Outline for the Epistle to the Romans

OUTLINE FOR THE LETTER TO THE ROMANS

(Adapted from Multiple Sources)

I.      Introduction (1:1-17)

A.    Greetings (1-7)

B.    Theme of the Letter: The Gospel of Righteousness (8-17)

                       i.    The Gospel at work in Rome (8-16)

                     ii.    The Gospel reveals God's Righteousness (17)

II.   God's righteousness is revealed through divine judgment. (1:18-3:20)

A.    Gentiles are under the judgment of God. (1:18-32)

                       i.    God's wrath is already evident. (18)

                     ii.    God's wrath is connected to man's choices. (18-32)

                   iii.    God's wrath includes negative consequences. (18-32)

B.    Jews are under the judgment of God. (2:1-3:8)

                       i.    God judges according to truth. (1-5)

                     ii.    God judges according to human conduct. (6-11)

                   iii.    God judges according to human knowledge. (12-16)

                   iv.    God judges according to divine privileges. (2:17-3:1-8)

a.   The privilege provided by the Law. (2:17-24)

b.   The privilege provided by the covenant. (2:25-29)

c.    Greater privilege means greater liability. (3:1-8)

C.    The whole world is under the judgment of God. (3:9-20)

                       i.    A probing question is asked. (3:9)

                     ii.    A summary of wickedness is described. (3:10-18)

                   iii.    Condemnation of all is restated. (3:19-20)

III. God's righteousness is revealed through justification. (3:21-5:21)

A.    The concept of justification is explained. (3:21-31)

                       i.    It is supported in OT Scriptures. (3:21)

                     ii.    It is received through faith in Christ. (3:22-23)

                   iii.    It is an acquittal based on Christ’s sacrifice (3:24-26)

                   iv.    It is provided apart from the law (3:27-31)

B.    The reality of justification is illustrated. (4:1-25)

                       i.    It is apart from works. (4:1-8)

                     ii.    It is apart from circumcision. (4:9-12)

                   iii.    It is apart from the law. (4:13-15)

                   iv.    It is by grace through faith for all. (4:16-25)

C.    The benefits of justification are described. (5:1-21)

                       i.    It produces peace with God. (5:1)

                     ii.    It procures access to grace. (5:2a)

                   iii.    It provides hope in adversity. (5:2b-8)

                   iv.    It provides reconciliation with God. (5:6-11)

                     v.    It reverses the curse of sin and condemnation. (5:12-21)

IV. God's righteousness is revealed through sanctification. (6:1-8:39)

A.    Sanctification means grace has been victorious. (6:1-23)

                       i.    Victory comes through knowledge of the truth. (6:1-10)

a.   The truth is we have died to sin. (6:1-7)

b.   The truth is we are alive in Christ. (6:8-10)  

                     ii.    Victory comes through identification with Christ. (6:11-14)

a.   Identification is a fact to be accepted. (6:11)

b.   Identification is a fact to be practiced. (6:12-14)

                   iii.    Victory comes through slavery to righteousness. (6:15-23)

a.   Slavery implies only one master. (6:15-20)

b.   Slavery produces consequences. (6:21-23)

B.    Sanctification means the law has a purpose. (7:1-25)

                       i.    The purpose of the law is defined and illustrated. (7:1-6)

a.   Its purpose is to exercise dominion. (7:1)

b.   Its dominion is illustrated by marriage. (7:2-3)

c.    The believer is united to a new spouse. (7:4-6)

                     ii.    The purpose and character of the law is defended. (7:7-13)

a.   The law was designed to expose sin. (7:7-11)

b.   The law is holy and good. (7:12-13)

                   iii.    The weakness of the law is explained and illustrated. (7:14-25)

a.   The Apostle’s experience validates the law.

b.   The law is powerless to deliver or rescue.

