Romans 8 – Ministry of Grace Church

Category: Romans 8

Romans 8:39 – Eternally Secure

Posted on May 4, 2018 by Will

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.

Truth to Learn

There is nothing that can cause us to lose our salvation. Nothing!

Behind the Words

The word translated “height” is hupsōma, which is the noun form of hupsoō, meaning “to elevate, to lift up, or to exalt.” This word refers to a place that is elevated or high up. As used here it is most likely a reference to the heavenly places (both physical and spiritual).

“Depth” is from bathos, which is derived from bathus, meaning deep. Bathos refers to that which is deep. Most scholars agree that this is a reference to Hell which is deep in the heart of the earth.

The words “created thing” are from the Greek word ktisis, which is the noun form of the verb ktidzō, meaning “to create, form, or found.” Earlier in this chapter we discussed whether ktisis referred to a single created thing or to all of creation. The use here is clearly a reference to “any other created thing.”

“Separate” is from coridzō, which we looked at back in verse thirty-five. It means “to put distance between” or “to make things separate from one another.”

Meaning Explained

We are reading about the answer to the question, “What shall separate us from the love of Christ?” In yesterday’s verse Paul gave us a list of things, and in today’s verse he completes the list. This list is a delineation of those things which can’t separate us from God’s love.

In this verse we are told that height and depth are included in the list. Paul uses these words as metonyms (where the name of one object is used to represent some related thing or things) to represent all the inhabitants of Heaven and Hell. In the first part of this verse he is saying that there is nothing in the heavens above or in Hell below or any other created thing that can separate us from God’s love.

You will recall that Paul is talking about those of us who have been adopted as God’s children, that is, those who are born-again Christians. Nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus. This is a very clear reference to the fact that we cannot get un-saved. We cannot even un-save ourselves according to this verse. If we are saved we cannot “renounce” our salvation, because no created thing can separate us from God’s love in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Some may try to argue against this and say, “But God loves all people; isn’t that what John 3:16 says?” Unfortunately, the answer to that is “No.” As we will see in the next chapter, particularly in verse thirteen where it is said of God, “As it is written, ‘Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.’"

Application

This verse highlights one of the greatest facts about our adoption by God. We don’t have to worry about losing something we didn’t earn and we don’t deserve. God did it entirely himself out of His love for us. He will never lose that love and there is nothing that can separate us from that love. Nothing! That means we are completely and eternally secure in our salvation! That’s something to think about. More than that, that’s something to praise God about!

In God's service, for His glory,

Romans 8:38 – No One and Nothing

Posted on May 3, 2018 by Will

For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come,

Truth to Learn

Our salvation is secure!

Behind the Words

The word translated “persuaded” is the Greek word peithō, meaning “to persuade or convince someone.” This word is in the perfect tense implying past completed action with a continuing result, but with the emphasis on the result. So, Paul is not saying that this may be true, or that he thinks it is possible, rather he is saying that he has been persuaded and he is now absolutely convinced that this is true.

“Death” is from the Greek word thanatos. It can refer to physical death (the death of our physical bodies) or spiritual death (exclusion from the presence and favor of God). The base meaning of this word implies separation. Regarding physical death, it is the separation of the soul and spirit from the body. With respect to spiritual death is the separation of the soul and spirit from the presence and favor of God.

The word “life” is from dzoē, which refers to “human life.” It can refer to our physical life or to eternal life.

“Angels” is a transliteration of angelos, meaning “messenger.” It is used in reference to any of God’s created spirit beings.

The word “principalities” is from archē, which literally refers to “the beginning point.” Metaphorically, it is used to refer to the highest in position or power of the angelic beings.

“Powers” is from dunamis (from which we get our English word dynamite), meaning “a powerful force.” It is used here as a reference to other powerful angels.

The word translated “things present” is enistēmi, meaning “something that exists now.” And “things to come” is from mellō, meaning “something that is about to be or to happen.”

Meaning Explained

Back in verse thirty-five Paul asked the question, “What will separate us from the love of Christ, tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?” We told you at that time that Paul would answer the question in a few verses. Well, here it is. This is the final explosion in his volcanic eruption of the glorious benefits of being an adopted child of God; in fact, there is so much here that it is spread out over two verses.

