Romans 8:14-39

Romans 8:14. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.

Leading implies following; and those who are enabled to follow the guidance of the Divine Spirit are most assuredly children of God, for the Lord ever leads his own children. If, then, you are following the lead of God's Spirit, you have one of the evidences of sonship.

Romans 8:15. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.

The spirit of bondage is the spirit of servants, not of sons; but that servitude is ended for us who are made free in Christ Jesus. We are no longer afraid of being called the children of God. We are not afraid of our own Father; we have a filial fear of him, but it is so mixed with love that there is no torment in it. Whether Jew or Gentile, we cry, «Abba, Father.»

Romans 8:16. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:

Our spirit knows that we are God's children and then God's Spirit adds his testimony to the witness of our spirit that we are the children of God.

Romans 8:17. And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.

This would not necessarily be true of any man's family, for he might have children who were not his heirs; but, in God's family, all who are born into it are born «heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ.» We must take our part of Christ's portion, his portion here, and his portion hereafter; the rule for us who are in him shall be, «share and share alike.» He himself has said, «Where I am, there shall also my servant be;» and all that he has he will divide with us. Are you willing, dear brother, to take shares with Christ? If not, then I question whether you can be rightly reckoned among his saints.

Romans 8:18. For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.

«Light afflictions» are contrasted with «an exceeding weight of glory.» Temporary afflictions, but for a moment, are to be followed by everlasting crowns that fade not away. What a contrast!

Romans 8:19. For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.

All creation is, as it were, watching and waiting on tip-toe for the day when God shall manifest his sons who are at present hidden. In due time, they shall come forth, acknowledged of God, and then shall the whole creation rejoice.

Romans 8:20. For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope, Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.

We have already obtained salvation for our souls, but our body is still under bondage, subject to weariness, to pain, to infirmity, to death; but, by-and-by, with the new creation, our newly-moulded bodies shall be fit to live in the new world, and fit for our newborn souls to inhabit. This is the full redemption for which we are waiting.

Romans 8:24. For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it. Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.. And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God. And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

«We know that all things work together for good.» That is a wonderfully positive statement, Paul. There are certain persons, nowadays, who say that we know nothing; yet the apostles constantly say, «We know this,» and «We know that.» These people tell us that there is a great distinction between believing and knowing, but, evidently, it is a distinction of which the inspired apostles knew nothing at all. Read the Epistles of John, and note how he continually says, «We know, we know, we know,» and how frequently he adds, «We believe,» as though believing and knowing were the same thing. Agnostics may declare that they know nothing, if they please; but, as for us who do know, because we believe what we are taught of God in this Book, we will speak. He who has something to say has a right to say it; we know, and therefore we speak. Mark, brethren, how the apostle speaks here; he does not say that all things shall work together for good; no, but that they do work together, they are now working for your present good. This is not merely something which shall eventually turn out right; it is all right now, «We know that all things are working together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.» No sooner does the apostle mention that word «purpose» than he must needs found a long discourse upon it. He was not afraid or ashamed to speak of the purposes of God. There are some preachers who say nothing about God's purpose, or God's decree; they seem to be afraid of it, they say it is «Calvinistic doctrine.» Why, it was here, in the Scriptures, long before Calvin was born, so what right have they to call it by his name? Listen to what the apostle has to say:

Romans 8:29. For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed, to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.

There is no separating these golden links of love and mercy. That foreknowledge, to which all things future are open and present, begins the deed of love. Predestination comes in, and chooses a people for God who shall be eternally his. Upon this, in due time, follows effectual calling, by which the chosen ones are brought out, from the impure mass of mankind, and set apart unto God. Then follows justification by faith, through the precious blood and righteousness of Jesus Christ; and where this is, glory will certainly come, for «whom he justified, them he also glorified.»

Romans 8:31. What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things ?

Notice, it is not simply «freely give us all things;» but, «with him also freely give us all things.» You shall get all things with Christ; but you shall get nothing without Christ, for all the other gifts come in this one. God first gave us his Son; and he gives us everything in him.

Romans 8:33. Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth.

Ring out the challenge in heaven itself; trumpet it through all the caverns of hell; let the whole universe hear it: «Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect ?» None can, for «it is God that justifieth,» and his justification blocks every charge that is brought against his people.

Who shall the Lord's elect condemn?

‘Tis God that justifies their souls;

And mercy like a mighty stream,

O'er all their sins divinely rolls.

Romans 8:34. Who is he that condemneth ?

None will answer to that challenge, for

Romans 8:34. It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ ?

Oh, this blessed question this touching question! It seems to come at the end of all the others, a rear-guard which effectually prevents our treasures from being taken from us. «Quis separabit?» «Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?»

Romans 8:35. Shall tribulation ?

That has been tried. Have not the saints been beaten like wheat upon the threshing-floor? Has not addiction been to them a stern test of the reality of their faith? But Christ has loved them none the less for all the suffering that he has permitted to fall upon them.

Romans 8:35. Or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?

When they have been in famine or poverty, has Christ ever forsaken his saints? Ah, no! he has loved them all the more. Have any of these things separated us from our Saviour? No; but they have, to our own consciousness, knitted us even more closely to our Divine Lord. Cruel men have tried every form of persecuting the saints of God; they have been more inventive in the torments which they have applied to Christians than in almost anything else; yet no torture, no rack, no imprisonment, has ever divided them from Christ. They have clung to him still, after the manner of John Bunyan, who, when they said, that he might go free if he would promise not to preach the gospel, said, «I will lie in prison till the moss grows on my eyelids rather than I will ever make such a promise as that. If you let me out of prison today, I will preach tomorrow, by the grace of God.»

Romans 8:36. As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.

But there has been no triumph over the saints in this case.

Romans 8:37. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Not all that men on earth can do,

Nor powers on high, nor powers below,

Shall cause his mercy to remove,

Or wean our hearts from Christ our love.

Glory be unto his holy name! Amen.