer in the same way if you see the consequences of sin around you. What misuse man makes of what God has created! He uses everything for his own glory and satisfaction. Don’t you long for the moment when the inheritance, the creation, will again be in the hands of its rightful Owner? Paul did. He was looking forward to the future glory he was going to see. The suffering he had to bear was nothing compared with the future glory. For us, this is an encouraging lesson. The more this glorious future becomes a reality to you, the more you will be able to bear the unpleasant things you experience as a believer.

Romans 8:19-20. What does the “revealing of the sons of God” mean? This means a moment is coming when all the sons of God, all the believers, will visibly appear in this creation to reign over it together with the Lord Jesus. As a result of man’s mismanagement, creation fails to yield as much as God put in it. Despite all the attempts of man to reach a fair distribution of creation’s riches, the chaos is constantly increasing. Man trusts in his abilities, but forgets he is fallen in sin. He has dragged creation along with him in his fall. So, creation has been made subject to vanity, not of its will, but by the conscious sin of man.

Romans 8:21. And yet, there is hope for creation. It will be set free. Currently the curse rests on creation like a slave’s yoke. You can see this by the corruption that attaches itself to everything. The corruption of the creation means that creation has been pulled downward to a lower state. She no longer has the glorious state of Eden. This pulling down is because of the corruption that entered creation along with sin. But the moment is close when the children of God will be in glory. When the Lord Jesus takes them away, they will really be free and out of the reach of the corruption in creation. And soon afterward, the creation itself will be set free. Do you also look forward to this?

Now read Romans 8:15-21 again.

Reflection: Can you say what Paul says in Romans 8:18?

Romans 13:4

Children and Heirs of God

Romans 8:15. Being led by the Spirit is quite different from planning your life according to some law. If your rule of life is a law, then you’re nothing but a slave to it. A slave doesn’t have a tender and intimate relationship with his master. He must simply do what he is told. In the back of the mind, there is always the fear of doing something wrong.

The Spirit, that is, the new life you have received, has nothing to do with slavery and fear. The Spirit you have received is a Spirit of adoption. There’s the difference. Through this you can address God as Father. You cry out: “Abba, Father!” This indicates a trusting and friendly relationship. You know the Father as Someone Who is very close to you and to Whom you have been brought very close. He loves you and you trust Him completely. You have been brought into a family relationship with Him. You have become His child.

Romans 8:16. The Holy Spirit dwelling in you testifies with your spirit, that is, the new life you have received, that you are a child of God. You are a child of your parents because you have been born out of them. This is a completed, irreversible fact. Nothing can change this. Similarly, you’re a child of God because you have been born of God. Nothing can change this either. Hence it can be said that once a child of God, always a child of God. In a child the features of the parents are visible. Likewise, God’s features find their expression in a child of God. In Philippians 2 you can read about this, but there it addresses more your responsibility (Philippians 2:14-16). Here in Romans 8, it speaks more of your privileges. This chapter is full of them.

Romans 8:17. If you’re a child, then you’re an heir as well. An heir is someone who receives property from someone else. God is the Owner of all creation. He will give His property to you when you are glorified with Christ. Christ is the Heir and you are a fellow heir with Him. Whatever you receive, it is always in connection with Him. This includes suffering. If you suffer with Him, it proves you possess the new life. Here it is the kind of suffering our Lord Jesus knew when on earth. He suffered in this creation when He saw what sin had done and how it was doing its devastating work.

Romans 8:18. You will suffer in the same way if you see the consequences of sin around you. What misuse man makes of what God has created! He uses everything for his own glory and satisfaction. Don’t you long for the moment when the inheritance, the creation, will again be in the hands of its rightful Owner? Paul did. He was looking forward to the future glory he was going to see. The suffering he had to bear was nothing compared with the future glory. For us, this is an encouraging lesson. The more this glorious future becomes a reality to you, the more you will be able to bear the unpleasant things you experience as a believer.

Romans 8:19-20. What does the “revealing of the sons of God” mean? This means a moment is coming when all the sons of God, all the believers, will visibly appear in this creation to reign over it together with the Lord Jesus. As a result of man’s mismanagement, creation fails to yield as much as God put in it. Despite all the attempts of man to reach a fair distribution of creation’s riches, the chaos is constantly increasing. Man trusts in his abilities, but forgets he is fallen in sin. He has dragged creation along with him in his fall. So, creation has been made subject to vanity, not of its will, but by the conscious sin of man.

Romans 8:21. And yet, there is hope for creation. It will be set free. Currently the curse rests on creation like a slave’s yoke. You can see this by the corruption that attaches itself to everything. The corruption of the creation means that creation has been pulled downward to a lower state. She no longer has the glorious state of Eden. This pulling down is because of the corruption that entered creation along with sin. But the moment is close when the children of God will be in glory. When the Lord Jesus takes them away, they will really be free and out of the reach of the corruption in creation. And soon afterward, the creation itself will be set free. Do you also look forward to this?