C.    Sanctification means the Spirit has control. (8:1-39)

                       i.    The Spirit produces true freedom. (1-25)

a.   We now have freedom from condemnation. (1)

b.   We now have freedom from sin and death. (2)

c.    We now have freedom to live righteously. (3-17)

1.     Righteous demands were fulfilled in Christ. (3)

2.     Righteousness is imparted by the Spirit. (4a)

3.     Righteousness requires a spiritual mind. (4b-8)

4.     Righteousness comes by spiritual power. (9-11)

5.     Righteousness is based on relationship. (12-17)

b.   We shall have freedom from the curse of sin. (18-25)

                     ii.    The Spirit achieves God’s purposes: (26-30)

a.   By aiding us in prayer. (26-27)

b.   By orchestrating our circumstances. (28)

c.    By fulfilling God’s scheme of salvation. (29-30)

                   iii.    The Spirit brings ultimate and final victory. (31-39)

a.   Victory is tied to the gifts of God. (31-34)

b.   Victory is assured despite great opposition. (35-39)

V.    God's righteousness is revealed through His sovereign choices. (9:1-11:36)

A.    Israel’s history illustrates God’s sovereign choices. (9:1-29)

                       i.    Paul expresses sorrow over wasted opportunity. (1-5)

                     ii.    God’s choices harmonize with His Word. (6-13)

                   iii.    God’s choices harmonize with His character. (14-18)

                   iv.    God’s sovereignty is defended and illustrated. (19-29)

B.    Israel’s rejection illustrates God’s sovereign privileges. (9:30-10:21)

                       i.    God connects righteousness with faith. (9:30-10:13)

a.   Gentiles exercised faith but not Israel. (9:30-33)

b.   Paul laments Israel’s lack of faith. (10:1-4)

c.    Righteousness by faith is expounded. (5-13)

1.     Faith eliminates the distance to God. (5-8)

2.     Faith restores the relationship with God. (9-11)

3.     Faith erases human distinctions (12-13)

                     ii.    God offers righteousness by faith to the world. (14-21)

a.   The offer involves messengers and receivers. (14-17)

b.   The offer is universal. (18-19)

c.    The offer is optional. (20-21)

B.    Israel’s restoration illustrates God’s sovereign love. (11:1-36)

                       i.    God’s love is shown by His remnant in Israel. (1-10)

                     ii.    God’s love is shown by Israel’s restoration. (11-32)

a.   The purpose of Israel’s rejection. (11-24)

b.   The promise of Israel’s restoration. (25-32)

                   iii.    God’s nature is exalted in praise. (33-36)

VI. God's righteousness is revealed through transformed behavior. (12:1-15:13)

VII.         Conclusion (15:14-16:27)

Faith Is the Key

(To download an mp3 file of this sermon, click on the title above. To listen now online, click on the play button of the audio player shown.)

This is a sermon based on Romans 9:30-10:13. It is part of a series of messages on the Epistle to the Romans.

Written Excerpts:

Introduction:

In our last sermon, we talked about the fact that God's righteousness is revealed through His sovereign choices. (9:1-11:36) The first part of that division was 9:1-29 where we noticed that “Israel’s history illustrates God’s sovereign choices.” For example, God had sovereignly chosen Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. God had sovereignly used Pharaoh for His service.

Before we get into today’s message, I want to share this story with you.

When Christian A. Herter was governor of Massachusetts, he was running hard for a second term in office. One day, after a busy morning chasing votes (and no lunch) he arrived at a church barbecue. It was late afternoon and Herter was famished. As Herter moved down the serving line, he held out his plate to the woman serving chicken. She put a piece on his plate and turned to the next person in line.

"Excuse me," Governor Herter said, "do you mind if I have another piece of chicken?"
"Sorry," the woman told him. "I'm supposed to give one piece of chicken to each person."
"But I'm starved," the governor said.
"Sorry," the woman said again. "Only one to a customer."
Governor Herter was a modest and unassuming man, but he decided that this time he would throw a little weight around.
"Do you know who I am?" he said. "I am the governor of this state."
"Do you know who I am?" the woman said. "I'm the lady in charge of the chicken. Move along, mister." http://www.sermonillustrations.com/a-z/a/authority.htm

This story illustrates the fact that the “person-in-charge” has the privilege of deciding who gets what!

