Divine Assistance

For now, if you would take either
your Bibles or if you prefer the insert in the bulletin today,
the diagrammed outline of Romans chapter eight. I don’t know about
you, but Romans chapter eight is certainly one of and I know
that I say this about every chapter that I preach, but it certainly
is one of my very favorites. I. still have the Bible that
I purchased when I first became a Christian and Romans 8 probably
not unlike your own is one of those chapters that is thoroughly
highlighted and marked and underlined and starred. And there are just
so many rich truths and encouraging statements and verses in Romans
chapter 8 that it almost it’s like a It’s like a shot of oxygen
stepping out of Romans 7, the heaviness of Romans 7, the deep
truths regarding our sin and our sinfulness. And then to step
into Romans chapter 8 and not just to have a brief respite,
but an overwhelming treatment of so many great subjects and
great themes of the Christian life. To be really lavished with
those truths over and over again is just beyond refreshing. If you would, I want you to let’s
start there today with Romans 8. We’ll take it in its entirety.
Then I want to double back and we’ll make some notes and commentary
as we go. We really want to just prepare
our hearts for the Lord’s table today. And we’ll use Romans 8
by God’s grace to do that. There is therefore now no condemnation
for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the spirit of
life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin
and death. For what the law could not do,
weak as it was through the flesh, God did, sending his own son
in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin. He
condemned sin in the flesh. In order that the requirement
of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according
to the flesh, but according to the spirit. For those who are
according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh,
but those who are according to the spirit, the things of the
spirit. For the mind set on the flesh
is death, but the mind set on the spirit is life and peace.
Because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God, for it
does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even
able to do so. Those who are in the flesh cannot
please God. However, you are not in the flesh,
but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you.
But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not
belong to Him. And if Christ is in you, though
the body is dead because of sin, yet the spirit is alive because
of righteousness. But 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 indwells you. So then, brethren, We are
under obligation not to the flesh to live according to the flesh.
For if you are living according to the flesh, you must die. But
if by the spirit you are putting to death the deeds of the body,
you will live for all who are being led by the spirit of God.
These are the sons of God. For you have not received the
spirit of slavery leading to fear again, But you have received
a spirit of adoption as sons. I wish we cry out Abba, Father. The spirit himself bears witness
with our spirit that we are children of God and if children heirs
also heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed
we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with
him. For I consider that the sufferings
of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the
glory that is to be revealed to us. For the anxious longing
of the creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons
of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not of
its own will, but because of him who subjected it in hope
that the creation itself will be set free. from its slavery
to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children
of God. For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers
the pains of childbirth until now. And not only this, but we
but also we ourselves having the first fruits of the spirit,
even we ourselves grown within ourselves, waiting eagerly for
our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body, For in hope, we
have been saved, but hope that is seen is not hope. For why
does one also hope for what he sees? But if we hope for what
we do not see, we persevere with perseverance. We eagerly await
for it. And in the same way, the spirit
also helps our weakness. We do not know how to pray as
we should. But the spirit himself intercedes
for us with groanings too deep for words. 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. 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.
For whom he foreknew He also predestined to become conformed
to the image of his son, that he might be the firstborn among
many brethren. And whom he predestined, these
he called. And whom he called, these he
justified. And whom he justified, these
he also glorified. What then shall we say to these
things? If God is for us, who is against
us? He who did not spare his own
son, but delivered him up for us all, how will he not also
with him freely give us all things? Who will bring a charge against
God’s elect? God is the one who justifies.
Who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died.