Now read Romans 8:15-21 again.

Reflection: Can you say what Paul says in Romans 8:18?

Romans 13:5

The Spirit Helps Your Weakness

Romans 8:22. Via a search program on your computer, you could look up how often the words “we know” occur in all the letters. These words fit only in a Christian’s mouth. Man without God makes much of his knowledge. By research he attempts to understand everything. Yet even the simplest Christian has a source of knowledge these very knowledgeable people have no idea exists.

By the Spirit of God Who dwells in him, he has insight into the true state of creation. He sympathizes with the need it is in. For example, take a look at the vegetation. The short-lived beauty cries out for a new creation. These groans are compared to someone at the point of giving birth to a new life. The travails of creation point forward to the new birth of creation. In Matthew 19 the Lord Jesus calls this “the regeneration” (Matthew 19:28). Then the Son of Man, the Lord Jesus, will sit on the throne of His glory and will direct everything in such a way that creation will meet its goal by being a blessing and enjoyment given by God to man.

Romans 8:23. Inwardly, you already have seen a renewal. You have received “the first fruits of the Spirit” when you received the new life. The new life is a work of the Holy Spirit. You already are a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17; Galatians 6:15) because God sees you completely in connection with Christ and His finished work.

Only your body still awaits redemption. If you understand that your body can still be sick, tired and suffer pain, you realize that through your body you are still connected to this creation. For this reason there are, besides the groans of creation, groans within yourself. You’re longing for the redemption of your body. This will happen when the Lord Jesus returns to take us to the Father’s house. Then He will change your body of humiliation into a body that is like the glorified body He now has (Philippians 3:21). The previous verse in Philippians 3 says we eagerly await the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior or Redeemer (Philippians 3:20).

So here in Romans you can see that the Lord Jesus is not only the Savior or Redeemer in regard to your sins, but in regard to your body as well. The first happened when the Savior died on the cross. The latter will only happen at His coming. Don’t be disturbed then by people who claim you shouldn’t be sick. Sickness has entered the world through sin. Sin has been judged by God in Christ, but not all of its consequences were removed through this, not in creation nor in your body. God uses these consequences to keep alive your desire for the full result of Christ’s work. If you’re prospering, you’re more likely to forget this.

Romans 8:24-25. God wants you to live “in hope” that aims at the future. Then redemption will be complete; your soul and body will no longer be affected by the consequences of sin. But this full redemption isn’t here yet. If it were, there would be nothing left for which to hope. Although you haven’t seen what you hope for, you are sure it will come. Since you still don’t have it and you have to wait, perseverance is necessary. It can all weigh heavily on you, and at times you may feel as though you have lost all hope.

Romans 8:26. How marvelous to know that the Spirit helps you in your weakness. You can have moments or even periods when you don’t know how to tell God the way you feel. You can’t find the words for it, but the Spirit living in you knows all about it. He makes Himself one with you in the way you feel in this creation that is under the curse.

Romans 8:27. He tells God what you cannot express. God searches the heart and there He meets the Holy Spirit, as it were. The things the Holy Spirit tells God will never be misunderstood by God. The Spirit knows exactly how to tell God about all your experiences. How good God is to help us in such a way in all our weaknesses.

Now read Romans 8:22-27 again.

Reflection: What are you hoping for?

Romans 13:6

The Spirit Helps Your Weakness

Romans 8:22. Via a search program on your computer, you could look up how often the words “we know” occur in all the letters. These words fit only in a Christian’s mouth. Man without God makes much of his knowledge. By research he attempts to understand everything. Yet even the simplest Christian has a source of knowledge these very knowledgeable people have no idea exists.

By the Spirit of God Who dwells in him, he has insight into the true state of creation. He sympathizes with the need it is in. For example, take a look at the vegetation. The short-lived beauty cries out for a new creation. These groans are compared to someone at the point of giving birth to a new life. The travails of creation point forward to the new birth of creation. In Matthew 19 the Lord Jesus calls this “the regeneration” (Matthew 19:28). Then the Son of Man, the Lord Jesus, will sit on the throne of His glory and will direct everything in such a way that creation will meet its goal by being a blessing and enjoyment given by God to man.

Romans 8:23. Inwardly, you already have seen a renewal. You have received “the first fruits of the Spirit” when you received the new life. The new life is a work of the Holy Spirit. You already are a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17; Galatians 6:15) because God sees you completely in connection with Christ and His finished work.

Only your body still awaits redemption. If you understand that your body can still be sick, tired and suffer pain, you realize that through your body you are still connected to this creation. For this reason there are, besides the groans of creation, groans within yourself. You’re longing for the redemption of your body. This will happen when the Lord Jesus returns to take us to the Father’s house. Then He will change your body of humiliation into a body that is like the glorified body He now has (Philippians 3:21). The previous verse in Philippians 3 says we eagerly await the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior or Redeemer (Philippians 3:20).

