If you would, go ahead and turn
to Romans 8, beginning at verse 24, where we're going to pick
back up in our study in Romans. Romans 8, 24. The title of the
message is God's Will and Purpose. The Apostle Paul in Romans 8
18 through 23, the lesson that we had last time, speaks of the
believer's full and final glorification, both body and soul. And it's
what the apostle encourages us to long for and to fully expect. And he does this in order to
comfort us during our trials and our tribulations in this
life. We can comfort ourselves and
each other during our walk of faith and in the midst of afflictions,
knowing that the victory is certain, not based on what we do or what
we don't do, not based on our works at all, but based entirely
on the blood and the righteousness of Christ alone, according and
that according to God's promise. We are assured of this within
ourselves as we as believers, according to Romans 8 verse 23,
have the first fruits of the Spirit of God. We're talking
about believers here. Which is the new birth and the
presence of the Holy Spirit, which is according to Ephesians
1 in verse 14, the earnest of our inheritance, until the redemption
of the purchased possession, until the praise of his glory.
This very truth establishes our heart. It is established in our
heart, and it is the basis of our hope, which leads us into
the study this morning as we begin in verse 24, Romans 8,
verse 24, which reads, for we were saved in this hope, but
hope that is seen is not hope, for why does one still hope for
what he sees? A faith that looks to Christ
alone for justification believes God's promise of salvation based
solely upon the imputed righteousness of Christ and hopefully expects our final
glorification, both body and soul, when that glorious day
dawns and we actually experience that final glorification. both
body and soul, then faith and hope will cease and give way
to actual possession. Hope cannot respect anything
which is already possessed. We do not hope for regeneration,
we do not hope for justification, or we do not hope for adoption
into God's family, nor do we hope for the first fruits of
the Spirit. Believers already have these
things. And the reason we do not hope for these things, these
blessings, is because we already possess and we already enjoy
those fruits of the Spirit. Those who promote doubts and
uncertainties concerning this hope and do it in the name of
humility are directly opposed to God and the Holy Spirit and
are, in fact, attacking both the redemptive character of God
and the person and work of Christ. If we truly believe God's promise,
we must of necessity expect their fulfillment, and that according
to Romans 15, 13, which says, now may the God of hope fill
you with all joy and peace in believing that you may abound
in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. The phrase in Romans
8, 24, the first part, says, for we are saved in this hope.
would be better translated for in hope we have been saved. All
who have been saved by the grace of God in Christ are already
fully saved and certain for heaven because of the blood and righteousness
of Christ. But our present salvation is
in hope and that certain expectation of that future glory, that future
eternal glory. The word saved in scripture is
such an all-comprehensive word. God's elect were already saved
in the preparations and in the purpose of God in the everlasting
covenant of grace. God the Father entrusted his
elect to God the Son. God the Son fully accepted all
of their responsibilities, and therefore the elect were placed
in the arms and in the hands of Christ, our surety, to come
in time and meet all the obligations placed upon him as I assured
you. Saved can also be used to describe our being saved by what
Christ accomplished at the cross in our justification. This is
the ground and this is the basis of our salvation, what Christ
accomplished at the cross. The word saved is also used in
scripture to describe the new birth, our regeneration and our
conversion. And it's also used to describe
our final glorification, both body and soul. Our salvation
reaches beyond this life into the future and eternal glory.
Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians chapter 15, beginning at verse 19, if
in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men
the most pitiful. But now Christ is risen from
the dead and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. John wrote in 1 John 3 in verse
2, Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear
what we shall be, but we know that when he shall appear, when
Christ shall appear, we shall be like him, for we shall see
him as he is. If glorification were a present
reality, for us, it would not be hope or an expectation of
something in the future. If this hope was a present reality,
it would be realized and finalized in our present experience. But this hope, spoken of in verse
19 that we're dealing with this morning, is a hope we have in
Christ for future glory. There are things that we enjoy
as we journey through this life, through this world that we're
living in. We enjoy being with our family, with our friends,
with our loved ones, but even these enjoyments are marred with
sin due to selfishness and pride. I believe that believers do come
to hate sin. Not like we should, but we do
hate what sin does as it destroys the lives of men, even true believers. We don't have to look far to
see many examples of that taking place. Not only in scripture,
as we see men in scripture that lives have been destroyed, but
in our daily lives. Our hope is not in this world,
which is, and will pass away, but our hope is in that future
glory that is laid up for us. And all of this is based entirely
on Christ's faithfulness to accomplish everything necessary for our
eternal glory. As 1 John 3 in verse 2 says,
we know that when he shall appear, we shall be like him, for we
shall see him as he is. Our next verse, verse 25, says,
but if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for
it with perseverance. The hope we have of future and
final glory in Christ is what motivates us in patience, or
that perseverance and endurance, as we eagerly await the glory
which is to come. Because of this certain future
