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Section 12   Romans 8:1-17
Life in the flesh and life in the Spirit

Subject of Section 12
Romans 8 brings to a conclusion and climax the doctrine of indwelling sin that the apostle began to consider in 5:12. He has traced that sin back to its source in Adam’s fall, and has shown in 5:12-21 that the work of Christ at Calvary is the remedy. He then showed in chapter 6 that freedom from the domination of sin is found in the practical application to our lives of the truths expressed in Christian baptism. In chapter 7 the apostle has made clear that the law of Moses does not help us at all in our desire to overcome sin.
Speaking generally about chapter 8 we may say that it deals with three of the major enemies that confront man now that sin has entered into the world. In verses 1-17 the enemy is the flesh, the sinful self of man. In verses 18-27 the enemy is the bondage and corruption which came in at the fall of man, and which causes men, even believers, to suffer. In verses 28-39 the enemy is Satan as adversary, who accuses and slanders believers.
Chapter 8 may also be thought of as enlarging on the features of believers as sons of God. The position of son involves liberty, dignity, maturity, intimacy and glory, and we find these things in the chapter. In verses 1-4 the believer has liberty, for he has been made free from the law of sin and death. That liberty enables God’s sons to manifest dignity as they live according to the Spirit, as verses 5-11 explain. As a result of this, the believer is under obligation, for we are debtors, verse 12, and the way in which they discharge that debt shows their maturity, verses 12-14. But there is more, for God’s sons have such closeness to Him that they call Him “Abba, Father”. This is their intimacy, as found in verses 15. Then the apostle looks on to the future, when God’s people shall be conformed to the image of His Son, verse 29. This is glory indeed, and will be expressed in the unhindered liberty, dignity, maturity and intimacy of likeness to Christ.
The apostle also introduces us to the important doctrine of the dwelling of the Holy Spirit within the believer, and the consequences thereof. The Holy Spirit is mentioned very rarely in the previous chapters, whereas in chapter 8 He is referred to at least 15 times. Recognition of, and response to, the dwelling of the Spirit of God within the believer is the secret of a spiritually successful Christian life, always remembering that one of His chief ministries is to glorify Christ, John 16:14.

Structure of Section 12

12(a)   8:1-4
New principle: The law of the Spirit

8:1
There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

There is now therefore no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus- the particular word for condemnation the apostle uses here is only found again in this epistle in 5:16,18, and in 8:3 in a verbal form. This gives the clue to its primary meaning in this place, for condemnation in chapter 5 is the passing of the sentence of physical death on man in Adam because he possesses a sinful nature. The fact that the sentence has been reversed is the sure sign that the sin that caused it has been dealt with, (hence the “therefore”, meaning, in effect, “as a consequence of the truth set out in chapters five and six, which show how sin and death were righteously dealt with by Christ in His death, burial and resurrection”). Those who are in Christ Jesus are not touchable by death, being united with Him in resurrection. Nor are they dominated by sin, the cause of death, for the body as the headquarters of sin has been made of no effect as far as they are concerned. This is a sure sign that the condemnation is gone, for 5:16 speaks of justification, which in that context means righteous acquittal from the consequences of possessing the sin-principle within. (The apostle has already established that the believer is delivered from the consequences of his sins, in verses leading up to 5:1).
This freedom from the condemnation that comes through the sin-principle within is not only “now”, being a present reality, but is also total, for there is “no” condemnation. Note the title “Christ Jesus”, which is not found in Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, for it especially emphasises the fact that the Man Jesus who lived on earth is now risen and glorified in heaven. His people are associated with Him there.
Who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit- freedom from condemnation does not depend upon our walk, but upon being in Christ Jesus, which is the position of all believers, not just those who walk according to the Spirit. Ideally, all who are in Christ Jesus will only want to walk according to the Spirit, and it is this ideal state that the apostle credits believers with here. To walk after the flesh as a believer is to live out of character. The rest of the chapter is designed to encourage a spiritual manner of life. The phrase highlights the difference between chapter 7 and its occupation with self, and chapter 8, with its occupation with the things of the Spirit.

8:2
For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.