So here in Romans you can see that the Lord Jesus is not only the Savior or Redeemer in regard to your sins, but in regard to your body as well. The first happened when the Savior died on the cross. The latter will only happen at His coming. Don’t be disturbed then by people who claim you shouldn’t be sick. Sickness has entered the world through sin. Sin has been judged by God in Christ, but not all of its consequences were removed through this, not in creation nor in your body. God uses these consequences to keep alive your desire for the full result of Christ’s work. If you’re prospering, you’re more likely to forget this.

Romans 8:24-25. God wants you to live “in hope” that aims at the future. Then redemption will be complete; your soul and body will no longer be affected by the consequences of sin. But this full redemption isn’t here yet. If it were, there would be nothing left for which to hope. Although you haven’t seen what you hope for, you are sure it will come. Since you still don’t have it and you have to wait, perseverance is necessary. It can all weigh heavily on you, and at times you may feel as though you have lost all hope.

Romans 8:26. How marvelous to know that the Spirit helps you in your weakness. You can have moments or even periods when you don’t know how to tell God the way you feel. You can’t find the words for it, but the Spirit living in you knows all about it. He makes Himself one with you in the way you feel in this creation that is under the curse.

Romans 8:27. He tells God what you cannot express. God searches the heart and there He meets the Holy Spirit, as it were. The things the Holy Spirit tells God will never be misunderstood by God. The Spirit knows exactly how to tell God about all your experiences. How good God is to help us in such a way in all our weaknesses.

Now read Romans 8:22-27 again.

Reflection: What are you hoping for?

Romans 13:7

The Spirit Helps Your Weakness

Romans 8:22. Via a search program on your computer, you could look up how often the words “we know” occur in all the letters. These words fit only in a Christian’s mouth. Man without God makes much of his knowledge. By research he attempts to understand everything. Yet even the simplest Christian has a source of knowledge these very knowledgeable people have no idea exists.

By the Spirit of God Who dwells in him, he has insight into the true state of creation. He sympathizes with the need it is in. For example, take a look at the vegetation. The short-lived beauty cries out for a new creation. These groans are compared to someone at the point of giving birth to a new life. The travails of creation point forward to the new birth of creation. In Matthew 19 the Lord Jesus calls this “the regeneration” (Matthew 19:28). Then the Son of Man, the Lord Jesus, will sit on the throne of His glory and will direct everything in such a way that creation will meet its goal by being a blessing and enjoyment given by God to man.

Romans 8:23. Inwardly, you already have seen a renewal. You have received “the first fruits of the Spirit” when you received the new life. The new life is a work of the Holy Spirit. You already are a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17; Galatians 6:15) because God sees you completely in connection with Christ and His finished work.

Only your body still awaits redemption. If you understand that your body can still be sick, tired and suffer pain, you realize that through your body you are still connected to this creation. For this reason there are, besides the groans of creation, groans within yourself. You’re longing for the redemption of your body. This will happen when the Lord Jesus returns to take us to the Father’s house. Then He will change your body of humiliation into a body that is like the glorified body He now has (Philippians 3:21). The previous verse in Philippians 3 says we eagerly await the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior or Redeemer (Philippians 3:20).

So here in Romans you can see that the Lord Jesus is not only the Savior or Redeemer in regard to your sins, but in regard to your body as well. The first happened when the Savior died on the cross. The latter will only happen at His coming. Don’t be disturbed then by people who claim you shouldn’t be sick. Sickness has entered the world through sin. Sin has been judged by God in Christ, but not all of its consequences were removed through this, not in creation nor in your body. God uses these consequences to keep alive your desire for the full result of Christ’s work. If you’re prospering, you’re more likely to forget this.

Romans 8:24-25. God wants you to live “in hope” that aims at the future. Then redemption will be complete; your soul and body will no longer be affected by the consequences of sin. But this full redemption isn’t here yet. If it were, there would be nothing left for which to hope. Although you haven’t seen what you hope for, you are sure it will come. Since you still don’t have it and you have to wait, perseverance is necessary. It can all weigh heavily on you, and at times you may feel as though you have lost all hope.

Romans 8:26. How marvelous to know that the Spirit helps you in your weakness. You can have moments or even periods when you don’t know how to tell God the way you feel. You can’t find the words for it, but the Spirit living in you knows all about it. He makes Himself one with you in the way you feel in this creation that is under the curse.

Romans 8:27. He tells God what you cannot express. God searches the heart and there He meets the Holy Spirit, as it were. The things the Holy Spirit tells God will never be misunderstood by God. The Spirit knows exactly how to tell God about all your experiences. How good God is to help us in such a way in all our weaknesses.