glory in Christ, we can, by the grace of God and faith in Christ,
endure the sufferings and the sorrows that are here in this
present life. This supports the great truth
of the perseverance of the saints. The certainty of our hope in
Christ is sure because of the persevering grace of God. Let's
look at Philippians 1, beginning at verse 3. where Paul says,
I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, always, in every prayer
of mine, making requests for you, all with joy, for your fellowship
in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident
of this very thing, that he who has begun a good work in you
will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ. Also look at
Philippians 2, beginning at verse 12. Therefore, my beloved, as
you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but how
much more in my absence. Work out your own salvation with
fear and tremblance, for it is God who works in you both to
will and to do for his good pleasure. This hope that we're speaking
of here in verse 25 supposes that those who wait for it, they
believe it, and their interest in it is one of high regard and
affection. We believers who have been regenerated
and who have been brought to see the gospel of God's grace
in Christ at this time are not in a state of perfection and
perfect happiness. We are troubled by sin and the
things of this world, and we are in some sense ready to part
with this life and to grasp the life to come, which will be glorious. Our waiting through all of these
persecutions and afflictions should be with patience, a grace
of which God alone provides. Christ is the example, and the
word of God is the means by which God enables his elect to persevere. In Romans 8, 26, it says, likewise,
Or in the same way, the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses,
for we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the
Spirit himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot
be uttered. The Apostle continues to support
and comfort and assure us of the victory because God the Holy
Spirit himself indwells us as our comforter. The Spirit leads
us protects us, and keeps us from sinking during times of
trials and tribulations in this life. Paul assures us that we're
not left to ourself and that our endurance is not in our own
power and goodness, but by the Holy Spirit who fills us and
intercedes for us in power and in prayer. The likewise that
begins this verse here are in the same way that begins this
verse, refers back to verse 23, which speaks of the groanings
of creation for the redemption from the remaining corruption
and defilement of sin. In the same way that the Spirit
of God helps us in our desire to shed the remaining corruption
and defilement of sin, he also, likewise, helps us to pray for
things that we don't know exactly what to say or how to pray for
these things. The next part of this verse here
says, for we know not what we should pray for as we ought.
The Lord taught us how to pray in Matthew 6, 9 through 13 and
Luke 11, 1 through 4. God encourages us to pray in
the liberty and boldness of his grace in Christ. Look at Hebrews
4, beginning at verse 14, where it says, seeing then that we
have a high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the
son of God, let us hold fast our confession, for we do not
have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses,
but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us, therefore, come boldly
to the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy and find grace
and help in time of need. There are, however, many times
we do not know exactly what to pray, especially in matters of
providence. We know we're always to pray,
Thy will be done. But we do not always know God's
will for us in our day-to-day lives, in every circumstance
that we're confronted with. In these times, God the Holy
Spirit maketh intercession for us, or comes along as our comforter
during these times, with groanings which cannot be uttered. This
is what Christ told us he would send the Holy Spirit to do in
John 14 beginning at verse 16. which says, And I will pray the
Father, and he will give you another helper, that he may abide
with you forever, the spirit of truth, whom the world cannot
receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know
him, for he dwells with you and will be in you. Also in John
14 verse 26, But the heifer, the Holy Spirit,
whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all
things and bring to your remembrance all things that I said unto you. And then again in John 15, verse
26. But when the heifer comes, whom
I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who
proceeds from the Father, he will testify of me. Here Paul
reveals the comforting truth that the Holy Spirit comes alongside
us in all of creation in groaning for God's ultimate day of restoration
and his eternal reign of righteousness at the end. The Spirit intercedes
for us with groanings and with words too deep to express. These
are the expressions of a believer's broken and contrite heart. the
heart purged by the blood of Christ and His righteousness.
The Holy Spirit's intercession always leads us to find peace
and comfort and rest in Christ and His blood and righteousness
alone for all of our salvation. In Romans 8 and verse 27, it
says, Now he who searches the heart knows what the mind of
the Spirit is, because he makes intercession for the saints according
to the will of God. The phrase, he that searches
the heart, is God Almighty. According to Jeremiah 1710, I,
the Lord, search the heart. Also look back at Romans 8, 27. God knows the mind of the spirit
because God is the spirit and the spirit is God. God, the Holy
Spirit, is the third person of that triune Godhead. He is one
with the Father and the Son, and His intercession on our behalf
is according to the will of God. The mind of the Father, the Son,
and the Holy Spirit is in perfect harmony, in perfect unity. They're
the same. They're the same in will and
in purpose. Notice for whom the Spirit intercedes.
Here it says the saints all who have been saved by the grace
of God in Christ, sanctified, set apart by him in sovereign,
electing, justifying, redeeming, adopting, and regenerating grace.