Yes, rather, who was raised, who is at the right hand of God
and who also intercedes for us. Who shall separate us from the
love of Christ? Shall tribulation or distress
or persecution or famine or nakedness or peril or sword? Just as it
is written, for thy sake we are being put to death all day long. We were considered as sheep to
be slaughtered. But in all these things we overwhelmingly
conquer through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither
death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things
present, nor things to come, nor powers, 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. God bless His
Word. What a great encouragement Romans
8 is. No wonder, through the centuries,
the saints of God have always gravitated to Romans 8 as a chapter
of great hope and encouragement. Lloyd-Jones said of Romans 8,
almost the polar opposite of his testimony of Romans 7, being
the difficult and overwhelmingly challenging chapter that it is,
said of Romans 8, there is general agreement about this chapter,
not only from the standpoint of interpretation. In other words,
he says everybody pretty much lands in the same place on the
subjects, theologically and doctrinally speaking, of Romans 8. But in
saying that is one of the greatest chapters in the Bible, that’s
what we all agree on more than anything. We agree that this
is truly one of the great chapters in all of Scripture. It is one
of the brightest gems of all in the whole of the Scriptures,
the brightest and most lustrous and flashing stone is this epistle
to the Romans. Another, probably seizing on
that same imagery, said that if Holy Scripture were a ring
and the epistle to the Romans was its precious stone, chapter
eight would be the sparkling point, if you will, the facet
of that stone. Still speaking of Romans eight,
another said if the splendors are all the more striking, pardon
me, its splendors are all the more striking Because as readers,
we have just emerged and the saints will remember the imagery
that I presented to you of Romans 7. At the end of Romans 7, we
are, as it were, standing in pitch, utter blackness. We are
absolutely overwhelmed with the darkness of sin and our own sinfulness. Then all of a sudden, there is
a pinprick. as it were in the night sky,
a single star that becomes brighter and brighter until the noonday.
This is not where I got this illustration, but listen carefully
as he unfolds the exact same imagery. Its splendors are all
the more striking because as readers, we have just emerged
from the darkness and terror of the seventh chapter with its
experiences of moral failure and defeat. However, As we were
leaving that dark chamber, there fell on us a dazzling ray of
heavenly light, promising deliverance through Christ. Here we stand
in the full liberty of the children of God and enjoy a prospect of
the glory of God, which someday we are to share. What a great
truth. What a great truth. There had
to be a Romans 7 to prepare us for Romans 8. There had to be. Another said that The very sequence. The very sequence of the eighth
chapter following upon the seventh is always interesting and fruitful,
the very study of that and to see the sequence. Great indeed
is the contrast, the stern analysis of the one, Romans seven. Is
to the revelations and triumphs of Romans eight as an almost
starless night stifling, and electric to the splendor of a
midsummer morning with a yet more glorious morrow for its
future. Here we stand now basking in
the light of full day having not only tasted of the grace
of the gospel but having been regenerated having become justified
already before God so that we can already begin to enjoy the
bounties of our salvation. No wonder, as we come into Romans
8, there is a smile on our face as we read it. There is a calm
in our hearts. There is a thrill in our soul
at the prospect of the truths of Romans Chapter 8. This chapter,
though, does indicate a significant shift. I would call it the apex
of the epistle. This is what Paul has been building
to for these first seven chapters of the Book of Romans. This is
what he’s been working to. This is, as it were, the shouting
from the rooftops, the glorious truths of justification by faith. Here is where Paul begins to
lay out those incredible truths truths that now begin to resonate
in the heart and life of a believer. Paul begins. Almost systematically laying
out these great truths and expounding upon them one by one. It shouldn’t
surprise us that justification by faith. Is a theme here in
Romans chapter eight, it has been a theme. It, as I said,
is what Paul has been working to all along. Introduced, though,
in the fifth chapter of the book of Romans, here in chapter 8,
he revisits that theme once again, doesn’t he? When Paul declares
in the opening sentence in this chapter, there is therefore now
no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, he strikes
again the cord of justification by faith. Justification is the
complete opposite of condemnation. It is the complete absence of
condemnation. So the fact that we are now no
longer under condemnation is just another way of rejoicing
in the glorious truth of our having already been justified
by God, made worthy to stand before Him, made righteous, not
a righteousness of our own, but the righteousness of Christ having
been bestowed upon us. Our sin, remember, went to Christ.