Paul starts out this verse with “For I am persuaded.” And what is it that he is absolutely convinced is true? That nothing can separate us from the love of God! You will notice that this list starts out with life and death. We cannot be separated by life or by death. The three words angelos, archē, and dunamis represent all of the angelic host, including faithful angels as well as fallen angels. It even includes Satan. Hence, no angelic being can separate us from God’s love in Christ Jesus. The list includes things that exist as well as things that have not yet come into being but shall exist some day.

Application

We are saved by God and by God alone, and once we have been declared righteous (saved) by God, it cannot be undone!

In God's service, for His glory,

Romans 8:37 – Victorious Suffering!

Posted on May 2, 2018 by Will

But in all these things we more than conquer through Him who loved us.

Truth to Learn

Though we suffer for Him, we conquer through Him.

Behind the Words

Paul starts off this verse with the Greek word alla, which is a contrastive conjunction. In other words, he is contrasting this thought with the one(s) just expressed.

The Greek verb translated, “more than conquer” is hupernikaō, which is a compound word made up or huper (or hyper) meaning “over or above in position or degree” and nikaō, which means “to be victorious or to win a battle.” In other words, we are not simply victorious; we are hyper-victorious or super-victorious! That is, we gain a decisive victory!

Meaning Explained

Although this verse is short, it is packed with meaning. Paul just quoted a passage from the Book of Psalms saying:

Surely, for Your sake we are killed all day long; we are accounted as sheep to be slaughtered. (Psalms 44:22)

His purpose in quoting this passage is to point out the fact that we are being persecuted, and we are suffering because we are identified with Him.

But (alla) – Paul is now making a contrasting point. Even though we are being treated like slaughter-house sheep, we are suffering for Him, and some of us are even dying for Him; “we more than conquer.” Notice that these four words are translated from a verb, not a noun. It is not so much a state of being (we are conquerors), although our translation makes it sound like that, as it is a description of our action (we hyper-conquer through Him). Even though we may suffer, or even die for our faith, we are conquering!

And what is the source of the victory power that we have? It is “Him who loved us.” We are victorious through the One who foreknew us, who choose us, who sanctified us, who justified us, who adopted us as His own children, and who loved us with a self-sacrificing agape love! We are victorious through the One who suffered in our place, who shed His blood on the cross to pay the penalty for our sins, who rose from the dead, and is alive forever more. We are victorious through the One with whom we are sealed, who is the guarantee of our salvation, who is our teacher, and who is our comforter in the midst of trials.

Yes, we are in a spiritual war. We did not choose this war, but we are in it nonetheless. Not only do we conquer our spiritual enemy when we endure our sufferings in the name of Christ, but ultimately we conquer the final enemy, death. On the other side of our physical death, we will sing a victory song standing in the presence of the One who purchased that victory for us.

Application

Have you suffered for your faith or your testimony? Are you suffering now because you are known as one of God’s chosen children (the world calls us “religious people” or “holy rollers”)? Remember that right now you are more than conquering and one day soon you will sing the victory song and receive the victor’s crown! Praise God for your suffering! He will receive the glory!

In God's service, for His glory,

Romans 8:36 – His Targeted Children

Posted on May 1, 2018 by Will

As it is written: "For your sake we are killed all day long; we are accounted as sheep to be slaughtered."

Truth to Learn

The reason that faithful Christians suffer in this life is not because of disobedience, but because of family lineage.

Behind the Words

The word translated “it is written” is the Greek verb graphō, which literally means “to engrave.” By modern application it means “to write.” It is expressed in the Greek perfect tense, which implies past completed action with an ongoing effect, but the emphasis is on the effect.

Meaning Explained

Paul has just asked the rhetorical question, “What shall separate us from the love of Christ?” He then listed a number of afflictions that can occur to man. He now seems to abruptly change thought and quotes a passage from the Old Testament (Psalms 44:22). If you read through the 44^th Psalm, however, you will see that it is neither abrupt nor a change of thought.

