Epistles of Paul 78

In the last study of Romans 8 from verse 15 to 22, we spent quite a bit of time talking about the process of being born again. We made reference that there are different analogies used.

One is the analogy that mostly we refer to. This is life we concede is this life, the spiritual life is conceived by the Holy Spirit, then at resurrection we are then born again.

And that analogy has got the whole example of pregnancy growth and all that. But we made reference to another analogy which is that we are really children. We are not to remain children, but we to grow up to mature, to grow up to perfection. But as we focused a bit on that, I would now like to just draw back very briefly through some of those verses to highlight a few additional points as now today we're going to conclude this chapter. So we want to tie in a few additional points. The first one is then another dimension that is that what is the definition of a Christian? Many people believe definition of a Christian is somebody that believes in Christ, but that's not true. That's not the case in Romans 8 verse 9.

Romans 8 verse 9 it says, but you are not in the flesh but in the spirit if you need the spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the spirit of Christ, he's none of these. So if you don't have God's spirit, which is only one spirit, which is referred to as the spirit of God and also is referred to as the spirit of Christ, we are not Christians. And also verse 14, he says, as many as are led by the spirit of God, these are the sons of God. And so to be a true Christian, we have to have God's Holy Spirit. In 1 Corinthians 12 verse 13, we also we went through that when we covered Corinthians in a previous study, but 1 Corinthians 12 verse 13, we read, for by one spirit we're all baptized into one body. We're baptized into one body, the body of Christ, which is the church, and therefore a true Christian has God's Holy Spirit.

Then continue in Romans 8, the next verse is verse 15, where it says, for you do not receive the spirit of bondage against fear, but you receive the spirit of adoption, by whom we cry, Abba, Father. And so yeah, we've got two points to think about. First, we need to remember that only Christ, Christ was the only one that was begotten, a begotten son of the Father.

John 3 verse 16, we know that, it's a scripture that we practically know it off by heart, but let me just turn to it, which says, for God so loved the wall that he gave his only begotten son. So the only one that was begotten of the Father was Christ, but the word here for adoption is a Greek word which is eotheseia, which is being placed as sons of God, and that is through the begettle of the Holy Spirit, and that eotheseia is a word that is not applied to Christ. So Christ was the only one that was begotten, put it another way, according to the flesh of the Father. We are begotten or begotten again of the Spirit and placed as sons by God's Holy Spirit. Then the next point is verse 16, says the Spirit itself bears witness with our spirit that we are the children of God.

We are God's children, not due to a human physical seed, right, but we are begotten again, we are regenerated by God's spiritual seed, and we read that in 1st Peter chapter 1 verse 23.

1st Peter chapter 1 verse 23, having been begotten again or and again now begotten again, not of corruptible seed, but of but incorruptible through the word of God which lives and abides forever. That is through God's promise, that's God's promise that we're going to be his children, and therefore we receive God's Holy Spirit after baptism and the laying of hands, and we begotten again, and therefore and that is not from a corruptible seed but an incorruptible seed.

And therefore there in verse 16, that's Romans 8 verse 16, says the Spirit, God's Holy Spirit, which is with us bears witness with our spirit that we are the children of God. So that God's spirit is working with our spirit and we can see that interaction and as we are overcoming our difficulties and challenges, we can see this war in our body, in our minds, and this is exactly what Paul referred at the end of Romans 7, where he says at verse 23, Romans 7 verse 23, I see another law in my members warring against the law of my mind.