I share this story because I think our scripture lesson for today illustrates the same principle. God is sovereign and He has complete authority over all the world and over all nations and over all people. He has the right or we might say He has the privilege of deciding “who gets what.”

Obviously, God isn’t like humans who sometimes abuse power and authority and commit grievous injustices against innocent people. He is perfectly good and righteous in all His actions. Yet, we must recognize the fact that He is not bound to behave or respond in ways that meet our approval. His “ways are not our ways, and His thoughts are not our thoughts.”

As I studied this next portion of scripture in Romans, I was struck by the fact that, in spite of the irrevocable standing Israel thought they had with God, when they failed to live up to His standard of faith mixed with righteousness, then God exercised His privileges of sovereignty and chose to extend His grace to people who would respond to Him in faith and obedience.

B.  Israel’s rejection illustrates God’s sovereign privileges. (9:30-10:21)

Not only does God choose to use certain individuals and nations for His divine purposes, but if and when those people exercise their free will to resist God’s plan, then God exercises His privileges of sovereignty by moving on to others who will obey Him and follow His will. Because He is sovereign, He has the privilege of choosing others to carry out His divine purposes on earth when those who were originally chosen defy His will and refuse to obey.

However, in this section Paul seems to be expanding the principle of election to include the fact that when we’re talking about individual salvation, God elects all those who believe the gospel.

i.  God connects righteousness with faith. (9:30-10:13)

Here in the last 4 verses of chapter nine and the first 13 verses of chapter ten, the Apostle makes a connection between faith and true righteousness. He starts off by describing why the Gentiles were able to attain righteousness, while the Jews were not. Then he laments over the spiritual condition of his own nation.

a.  Gentiles exercised faith but not Israel. (9:30-33)

“followed not…” – did not run/pursue after it, but they have attained it, because they believed the message that was delivered to them. They exercised faith in the message they heard.

The Jews on the other hand, did not get what they sought because they sought to acquire it through performance of works rather than through faith. Their specific barrier to faith apparently was Jesus Christ. He became a stumbling block to them as prophesied.

“stumbled” – same word from which we get the word scandal. Cross rather than throne/crown; but also the cross is the starting point for realizing He paid a debt we could never repay with works.

The same Jesus that was a source of stumbling for some became the source of hope for others.

(Reasoner) “The same sun which melts the wax, hardens the clay.”

b.  Paul laments Israel’s lack of faith. (10:1-4)

Again, as in chapter 9, Paul stresses his prayer and desire for his own countrymen. He sincerely wants them to be saved and acquire the righteousness of God that was originally intended for them to have.

“zeal…knowledge” – same condition Paul describes of himself in 1 Timothy 1:13. Word for “knowledge” means “full knowledge.” They knew the truth and they had knowledge, but they didn’t grasp all of the truth.

“have not submitted…” – Paul says the Jews never fully grasped the true righteousness of God and endeavored to achieve it by their own version of it, which was focused only on performance or works. (Especially true even after the exile when they finally got the message about idolatry, but still didn’t understand the importance of faith, so the focus was only on legalistic performance of the law.)

“Christ is the end…” – The intended goal of the law is not to provide acceptance with God and achievement of righteousness, but to bring people to recognize their need of Christ, i.e. the righteousness of God.

The key is “everyone that believeth.”

c.  Righteousness by faith is expounded. (5-13)

In the next 9 verses Paul goes on to explain what true righteousness by faith is all about.

1.  Faith eliminates the distance to God. (5-8)

Paul quotes from Moses (v.5) to let Jews know that he is not proclaiming something contrary to the OT. He is basically saying that the just (those who are proclaimed righteous) must live by God’s standards.

(Reasoner quoting Dunn) Moses did not say, and Paul does not understand him to say, that keeping the law was a means of earning or gaining life. Rather the law prescribes the life which is to be lived by the covenant people. (This is the same point that is emphasized by Dr. John Oswalt, Called to Be Holy.)