Now read Romans 8:22-27 again.

Reflection: What are you hoping for?

Romans 13:8

The Spirit Helps Your Weakness

Romans 8:22. Via a search program on your computer, you could look up how often the words “we know” occur in all the letters. These words fit only in a Christian’s mouth. Man without God makes much of his knowledge. By research he attempts to understand everything. Yet even the simplest Christian has a source of knowledge these very knowledgeable people have no idea exists.

By the Spirit of God Who dwells in him, he has insight into the true state of creation. He sympathizes with the need it is in. For example, take a look at the vegetation. The short-lived beauty cries out for a new creation. These groans are compared to someone at the point of giving birth to a new life. The travails of creation point forward to the new birth of creation. In Matthew 19 the Lord Jesus calls this “the regeneration” (Matthew 19:28). Then the Son of Man, the Lord Jesus, will sit on the throne of His glory and will direct everything in such a way that creation will meet its goal by being a blessing and enjoyment given by God to man.

Romans 8:23. Inwardly, you already have seen a renewal. You have received “the first fruits of the Spirit” when you received the new life. The new life is a work of the Holy Spirit. You already are a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17; Galatians 6:15) because God sees you completely in connection with Christ and His finished work.

Only your body still awaits redemption. If you understand that your body can still be sick, tired and suffer pain, you realize that through your body you are still connected to this creation. For this reason there are, besides the groans of creation, groans within yourself. You’re longing for the redemption of your body. This will happen when the Lord Jesus returns to take us to the Father’s house. Then He will change your body of humiliation into a body that is like the glorified body He now has (Philippians 3:21). The previous verse in Philippians 3 says we eagerly await the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior or Redeemer (Philippians 3:20).

So here in Romans you can see that the Lord Jesus is not only the Savior or Redeemer in regard to your sins, but in regard to your body as well. The first happened when the Savior died on the cross. The latter will only happen at His coming. Don’t be disturbed then by people who claim you shouldn’t be sick. Sickness has entered the world through sin. Sin has been judged by God in Christ, but not all of its consequences were removed through this, not in creation nor in your body. God uses these consequences to keep alive your desire for the full result of Christ’s work. If you’re prospering, you’re more likely to forget this.

Romans 8:24-25. God wants you to live “in hope” that aims at the future. Then redemption will be complete; your soul and body will no longer be affected by the consequences of sin. But this full redemption isn’t here yet. If it were, there would be nothing left for which to hope. Although you haven’t seen what you hope for, you are sure it will come. Since you still don’t have it and you have to wait, perseverance is necessary. It can all weigh heavily on you, and at times you may feel as though you have lost all hope.

Romans 8:26. How marvelous to know that the Spirit helps you in your weakness. You can have moments or even periods when you don’t know how to tell God the way you feel. You can’t find the words for it, but the Spirit living in you knows all about it. He makes Himself one with you in the way you feel in this creation that is under the curse.

Romans 8:27. He tells God what you cannot express. God searches the heart and there He meets the Holy Spirit, as it were. The things the Holy Spirit tells God will never be misunderstood by God. The Spirit knows exactly how to tell God about all your experiences. How good God is to help us in such a way in all our weaknesses.

Now read Romans 8:22-27 again.

Reflection: What are you hoping for?

Romans 13:9

The Spirit Helps Your Weakness

Romans 8:22. Via a search program on your computer, you could look up how often the words “we know” occur in all the letters. These words fit only in a Christian’s mouth. Man without God makes much of his knowledge. By research he attempts to understand everything. Yet even the simplest Christian has a source of knowledge these very knowledgeable people have no idea exists.

By the Spirit of God Who dwells in him, he has insight into the true state of creation. He sympathizes with the need it is in. For example, take a look at the vegetation. The short-lived beauty cries out for a new creation. These groans are compared to someone at the point of giving birth to a new life. The travails of creation point forward to the new birth of creation. In Matthew 19 the Lord Jesus calls this “the regeneration” (Matthew 19:28). Then the Son of Man, the Lord Jesus, will sit on the throne of His glory and will direct everything in such a way that creation will meet its goal by being a blessing and enjoyment given by God to man.

Romans 8:23. Inwardly, you already have seen a renewal. You have received “the first fruits of the Spirit” when you received the new life. The new life is a work of the Holy Spirit. You already are a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17; Galatians 6:15) because God sees you completely in connection with Christ and His finished work.

Only your body still awaits redemption. If you understand that your body can still be sick, tired and suffer pain, you realize that through your body you are still connected to this creation. For this reason there are, besides the groans of creation, groans within yourself. You’re longing for the redemption of your body. This will happen when the Lord Jesus returns to take us to the Father’s house. Then He will change your body of humiliation into a body that is like the glorified body He now has (Philippians 3:21). The previous verse in Philippians 3 says we eagerly await the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior or Redeemer (Philippians 3:20).

