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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 7:15 – That Thing You Do

Posted on February 26, 2018 by Will

For the thing I do, I do not understand. For what I determine to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do.

Truth to Learn

Paul battled his sin nature just as you and I do.

Behind the Words

The words “the thing I do” are from the Greek verb katergadzomai, meaning “to work fully, to finish, or to fully accomplish.” In other words, it is not simply something that Paul comes close to doing or that he does a little bit of, it is something that he does completely.

“Understand” is from ginoskō, which means “to come to know completely or to understand thoroughly.”

“Practice” is from the Greek word prassō, meaning “to practice, to do habitually, or to do repeatedly.”

The word translated “but” is alla. It is an adversative participle which can best be expressed here as “but on the other hand.”

“I do” is translated from the Greek word poieō, which means “to make or do.” It is expressed in the present tense, active voice, indicative mood, implying continual action.

Meaning Explained

This is one of the most important verses of the entire book of Romans. It is Paul expressing the frustration concerning the power that his sin nature has over him. He starts out this verse by confessing that he doesn’t understand why he acts the way he does. The thing which he wants to do (be obedient to God) he doesn’t always do. He is not saying that he never does the things he wants to do. He is saying that he doesn’t consistently do them. Paul wants to obey God and do those things which will glorify Him, but he doesn’t always do them.

Instead, Paul finds that the thing which he hates is the very thing that he continually finds himself doing.

This is a very revealing (and to the rest of us, comforting) aspect of Paul’s walk with God. He is the Apostle to the Gentiles, the most prolific writer of the New Testament and probably the finest example of “Obedience to God” in the entire New Testament. And yet, he has a constant battle with his sin nature and has not reached a state of perfect submission to Christ. Allow me to paraphrase this verse,

I don’t understand my actions. For that which I want to do I don’t always do. On the other hand, that which I hate to do, I keep on doing.

Application

Can you identify with Paul? Of course you can! Any Christian who is completely committed to God will undergo this same sense of frustration as he or she contemplates his or her daily walk with God. We want to be obedient, but we don’t always obey and we don’t understand why.

The answer, my friend, is our sin nature. It is constantly battling against us to produce sin in our lives, even when we want to be totally obedient to God.

Keep in mind that Paul wrote this letter toward the latter part of his life. He was not a “young Christian.” He was an experienced, mature Christian who was as submitted to God as any Christian has ever been. And – he struggled with obedience to God and submission to His will. Paul battled his sin nature until God took him to paradise. So don’t feel defeated when you have the same kind of struggles with your sin nature.

But you must understand that doesn’t excuse us! We are still guilty of the sin, but confession, and forgiveness through the grace of God, will restore our fellowship with Him even when we do that thing which we hate!

In God's service, for His glory,

Ephesians 5:24 – A Submissive Witness

Posted on January 26, 2016 by Will

But as the church is subordinate to Christ, so the wives to their own husbands in everything.

Truth to Learn

Submission is part of what it means to be a Christian.

Behind the Words

The word “but” is translated from the Greek word alla, which implies an addition to what preceded. Generally, it means “but.”

“So” is from houtō, meaning “in this way” or “in this manner.” As in this verse, it is often coupled with alla to form a similitude between two ideas.

The verb “is subordinate to” is translated from hupotassō, which we saw a couple verses back means “to be under-ranked” or “to be in submission to.”

Meaning Explained

Throughout this chapter Paul has been talking about how we are to behave within the body of Christ. In verse twenty-two he changed his focus from our behavior within the church to our behavior within the family. First of all, he said that a wife is to submit to her husband; that is, she is to voluntarily place herself under the authority of her husband. In yesterday’s verse he told us that this is necessary because God designed the family structure with the man as the head, just as he designed the church with Christ as the head.

He now reiterates that point by saying that just as the church is ranked under Christ, so a wife is to be ranked under her husband. Nobody in the church would ever presume to place themself above Christ, so a woman should not presume to place herself above her husband in God’s plan. Now, let me say again that this does not mean that a woman is any less important within the family or within the church.

“But, what if my husband is not a Christian?” you might ask. The answer is that it doesn’t make any difference. In fact, a Christian woman has a greater responsibility if her husband is unsaved. Paul told the Corinthians that a submissive woman might even be the tool that God uses to bring her husband to faith:

For how do you know, O wife, whether you will save your husband? (1Corinthians 7:16a)

The Apostle Peter also wrote about how important it is for Christians to be submissive to authorities, even non-Christian civil authorities. He, too, commanded women to submit to their husbands, even those who aren’t Christian men:

In the same way, wives, be submissive to your own husbands, so that even if any of them are disobedient to the word, they, without a word, may be won by the conduct of their wives, as they observe your chaste conduct accompanied by fear. (1Peter 3:1-2)

Let me stress again that a woman being submissive to her husband does not mean that she is to subject herself to abuse either physically or emotionally. Read carefully what tomorrow’s verse has to say to the husband.

Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her, (Ephesians 5:25)

Application

God wants us all to be obedient servants and He will use those who are submitted to Him. Women, your position is extremely important within the family. It is especially so if others in your family are not saved. Your behavior may be what God uses to reach your family. If you have committed your life to Christ, then you have committed to being His obedient, faithful servant. Some day you may see how God has used you if you are faithful to Him. And God will get all the glory!

In God's service, for His glory,

Romans 8:37 – Victorious Suffering!

Posted on July 13, 2010 by Will

Romans 8:37 – Victorious Suffering!

Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors 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, “are more than conquerors” 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! And this verb is in the present, active, indicative tense, meaning that it is continuous present action (we are continually conquering).

Meaning Explained

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

Yet for Your sake we are killed all day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. (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.

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)? 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,

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

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Romans 7:15 – That Thing You Do

Posted on May 2, 2010 by Will

Romans 7:15

For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do.

Truth to Learn

Paul battled his sin nature just as you and I do.

Behind the Words

“Doing” is from the word katergadzomai, meaning “to work fully, to finish, or to fully accomplish.” In other words, it is not simply something that Paul comes close to doing or that he does a little bit of, it is something that he does completely.

“Understand” is from ginoskō, which means “to come to know completely or to understand thoroughly.”

The words “what I will” are a translation of ho thelō, which means “that thing which I desire to do.”

“Practice” is from the Greek word prassō, meaning “to practice, to do habitually, or to do repeatedly.”

The word translated “but” is alla. It is an adversative participle which can best be expressed here as “but contrary to this.”

“I do” is translated from the Greek word poieō, which means “to make or do.” It is expressed in the present tense, active voice, indicative mood, implying continual action.

Meaning Explained

Instead, Paul finds that the thing which he hates is the very thing that he continually finds himself doing.

I don’t understand my actions. For that which I want to do I don’t always do. On the other hand, that which I hate to do I keep on doing.

Application

The answer, my friend, is our sin nature. It is constantly battling against us to produce sin in our lives, even when we want to be totally obedient to God.

In God’s service, for His glory,

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

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