“who shall ascend… descend” – This is a quote from Deut. 30 and was originally spoken regarding the law. Moses was trying to convince the Israelites that it wasn’t hard to find out what God expected. The commandments were brought to them by God, they didn’t have to go searching for God’s will.

Here, Paul applies the same principle to faith. Salvation is not something that we have to go out in desperate searches for, but it is near us; in our mouth and in our heart. God isn’t hiding from us and is not far removed from us. He is right here beside us and is offering His salvation if we will accept His truth and believe it in our hearts.

2.  Faith restores the relationship with God. (9-11)

When confession and believing are united, salvation is received and the seeking heart is satisfied.

“not be ashamed” – will not go away disappointed.

(Reasoner) [James] Denney said it was a mistake to separate the two clauses [confessing with the mouth and believing with the heart] and look for an independent meaning in each. A believing heart and a confessing mouth are not two things, but two sides of the same thing. 

“confess… Lord Jesus” – same the same thing, agree with; and commitment to it. Jesus is Lord.

“raised from the dead” – confidence in the resurrection of Christ is an essential ingredient of faith.

3.  Faith erases human distinctions (12-13)

“The ground is level at the foot of the cross.”

Paul is evidently trying to show that the Jew is no better than the Gentile, but neither is the Gentile any better than the Jew. God loves everyone and is extravagantly rich in grace and mercy to everyone, WHOSOEVER calls on the name of the Lord.

(Wesleyan Bible Commentary)  The gift is available to all—that is, all who respond to the call of God with a call of their own….

Conclusion:

The Bible has many accounts of people who “called on the name of the Lord” and the Lord responded to their cry and brought deliverance.

See Psalm 107 for an elaborate example.

107:4-9 Those wondering in the wilderness cried to the Lord and He became their Guide to lead them in the right way.

(10-16) Those bound in prison cried to the Lord and He brought them out and broke their bands and delivered them.

 (17-22) Those who were sick and afflicted cried to the Lord and He healed them and delivered them from destruction.

(23-30) Those who are adrift in the stormy sea cried to the Lord and He calmed the storm and brought them to the safe haven.

All these are poetic descriptions of all kinds of people in all kinds of trouble, but when they cried to the Lord He rescued them and gave them deliverance. The greatest deliverance God can give to any of us is the deliverance from wanting our own way and helping us to yield to His grace and His will for us.

If you are in any kind of trouble, you can call on the Lord and He will respond to you. He may not deliver you from all your circumstances, but He will either deliver you out of them or He will deliver you through them.

If you do not know that you're saved and in the right relationship with God, if you will call on the Lord in humility and surrender to His love and grace, He will save you.

Chosen By God

(To download an mp3 file of this message, click on the title above. To listen now online, click on the play button of the audio player shown.)

This is a sermon based on Romans 9:1-29. It is part of a series of messages on the Epistle to the Romans.

Written Excerpts:

Introduction:

We are ready to launch not only into a new chapter in our study of Romans, but we are launching into a new division in our main theme that began back in the first chapter, i.e. the righteousness of God. This new division will not only take us through chapter 9, but it will carry us through chapters 10 and 11. It is represented on the outline by

V. God’s Righteousness Is Revealed thro’ His Sovereign Choices.

I will admit from the start that these three chapters are some of the most difficult to interpret and properly understand in all of Paul’s writings. (In this regard, they fit in with the closing verses of chapter 8.) Peter mentions in his epistle “… our beloved brother Paul… has written to you, as also in all his epistles… in which are some things hard to understand, which untaught and unstable people twist to their own destruction, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures.”  2 Peter 3:15-16 (NKJV)

Consequently, because of the difficulty in grasping the truths presented here, I am sure that I will not be able to anticipate or answer all of the questions that may arise in your minds while we are discussing this section. So let me say, if you have a question come up in your mind that I do not sufficiently address, please let me know and we’ll try to work out a time to tackle it through more in-depth discussions than what I am able to do here in the larger setting.