So here in Romans you can see that the Lord Jesus is not only the Savior or Redeemer in regard to your sins, but in regard to your body as well. The first happened when the Savior died on the cross. The latter will only happen at His coming. Don’t be disturbed then by people who claim you shouldn’t be sick. Sickness has entered the world through sin. Sin has been judged by God in Christ, but not all of its consequences were removed through this, not in creation nor in your body. God uses these consequences to keep alive your desire for the full result of Christ’s work. If you’re prospering, you’re more likely to forget this.

Romans 8:24-25. God wants you to live “in hope” that aims at the future. Then redemption will be complete; your soul and body will no longer be affected by the consequences of sin. But this full redemption isn’t here yet. If it were, there would be nothing left for which to hope. Although you haven’t seen what you hope for, you are sure it will come. Since you still don’t have it and you have to wait, perseverance is necessary. It can all weigh heavily on you, and at times you may feel as though you have lost all hope.

Romans 8:26. How marvelous to know that the Spirit helps you in your weakness. You can have moments or even periods when you don’t know how to tell God the way you feel. You can’t find the words for it, but the Spirit living in you knows all about it. He makes Himself one with you in the way you feel in this creation that is under the curse.

Romans 8:27. He tells God what you cannot express. God searches the heart and there He meets the Holy Spirit, as it were. The things the Holy Spirit tells God will never be misunderstood by God. The Spirit knows exactly how to tell God about all your experiences. How good God is to help us in such a way in all our weaknesses.

Now read Romans 8:22-27 again.

Reflection: What are you hoping for?

Romans 13:10

The Spirit Helps Your Weakness

Romans 8:22. Via a search program on your computer, you could look up how often the words “we know” occur in all the letters. These words fit only in a Christian’s mouth. Man without God makes much of his knowledge. By research he attempts to understand everything. Yet even the simplest Christian has a source of knowledge these very knowledgeable people have no idea exists.

By the Spirit of God Who dwells in him, he has insight into the true state of creation. He sympathizes with the need it is in. For example, take a look at the vegetation. The short-lived beauty cries out for a new creation. These groans are compared to someone at the point of giving birth to a new life. The travails of creation point forward to the new birth of creation. In Matthew 19 the Lord Jesus calls this “the regeneration” (Matthew 19:28). Then the Son of Man, the Lord Jesus, will sit on the throne of His glory and will direct everything in such a way that creation will meet its goal by being a blessing and enjoyment given by God to man.

Romans 8:23. Inwardly, you already have seen a renewal. You have received “the first fruits of the Spirit” when you received the new life. The new life is a work of the Holy Spirit. You already are a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17; Galatians 6:15) because God sees you completely in connection with Christ and His finished work.

Only your body still awaits redemption. If you understand that your body can still be sick, tired and suffer pain, you realize that through your body you are still connected to this creation. For this reason there are, besides the groans of creation, groans within yourself. You’re longing for the redemption of your body. This will happen when the Lord Jesus returns to take us to the Father’s house. Then He will change your body of humiliation into a body that is like the glorified body He now has (Philippians 3:21). The previous verse in Philippians 3 says we eagerly await the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior or Redeemer (Philippians 3:20).

So here in Romans you can see that the Lord Jesus is not only the Savior or Redeemer in regard to your sins, but in regard to your body as well. The first happened when the Savior died on the cross. The latter will only happen at His coming. Don’t be disturbed then by people who claim you shouldn’t be sick. Sickness has entered the world through sin. Sin has been judged by God in Christ, but not all of its consequences were removed through this, not in creation nor in your body. God uses these consequences to keep alive your desire for the full result of Christ’s work. If you’re prospering, you’re more likely to forget this.

Romans 8:24-25. God wants you to live “in hope” that aims at the future. Then redemption will be complete; your soul and body will no longer be affected by the consequences of sin. But this full redemption isn’t here yet. If it were, there would be nothing left for which to hope. Although you haven’t seen what you hope for, you are sure it will come. Since you still don’t have it and you have to wait, perseverance is necessary. It can all weigh heavily on you, and at times you may feel as though you have lost all hope.

Romans 8:26. How marvelous to know that the Spirit helps you in your weakness. You can have moments or even periods when you don’t know how to tell God the way you feel. You can’t find the words for it, but the Spirit living in you knows all about it. He makes Himself one with you in the way you feel in this creation that is under the curse.

Romans 8:27. He tells God what you cannot express. God searches the heart and there He meets the Holy Spirit, as it were. The things the Holy Spirit tells God will never be misunderstood by God. The Spirit knows exactly how to tell God about all your experiences. How good God is to help us in such a way in all our weaknesses.

Now read Romans 8:22-27 again.

Reflection: What are you hoping for?