Christ’s righteousness came to us and it came by faith and by
faith alone. Still, another was quick to point
out that this. Section is a is a contrast in
the power of the gospel of Christ set in relief over against the
powerlessness of the law, which Paul even mentions in this chapter. Remember, it’s power that we
lack. We know what’s right. We know that we have a compunction
within us to do God’s will. We know that we want to obey,
but we cannot obey, not in our own power. And finally, as we
begin to study this chapter, you begin to notice that there
is the future in view. It isn’t just about the present.
Justification certainly has its blessings in this life, but justification
for eternity. And the blessings of God’s glory
for eternity come fully into view in this great chapter. Still another said that this
chapter presents the glorious display of the power of divine
grace and of the provision which God has made for the consolation
of his people. One of my favorite chapters in
the book of Isaiah starts comfort, comfort ye all my people. That’s
what we need. That’s what sinners need. Sinners
need not to be told that their sin is OK, not to be told that
their sin isn’t so bad, but to be told that there is a real
remedy for our sinfulness and that God himself has provided
it and that together with that provision, there is comfort,
there is peace, peace with God. One entitled this great chapter,
The Happy Condition, of the man in Christ. I know that’s simple.
I know that’s simple. But as you read Romans 8, that’s
true. The happy condition of the man in Christ. Still another
entitled it, the chapter that begins with no condemnation and
ends with no separation. Another element that provides
a stark contrast to Romans chapter 7 and chapter 8 is the subject
of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit isn’t even mentioned
in chapter seven. And then suddenly here in chapter
eight, the Holy Spirit becomes the prominent figure. The contrast,
in essence, is between those who walk not after the flesh,
but those who walk after the spirit, it’s us that are in pursuit
of the spirit and walking with him and he with us. One characterized
this study of the Holy Spirit here that the key word of this
section is spirit, which while it occurs only five times in
chapters one through seven and only eight times in chapters
nine through 16 occurs 21 times in Romans chapter eight. You
might even call this. The blessing of the Holy Spirit,
or as so many did life, in the spirit more than any other chapter
in the entire New Testament. This spirit, the Holy Spirit
of God, is spoken of here in Romans chapter eight. You begin to consider the structure
of the passage in the. In the outline that I’ve given
you, it is somewhat simplistic, but I believe that there are
four major sections in Romans chapter eight. And if you will,
the entire chapter is about divine assistance. That’s what we need.
Remember, we need God’s assistance in all of the Godhead. All the
members of the Godhead participate fully in this assistance. The
Holy Spirit helps us. The Lord Jesus helps us and God
himself helps us. That’s what we need. That’s where
we found ourselves wanting in chapter 7 with inability to rise
above and inability to do what God has commanded us to do. And
here enters in the answer to that great problem. Divine assistance. The first section lays out simply
in the first 11 verses. I’ll come back to that in a moment.
The second section is in 12 through 27. The third section is short
chapter verses 28 through 30 and then the crescendo is in
31 through 39. There are though for those of
you of a more technical mind a diversity of opinion on a couple
of breaks. Let me just spend three minutes
on this. Some said that they’re what they
asked really what is the specific reference point of verse 9 and
following. I’ll come back to that one in
a moment. Another big question with regards to the structure
is, does verse 14 introduce a new and independent thought? The
same question could be asked and was asked by many of verse
18. Does verse 18 introduce a new
and independent thought? Verse 26, the question was simply,
what is the specific connection of verse 26 to the previous verses? And then finally, does verse
28 begin a new and independent thought? Let’s take each of those
just briefly as we go. Look, first of all, at verse
nine. In verse nine, it’s the however passage, however, you
are not in the flesh, but in the spirit, and it could be nestled
comfortably beneath verse seven. In other words, Paul says, Those
who are in the flesh cannot please God at the end of verse eight.