As we move into chapter 9, we need to understand that Paul is “changing gears” a little and is addressing an issue that he assumes has come up in the minds of his Jewish readers. Much earlier in the letter, Paul emphasized the fact that salvation is by faith and not through works or through the law. He has stated that salvation has been extended to the Gentiles as well as the Jews.

Many writers believe that Paul now turns his attention specifically to the Jewish readers in his “audience” because (a) they may feel that he has disregarded or abandoned his own countrymen/nation, and (b) they may feel that God is obligated to them because of the promises and covenants made with their forefathers.

So Paul turns to address these matters and show that his heart and soul is burdened for his people, but he also explains and defends the ways and purposes of God as He operates within human history.

One of the main topics that comes up in this section is the subject of “predestination” or “election.” It is the opinion of some theologians, because of their interpretations of these chapters, that God decreed in eternity past who would be saved and who would be lost. They come to this conclusion because of their understanding of what it means to say that “God is sovereign,” and what it means to say that salvation is “by grace alone.” I not only disagree with this conclusion, I think it does terrible damage to the understanding of the nature of God as defined in the scriptures.

I would like to preface our examination of these chapters by making the following distinctions about election or predestination:

(a) God decrees that “everyone who believes the gospel is elected to salvation through grace.” He does not elect some to be eternally saved and the rest to be eternally lost. (And, as we pointed out in chapter 8, God already knows who will be saved or lost, but His knowledge doesn’t cause their choice to accept Him or reject Him.)

(b) God also elects some individuals and/or collective groups (such as nations) for certain roles of service in His divine plan, while others are not elected for service. This has no bearing on their personal eternal salvation.

(c) Somewhat related to (b), When God elects nations or groups it does not mean that the individuals within that group are either eternally saved or eternally lost.

Paul’s discussion through these chapters is still centered on the fact that salvation (justification) is by faith.

Having said all this, lets turn our attention now to the Word and see what God would say to us for our spiritual benefit and growth.

A. Israel’s history illustrates God’s sovereign choices. (9:1-29)

As I mentioned a moment ago, I do not believe that this passage of scripture teaches that God elects some people to be saved, while he elects others to be lost. Yet, I do believe that Paul wants us to understand that God has the right and the sovereign authority to work with nations and with people to fulfill His divine purposes. He doesn’t have to follow our inclinations or our limited human understanding of the way things “ought” to be.

i.  Paul expresses sorrow over wasted opportunity. (1-5)

 “great sorrow…grief” – In this life, there are few things that are more sad than missed opportunities and blessings we could have enjoyed.

“could wish” – hypothetical, if it were possible; probably hyperbole.

“according to the flesh” – compatriots, fellow-countrymen, etc.

“the adoption…” – the nation had been the recipients of some of the most unbelievable privileges.

“Christ came” – the nation had “produced” the Messiah (by God’s design and purpose) who is “God blessed forever” or “the eternally blessed God.”

ii.  God’s choices harmonize with His Word. (6-13)

 With what Paul has said in previous chapters about God offering salvation to the Gentiles, and the implications that God had bypassed the Jews, Paul anticipates the next objection.

“Well then, doesn’t this show that God hasn’t kept His Word?” No, in fact, God does keep His word and this is the proof…

Not all Israelites (descendents of Abraham) are actually children of God’s promise to Abraham. Ills – Ishmael vs. Isaac; Jacob vs. Esau.

“Older…serve younger;” “Jacob I have loved… Esau…hated” – Does not have anything to do with individual salvation. (In fact, several Bible scholars are of the opinion that Esau may have been saved, as evidenced by the change in his behavior when he actually met Jacob returning to the land of Palestine.)