Romans 13:11

Called According to God’s Purpose

Romans 8:28. There are only three verses this time. They are so full of blessings that you must read them carefully and let them speak to you.

Again this portion starts with “we know” (see Romans 8:22). It indicates a contrast with Romans 8:26. There it said we don’t know how to pray. If you feel in your body and spirit how much everything is corrupted by sin, it results in a sense of powerlessness, of not being able to cope. It could even make you feel depressed, but then come those encouraging words “we know”. This is the language of faith. If you see everything around you decaying and that your body is so vulnerable, you may know that “all things … work together for good to those who love God”.

What a rich comfort to know God is above all change. He even uses it to make those who are His own richer, that is, richer in their life of faith. Haven’t you experienced that when something miserable happened to you, it brought you nearer to God? Notice “those who love God”. It’s not true to say that all things work together for good. You can only say that if you love God.

Your love of God will affect you so you will not doubt Him, even with the disappointments that will come in your life. He really makes everything work together for good. This doesn’t allow for any exceptions. Would it hold as well for the sins you do? Yes! Peter experienced this. Three times he denied the Lord. He repented of it and thus received forgiveness. This is a necessity, but as a result of this he came to love the Lord Jesus more when he saw the Lord hadn’t let go of him. He had a better understanding of himself and of the Lord.

But in the first place, “all things” have to do with everyday life. God makes all things that take place in it to work together for good. He uses all things, including sickness, joblessness, poverty, disability, an accident, even death to loosen you from the things around you and to direct your desire to eternal things.

How real are those eternal things to you? Do you know that in eternity past God had the purpose of calling you? God was thinking of you long before you came into being.

Romans 8:29. What is written in Romans 8:29-30 is called “the golden chain”. This chain consists of the following five links: 1. foreknown, 2. predestined, 3. called, 4. justified and 5. glorified.

He knew you all along as someone for whom He had a magnificent destination in mind. Isn’t it wonderful that He wants to transform you into the image of His Son? This is incredible, but God says it is so. He had this idea when nothing had yet been created and when sin had not yet entered the world. And what God thinks of and says, He will do.

He is able to make people who are nothing but poor, tiny, rebellious, lost creatures look like His Son. This makes an enormous change in their situation. This change has come through what the Lord Jesus has done. Therefore, among all those people who are like Him, He will have the first place, the place of honor and respect. This is what matters to God. He wants His Son to be the radiant center of all the redeemed ones, among whom you may count yourself.

Romans 8:30. What becomes clear to you through these verses is that God works according to His own purposes. What you have done as a sinner isn’t mentioned in these verses. You can have a look into God’s heart here, knowing He doesn’t lose control of anything, even if everything around you seems contrary to this. He has a purpose with your life and He will reach it. In Romans 8:30 you can see how He reaches this purpose. You can see what He has done.

He destined you for this purpose (from Romans 8:29) before you were even born. When you were born you turned out to be a sinner who couldn’t participate in God’s glory. Then God called you to Himself to make clear He didn’t want you to perish. Instead of perishing, He had a plan to which you belonged.

He couldn’t execute that plan with you being as you were. Therefore He justified you. In the previous chapters of Romans you have read about this. You are someone who belongs to God because everything of you that didn’t belong to God has been put away by the work of the Lord Jesus. In its place you have received the new life that is at home with God. And to make this complete, God sees you as glorified. To Him, it is already finished. What God purposes to do will happen. If He is the Guarantor, would you doubt the outcome?

Now read Romans 8:28-30 again.

Reflection: Thank God for His counsel.

Romans 13:12

Called According to God’s Purpose

Romans 8:28. There are only three verses this time. They are so full of blessings that you must read them carefully and let them speak to you.

Again this portion starts with “we know” (see Romans 8:22). It indicates a contrast with Romans 8:26. There it said we don’t know how to pray. If you feel in your body and spirit how much everything is corrupted by sin, it results in a sense of powerlessness, of not being able to cope. It could even make you feel depressed, but then come those encouraging words “we know”. This is the language of faith. If you see everything around you decaying and that your body is so vulnerable, you may know that “all things … work together for good to those who love God”.

What a rich comfort to know God is above all change. He even uses it to make those who are His own richer, that is, richer in their life of faith. Haven’t you experienced that when something miserable happened to you, it brought you nearer to God? Notice “those who love God”. It’s not true to say that all things work together for good. You can only say that if you love God.

Your love of God will affect you so you will not doubt Him, even with the disappointments that will come in your life. He really makes everything work together for good. This doesn’t allow for any exceptions. Would it hold as well for the sins you do? Yes! Peter experienced this. Three times he denied the Lord. He repented of it and thus received forgiveness. This is a necessity, but as a result of this he came to love the Lord Jesus more when he saw the Lord hadn’t let go of him. He had a better understanding of himself and of the Lord.