And it could be the however statement that counters that statement. It could, however, also be nestled
comfortably beneath verse six. The mind set on the flesh is
death, but the mind set on the spirit is life and peace. However,
you are not of the flesh. But in the spirit. But it could
also, and this is obviously the way that I went with it, it could
also be nestled very comfortably beneath verse five. Those who
are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of
the flesh, but those who are according to the spirit, the
things of the spirit. However, you are not in the flesh,
but in the spirit. The difference is subtle. It’s
not unimportant, but it’s subtle. The question that follows. In
verse 14, does verse 14 introduce a new and independent thought?
The answer is simply absolutely no. There is a long train of
thought that begins in verse 12. In verse 14, that little
word for that parts it beneath verses 13 and previous. Likewise, with verse 18 begins
with the word for that is explaining the statement of verse 17. It
doesn’t introduce a new and independent thought, and a lot of our Bibles
in our little chapter heading break these out unnecessarily.
There is one string of thought there, and I’ll come back to
it in just a moment. Some proposed that there was
a difficulty in finding a place to hang, if you will, verses
26 and 27. Verses 26 and 27 talk about the
spirit who helps our weakness. Now, some wanted to jump all
the way back and say that this introduces a new and independent
thought. It doesn’t. Some said that it’s parallel
to the help that the Holy Spirit renders us in verse 16. Look at verse 16. This is a plausible
argument. Verse 16 says the Spirit himself
bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God.
That’s one of the ways that the Holy Spirit helps us. The other
way. is in verse 26, and the spirit
also helps our weakness. It’s a good argument. I didn’t buy it, but it’s a good
argument. Here’s where I believe verses
26 and 27 belong. In verse 18, Paul begins this
discussion about suffering and about the anxious longing of
the creation, waiting for the revealing of the sons of God.
It’s like the whole… I remember hearing people talk
about the tornadoes these last few days, saying that the sky
is angry. Well, it’s like the whole world is upset and in turmoil
until the sons of God, until God begins to transform lives
in this world. God has a purpose in that, and
we’ll come to that. This is absolutely one of my
favorite verses in Scripture. Verse 20, the creation was subjected
to futility. God did this. God gave us the
sweat of the brow. God gave us pain in childbirth. God gave us leaves in our swimming
pools. Why? in hope that the creation
itself will also be set free from its slavery to corruption.
God uses those things, those troubles and difficulties to
woo us and call us to Himself. But note this. Look at verse
22. We know that the whole creation
groans and suffers pains of childbirth together until now. The whole
creation is groaning. And if you listen carefully,
you can hear it. But it’s probably drowned out by your own groaning,
look at verse 23, not only this, but we also we ourselves having
the first fruit of the spirit, even even with the comfort and
the encouragement and the instruction. And the help of the Holy Spirit,
look at this, even we ourselves grown within ourselves. The whole
creation is groaning. We’re groaning. And you know
what God says? He sent the Holy Spirit as a
mediator between us and himself and the Holy Spirit himself groans. Look down at verse 26. This is
the most logical fit you’ll ever find. 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. What a powerful connection. And
so we place verses 26 and 27 directly beneath verse 22 and
23. Not only the entire creation
groans, not only does Do the individual Christians groan,
but the Holy Spirit himself comes alongside and mourns as it were
with us at the struggles and difficulties of life? Verses 28 and following. Do not introduce a new and independent
thought. Pardon me. Do not. They are not
subordinated rather to anything else. God himself has given us
assistance, just as the Lord Jesus has provided assistance,
just as the Holy Spirit has provided assistance. And Paul enters into
a new thought and he brings this powerful thought in. I’ll come
back to it in a moment. And then finally. The fourth
completely independent section there in verses 31 through 39,
where Paul, as it were, pulls it all
together. He pulls together the assistance
of Christ himself and he pulls together the assistance of the
Holy Spirit and he pulls together God’s own assistance on our behalf. And he says, be comforted, if
God is for you, who can be against you? Go back, if you would, to
the first section. As I said, these are some of
my favorite verses. It’s interesting that in this
section. Commentators are so eager to give this entire thing
over to the Holy Spirit, and you will find repeatedly the
chapter titles for the commentaries on this particular section are
essentially life in the spirit or something to that effect repeatedly
as if Christ is is completely out of it. And yet, especially
in this opening section, eight one and following. Christ is
all over this passage. It’s Christ and it’s his assistance. It’s his assistance as God’s
son that is so much in view in these verses. Look at verse one. There is therefore no condemnation. For those who are in Christ Jesus,
for those who have placed their faith in Jesus Christ and in
what he accomplished on the cross. He’s not unimportant. For the law of the spirit of
life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin
and death. Verse three talks about God’s own son down as the
passage continues to unfold. You are not in the flesh, verse
nine, but in the spirit, if indeed the spirit of God dwells in you.