For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus- the word law is used in several ways in the New Testament, but here it means working principle. The Holy Spirit is described variously in this chapter. For instance, the Spirit of God and the Spirit of Christ, verse 9; the Spirit of Him that raised up Jesus from the dead, verse 11; the Spirit of adoption, verse 15. Here He is described as the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus, because He associates with, and makes good to us, the life which we have in the risen Christ Jesus. He does not deal with us as if we have life in Adam, but acts on the principle or law that we have life in Christ Jesus. He associates with the life in Christ Jesus so closely that He can be described as the Spirit of that life.
Hath made me free- note the personal pronoun “me”, after the “them” of verse 1. The apostle is no doubt alluding to his very personal experience as detailed in 7:7-25, which comes to a climax with the words “who shall deliver me from the body of this death?” With the realisation of the true Christian position in a risen Christ comes the realisation of freedom from the sin and death that overwhelmed him in chapter 7. That this freedom is not just for Paul is seen in the fact that he goes on to speak of “us” in verse 4.
From the law of sin and death- in 7:25 Paul is captive to the law of sin, and this results in captivity to death, 7:24. Christ Jesus, however, has died to sin. That is, the defeat of sin was at the forefront of His mind on the cross. But He now lives to God, 6:10, so sin and death have no hold on Him. And this is true also of those who are in Him. Just as sin and death came in for all through Adam, 5:12, so they go out for many through Christ. The believer is freed from the operation of the law of sin and death by the superior principle on which the Spirit works. Working principles need power to put them into effect, and the indwelling Spirit is that power.
This is the believer’s position in God’s view, but since the apostle has to warn about the dangers of living after the flesh, and the possibility of dying, verse 13, we must apply these truths to our lives if this freedom is to be known in practical reality. We have been given the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus to enable us to live free from slavery to indwelling sin.

8:3
For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:

For what the law could not do- literally “for the law being powerless”. Note that by simply writing “the law”, the apostle now speaks of the law of God given at Sinai. The law of Moses was not able to set men free from sin and death. In fact the apostle calls it the ministry of death and the ministry of condemnation in 2 Corinthians 3:7,9. It only condemned sins, it did not deal with the nature which was the root of those sins. Furthermore, it did not give the power to overcome that nature, either.
In that it was weak through the flesh- the weakness, and therefore the inability to deliver, lay in the sinfulness of the flesh of men, not in any deficiency in the law of God. The tools (the commandments of the law) were of the finest quality, but the material on which they worked (the flesh) was rotten. As well ask a master craftsman to make a fine cabinet, and provide him with faulty materials, as use the law to produce a masterpiece from our sinful flesh. It cannot be done.
God sending his own Son- against the background of the powerlessness of the law, and the sinfulness of man, God intervenes in grace and purity. Angels and men were operative at the giving of the law, Acts 7:38,53, but now the fact that a greater work is about to be done is indicated by God sending His own Son, One who is privy to His counsels, and dear to His heart.
In the likeness of sinful flesh- note the guarded way in which the apostle writes here. Not “in sinful flesh”, as if God’s Son were not totally sinless; nor “in the likeness of flesh”, as if He were not really man. Rather, He comes in such a way, and by such means, as preserve the integrity of His holy nature. He comes in the likeness of that which in us is sinful, but which in Him was holy. He is True Man, but also Ideal Man.
By using these words, the apostle shows that he believes that the mother of the Lord Jesus conceived only by the intervention of the Holy Spirit, thus preserving the sinlessness of Christ. These words also dispose of the idea that the apostle did not believe in the uniqueness of the birth of Christ because he does not mention details about the virgin birth. We should remember that Luke was a beloved companion of the apostle, and he would not have had fellowship with one who did not believe what is found so clearly in the gospel that bears his name.
And for sin- His mission was expressly to deal with the root of sin in the nature of men. Some would see a reference to the sin offering here, since the Hebrew word for sin and sin-offering is the same. However when the word sin is used in Hebrew it simply means a single act of sin, which needs to be forgiven. God deals with the root of sin not by forgiving it, but by condemning it, and removing the repentant sinner from the sphere where that sin holds sway. Another difficulty with saying that sin means sin-offering is that the word sin occurs again in the next phrase, and it cannot mean sin-offering there.
Condemned sin in the flesh- this is the verbal form of the word condemnation which occurs in 5:16,18 and 8:1. God has pronounced His condemning verdict on the sin which dwells within us in three related ways. First, by sending His own Son, such was the gravity of the situation to be addressed. How terrible must sin be if only God’s Son can deal with it effectively! Second, by exposing the evil of sin by means of the life of Christ in the flesh. We read, “And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.” John 3:19,20. How terrible must sin be if it makes men hate Christ! Third, by the work of Christ in relation to the sin-question at Calvary. How terrible must sin be if God’s wrath had to be poured out upon none other than His own dear Son to deal with it!