But in the first place, “all things” have to do with everyday life. God makes all things that take place in it to work together for good. He uses all things, including sickness, joblessness, poverty, disability, an accident, even death to loosen you from the things around you and to direct your desire to eternal things.

How real are those eternal things to you? Do you know that in eternity past God had the purpose of calling you? God was thinking of you long before you came into being.

Romans 8:29. What is written in Romans 8:29-30 is called “the golden chain”. This chain consists of the following five links: 1. foreknown, 2. predestined, 3. called, 4. justified and 5. glorified.

He knew you all along as someone for whom He had a magnificent destination in mind. Isn’t it wonderful that He wants to transform you into the image of His Son? This is incredible, but God says it is so. He had this idea when nothing had yet been created and when sin had not yet entered the world. And what God thinks of and says, He will do.

He is able to make people who are nothing but poor, tiny, rebellious, lost creatures look like His Son. This makes an enormous change in their situation. This change has come through what the Lord Jesus has done. Therefore, among all those people who are like Him, He will have the first place, the place of honor and respect. This is what matters to God. He wants His Son to be the radiant center of all the redeemed ones, among whom you may count yourself.

Romans 8:30. What becomes clear to you through these verses is that God works according to His own purposes. What you have done as a sinner isn’t mentioned in these verses. You can have a look into God’s heart here, knowing He doesn’t lose control of anything, even if everything around you seems contrary to this. He has a purpose with your life and He will reach it. In Romans 8:30 you can see how He reaches this purpose. You can see what He has done.

He destined you for this purpose (from Romans 8:29) before you were even born. When you were born you turned out to be a sinner who couldn’t participate in God’s glory. Then God called you to Himself to make clear He didn’t want you to perish. Instead of perishing, He had a plan to which you belonged.

He couldn’t execute that plan with you being as you were. Therefore He justified you. In the previous chapters of Romans you have read about this. You are someone who belongs to God because everything of you that didn’t belong to God has been put away by the work of the Lord Jesus. In its place you have received the new life that is at home with God. And to make this complete, God sees you as glorified. To Him, it is already finished. What God purposes to do will happen. If He is the Guarantor, would you doubt the outcome?

Now read Romans 8:28-30 again.

Reflection: Thank God for His counsel.

Romans 13:13

Called According to God’s Purpose

Romans 8:28. There are only three verses this time. They are so full of blessings that you must read them carefully and let them speak to you.

Again this portion starts with “we know” (see Romans 8:22). It indicates a contrast with Romans 8:26. There it said we don’t know how to pray. If you feel in your body and spirit how much everything is corrupted by sin, it results in a sense of powerlessness, of not being able to cope. It could even make you feel depressed, but then come those encouraging words “we know”. This is the language of faith. If you see everything around you decaying and that your body is so vulnerable, you may know that “all things … work together for good to those who love God”.

What a rich comfort to know God is above all change. He even uses it to make those who are His own richer, that is, richer in their life of faith. Haven’t you experienced that when something miserable happened to you, it brought you nearer to God? Notice “those who love God”. It’s not true to say that all things work together for good. You can only say that if you love God.

Your love of God will affect you so you will not doubt Him, even with the disappointments that will come in your life. He really makes everything work together for good. This doesn’t allow for any exceptions. Would it hold as well for the sins you do? Yes! Peter experienced this. Three times he denied the Lord. He repented of it and thus received forgiveness. This is a necessity, but as a result of this he came to love the Lord Jesus more when he saw the Lord hadn’t let go of him. He had a better understanding of himself and of the Lord.

But in the first place, “all things” have to do with everyday life. God makes all things that take place in it to work together for good. He uses all things, including sickness, joblessness, poverty, disability, an accident, even death to loosen you from the things around you and to direct your desire to eternal things.

How real are those eternal things to you? Do you know that in eternity past God had the purpose of calling you? God was thinking of you long before you came into being.

Romans 8:29. What is written in Romans 8:29-30 is called “the golden chain”. This chain consists of the following five links: 1. foreknown, 2. predestined, 3. called, 4. justified and 5. glorified.

He knew you all along as someone for whom He had a magnificent destination in mind. Isn’t it wonderful that He wants to transform you into the image of His Son? This is incredible, but God says it is so. He had this idea when nothing had yet been created and when sin had not yet entered the world. And what God thinks of and says, He will do.

He is able to make people who are nothing but poor, tiny, rebellious, lost creatures look like His Son. This makes an enormous change in their situation. This change has come through what the Lord Jesus has done. Therefore, among all those people who are like Him, He will have the first place, the place of honor and respect. This is what matters to God. He wants His Son to be the radiant center of all the redeemed ones, among whom you may count yourself.

