|
|
RomansSurvey of the New Testament:
|
Previous: Part III - Sanctification by Faith
When will this struggle be over? Will there be a time when our righteous status before God and our actions be no longer in conflict? (Romans 8:18-39)
Our current suffering is nothing in light of our future glorification (8:18). But we aren't the only ones longing for future glory (8:22). When humanity fell, all creation was subject to futility (8:20). But when humanity is glorified, all creation will be set free.
This is our hope. This is the fulfillment of our salvation. Justification are not all there is, for our hope is not in what we already have (8:24). We hope for what is yet to come. And we wait eagerly but patiently for it (8:25).
Paul describes several elements which are included in our future glorification:
The Holy Spirit is given as a deposit or down payment of our future glory. He is the first fruit of our glorification (8:23). Our glorification will involve an intimate connection with God the Father, dwelling with Him and seeing Him face-to-face in all His glory. The indwelling Holy Spirit provides us a foretaste of this intimacy with God. The intercessory work of the Spirit gives us a glimpse of what it means to see God face-to-face. This is found in the groaning of the Holy Spirit before the Father, communicating our deepest emotions to the Father when we can't even find the words to pray.
Our current sufferings may be hard and difficult to bear. But our future glory can not compare to this. But even now, before our glorification, the first fruits of our glorification helps us with our current sufferings on a practical level as the Holy Spirit intercedes on our behalf with God and gives us a taste of the intimacy we will have with God.
As we endure the sufferings of this present time, we can be assured that life is not out of control. God is sovereign over all things, including our present circumstances. Paul tells us that God causes, God predestines, and God calls us. He is the agent behind every aspect of our salvation. While life may feel like it is spinning out of control, God is in the midst of it all, authoring and directing the circumstances of life towards His ultimate purpose in our life.
Remember that Paul was writing this letter to the church in Rome. The Jewish Christians had already been expelled from Rom by Emperor Claudius (Acts 18:2). Within a few years the Christians would face even harder circumstances as Emperor Nero will blame the Christians for a fire which will destroy most of Rome, persecuting believers in inhumane and terrifying ways. But Paul assures the Roman church that God has all things under His control, even the Emperor. Persecution, suffering and the pain of our lives are part of God's master design for our salvation.
Too often Romans 8:28 is a verse abused by well meaning but misguided Christians. We try to use it to comfort people in the midst of suffering. We try to encourage suffering people by telling them not to worry, for God will cause everything to work to our good. We appropriate this verse as a promise that good things will come out of even the worst circumstance. We equate this verse with the proverb from the Sound of Music that says, “when God closes a door, He always opens a window.”
On a recent episode of the television show, Monk , the police captain received divorce papers from his wife. Another character try to comfort the captain, saying, “when God closes a door…” But captain finished, “… He breaks our hearts.” Oh how that resonated with me. I've been there- where God ahs closed doors in my life and has broken my heart. And those who abuse Romans 8:28 are no comfort in those circumstances. The glib words, “it will all turn out for the best” presumes a good which is not being promised here.
We say, “don't worry that you lost your job. God will give you a better job.” “Don't worry that your health has failed, God will heal you.” “Don't worry that your marriage is in trouble. God will use this to make your marriage stronger than ever.” But when we don't get the better job, we don't get well, or our marriage continues to deteriorate we blame God for not keeping His promise to work things together for good.
But God has not failed to keep the promise of Romans 8:28. Instead, we have failed to connect verse 28 with verses 29 and 30. God is causing all things to work towards a specific purpose. God has called us (8:28b), predestined us (9:29), and is working all the circumstances of life towards one thing- that we would be conformed to the image of His Son (8:29).
Being conformed to the image of God's son is ultimately what it means for us to be glorified. Some day we will be like Jesus Christ. We will have a physical body like His post-resurrection body. But more than that, we will be sinless like Jesus is sinless. Finally we will share in His inheritance and in His glory along with God the Father.
We have been predestined for this purpose. We have been called for this purpose. We have been justified for this purpose. Therefore we will be glorified for this purpose. We will finally be past all the sufferings, tribulations and temptations of this present time and finally be conformed to the image of Jesus Christ.
This is the good towards which God is moving all of our lives (8:28). This is the hope for which we have been saved (8:24). This is the glory for which we eagerly wait with perseverance, longing with all creation with groanings too deep to express (8:22). This is the glory which will be beyond comparing to the sufferings we face at this present time (8:18).
How then do we respond to such an incredible promise? If God is for us, who is against us (8:31). If God did not spare His own son so this purpose could be fulfilled, how will He not do whatever is necessary to bring about our glorification (8:32).
With our Justifier as the Judge (8:33) and the Judge's son serving as our defense attorney (8:34), there is no one left to condemn us! If you have placed your trust in the adequacy of Christ's death to atone for your sins, you are justified. If you are justified, you are glorified (8:30). Therefore, no one can interrupt your predestined path to your glorification, for our judge is also our justifier!
Paul finishes this section with some of the most profound, beautiful and powerful words in all scripture.
Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? …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. (Romans 8:35, 38-39)
|
Eternal Security
The doctrine of (eternal security) has often been expressed “once saved, always saved.” This doctrine is sometimes called “perseverance of the saints,” which is not a proper title since it places the emphasis on man's ability to persevere rather than on God's ability to keep the believer. A better title might be “perseverance of the Lord.” This doctrine does not suggest that the believer will never backslide or sin. It means, however, that when a person has genuinely believed in Christ as His Savior from sin he is forever secured by God by His keeping power. The basis for the security of salvation does not rest with man, but with God. The security of the believer is based on the work of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Source: Paul Enns. The Moody Handbook of Theology. (Chicago: Moody Press, 1989), 340, 485. |
Look at the strength of the words Paul uses. He does not want to leave any doubt. Is there anything at all which can separate us from God's love. Is there anything which can derail us from our predestined path from justification to glorification? Is there anything that can cause us to loose our salvation from sin and death? The answer here is an emphatic NO!
This is the doctrine of eternal security. Those who have been truly justified can not loose their justification, but are all predestined to find the fullness of salvation and conformity to the image of Christ.
However, there are those who disagree with this doctrine and who believe that one can indeed loose salvation. At first look, such a position clashes with this passage. There are two ways those who don't hold to eternal security interpret this passage:
What hope this brings us! Knowing that God is for us, that he defends us, and that his love is unbreakable gives us the hope necessary to persevere, to overcome in the midst of the worst circumstances. For those who have been justified by God, our sanctification and our glorification are assured.
Next: Part V - The Future of Israel
| © Copyright 2006 - Ken Carson Grace Community Fellowship | Grace Insitute | The Pauline Epistles | Romans |