So my body, my physical body, there is certain physical poles, carnal poles, but in my mind, because I have God's Holy Spirit, there is this war and so this is what it's talking about here, that God's Spirit bears witness with our spirit that we are the children of God, that we are different in this world. And verse 17 it says, and if children then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs of Christ. Now what is Christ going to inherit? Well in Hebrews chapter 1 verse 2, let's just go there to Hebrews chapter 1 verse 2, we see that God, that's in verse 1, and then he says, as in this lost I spoken to us by his son, whom he has appointed heir of all things. He has appointed heir of all things. Now what does all things mean? Well it means nothing else than the whole universe and he is the heir of all things and will be co-heirs with him, which means we will inherit all things. Look at also in Hebrews chapter 2 verse 5 through 8, for he has not put the world to come of which we speak in subject subjection to angels, so the world to come, the ultimate world to come is going to be the new heavens and the new earth and that is not going to be in the subjection to angels. So yes the world to come is the wonderful world tomorrow, the millennium, but in a greater perspective and vision the world to come is is even the new heaven and new earth and it says we don't see it says but for he has not put the world to come of which we speak in subjection to angels, verse 6 Hebrews chapter 2, but one testified in a certain place what is man that you're mindful of him or the son of man that you take care of him. You have made him a little lower than angels, we human beings and obviously Christ when he came to earth was a little lower than angels, you have crowned him with glory and honor. Yes Christ is crowned with glory and honor, we as children of God will also be crowned with glory and honor and he says you have set him over the works of your hands.

Well at the moment only Christ has been done this, has received that, but we are to receive that in the future. In other words not yet, but eventually we will be ruling and we will inherit all things like it says in verse 8, you have put all things in subjection under his feet. Today that's true for Christ, but eventually that will be true for all of us as well in the kingdom and so as we discussed in the previous study this is all a process to be born again, to become children of God and in the kingdom of God we will be resurrected into glory, will be resurrected into glory if we suffer with him and that's what we read in verse 17. At the end of verse 17 will be heirs of Christ if indeed we suffer with him that we may also be glorified together, we'll receive that glory ultimately not yet, but eventually that's what we'll receive if we prove ourselves. Now look at also at Philippians chapter 2, a big part of Philippians chapter 3, Philippians chapter 3 verse 21, Philippians chapter 3 verse 21 and it's talking about our Lord Jesus Christ who will transform our lowly body that it will be conformed to his glorious body according to the working by which he's able even to subdue all things to himself. So this process, part of that process what it'll come is that our physical lowly bodies will be transformed into a glorious body like Christ's. So we will have glory like Christ's not at the same level of course, but we'll have glory and then it goes on in verse 18, for I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to compare with the glory which shall be revealed in us. The sufferings that we are go through now are not to be compared with what God has for us, nothing compares to the glory you and I will receive. I think the challenge is we don't really understand or fully grasp what is that glory. So I think in the next few verses Paul is trying to give us a glimpse of that glory. So let's read verse 19 because he says, for the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly awaits or waits for the revealing of the sense of God. So even the physical creation is waiting for the revealing of the sense of God. When we transform we'll then begin to help Christ restore God's kingdom on earth, the government of God on earth, but is it just on earth? Ultimately is that just on earth what we'll be doing? Let's just read verse 20 through 22. It says, for the creation was subjected to futility not willingly but because of him was subjected in hope, because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation grounds and labors with birth pains together until now. The whole creation is the whole physical universe, not just planet earth but all the galaxies. It's the whole creation.

It says the whole creation grounds and labors with birth banks together until now, and it says it's subjected to futility not willingly but because of him is subject in hope.

And then that creation itself will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.

So the whole creation is waiting for us to be revealed. Now we know Satan rebelled and caused a lot of degradation. We know man since and we cause pollution and other degradation in the quality of our lives. We know that in a wonderful world tomorrow, in a millennium, we will help Christ making this earth a beautiful place. So that by the time of the great white throne judgment that last great day, that eighth day symbolized by the eighth day of the feast, the vast majority of humanity will be given a chance which they would never received.

But the way things are in the whole universe, it's not the way God wants it. He says the creation was subject to futility not willingly but because of him was subjected in hope. We know that physical as it is will eventually run down and decay. Whatever is physical will eventually run down and decay. But we don't know and we read in the last two chapters of the the book of Revelation. There will be a new heaven and a new earth.

Now the Bible does not say much at all about a new heaven and new earth but I think these verses here are giving a little hint towards that new heaven and new earth and God will use us beyond the great white throne judgment, beyond that lost great day of the feast when mankind will be in a state that there'll be no more sin dwelling there. God will then use us to build things up into the future. I want to read to you a section, just one page here of this book, The Incredible Human Potential. I'm going to read just a section here on page 33 and it says our potential is to be born into the God family receiving total power.

We ought to be given jurisdiction over the entire universe. What are we going to do then?