The Spirit intercedes for no one else but those whom he has brought
to Christ by faith according to 2 Timothy 2.19 that says,
nevertheless, The solid foundation of God stands, having this seal,
the Lord knows those who are his. Now the last verse that
we'll deal with this morning in our study is Roman 8, 28, which reads, and we know that
all things work together for good to those who love God, to
those who are called according to his purpose. The first part
of this verse says, and we know, realizing the reality of these
great truths of God and his sovereign grace in Christ, our Lord and
Redeemer, realizing the certainty of our future hope of glory and
the earnest of the Holy Spirit who has been given to us as our
comforter, we can be assured without a doubt that God works
all things together. for his glory and for our good.
All things do not simply work together for good by their own
power or by some coincidence or some chance. God causes all
things to work together for good. If it were not for God's sovereign
purpose and power, all things would not work together for good.
Notice all things, not just some things, And not only the good
things, all things good and bad work together for good. As we
struggle through very difficult issues in this life, we often
think to ourselves, how in the world can what I'm going through
now at this time be for my good? We're not able to see any good
thing in a lot of the issues that we struggle with in this
life. During these times, we must rely
solely on the word of God. God knows the end from the beginning.
We don't have that ability. We just have to trust God and
rely on him who works all things out for our good and for his
glory. It is not that all things in
and of themselves are good, but that God in his sovereign will
works all things according to his own purpose. and will according
to Ephesians 1 in verse 11 which says, in him also we have obtained
an inheritance being predestined according to the purpose of him
who works all things according to the counsel of his will. God's
purpose and will is to glorify himself in the salvation of the
elect and that through the Lord Jesus Christ. Notice also that
God works all things together for good to them that love God. This identifies and distinguishes
the children of God, those sinners saved by grace. It identifies
and distinguishes them from the world. Notice those who love
God are said in Romans 8, 28, those who are called according
to his purpose. No man by nature loves God. We're not born into this world
loving the true God. We're born into this world, depraved,
sinners, say sinners, and we don't know who the true God is.
We go about worshiping a false God, a God of our imagination,
a God that we've conjured up in our own mind. And the true
God, we don't know. We worship a false God, that
idol of our imagination. And as I said, no man by nature
loves God, so this describes those who have been born again
by the Spirit, who has given them faith, repentance and has
shared the love of God abroad within their hearts. He brought
us to faith and repentance. He's brought us to this true
God. He brought us to see how God saves the center based on
the righteousness of Christ alone. He's revealed to us the true
Christ of the scripture. not the Christ that we knew by
nature, the Christ that come here and made an attempt to save
everybody, that loved everybody. He reveals us the Christ that
all those that the Father give him from eternity, all those
that were put in Christ in eternity. That same Christ, the very Son
of God, came here to this earth, worked out a perfect righteousness,
obeyed the law in every jot and tittle, and then went to the
cross and shed his blood on the behalf of those. Let's look at
Roman 5.5. Now hope does not disappoint
because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the
Holy Spirit who was given to us. Also look at 1 John 4 beginning
at verse 7. Beloved, let us love one another,
for love is of God, and everyone who loves is born of God and
knows God. He who does not love does not
know God, for God is love. In this, the love of God was
manifested toward us, that God has sent his only begotten son
into the world, that we might live through him. And this is
love, not that we love God, but that He loved us and sent His
Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Now back in Romans
8 and 28, the last part of that verse, reads, those who are called
according to His purpose. The word called here is like
a summons and describes the irresistible, are invincible call of the Holy
Spirit in the new birth. Look at 1 Corinthians 1, beginning
at verse 23. It says, but we preach Christ
crucified to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness.
But to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ,
the power of God and the wisdom of God. Also look at 2 Thessalonians
2. beginning at verse 13, still
speaking of this calling that we're talking about. But we're
bound to give thanks to God always for you, brethren, beloved by
the Lord, because God from the beginning chose you for salvation
through sanctification by the spirit and belief of the truth,
to which he called you by our gospel for the obtaining of the
glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. He calls us by the true gospel,
the gospel of how he saves a sinner, the gospel that reveals the true
God, the true Christ. This is how God calls us. Under
the preaching of the gospel, he draws us to himself. God's
elect are called into the kingdom of God by Christ, who sends his
spirit in power by the gospel as the power of God into salvation.
Look at Romans 1, verse 16, 17. For I am not ashamed of the gospel
of Christ, Paul says, for it is the power of God to salvation
for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the
Greek, for it is, for in it, the righteousness of God is revealed.
From faith to faith, as it is written, the just shall live
by faith. Well, God's will and purpose
is that he may be glorified in all things, that Christ may be
exalted as Christ, our Redeemer, and also that boasting be excluded
in each one of God's elect. All of this ultimately is for
our good and for God's glory. Whether we're able to see and
whether we're able to understand all these things that go on in
our lives as we struggle through this life, as we struggle through
all the persecutions and trials and tribulations that we go through.
And they're on all sides these days. And we need to know that
all these things work together, work together for God's glory,
for our good. even though we don't always understand. May God be glorified in all things
is our prayer. Amen.