But if anyone does not have the spirit of Christ, it’s Christ’s
spirit, this Holy Spirit. It is the spirit that Christ
sent as the helper. Verse 10, if Christ is in you,
even though the body is dead because of sin, yet the spirit
is alive because of righteousness. Our hope is fully and completely
established on the Lord Jesus Christ and on what he accomplished.
It is the assistance of what Christ established. The Christian’s
life is established in the Lord Jesus Christ. Point two, the
second major section, is that with regards to this divine assistance
in the life of the Christians, secondly, the Christian’s life
is sustained by the Holy Spirit. We don’t have to just hang on
to God anymore. We don’t have to just try extra hard. We don’t
have to stay up late and labor and labor and labor in our flesh. It’s the Holy Spirit who is sustaining
us. It’s the Holy Spirit who’s hanging
on to us. It’s the Holy Spirit who is in
the process of sanctifying us. Look at verse 16. The Spirit
himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of
God. If you don’t know that, if you haven’t sensed that, if
you haven’t had the encouragement of the Holy Spirit in your life
echoing that you are a child of God, please come and talk
to me so I can point you in the direction of Christ so that I
can lead you by God’s grace to faith in Christ and in Him alone.
Because the echo is there. The proof of God is there and
the children of God know it. We know when we’ve been saved.
We know when we’ve been touched by God because the Holy Spirit
tells us. And people, this isn’t spooky
stuff. This isn’t some voice on the hill while no one’s around
you. This is a gentle and quiet voice in the soul that echoes
back that you are a child of God. You placed your faith in
the Lord Jesus Christ. There is no other need for anything
else. Talk about an encouraging verse,
I read a portion of it already, look at verse 18. Talk about
the Holy Spirit and his role, I consider the sufferings of
this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory
that is to be revealed to us. Now, you know that that’s Paul’s
testimony on a number of occasions, right? A number of places Paul
says this. But what he doesn’t tell us in
some of those other places is why the reason he doesn’t worry
about the sufferings of this present time, the reason that
they fade into perspective is the fact that the Holy Spirit
is living and walking and breathing within us and assisting us, even
as I pointed out a moment ago, groaning within us. sitting alongside
of us, dwelling within us, yearning to be more and more Christ-like. What a powerful passage this
is. We can’t wait to get to it. The comfort and encouragement
of the Holy Spirit Himself interceding on our behalf. And who knows
the Spirit better than God the Father Himself? The third major section, not
only the help of the Lord Jesus Christ himself, not only the
assistance, the daily sustenance of the Holy Spirit, but third,
the Christian’s life is ordained by the Heavenly Father. God’s
got it all right here in the palm of his hand. He planned
it all. He planned for you. He planned
for you to grow in grace. He planned for you to come to
Christ. He planned this. And He brought
you to knees of repentance. If this isn’t one of your favorite
verses already, it will be. By the time we get done preaching
it, look at verse 28. We know We know because we’ve read the
scriptures, we’ve seen life. We know that God causes all things
to work together for good and he qualifies it immediately.