These quotes definitely refer to two nations, just as God originally said to Rebekah before the sons were born (Gen. 25:23) and they definitely do not refer to individual salvation. Esau did not personally serve Jacob, but the people of Edom were later servants to Israel after they were conquered by King David. (2 Sam. 8:14)

The second quote is taken from Malachi 1:2-3 and refers to the fact that God had shown mercy and love on the descendents of Jacob and He had brought judgment on the descendents of Esau. This was because of their acceptance by faith or rejection of God’s will, which God already knew would happen before the patriarchs were ever born.

Wow, what amazing knowledge and sovereignty God has over all His creation!

iii. God’s choices harmonize with His character. (14-18)

Next, Paul answers the possible accusation that what he has been saying somehow impugns the character of God.

“Is God actually unrighteous after all?”

“I will have mercy…” – quote is from Ex. 33:19 referring to special privileges to Moses (“please show me your glory”). The people had already been pardoned when Moses makes this request. (Reasoner)

Paul may have been using these quotes, which originally did not refer to individual salvation, in order to illustrate a point about salvation. But the point is this, when individuals choose not to seek righteousness in God’s way (by faith) then they will be rejected.

And if they do not obey Him in faith, they will be bypassed in God’s dealings with humanity.

“…mercy on whom he wills, and whom He wills He hardens.” – Election for “service” to fulfill God’s plan of deliverance for the Israelites. (If we check the original narrative in Exodus, we will find that Pharaoh hardened his own heart before God did it.)

Applied to salvation, we already know and can say on authority of Scripture that He sovereignly chooses to have mercy on all those who call on the name of the Lord, and He brings judgment on all those who reject God and refuse to trust and obey.

iv.  God’s sovereignty is defended and illustrated. (19-29)

 “Why does he still find fault? Who has resisted His will?” – Again, this is not specifically talking about election unto salvation, but unto service. The examples provided were individuals / nations God used to accomplish His overall plan for bringing redemption to the world.

We do acknowledge that parts of this section do refer to salvation but not in the sense that God decides who will be saved and who will be lost, but in the sense that the privileges of receiving God’s truth and promoting the truth will be taken away from some and given to others so that ultimately more people will hear the truth and be saved.

God has a right to use whom he will and to reject whom he will, and it may never make sense to finite human reasoning. We do not understand why God chooses to use a more wicked and evil nation like Babylon to bring judgment upon the nation of Israel, but He does. And He does it without needing to get permission or approval from us! Learn to trust God’s purposes and providence.

We do not believe that God is a tyrant who capriciously uses and discards people at a whim. No, we believe God is GOOD! But we are finite and that means we cannot always understand His ways.

Conclusion:

One of the clearest truths that I see in the passage we have covered today is the fact that God is not obligated in any way to bless us, use us or even save us. I have stressed the fact that these verses primarily speak about God electing some individuals (or groups) for His service, while rejecting others. This may or may not have determined their eternal destiny, depending on their response of faith.

However, I believe that what the Bible teaches to be true about Israel in a national sense, can be applied to believers in a spiritual sense. Thus, we need to be warned against squandering the opportunities God has provided for us. Just as it was with Israel, so we must respond to God’s grace and privileges with genuine faith and diligent obedience. Otherwise, we will find ourselves bypassed just like Israel.

If I could just go back to verse 2 for a moment…. Sometimes my heart aches when I think of the scores of people I have known over the years who have squandered the privileges and blessings of God and have suffered a great deal of heartache and pain as a result.

Victory Through the Spirit

(To download an mp3 file of this sermon, click on the title above. To listen now online, click on the audio player shown.)

This is a sermon based on Romans 8:26-39. It is a part of a series of messages on the Epistle to the Romans. This messages refers to the Spirit's work in believers to bring them to the completion of redemption provided by Christ.

Written Excerpts:

Introduction:

Romans chapter 8 has been a passage of hope and inspiration for the person who wonders how can a human being ever live a life that is pleasing to God and not be overcome by sin and guilt.

Living each day with the Spirit of God dwelling within our hearts is the blessed privilege of each person that is truly born again.

