Lesson for December 8, 2024
The Law of the Spirit of Life
Lesson 5
Romans 8:26-30
Verse 26
“And in the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.”
This is a reference to intense undeserved suffering. In undeserved suffering, the adversity is great, the pressure is maximum, the reason for the catastrophe is not always apparent. Therefore, even a spiritually mature believer may go into shock, panic, fall into a state of hysteria, or agitation, which makes effective prayer impossible. Therefore, God the Holy Spirit lends a helping hand.
The weakness is not the suffering, the adversity, or the catastrophe encountered by a spiritually mature believer. The weakness is inability to offer the proper prayer in the midst of suffering. It can be difficult to pray during intense suffering. The undeserved suffering is a blessing from God, but you have to understand how this blessing works. The whole purpose is to stimulate hope and spiritual growth.
Even for a spiritually mature believer, undeserved suffering can (if allowed to) put a stop to Divine Viewpoint Thinking. The proper prayer to offer on such occasions is not always apparent. Since God has designed undeserved suffering for our blessing, the Holy Spirit offers the proper prayer on our behalf. So important is prayer to a suffering child of God, that the Holy Spirit makes intercession for even the most spiritually mature believer.
The “groanings” of the Holy Spirit are far beyond human comprehension. The Holy Spirit’s ministry of intercession is not in human words or human language; it is far beyond a believer’s use of words and sentences in prayer (too deep for words). The prayers of the Holy Spirit are answered, and the undeserved suffering is converted into blessing.
Verse 27
“And He Who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.”
The Greek word for searches is “eraunao,” which means to investigate, to examine something in the mind, or to analyze. While the intercession of the Holy Spirit in the previous verse is described as “groanings too deep for words,” they are clearly understood by God the Father with regard to their content. Words do not have to be uttered for the omniscience of God to know what is intended.
God the Holy Spirit is perfect and therefore His intercession on behalf of believers is also perfect. Furthermore, God the Father always answers the “prayers” of God the Holy Spirit. This intercession is responsible for turning the suffering of adversity into the grace blessings. His intercession is for us in times when we are unable to pray due to intense suffering, distress, or when we simply don’t know how or what to pray.
Verse 28
“And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.”
All things work together for good because God is the One Who causes them to do so. The Greek verb for love is “agapao,” which means love in the sense of esteem or value and is a reference to a believer’s attitude toward God. Only advancing believers truly value or esteem God because they have come to know Him through the study of Bible doctrine.
To those who are called according to His purpose is a reference to the Doctrine of Election. God has a purpose (will) for every believer after salvation. Throughout the Word of God, we are commanded to know the will (purpose) of God for our lives. (John 14:16-17; Ephesians 1:1)
A Christian who does not know God’s will (purpose) for them is said to be foolish, according to Ephesians 5:17. God’s will can be discovered by knowing and applying His Word. As we follow God’s instructions for spiritual growth, we are fulfilling His will (purpose) for our lives. (Romans 12:1-2; John 14:26, 16:13-14; I Corinthians 2:16)
Verse 29
“For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.”
Foreknowledge is more limited in its scope than the omniscience of God. Omniscience knows the alternative; foreknowledge only deals with the realities. In omniscience, God knows perfectly and eternally all that is knowable, whether it is actual or possible, and the reality and the alternatives to that reality. However, with foreknowledge, He deals with the reality.
Foreknowledge emphasizes to us that each of us was in the mind of God in eternity past. Divine thinking included every believer. No one is left out of God’s thinking. Divine thinking related to foreknowledge indicates that God has a plan for your life. That plan was predetermined (predestined) in the mind of God in eternity past. Therefore, the stages we see in this context are designed to relate believers to the plan of God, giving them confidence and assurance and setting up a system of potentials.
- Foreknew – we were in the mind of God in eternity past
- Predestined – God predesigned a perfect plan for each one of us
- Conformed – we entered God’s plan by becoming a believer in Jesus Christ
- Image – we fulfill God’s plan by learning, believing and applying Bible doctrine
- Firstborn – we will share Christ’s inheritance for all of eternity
Verse 30
“And these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified, and those who He justified, He also glorified.”
The Greek word for called is “kaleo,” which means to select, to name, to designate, to summon, or to invite. All Church Age believers have been chosen by God for a “service.” This service is to be Royal Family of God, the Royal Family of Jesus Christ, and fulfill God’s plan for their lives. Every person who believes in Christ during this dispensation becomes Royal Family of God. As Royal Family of God, it is the responsibility of every believer to fulfill their election by living the Christian Way of Life. (II Thessalonians 2:13-14)
The Christian Way of Life is to be a life of discipline in learning God’s system for success. There is no shortcut when it comes to learning Bible doctrine and applying it to daily experience. Even Jesus had to learn Bible doctrine by studying. His study, of course, was from the Old Testament Scriptures. At the age of twelve, He confounded the Hebrew scholars with His knowledge of God’s Word. (Luke 2:41-52) Therefore, we have no excuse for failing to learn the Word of God.
He also justified refers to the Doctrine of Justification. The Greek word for justification is “dikaiosis,” and means to declare righteous or to be acquitted from guilt. Justification is one half of God’s holiness, righteousness being the other half. Justification is the function or action of God’s holiness and righteousness is the principle or standard of God’s holiness. God’s justice carries out the judicial sentences pronounced by God’s righteousness.
At the moment of salvation, we are justified by God because His righteousness is credited to our account. (II Corinthians 5:21) Justification means vindication. Because of the substitutionary spiritual death of Christ, believers are vindicated or set free from all charges against them. The penalty for Adam’s original sin (spiritual death) was “paid in full” by Jesus Christ. The obligation that God’s righteousness (the standard of God’s integrity) demanded with regard to sin was satisfied by the justice of God (the action of God’s integrity) on the Cross. (Romans 3:28, 5:1; Galatians 3:24)
Whom He justified He also glorified refers to the Doctrine of Ultimate Sanctification. The resurrection of Jesus Christ guarantees believers a glorified resurrection body. The glorified body of believers will be like that of Christ. (Philippians 3:20-21) We can get a glimpse of what our glorified body will be like by looking at Christ’s glorified body.
Without the Resurrection, Christ could not have been glorified and the Holy Spirit could not have been given. (John 7:39) The Resurrection is the guarantee of our Ultimate Sanctification. (I Corinthians 15:20-23; I John 3:1-2; Philippians 3:21) Ultimate sanctification will be a reality for all believers, and all believers will receive a glorified body and spend all of eternity in perfect happiness.