Romans 8:30. What becomes clear to you through these verses is that God works according to His own purposes. What you have done as a sinner isn’t mentioned in these verses. You can have a look into God’s heart here, knowing He doesn’t lose control of anything, even if everything around you seems contrary to this. He has a purpose with your life and He will reach it. In Romans 8:30 you can see how He reaches this purpose. You can see what He has done.

He destined you for this purpose (from Romans 8:29) before you were even born. When you were born you turned out to be a sinner who couldn’t participate in God’s glory. Then God called you to Himself to make clear He didn’t want you to perish. Instead of perishing, He had a plan to which you belonged.

He couldn’t execute that plan with you being as you were. Therefore He justified you. In the previous chapters of Romans you have read about this. You are someone who belongs to God because everything of you that didn’t belong to God has been put away by the work of the Lord Jesus. In its place you have received the new life that is at home with God. And to make this complete, God sees you as glorified. To Him, it is already finished. What God purposes to do will happen. If He is the Guarantor, would you doubt the outcome?

Now read Romans 8:28-30 again.

Reflection: Thank God for His counsel.

Romans 13:14

God Is for You!

Romans 8:31. You have just read a powerful final note. Paul reached it because he was so impressed by everything God had done. He has explained all of this in the previous chapters. If you let this speak to you, you can only come to the same exclamation: “What then shall we say to these things?” God Himself is for us. Maybe you have doubted this. You knew the Lord Jesus died for your sins and that God couldn’t punish you anymore. In itself, this was a great relief. Despite this, you were still somewhat afraid of God, the stern Judge Who was against you. But now you have seen the opposite is true.

Romans 8:32. God has made everything right by giving His Son so you could be saved. There was no clearer way for Him to prove His love for you. And even this is not all. With His Son, God will “freely give us all things”. You will share with the Lord Jesus everything God has given Him as the wages of His work. Now this is something!

Romans 8:33. Is anyone left, man or angel, who wants to lift an accusing finger against you? God defends your cause. You are someone He has elected to have with Him. He is the One Who justifies. He acquits you because He sees you in Christ.

Romans 8:34. Hence, no one can condemn you because Christ has died for your sins. And “yes, rather”, or more than that, He has been raised for your justification. Christ is in heaven now, and God has given Him the place of honor, at His right hand. Christ has gained the victory and has received the reward that belongs to Him.

But this doesn’t mean He is there doing nothing. He is committed to those who are His and are still here on earth, by praying for them. He speaks continually with God about you because He knows from His own experience how difficult it is to live in a world where God and His Word are not respected. Everything you experience He knows from experience, apart from sin. He can sympathize with you because He has not forgotten what He endured while He was living here.

Romans 8:35-37. No matter how much you suffer, nothing can separate you “from the love of Christ”. His love goes out to you more and more when you are oppressed or persecuted because you follow Him and do His will. His love enables you to go straight through all dangers and conquer them. You belong to those who “overwhelmingly conquer”. You are a conqueror who gives all honor to Him who loves you.

Romans 8:38-39. So, with the fullest certainty you can say that nothing can separate you “from the love of God”. “Death” cannot separate you from the love of God. If you died you would go immediately to the Lord Jesus in Whom God’s love has come to you. “Life” cannot separate you from the love of God. All the problems, troubles and cares you experience in your life give God occasion to make you experience His love. Neither are “angels” able to separate you from the love of God. The devil is a powerful prince of the angels who rebelled against God and dragged other angels with him in that rebellion. They are always trying to create a separation between you and the love of God, but they are conquered enemies. They have been defeated by the Lord Jesus and they are subject to Him.

The same is true for the “principalities” or governments. They can make life difficult by proclaiming laws that believers cannot keep because those laws hinder them in serving God. Neither can all sorts of “things present” or “things to come” separate you from the love of God. You may hear of catastrophes in nature or of threatening wars. It shouldn’t make you worry. God’s love will stay with you. “Powers” may make you think of spiritual powers that in a shrewd way try to undermine your faith so you start to doubt the truth. God’s love is always greater.

Don’t be fooled by “height”, the achievements of man who in his arrogance tries to climb higher and higher in many fields. God’s love towers far above all that. Christ Jesus our Lord is ascended above all the heavens (Ephesians 4:10). There, as Conqueror, He has taken His place at God’s right hand.

Can “depth”, a deep fall, separate you from the love of God? However deep you have fallen, even there, God’s love is present. The love of God in Christ Jesus, our Lord, descended to you when you were a miserable fallen creature. He descended even deeper than that into judgment for your sins. These struck Christ in full wrath and laid Him in the dust of death. God did this to lift you up and bring you to His heart.

There is not “any other created thing” that has the ability to separate you from the love of God for poor, lost sinners that has become visible in a surpassing way in Christ Jesus.

Take your time now to thank and praise God and the Lord Jesus. They are worthy of it because everything has come from Them.

Now read Romans 8:31-39 again.

Reflection: Sing a song of victory to God’s glory!