In Psalms 44 the writer is recounting first the way that GOD has fought for the Israelites and how their enemies have been scattered. In the second part of this Psalm, he recounts the shame suffered by the Israelites when God apparently abandoned them. The third portion of this Psalm is the author’s commitment to GOD in spite of the calamities that have overtaken them. At that point the writer proclaimed:

“Surely, for Your sake we are killed all day long; we are accounted as sheep to be slaughtered.” (Psalms 44:22)

The reason for the afflictions of the Jewish people was (and is) not because of sin; rather, it is because they are the chosen people of GOD.

That’s the point that Paul is making here and the reason that he quotes this Old Testament passage. In the previous verse he recited a number of afflictions that befall Christians today. He is saying now that the reason for these afflictions is not because of disobedience or sin, it is because we are obedient, and we are the children of God. That’s the reason we are (and will be) attacked by our enemy.

Keep in mind what Christ told His disciples in John’s gospel:

"If the world hates you, know that it hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own. But because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you, 'A servant is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you …” (John 15:18-20)

Application

We will suffer in this life because we are Christians! In fact, the greater our testimony, the more likely it is that we will suffer. Paul, however, is about to offer a word of encouragement and a glorious truth for us all to know when we are in the midst of those trials.

The key to understanding Christian persecution and suffering is not to focus on what we have done, but what He has done – and what He will always do.

In God's service, for His glory,

Romans 8:35 – Faithful Loving God

Posted on April 30, 2018 by Will

What will separate us from the love of Christ, tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?

Truth to Learn

No matter what happens to you, remember that God loves you!

Behind the Words

“What” is from the Greek interrogative pronoun tis, meaning “who, which, or what.” In light of the remainder of this verse, I think the best translation here is “what.”

The verb “separate” is translated from the Greek word chōridzō, which is based on the adverb chōris, which means “separately, by itself, apart from.” Hence, chōridzō means “to put distance between” or “to make things separate from one another.”

“Love” is from the Greek word agapē, which refers to a self-sacrificing love in which the lover is focused on the ultimate goodness and benefit of the loved one.

Paul now gives us a number of descriptions of things that can’t separate us from the love of Christ. They are:

thlipsis, meaning “pressure, anguish, tribulation, trouble, or affliction.” It refers to troubles pressing from the outside.
stenochōria, literally meaning “narrow space.” It is different from thlipsis in that it refers to internal distress or “anguish.”
diōgmos, which is derived from the verb diōkō, meaning “to relentlessly pursue or persecute.”
limos refers to “a scarcity of food.” It is most often translated as “hunger or famine.”
gumnotēs, meaning “nudity or nakedness.”
kindunos, meaning “peril or danger.” It refers to someone who is constantly moving because of imminent danger.
machaira, meaning “a sword used for warfare and slaughter.”

Meaning Explained

Paul has already made several declarations about those of us who are the chosen ones of God including:

If God is for us, who can possibly be against us.
He who gave His Son for our salvation will freely give us all things that we need for life and peace.
No one can get away with charging us with any wrong, and if they do (that is, when Satan does) we have Christ as our defense attorney interceding for us.

Now Paul begins the final declaration of this chapter (although it will take several verses to finish the idea). He starts this verse off with, “What will separate us from the love of Christ?”

The answer to this question doesn’t appear until verses thirty-eight and thirty-nine, but a number of candidates are offered by Paul in this verse. Though he never does directly answer this question, the ultimate answer is, “None of these things can separate us from the love of Christ.”

He will go on to provide an ever greater example of how strong Christ’s love for us is in a few verses.

Application

No matter what happens to us, God will always love us as His children (those whom He has chosen, redeemed, and justified).

Always!

In God's service, for His glory,

Romans 8:34 – Our Defense Attorney

Posted on April 27, 2018 by Will

Who is he who that is condemning? Christ is He who died, and furthermore was also raised, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.

Truth to Learn

We are represented by the greatest defense attorney of all.

Behind the Words

The words “and furthermore” are from the Greek words mallon de. The word de is a conjunction that is most often translated as either “but” or “and.” It is always “post-positive,” that is, it always comes as the second word in a phrase although we translate it in English as the first word. The word mallon is an adverbial comparative which means “more than that.”