The world doesn’t enjoy this. Those who don’t love Christ,
they don’t enjoy this promise. 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. Well, how do we know? That’s
exactly what Paul wants to tell us. Theology refers to this as
the order of salutis, the order of salvation, and he tells us
exactly how it happened. What a glorious thing that God
ordained it all. God planned it. God brought it
about and God presents it before us. This is how I came to know
you. For whom he foreknew. God set his love on you in eternity
past. for whom he foreknew he also
predestined to become conformed to the image of his son. Don’t
tell me that sanctification isn’t important in God’s eyes. It is.
Don’t tell me that God can take us as we are and leave us as
we are because the same God that saves us. Does the work of sanctification. He predestined us to become conformed
to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among
many brethren, not the only one. What good would Christ’s death
have been if no one ever came to Christ? If no one ever yearned
to be saved? Look at the beauty of verse 30.
In whom He predestined, He called. It wouldn’t have been enough
for God to just set His love on you from eternity past. In
time, He woke you up. He woke you out of your deadness
of sin and He called you to life. Life itself. And He showed to
you your sin. And He showed to you your sinfulness.
And He showed to you the Savior. The only one who could save you.
Whom He predestined, these He called. And those He called,
these also He justified. He wiped out your sin because
of what Christ had accomplished. and whom he justified these also
he glorified and we’re waiting for that. One day we will be
perfect. We would be perfectly restored. And it’s with all this, the fact
that the Lord Jesus himself went to the cross on our behalf. You
talk about divine assistance. The fact that the Holy Spirit
daily walks with us and encourages us and sustains us in the faith. And then finally, the fact that
God himself stands behind it all, has ordained it all. Paul
takes all that. Paul takes all that and he says,
what should we say then? The Christian life is absolutely
secure. If you have come to Christ, you
are absolutely secure in him. Nothing can touch you now. Nothing. What should we say, then, if
God is for us, who is against us? He who did not spare his
own son, but delivered him up for us all. How will he not also freely give
us all things? Who will bring a charge against
God’s elect? God is the one who justifies
who is he who condemns. Christ Jesus is he who died yes
rather who was raised who is at the right hand of God who
also intercedes for us what shows who shall separate us from the
love of Christ. So tribulation or distress or persecution. or
famine or nakedness or peril or sword, when you have the Lord
Jesus Christ laying the foundation for our salvation, the Holy Spirit
sustaining us, God having ordained it all, and somehow something
is going to take it away. I’m convinced, Paul says, that
neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities, by that he
means the entire world system, even if the entire world were
against you and tried to come between you and your God, it’s
hopeless. Nor things present, nor things
to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created
thing. Let’s put it in perspective this
morning. When Paul says there is therefore
now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, the
law can’t condemn you. The law can no longer bring a
condemnation. The devil the devil can bring reproach. He can’t
bring condemnation. Condemnation means to prove to
convict or pronounce guilty deserving of punishment. And that is the
sole prerogative of God. And that’s exactly what God did
to our sin on the back of the Lord Jesus Christ when he hung
on the cross for you and I. That condemnation is levied against
the sinner by the agency of the law, but it’s removed by Christ. Your conscience can’t condemn
you. Your accuser, your detractor, your enemy can’t condemn you.
Your sinful past can’t condemn you. Your struggling present
can’t condemn you. Your incompleteness as a Christian
can’t condemn you. When Paul says, there is therefore
now no condemnation. He means nothing. Nothing at all if you are in
Christ. And that’s the key question we have to wrestle with, isn’t
it? Have you placed your faith in Christ alone for salvation? Jesus Christ hung on the cross
to pay the penalty for sinners. All of us. All of us fit that
bill. Have you placed your faith in
him? Have you been forgiven? Let’s go before him now. Our
merciful King, we humble ourselves before you in the face of this
glorious chapter of truth, and we thank you and praise you.
And we pray that if there are any who do not know in their
hearts, who do not have that echo of the Holy Spirit, If they
have not placed their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation,
O God, may this be the day of salvation. It’s in Jesus’ name
that we plead. Amen.