8:4
That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us- far from destroying God’s law, the coming and work of Christ ensure that the believer is able to fulfil all that the law demanded as being right, (the meaning of “righteousness of the law” here), summed up in the words “judgement, mercy, and faith”, Matthew 23:23. See also Matthew 5:17 and Romans 13:8-10. The law of Moses is not specifically the code of conduct for the believer, but by living like Christ the believer fulfils the law incidentally.
Who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit- the power of the Spirit is the only way God’s righteous requirements can be met; man in the flesh is powerless, as chapter seven has shown.

Special note on the three-fold mention of Son in the chapter
There are seven mentions of the name Son in the epistle to the Romans. There are three in chapter one, another in chapter five, and the remaining three in chapter eight. The first four and the one in 8:29 are simple genitives, indicating that the Son belongs to God and is in relationship to Him. The other two have extra thoughts connected with them, and we will try to see what these are as we consider the three mentions in chapter eight.
In verse 3 the phrase “his own” is what is known as a reflexive and intensive pronoun. It is as if Paul wrote, “his own Son, no less”, or “his own Son and not someone else”. So the emphasis here is on the person of the Son. Given that we were weak and sinful, and that the law could not help us, there was no alternative to God sending His own Son, in all the wonder of His person.
In verse 29 the apostle uses the simple possessive pronoun, in this way emphasising the sonship of the Son. He is telling us that it is God’s purpose to make His people like someone, and that person is His Son. So in this instance the Son is the pattern and prototype Son.
In verse 32 the phrase is different again, and this time indicates that God’s Son is His in a distinct way. This highlights the cost to God of not sparing the one who is His Son in an unique sense. This emphasises the preciousness of the Son.

12(b)   8:5-8
New perception: The things of the Spirit

8:5
For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.

For they that are after the flesh- it is important to distinguish between being in the flesh, which is the position of the unbeliever, and walking (conducting our lives) after the flesh, which is all the unbeliever is able to do, and which the believer also is able to do but ought not. To be after the flesh means to take one’s lead and one’s character from the sinful self within. Or, to put it another way, to be after the flesh is to follow the flesh where it leads.
Do mind the things of the flesh- to mind involves a combination of thinking and willing. Self’s interests are considered in the mind, and are put into effect with determination by the will.
But they that are after the Spirit- those who take character and guidance from the indwelling Spirit.
The things of the Spirit- again the mind and the will are operative, but instead of self being to the fore, the matters which the Spirit of God brings before the mind are willingly concentrated on and responded to by the spiritual believer in Christ.

8:6
For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.

For to be carnally minded is death- the mind of the sinful self is characterised by occupation with things that result in the death of effective living for God. In the case of the unbeliever, this means he is in spiritual death. In the case of the carnal believer, he is in a state of moral death. See the comments in verse 13. Because the unbeliever is in death, which means he is separated from God, then he delights in those things which themselves are separated from God. It is sadly possible for a believer to engage in such things also, even though he is not in spiritual death. If he does do this, he is temporarily out of fellowship with God, although his eternal security is not affected.
But to be spiritually minded is life and peace- just as the mind of the flesh is characterised by occupation with things that are marked by death, so the mind of the Spirit is occupied with the things associated with eternal life. The apostle adds “and peace”, and the reason for the mention of this word peace becomes clear in verse 7, where a state of war is described. Great calmness is enjoyed by those who are spiritual. Carnal believers lack this peace because deep down they know they are being untrue to their proper calling.

8:7
Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.

Because the carnal mind is enmity towards God- since it is occupied with things which are contrary to God, the mind of the flesh is at war with God, siding with the enemy, sin.
For it is not subject to the law of God- the flesh wars against God because it rebels against His authority as expressed in His law.
Neither indeed can be- this state of affairs cannot be remedied. The gospel does not seek to improve the mind of the flesh, but rather removes the person with that mind out of Adam into Christ Jesus. When this has happened the Spirit of God comes to dwell, so that the mind is now able to think on spiritual things.

8:8
So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.

So then- the apostle summarises the position as far as the flesh is concerned.
They that are in the flesh cannot please God- having spoken of the mind of the flesh, the apostle now returns to speaking of people in the flesh, to prepare for the contrast with believers in verse 9. Four features of the mind of the flesh are mentioned in verses 6 and 7; first, it is occupied with things marked by death; second, it is at enmity with God; third, it is not subject to God; and fourth, it is incurable. Because of these things they that are in the flesh, that is, unbelievers, have no ability at all to please God.

12(c)   8:9-13
New power: The dwelling of the Spirit

8:9
But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.