“Intercession” is from entugchanō, which means “to confer with,” but by extension it means “to speak in behalf of.”

Meaning Explained

Paul now makes a somewhat startling declaration. He has just told us that no one can bring anything to the charge of God’s chosen people because God has already justified us. That is, He has declared that we are righteous. Now Paul asks another of his rhetorical questions, “Who is he that is condemning?” And his answer is that Christ is the only one who can get away with condemning because he has paid for our righteousness with his blood. In fact, what Paul says regarding the only one who can get away with condemning is, “Christ is He who died.” That is Christ, the Anointed One, the Messiah, the Perfect One who died to pay for the sins of the whole world.

Christ’s death is significant for sure, but Paul adds, “and furthermore was also risen.” Christ’s resurrection is of even greater significance than His death because it is His resurrection that demonstrates that He is the Anointed One, the Christ. He is not a dead Savior, He is alive!

Paul continues with his description of Jesus as the only one who can legally condemn by saying that Christ is now “at the right hand of God,” He has already assumed the position of power over all of creation and is the One in the position of judgment. Only He can judge; only He can condemn!

But we Christians cannot be charged with any offense since God has already declared us as righteous and Paul has shown that the only one who can condemn is Christ himself (who will not condemn those of us whom the Father has already declared as righteous). But, there are some whom Christ does condemn: those who refuse his offer of salvation.

Paul now makes one final statement regarding our living Savior who is at the right hand of God. He says that Christ is the one “who also makes intercession for us.” Not only has the Father declared us righteous, but Christ is there at the heavenly court as our defense attorney making all of the legal arguments in our defense when the enemy accuses us.

However, that doesn’t mean we can sin all we want just because we’re already forgiven. If we are truly saved then we don’t want to sin and, in fact, we want to keep His commandments. That’s what John said:

And by this we know that we have come to know Him, if we keep His commands. (1 John 2:3)

Application

Thank you Lord for saving me, for declaring me as righteous, and for defending my righteousness when I need it most!

In God's service, for His glory,

Romans 8:33 – Chosen to be Sinless

Posted on April 26, 2018 by Will

Who will bring a charge against God's chosen ones? God is the one who justifies.

Truth to Learn

God declares His chosen ones to be completely righteous.

Behind the Words

“Bring a charge” is from engkaleō, which is a compound word made up of en, meaning “in” and kaleō, meaning “to call.” So, literally this word means “to call in.” Originally it was used with regard to a debt that was “called-in” when it was due. In general usage it has come to mean “to bring a charge against or to accuse someone.”

The word translated “chosen.” It is the Greek word eklektos, from the verb eklegō, which is made up of ek, meaning “out” and legō, meaning “to select or choose through thoughtful deliberation.” Hence, eklektos refers to someone or something that has been chosen or selected out of a larger group.

Meaning Explained

Paul now continues with his volcanic eruption regarding the benefits of being God’s children. The first thing we learned is that God is Almighty and will do all to protect us and bless us because we are His adopted children. In other words, we are safe from any evil force. But, if our enemy can’t get to us by force, he will try to get to us by subtlety. He will accuse us of unrighteousness, which makes us feel unworthy to be God’s children. That’s what Paul is addressing in the current verse. Notice Paul’s play on words here. He says “Who will bring a charge (engkaleō – call in) against God's chosen ones (eklektos – chosen out ones)?”

Now here is where those who don’t believe in God’s election have a problem. Paul is asking, “Who shall make an accusation against those whom God has chosen?” Now if you don’t believe in election (which says you have believed the gospel message and are saved because God chose you, not because you chose to believe) then this verse doesn’t make sense.

Paul, on the other hand, very much believes in election and teaches it throughout his letters. In fact, the first few chapters of this letter to the Roman Christians were spent explaining how justification comes by grace through faith, not as the result of anything that we have done. And, because God is the one who has declared us righteous (nowhere in the Bible does it teach that God ever removes that righteousness from our account) then it doesn’t matter who brings a charge against us. God’s response is that we are righteous according to His records; therefore the charge will not stand because, “God has declared us righteous.”