The scriptures indicate we shall impart life to billions and billions of dead planets as life has been imported to this earth. We shall create as God directs and instructs.

We shall rule through all eternity. You see God is a creator and he's creating us his son so he wants us to extend to us that same capability. Now continue reading Revelation 21 and 22.

Sure there will be no pain, no suffering, no evil because we shall have learned to choose God's way of good. It will be an eternal life of accomplishment, constantly looking forward in super joyous anticipation to new creative projects and still looking back also on accomplishments with happiness and joy of what shall have been already accomplished. We shall never grow tired and wary.

Always alive, full of joyous energy, vitality, exuberant life and strength and power.

What a potential says Mr Armstrong in this interesting book. Sometimes sits in our shelves and it's actually occasionally good to just go back and and read about this great hope.

We have and so continue now in verse 23 verse 23 we read not only that but we also we have the first fruits of the spirit.

Even we ourselves grown within ourselves eagerly waiting for the adoption the redemption of our body for our regeneration to become sons of God. We wait for that and so we we are eagerly waiting for the time when we will be in God's family. And that's why it says early on in verse 17 we will be glorified together with him and it says I consider the sufferings of this present time not worthy to be compared with the glory. We just cannot begin to comprehend the glory and joy and the happiness and the fulfillment we will have not only in the world tomorrow but beyond that into the new heaven and new earth.

So it is a great blessing that God is giving us a great calling.

So as we read here not only the physical creation is waiting but we are also waiting.

God now has given us a down payment God's Holy Spirit and we will then ultimately will become sons of God. We'll be released from this bondage from this bondage of this body. That's why it says the redemption of our body we're released from this bondage this body which is physical which is gets ill gets tired ages gets old. Continue now verse 24 and 25 for we for we were saved in this hope but hope that is seen is not a hope for why does one still hope for what he sees that if we hope for what we do not see we really wait for it with perseverance.

