God is on Our Side

What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?--Romans 8:31 (ESV)

When it seems like no one is on our side and our defeat is inevitable, this truth must be our assurance.  Perhaps you remember a time when you felt alone in the world--perhaps you are in this place right now.  For me, this occurs most often in times of strong temptation.  When a powerful pull towards sin strikes my heart, I can forget that God is on my side.

Romans 8:31 begins a passage of encouragement.  From verse 31 through the end of Romans 8, Paul is encouraging the Roman Christians.  He begins with a stunning revelation: God is for us, not against us.  Because of our sin, God should be against us.  We are unholy, unrighteous, depraved people--rebels against God and despisers of His name.  We deserve His just and fearful opposition.  But, through the Cross, God has, in a sense, placed His enmity for us on Christ.  Through His atoning death, we obtain freedom from God's wrath.  Not only that, but through our adoption as sons, we are given God's blessing.

It all comes down to the Cross.  If there was no Cross, God would hate us for our sin--we would die.  Through the Cross, however, God loves us and we shall conquer all.

In fact, we have nothing to fear.  The omnipotent Lord is on our side.  "Who can stand against us?"  When we feel alone, weak, discouraged, or depressed, we can find peace in this truth: God is on our side.

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.  For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.  And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.--Romans 8:28-30 (ESV)

What an amazing passage.  Listen to God's promise: "I will work all things together for your good."  The King of the universe will not let even a sparrow fall (Matt. 6).  He will hold us in His hands.  When it seems like we have fallen, we need to remember this truth.

This promise is universal for Christians: All things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.  (Note that non-believers are not mentioned in this promise.  This is a special privilege of God's children.)  About a week ago, I caught the cold which has been going around Orange County.  Though I could be tempted to think that God could not work through such a small trial, I know that He did.  He works through all things for the good of those who love Him.

James 1 tells us that "trials of various kinds" make us steadfast in the faith.  This steadfastness then makes us "perfect and complete, lacking in nothing."  Through what seems to us to be detrimental is in reality making us perfect.  When trials hit, and storms crash over our souls, we need to hear this promise in our hearts: God will work this for good.

Feeling Weak? Try This!

Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.--Romans 8:26-27 (ESV)

Do you feel weak right now?  The Bible says that right now, no matter how strong you feel, you are weak.  How are we weak?  There are many ways in which we are weak.  Perhaps right now, you have the cold that is going around and your body is weak.  Maybe your mind is weak (mine is).  One example of our weakness which Paul mentions in this passage is that we do not know what to pray for.  We are dense (I know I am).  We are unobservant--we miss obvious needs in our lives.  Our minds are fallen and so we fail to pray as we ought.

But, in our weakness the Spirit helps us.  Isn't that amazing?  When I am weak, God Himself gives me His power.  Now, I believe we should interpret verse 26 widely.  Paul does not tell us the only way the Spirit helps us in this passage; he simply gives an very important example.  One example I could give would be: When I wake up in the morning, one of my first prayers is, "God, help me to get out of bed and wake up."  God is gracious; when I pray this prayer I almost invariably feel energized and ready to wake up.  This is just one of the ways the Spirit helps me in my weakness.

We need to realize that as children of God, indwelt by the Holy Spirit, we have God's power promised to us.  This afternoon, I was having some difficulty dwelling on the Lord and His gifts to me.  However, after I cried out to God for help, I found it far easier to think on the Cross.  I need to think on this fact all the time: The Spirit of the Lord God helps me when I am weak.

You Ain't Seen Nothin' Yet

We ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit.--Romans 8:23 (ESV)

The word firstfruits refers to a tithe of sorts.  Under Old Testament Law, the Jews brought the firstfruits of their harvest to God as an offering.  It goes without saying that the actual harvest was much greater than the firstfruits.  So it is interesting to me that Paul used the word firstfruits to refer to the Spirit's current indwelling.  Paul seems to be saying, "Yes, this is good.  The Spirit's gifts to us now are excellent.  But when we cross over into eternity, there will be such a difference in our experience of God that this will be like just the tithe of the harvest."  This is a remarkable truth, especially in light of the fact that this entire chapter is discussing the benefits which the Spirit brings to us.  These benefits should impress us with God's grace and mercy to us.  And yet, these are just the firstfruits of His favor on us.  Paul goes through gift of grace after great gift of grace and then sneaks in one quiet phrase, "This is just the beginning."  

This hope should increase our love for God and anticipation of Heaven all the more.  Yes, the Lord has given us a taste of the glory of Heaven by His Spirit.  At the same time, however, we should not be preoccupied with this world but instead be patiently waiting for an far greater outpouring of the Holy Spirit.