Thus we see that according to this verse, it doesn’t matter how bad a sin we commit, it has already been paid for by Christ’s blood, and in God’s eyes we are free from sin because we have been given the righteousness of Christ. We don’t deserve this righteousness, we deserve eternity in Hell, but we are righteous because God has chosen us and declared us to be righteous.

Application

Now, just because we have been declared righteous doesn’t mean we are free to sin all we want. The One who declared us righteous also tells us that if we love Him, we will obey Him. And we should love Him gratefully because of what He has done for us. Thank you God, for the gift that I don’t deserve! And, thank you God, for not giving me what I do deserve!

Do I hear an “Amen”?

In God's service, for His glory,

Romans 8:32 – All Things Given

Posted on April 25, 2018 by Will

Indeed, He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not also with Him freely give us all things?

Truth to Learn

God has freely given us the payment for our sins and has also freely given us everything we need to be godly people.

Behind the Words

The word “spare” is translated from pheidomai, which means “to spare” or “to treat leniently.” God was not lenient toward His Son, but gave Him to suffer for you and me.

“Delivered” is translated from paradidōmi, which is made up of para, meaning “beside, to the side of, or over to” and didōmi, meaning “to give.” Hence, it means “to give over to” or “to surrender to.”

The word translated “freely give” is charidzomai, which means “to willingly bestow an undeserved favor.” This same word is translated “having forgiven you” in Colossians 2:13.

Meaning Explained

Paul has just declared, “If God is for us, who is against us?” We know from other passages of Scripture that God is Almighty, that is, All Powerful. No one is more powerful than God (our father is stronger than their father). But, just because He can do anything to protect us and defend us doesn’t mean that He will make our lives one of ease and prosperity. In fact, because He is an all-knowing God, He knows what things will make us most Christ-like. He knows that times of trial and difficulties in our lives will make us stronger. That’s precisely the issue that Paul is addressing in this verse.

God the Father, did not spare His only Son, Jesus. In fact, God the Father, sent His only Son to live a perfect life and then freely offered that life as a substitutionary sacrifice to pay for your sins and mine. He permitted His precious Son to be subjected to one of the most cruel and painful tortures ever invented by the sin-sick minds of man. Then, once our sins were paid for, He then declared us to be righteous and adopted us as His children. That has been His plan since before time began and nothing can alter that plan.

So, Paul’s point in this verse is very simple; if God is willing to offer up His only Son so that He could adopt us as His children as well, He must really love us. And if He loves us this much, surely He will freely give us all that we need, or as Paul put it; “how shall He not also with Him freely give us all things?”

But what does Paul mean by “all things?” The Apostle Peter gives us the answer to that question in his second general epistle to the church:

His divine power has given us everything pertaining to life and godliness through the full knowledge of him who called us through glory and worthiness. (2Peter 1:3)

Thus we see that in addition to giving the life of His Son to pay the penalty that we can’t pay ourselves, God gives us everything we need to live full lives as godly people.

Application

Not only is our Father the strongest around, He loves us more than we can comprehend! And, now that you know that you have everything you need to live a godly life, what are you going to do about it?

In God's service, for His glory,

Romans 8:31 – Powerful Loving Father

Posted on April 24, 2018 by Will

What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us?

Truth to Learn

God is powerful and is watching over us, His children.

Behind the Words

“For” is translated from huper, which primarily means “over” or “above.” Figuratively, however, it means “for” in the sense of protection, care, or favor.

The word “against” is from kata, primarily meaning “down upon.” So, I suppose we could translate the second half of this verse as, “If God is over us, who can come down on us?”

Meaning Explained

Before we go on, take a few minutes and read through the entire eighth chapter of Romans up to this verse. This chapter is like a trip up the side of a volcano in which the sides get steeper (as the theology gets more personal) until we reach the rim of the volcano in verse thirty-one. Between this and the remainder of this chapter, we see an eruption of the glorious benefits of being an adopted child of God. God’s love and God’s blessings to us just burst forth in these remaining verses.