You see so we're hoping and and we're hoping because we're not there yet and so we we persevere we stick to it because it's a great hope it's a great hope and I know some of us go through enormous enormous trials some of us are going through enormous health issues and difficulties and pains but we have to persevere we have to persevere because this this body will be redeemed or released from this bondage that's what it says yeah the redemption of of our body at universe 23 and so we're hoping we're looking forward to that verse 26 now likewise the spirit also helps us albeit part of the spirit also helps in our weaknesses God's spirit God's power helps us whatever we are weak in this world yeah God's spirit is a down payment and so it gives us a little bit of help in the meantime a little bit of help and so he says for we do not know what we should pray for as we ought but the spirit itself makes intercession for us with groundings which cannot be uttered you see God's only spirit helps us gives us power to overcome it helps us to pray it gives us helps us with things to pray about verse 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 so Jesus Christ lives in us through the power of God through God's only spirit we have as it says in verse 9 the spirit of Christ all right and by that power we have access to the father through Christ we have access by one spirit to the father look at Ephesians chapter 2 verse 18 Ephesians chapter 2 verse 18 for through him we both and that is Jews and Gentiles we both have access by one spirit to the father through Christ we whether we Jew and Gentiles have access by one spirit to the father in other words we have access to the father through Christ by God's power by by that spirit the spirit of God now look at Hebrews chapter 7 verse 25 Hebrews chapter 7 verse 25 it's very clear that who is interceding for us it's Christ is our high priest Hebrews chapter 7 verse 25 therefore he is also able to save to the utmost those who have come to God through him since he always lives to make intercession for them Christ lives as our high priest to intercede on our behalf in first Timothy chapter 2 verse 5 we see that we only have one mediator between us and God and it's Christ first Timothy chapter 2 verse 5 for there is one God and one mediator between God and man the man Christ Jesus there's only one mediator and therefore Christ is interceding for us he's the one that intercedes for us and Christ is our advocate first John chapter 2 verse 1 first John chapter 2 verse 1 he says my little children these things are right to you so that you may not sin and if anyone sins we have an advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous Christ is our advocate is our defense advocate is defending us when Satan accuses us Christ is there is our advocate is mediating between you and I between God and us he's interceding for us and as we go back to Romans chapter 8 we were reading Romans chapter 8 verse 27 but I just want you to briefly jump to Romans chapter 8 verse 34 and look at that who is he who condemns it is Christ who died and furthermore is also risen who is at the right hand of God who also makes intercession for us so it's Christ that intercedes for us Christ is the one that is making intercession for us and so God through his holy spirit because it's only spirit it helps us in our weaknesses gives us power to overcome brings things to our mind of what to pray and how to pray in other words helps us to see our weaknesses help us to see our faults convicts us so that we can repent and change and so the holy spirit is that agent is like it's that catalyst that God is using to work with us but it is Christ in us that is directing the spirit to lead us and to move us and that's this amazing work of the father with Christ and with God's spirit the three work together in us being able to grow to become like Christ so reading verse 27 again Romans chapter 8 verse 27 now he who searches the hearts which is a father knows what the mind of the spirit is and what is this mind of the spirit look at first Corinthians chapter 2 let's go and look at at this section let's read the section first Corinthians chapter 2 verse 9 through verse 16 first Corinthians chapter 2 verse 9 through verse 16 as it's written high is not seen nor hear her nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those loving but God has revealed them to us through spirit God has revealed some inklings of the future of the plan of being children of God and and what he wants he reveals certain things by spirit that's what he says he reveals them to us through spirit for the spirit searches all things yes the deep things of God for what man knows the things of a man except a spirit of man which is in him so you and I can only think and act like a human being because we have the spirit of man which is in man even so no one knows the things of God except a spirit of God we and people like us we understand the truth because God's spirit is working our minds for us to understand the truth it's God's spirit in us that helps us to understand the truth now verse 12 we have received not the spirit of the world but the spirit who is from God that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God these things we also speak not in words which man's wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches comparing spiritual things with spiritual things so God using the power of his spirit his spirit breaks our conscience breaks our minds and and we are then instructed yet convicted of things to do and then he says but the natural man does not receive the things of the spirit of God for they are foolishness to him nor can he know them because they are spiritually discerned so people that do not have God's Holy Spirit cannot understand let's put it simply the Bible in its old context but he was spiritual judges all things yet he himself is rightly judged by no one for who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct him but we have the mind of Christ through God's early spirit you and I have the mind of Christ dwelling in us and that's why we read for instance in Philippians chapter 2 verse 5 let this mind be in you which was in Christ Jesus through God's early spirit we have the mind of Christ dwelling in us through God's early spirit Jesus Christ through the Holy Spirit is his mind is interceding for us and that's what we read in Romans chapter 8 verse 27 because he makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God so Christ is interceding through us through the power of his Holy Spirit he's acting through that power so it's it's Christ's mind we have his mind and and he's acting in us by that power of the spirit verse 28 and we know that all things work for good to those who love God and to those who are called according to his purpose now this is the love of God you read that in first John 5 verse 3 to keep his commandments and so he says and we know that all things work for good to those who love God in other words to those that keep his commandments first John 5 verse 3 this is the love of God to keep his commandments so to love God is to keep his commandments but that's not all because he says because he says we know that all things work for good for those who love God to those who are the called according to his purpose you see it's not just to those that love God but it's to those that God is calling to