For the person that is frustrated by Romans 6 and its emphasis on victory over sin and Romans 7 emphasizing the weakness of the law to conquer sin, it is good news indeed to know that God has fulfilled the promise of the prophets by sending the Holy Spirit and making His presence available to every believer.

When the Spirit moves in, there is no room for sin and the accompanying works of the flesh.

Last week we talked about one of the privileges that the Spirit makes possible and that is confirmation of our adoption into the family of God. We are no longer foreigners and strangers, but we are the children of God and we enjoy all the privileges of being family.

We also talked about the fact that the Spirit assures us of the future glory we will experience when God finally consummates the entire plan of redemption and we enjoy the glory that awaits every child of God. Hallelujah!

Today we plan to finish up the chapter by looking at two more operations of the Holy Spirit in our behalf.

1. The Spirit achieves God’s purposes in us.

2. The Spirit enables us to experience complete victory.

Let us examine verses 26-39 to see how these two points are portrayed by the Apostle Paul.

If you are following the outline on this chapter that I made available, you will see… 

ii. The Spirit achieves God’s purposes: (26-30)

Before Jesus left this earth and ascended into heaven, he spoke to His disciples about the “promise of the Father” which would be the coming of the Holy Spirit.

The Spirit would come to glorify Jesus, and to assist us in living out the gospel. (Jn. 14:16-26; 15:26; 16:7-15)

Since the Spirit is a member of the Holy Trinity, it is no surprise that He achieves the purposes of God.  But How?

a. By aiding us in prayer. (26-27)

The Spirit achieves God’s purposes first of all by aiding us in prayer.

Romans 8:26-27 Likewise 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. ²⁷  Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.

We have a problem: mental and physical limitations make it impossible for us to “pray as we ought” to pray. More specifically, we do not always know what the “will of God is.”

“helps” – (Wuest's Word Studies) The word speaks of the action of a person coming to another's aid by taking hold over against that person, of the load he is carrying. The person helping does not take the entire load, but helps the other person in his endeavor.

“makes intercession” – (Reasoner) to intercede in behalf of. (Wuest) …picturesque word of rescue of one who happens on someone in trouble and pleads in behalf of…

“groanings…” – The Spirit pleads in our behalf in groans and sighs that can’t be expressed in words.

“He who searches the hearts” – God.

God gets the message because He knows the mind of the Spirit, Who is pleading for the saints in harmony with the will of God.

Sometimes we just do not know how to verbally express our prayers. We’re not sure how to pray and what we should pray for, but God understands the sighing and groaning that stems from His Spirit within us.

We just need to be committed to His will. That’s what the Spirit is praying for.

b. By orchestrating our circumstances. (28)

The Spirit achieves the purposes of God secondly by orchestrating our circumstances.

(I am convinced that the context of this chapter implies that the Spirit is involved in this operation even though He is not specifically mentioned in this verse.)

²⁸  And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.

When we have the confidence that the Spirit is praying and interceding for us,

“we know” – we can have confidence that God is at work.

The verbs “work together,” and “love” are in the present tense indicating present and continuous condition.

Notice, it doesn’t say “all things are good.” But, all things work together for good.

The good is not necessarily temporal or material in nature. The good is probably more often spiritual in nature.

A total financial collapse may never be fully recovered in monetary gain, but sometimes it can be the one thing that brings a person to true faith in Jesus Christ and rely completely on God.

c. By fulfilling God’s scheme of salvation. (29-30)

Thirdly, the Spirit achieves God’s purposes by carrying out God’s scheme of salvation from beginning to end.

²⁹  For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. ³⁰  Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.

The conjunction “for” shows that this applies to the previous verse. In other words, it seems like Paul is saying, “All things work together for good…” and the “good” is the salvation / redemption that God has planned out for those who are loving God.

“whom” – in the plural form, indicating NOT individual selection by foreknowledge, but a collective group, i.e. all of those who He knew beforehand would believe the gospel and be saved.