The Finishing Tape

For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.  For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God.  For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God.  For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now.  And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.  For in this hope we were saved.  Now hope that is seen is not hope.  For who hopes for what he sees?  But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.--Romans 8:18-25

Paul ended the last section of Romans 8 by stating that we must suffer in order that we may be glorified with Christ.  We must suffer.  The Lord will allow Satan to afflict us.  We can be one hundred percent sure that, until the Lord returns, we will suffer.  Paul does not shrink away from this truth; he rather lifts our eyes to our glorious hope.  He makes the astonishing statement that "the suffering of this present time is not worth comparing to the glory that is to be revealed to us."  We would waste our time and energy comparing today's trials with tomorrow's joy.

He then proves this statement by showing how the creation longs for the coming of the Lord and its release from futility.  He argues that the creation, though it is currently beautiful and grand, longs eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God.  It follows, then, that we have an unspeakably great glory to look forward to.  This is not just a dry theological truth that Christians are glorified in eternity.  This hope gives us a place to stand when trials crush our false foundations in this world.  In the same way that a runner is strengthened by the sight of the finishing tape, we can be strengthened by thoughts of our future joy.  To meditate on our hope of glory will nourish our souls and bring us "peace that surpasses all comprehension." (Phil. 4:7)

Verse 25 of Romans 8 says that we wait for this glory with patience.  When we lift our eyes from our temporary sufferings to our future eternal joy, no trial will be too strong to stand and--though our heart is broken--our faith will stand intact.

For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, "Abba! Father!"  The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.--Romans 8:14-17 (ESV)

Isn't the Lord so merciful?  We deserve Hell; He gives us the glory of Heaven.  We deserve condemnation; He takes the punishment for our sin upon Himself.  We are unholy rebels and criminals--yet somehow, God adopts us. He is pleased to call filthy sinners His children.  All glory to God!

Because of God's gracious adoption, we can call the almighty Lord of the universe "Daddy."  We weak and unrighteous humans can lean on His bosom, find solace in His love, know He hears our prayers, and receive a glorious inheritance in Heaven.

However, in this world, we will "suffer with Him in order that we may be glorified with Him."  We have not yet come into our inheritance.  When we are afflicted with trials, we should think of these verses and (1) hope in our future glory, and (2) know that our suffering is necessary if we wish to be glorified in Heaven.

It's War!

For if you live according to the flesh, you will die.  But if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.--Romans 8:13 (ESV)

 

The minute you woke up this morning, you walked into a battle zone in the most important and largest war ever fought.  The bullets began flying when you opened your eyes; the enemy had you in their sights as you rolled out of bed.  According to Romans 8:13, Christians are constantly in a life-and-death struggle with sin.  In the last post, I talked about how we kill ourselves with our sin.  In this post, I'll share what struck me about the second half of this verse.  (Note: There's no shortage of insights and applications for this verse--John Owen wrote 160 pages of small print [The Mortification of Sin--excellent book] on just the last half of this verse!)

First, life and death are at stake.  The Christian's pilgrimage is marching through enemy territory, not hiking for pleasure.  The flesh is trying to kill you.  You are trying to kill the flesh.  This is war--brutal, bloody, constant war!  Christians, who are in the greatest war ever, need to listen to John Owen's words, "Be killing sin, or it will be killing you."  I know that many times in my life, I have let up my guard for a few minutes and in that time, sin has attacked and overpowered me.  I need to keep this question in my mind at all times, "Am I killing sin, or is sin killing me?"

 

Second, though it is our duty to kill the flesh, we cannot do it with our own grit and determination.  "If you by the Spirit put to death the deeds of the body, you will live."  We, being weak and sinful to our very core, cannot kill sin without the help of the Holy Spirit.  We need to depend on God for power over sin.  This should humble us--we are simply incapable of killing sin by ourselves.  This truth should also give us hope, though.  The Holy Spirit dwells in each Christian for the purpose of killing sin by His omnipotent power.By God's grace, we have the infinite weapon provided to us for the killing of the deeds of the body: God Himself.

Laughing at My Own Funeral

For if you live according to the flesh, you will die.--Romans 8:13a (ESV)

Not very many people laugh at funerals.  More than that, I've never heard of a person so much as smiling during his own memorial service.  It's a physical impossibility.

Sin causes funerals.  Living according to the flesh is the cancer that slowly kills your soul.  Romans 6:23 says, "The wages of sin is death."  James 1:15 says, "Sin when it is fully grown brings forth death."  The righteous and just punishment of God is death.  The Bible is very plain in this: "If you sin, you will die."  The lightest profanity, the whitest lie, the littlest lustful glance, the smallest robbery--they kill.