those that God is working with now according to his purpose according to his purpose look at Romans chapter 9 verse 11 Romans chapter 9 verse 11 for the children not yet being born nor having done any good or evil this is talking about when Rebecca had conceived you know and and then he says yeah for the children not yet being born nor having done any good or evil that the purpose of God according to election might stand not of works but of him who calls God calls and he has a purpose and so everything is according to God's purpose it's working according to his purpose and that's why it says here in verse 28 and we know that all things work together for good to those who love God to those who are called who are the called according to his purpose everything is working according to God's purpose even though we may not understand it God may allow this to happen or that to happen and we may ask a thousand and one questions why this and why that and why the other but as it says everything is working according to his purpose so then he says be assured and and that's what it says yeah in verse 28 we know that all things work together for good so you and I can be assured that God is always acting for our good ultimately it'll bring our salvation and ultimately it's training us for something even bigger and and indeed sometimes we don't know what we lack but God is working for our good verse 29 for whom he for new he also predestined you know he had a plan and because of his plan he determined to do certain things and what did he predestined he predestined that we have a goal an aim to ultimately develop the spiritual image of Christ now when we first born we have the image of a human being yes we like human being and when God created Adam and Eve he created them in his image so but what we have to develop is the spiritual character the spiritual image of Christ and so he says for whom he predestined no for bigger part of verse 29 for whom he for new he also predestined what to be conformed to the image of his son that's the goal God has predestined mankind to be conformed to the image a bigger part of his son that's our goal that's our ultimate goal so we are to bear the image of Christ well the world as a wrong understanding about predestination the world's understanding of predestination is oh well we some are predestined to be saved and some are predestined to be lost no that's not what predestination is is predestination has to do when God calls you and I God has predestined in first place that all human beings are to develop to grow to the spiritual image of Christ but he has predestined some to be called now others will be called later so predestination has to do with when God calls you we are the first being called God ultimately has predestined all human beings to be in his family but it's just a matter of when when that opportunity is extended to everybody else you see some got called from birth Jesus Christ was predestined long before Moses was called from birth Paul was called from birth God has predestined that a certain number God has predestined that a certain number of people to be called now in other words to be the first fruits but some don't respond many are called but few are chosen Matthew 22 14 some don't respond now some may have to work with them for years so why so that they respond or if they don't respond you'll call others you know as they lose their crown but ultimately as they respond all things work out for good all things work out for good so if all knows and therefore he works with those he called to bring us to the point that we are going to be like his son he has preordained for instance different judgment periods now for instance the church there'll be a second resurrection the great white throne there'll be a judgment into the lake of fire he's pre-derman or preordained certain things to happen in a certain cycle that's why there is a plan of salvation which is depicted by God's early days and then he says here in verse 30 moreover homie predestined these he also called and homie called these he also justified made them right with God it's forgiven our sins through Christ's sacrifice and those he justified if we don't throw it away these he also glorified ultimately will be glorified that's in other words as good as done it's done it's done you don't have to worry about it God has called you as much as you don't throw it away as much as you're going to keep going it's as good as done you can make it if if God is on our side it doesn't matter verse 31 what then shall we say to these things if God is for us who can be against us yeah it doesn't matter God is on our side don't worry don't be anxious trust God and just go forwards verse 32 he would not spare his own son but delivered him up for us how shall he not with him also freely give us all things you see God committed to actually give give his own son for him to die for us so isn't he now going to do the rest so why be anxious about it trust him verse 33 who shall bring a charge against God's elect obviously does not mean we don't sin and that does not mean that that that we can fail but we can repent we can repent and then in Romans I'll be pardon in Revelation 12 verse 9 where he says Satan is the accuser of the brethren and he accuses them day and night but he's got nothing to accuse because we repent and Christ is our defense advocate and Christ says is clean is being forgiven there's no accusation accusation is all in vain so verse 33 again who can bring a charge against God's elect you see or surely Satan tries but he is God who justifies it's God who makes us right who is he who condemns verse 34 it is Christ who died and furthermore he is risen who is even at the right hand of God who also makes intercession for us he died for us he paid for our sins he is now alive at the father's right hand he is the mediator for us he's interceding for us who can condemn us verse 35 who shall separate us from the love of Christ who shall separate it from in other words we're gonna have trials it says shall tribulation and the stress or persecution of famine or nakedness or peril or sword and some there basically those sword means some will die but will that separate you and I from God's love verse 36 as it's written for your sake we are killed all day long we accounted the sheep we accounted the sheep to the slaughter we'll have trials trials verse 37 yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us we are conquerors we don't have to give up and verse 38 for I am persuaded that neither death nor life nor angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come no height no depth nor any other creative thing in other words no shall could it be death or could be or could be demons could be whatever nothing it says shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord God's love for us is never ending is never ending provided we don't walk away from it look at Philippians chapter one Philippians chapter one verse six Philippians chapter one verse six 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 God will complete it you will make it provided you and I don't turn our backs we just have to remain faithful till the end be it as it says be it life or death this says height or it says angels or principalities or whatever trials may be nothing will separate us from God's love to us he has begun a great work in you and he will complete it