“foreknew” – His knowledge is infinite and eternal, but NOT causal. That is, because his knowledge is eternal, He can see even the future as though it is present. Presently knowing something doesn’t cause it to happen.

 “predestined,” “called,” “justified,” and “glorified” – all verbs are in tense that denotes completed action.

The same group that God predestined (ordained beforehand) to be conformed to the image of Christ has also been called and has also been justified and has also been glorified.

This “chain” is obviously for the purpose of showing God’s design and plan in the whole scheme as being complete and final, even though the “glorifying” hasn’t taken place yet.

(Reasoner) The plan of salvation is certain [including all “links of this chain”], but the security of the believer is conditional. It cannot be inferred that all who start will finish, but those who do finish will [have gone] through this sequence.

(Again, the fact that this appears in this chapter in this context implies that the Spirit of God is involved in the fulfillment of God’s plan of redemption. He is achieving God’s purposes by His work in our hearts and lives.)

iii. The Spirit brings ultimate and final victory. (31-39)

The last 9 verses of this chapter are all about God seeing to it that every believer is ultimately victorious.

a. Victory is tied to the gifts of God. (31-34)

³¹  What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? ³²  He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? ³³  Who shall bring a charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. ³⁴  Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.

The writer begins this section with a “loaded question.”

“What shall we say to these things?” – What is the final conclusion?

“these things” – probably a reference back to vv. 29-30; the “links” in the chain of redemption.

He then begins to provide the answer to that question by a series of additional “rhetorical questions.” Rhetorical in the sense that the simple, basic answer is very obvious, thus unsaid, but followed by another answer that is more thorough.

“If God be for us, who can be against us?” – No one.

“He who did not spare… how shall He NOT … give us all things?” – He will give us all things necessary because He already has!

“Who shall bring a charge (accusation)…?” – It doesn’t matter. God is the one who has cleared our record (justified).

“Who condemns?” – Again, it doesn’t matter who wants to judge us and condemn us. Remember what Paul said at the beginning of the chapter? “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus.”

The devil can’t intimidate us by threatening to reveal our past, because God already knows it and Christ has already forgiven it and it is covered by the atoning blood of the Lamb.

b. Victory is assured despite great opposition. (35-39)

The last section is introduced by another rhetorical question, “Who (what) shall separate us from the love of Christ?”

The assumed answer is “no one / nothing.”

³⁵  Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? ³⁶  As it is written: "For Your sake we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter." ³⁷  Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. ³⁸  For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, ³⁹  nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

“love of Christ” – probably talking about Christ’s love for us, not our love for Him.

After the initial question, Paul elaborates… tribulation? Distress? Persecution? Famine? Nakedness? Peril? Sword?

He pretty well covers everything… except – our own willful choice to abandon faith. In other words, this is not intended to be a proof text for unconditional eternal security. (Even then, if one chooses to abandon the faith, he/she will still be loved by Christ.)

“as it is written…” – (Matthew Poole's Commentary) The argument seems to be this: The saints of old have endured all manner of sufferings, and yet were not separated from the love of God; therefore such sufferings cannot separate them now.

“in all these things” – all of the examples he has just mentioned.

“we are more than conquerors” – this is a compound word (root word with a prefix) meaning "to conquer…. and "above," thus, "to come off more than victorious, to gain a surpassing victory."
(Wuest's Word Studies)

“through Him” – Victory is never gained by our own strength or our own strategy. It is always and only “through Him.”

Conclusion:

Wow, what a way to end up this chapter. After starting out by explaining how the Spirit is fully capable of helping us live above sin and set our minds on the things of the Spirit instead of things of the flesh, Paul waxes eloquent about the ultimate and final victory of the Spirit in bringing us through to the desired goal of redemption.

For any child of God that is committed to live for Jesus and allow His Spirit to move in and take control of his / her life, there is no one or no thing that can destroy the work of God and interrupt the completion of His salvation in them.

“We are MORE than CONQUERORS!”

Please stand for the closing hymn.

I want you to pay attention to the words of this hymn, “Be Still My Soul.” #712