Paul starts off this eruption with a couple of rhetorical questions. The first is, “What then shall we say to these things?” In this question Paul is challenging all of us to take stock of what he has been telling us in this chapter, namely:

There is no condemnation to those of us who are in Christ Jesus. We have been given the righteousness of Christ.
The Holy Spirit of God lives within us and gives spiritual life to our mortal bodies.
This Spirit has freed us from the bondage of sin and we have been adopted by God. We are now His children.
We are heirs of God Almighty.
But, as joint heirs with Jesus Christ, we will also suffer in this world just as He did.
However, this suffering can’t even be compared to the glory that will be revealed in us at the end of this age.
All creation groans under the curse of sin, expectantly waiting for the end of the age when we will be glorified.
The knowledge that this glorious future awaits us enables us to endure our present suffering.
In the midst of this suffering, the Holy Spirit is our prayer partner, praying for us in ways we can’t even comprehend.
In spite of our suffering, we know that God will produce good in us through this suffering.
God completely knows us.
God has chosen us as His adopted children.
God has already declared us to be as righteous as Christ.
God will give us glory like Christ has.

The second rhetorical question is, “If God is for us, who is against us?” The answer obviously is, “No one!”

Application

In light of all of these wonderful things, it is obvious that God loves each one of us and is a loving father to all of us. And just like a neighbor kid claiming that his dad is bigger, or stronger, or smarter than yours, Paul knows that our Father is greater than anyone or anything that may stand against us. Therefore, be courageous because “If God is for us, who is against us?”

And this is just the beginning of Paul’s exciting volcanic eruption.

In God's service, for His glory,

Romans 8:30 – Righteous & Glorious

Posted on April 23, 2018 by Will

And whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.

Truth to Learn

All Christians have been called, justified, and glorified!

Behind the Words

The word translated “justified” is dikaioō, which means “to regard as just, innocent, or righteous.”

“Glorified” is from doxadzo, meaning “to consider or to make glorious” or “to give honor to someone.”

Meaning Explained

Paul told us that all things work together for good to those “who are the called according to His purpose.” And, those whom God foreknew He predestined to be conformed to the image of Christ. Now he tells us those whom He foreknew and predestined, He also called, justified, and glorified. Let’s look at each of these three things. All of these verbs (foreknew, predestined, called, justified, and glorified) are expressed in the Greek aorist tense indicating that all these things were done at a point in time in the past.

What does it mean to be “called” by God? There are two senses of this word. The first is often referred to as the “external call.” This is a simple invitation to action. In Matthew chapter 22, Christ referred to a man who was present at a wedding without a wedding garment. The master of the wedding had asked his servants to invite as many as they could find to the wedding and this man may have heard the invitation. But, this man did not have the wedding garment, which was a sign of true invitation. As a result, the master of the wedding commanded that this man be cast into outer darkness, stating that “many are called but few are chosen.” This man heard the external call. The other sense of the word is referred to as the “internal call.” Going back to Christ’s parable, the guests who had the official wedding garment were ones who received the internal call. They were the true guests; they were chosen.

Now, Paul makes it very clear that those who are foreknown, predestinated, and called are truly saved Christians. How do we know that? Paul tells us that they were also justified. Remember that Paul started out this letter teaching us that justification does not come from obeying the Law; rather, it comes by the grace of God through faith. He says it was not earned because if it was earned, then it was not of grace. It is the gift of God. That’s also what he says in Ephesians:

For by grace you are saved through faith, and this not of yourselves; it is the gift of God. (Ephesians 2:8)

It is because of this gift, this calling, this predestination, that we are also justified, that is, in God’s record book we are marked as having the righteousness of Christ, not because we have done anything, but because God chose us. That’s grace!

Finally, Paul tells us that because God has justified us, He has also glorified us. Even though from our perspective this hasn’t yet happened, from God’s perspective He has already glorified us. He has already given us our glorified bodies and made us in all ways like Christ.

Application

The Bible teaches us that we have been chosen by God; therefore, let’s submit to His will and commit to serving Him and glorifying Him with every fiber of our being. And, let’s give all the praise to God!

In God's service, for His glory,