Now, we know that grace is all-sufficient, but we also know that sin is a killer.  So, while we affirm that "there is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus (Rom. 8:1)," we also remember "the works of the flesh are evident... those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God (Galatians 5:19, 21).

But all too often, I have, figuratively speaking, laughed at my own funeral.  For example, I have literally laughed my way through movies which glorify sexual sin.  I have smiled while a friend and I gossiped about another friend.  I have enjoyed that which should I have been killed for.  I have never heard of someone smiling while knowingly injecting himself with HIV, indeed, we would commit such a person to the insane asylum.  But that is who we all are: people who enjoy killing ourselves.

If this post sounded a bit hopeless, I think you'll have to wait one more day for hope.  In my next post, D.V., I'll take a look at the second part of Romans 8:13, where we find the secret to life.

Infinite Debt for Infinite Gifts

So then, brothers, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh.--Romans 8:12 (ESV)

Romans 8 is, in my opinion, one of the most inspiring chapters in the Bible.  It is filled with the truth of the gospel and its application to Christians' lives.  So far, Paul has written about (1) God's forgiveness of our sins, (2) God's setting us free from the flesh, (3) God's condemnation and weakening of the flesh, (4) God's filling us with His Spirit, and (5) God's future resurrection of the saints.  So when Paul writes, "So then, brothers, we are debtors," he's saying that we owe God for giving us these humanly unattainable gifts of grace.

We owe God everything.  We depend on Him for everything; He provides everything.  Even our very lives (both our mortal and eternal lives) depend on Him.  We can't set a value to God's gifts of grace.  If Bill Gates gave me a house worth one million dollars, I would owe him one million dollars.  I could quantify the gift and work towards paying it back.  If I worked hard and saved furiously, I might even be able to pay him back after many years.  However, we cannot do this with God's gifts to us.  They are too large for us to comprehend, let alone pay for.  Yet, according to Paul, we still must try to pay what we can back to God by living according to his Spirit.

Paul says, "We are debtors."  Every debtor has an obligation to pay back his debt.  If after Bill Gates gave me a million dollars, I ignored Bill Gates and started paying money to Steve Jobs, I would be doing a pretty stupid thing--I wouldn't be paying back my debt, I would be helping my benefactor's enemy!  Yet all too often, I take God's gifts with an ungrateful heart and turn them to the flesh's use.  For some reason, I often think that I owe the flesh something.  But what has the flesh given me?  "The wages of sin are death," says Romans 6:23.  The flesh has given me corruption and ruin and depravity and sickness and death.  I owe the flesh nothing, indeed, he's my sworn enemy.  

We owe God everything.  We are obligated by our debt to live according to God's Spirit.  In the next post (hopefully I'll put it up tomorrow), I'm going to share a picture of how we can pay back God for his gifts by fighting the flesh with His Spirit.  

What Does the Spirit Do?

For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God’s law; indeed, it cannot. Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.  You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness. If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.--(Romans 8:7-10; ESV)

What did the Holy Spirit do when we were saved?  What does the Spirit do now?  What will He do in the future?  The answers to these questions are numerous, but one particular action is brought out in Romans 8:7-11.  The simple way to put it is this: "The Spirit gives life to dead people."  Paul's reasoning is relatively simple when we boil it down: "Before, we were dead; now, we are not; in the future, we will live even after we die."

 

Can we be hostile to the omnipotent and holy God and live?  The answer is, I believe, no.  Indeed, "the body is dead because of sin."  There is a very real way in which the unsaved are dead--even while they are "alive."  But, when we were saved, the Spirit gave us life.

 

In the present, we live in and by the Spirit.  The Holy Spirit indwells us, empowers us, refreshes us, gives us joy and peace and passion, and sanctifies us.  We depend on the Holy Spirit for our soul's very life.

 

But, in the future, the Spirit will do still more for us.  When our mortal bodies have perished, He will give life to our bodies.  This is one thing I really don't understand in Romans 8.  (I probably don't understand a lot of other things, but even I can tell that I don't fully understand this.)  As far back as I can remember, I've been taught that the body is temporal and the soul is eternal.  So, I inferred that in Heaven I would not have a body.  In fact, it wasn't until recently that I even heard the idea that "in Heaven, we have bodies."  So, this passage kind of takes me by surprise every time I read it.  I don't quite understand it, but I rejoice at this truth.  When our bodies are aching and tired, we can remember that the Spirit will raise our bodies to perfection.  When we fear death, we can trust in the fact that God will give our bodies eternal life.

So what does the Holy Spirit do?  Among other things, He gives us our very lives.