But ye are not in the flesh- having described the unbeliever as one who is in the flesh and after the flesh, Paul turns to state definitely that the believer is not in the flesh. Clearly the apostle is not using the word flesh to mean the body, (for they were in the body), but rather the sinful self. To be in the flesh means to be in an unchanged natural state.
But in the Spirit- since the contrast is not between the human body and spirit, the Spirit of God is meant. The believer is in a position which derives its character from the Spirit of God Himself. To be in the Spirit means to be in a changed state that is spiritual.
If so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you- the apostle inserts a warning here against false profession, before the teaching relative to the Christian life is further expanded. That the apostle does not suggest some true believers have not the Spirit of God within is seen from his next statement. To dwell means to be at home. The heart of the believer is a suitable home for the Spirit of God, because of the change wrought at conversion. The dwelling of the Holy Spirit within the believer is so transforming, that the believer is lost sight of, and is absorbed, so to speak, in the Spirit. So the Spirit is in the believer and the believer is in the Spirit.
Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his- the whole force of the argument is lost if we think of the Spirit of Christ as being different to the Spirit of God. This verse makes it clear that every believer has the Spirit of God within because he belongs to Christ. The Spirit is called “the Spirit of Christ” to remind us that the result of responding to the Spirit within is Christ-likeness. It is also true that the Spirit indwelling the believer is the same Spirit by which Christ acted when He was here, living a truly spiritual life as our example.

8:10
And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.

And if Christ be in you- as indeed He is, in the person of the Spirit, as the Lord made clear in John 14:16.
The body is dead because of sin- the presence of Christ within highlights the truth that the body is dead, for the very fact that the Spirit of God needed to be sent into our hearts is proof that we were unable to please God of ourselves. The reason the body is dead is because the sin-principle uses the body as its base of operations. It is dead in the sense that it is powerless to act for God unaided.
But the Spirit is life because of righteousness- because the Spirit acts on the principle that we have life in Christ Jesus, the Risen Man, verse 2, then by His power we are enabled to live as those who are “alive from the dead”, and to yield the members of our body as “instruments of righteousness”, 6:13. By so doing we present (same word as yield in 6:13) our bodies a living sacrifice, 12:1.

8:11
But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.

But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you- the Spirit is now spoken of as the Spirit of the God of resurrection, as the apostle gives a further consequence of His indwelling. Not only does the Spirit empower us to live spiritual lives whilst we are in the present body, He is also the guarantee of life in resurrection bodies hereafter.
He that raised up Christ from the dead- note the change of title, “raised up Jesus…raised up Christ” The name Jesus reminds us it was a man who had lived on the earth who was raised from the dead. The epistle to the Romans treats us as those who are living on the earth. It does not see us as seated in the heavenly places as the epistle to the Ephesians does. This is why in the next phrase only mortal (tending to death) bodies are spoken of, not dead bodies in a grave. (1 Corinthians 15:51-58 explains the mystery as to how saints who have not died are going to share the resurrection experience).
What encouragement to know that the certain result of being associated with Jesus, the Man after God’s own heart, is to be quickened in resurrection! But He is Christ, the One anointed with the Holy Spirit, and in harmony at all times with Him. This presents us with a challenge as to whether this is true of us as Christians (“Christ-ones”, those who own allegiance to Him, and who are in-dwelt by His Spirit).
Shall also quicken your mortal bodies- quicken means make alive. Bodies which tend to death even though the person possesses life in Christ, will be changed at the resurrection so that all trace of sin and it’s consequence, death, will be removed, with the result that mortality shall be swallowed up of life, 2 Corinthians 5:4.
By his Spirit that dwelleth in you- the presence of the Spirit of God in the believer is the reason why the quickening takes place, and is also the guarantee that it will take place. It is not dependant on the believer’s spirituality. This confirms that every true believer of this church age will be taken to heaven when Christ comes for His own at the Rapture. Once this has happened, every trace of sin and death will have been forever removed from the believer’s body.

Special note on the apostle’s line of thought
As he proceeds through his reasoning in this chapter, the apostle first of all refers to the state of condemnation into which the sin of Adam brought us. Then he mentions the law of God given at Sinai, followed by the coming of God’s Son and His death for sin at Calvary. Then he implies the sinner’s conversion, for he now walks after the Spirit. Having thought of the difference between a life after the flesh and a life after the Spirit, he reaches a climax by speaking of the resurrection of the saints at the Lord’s coming, verse 11, and the change of the body which will take place then.

These things have consequences, so the apostle begins verse 12 with a “therefore”. He will explain the obligations believers have in the light of what God has done for them. Their first obligation is to live, not after the flesh, but after the Spirit, verse 12. According to whether they do the one or the other they shall be either in moral death, or living the true life of a Christian, verse 13. If they do the latter, they will be living as sons, following the leading of the Spirit of God, as He encourages them in spiritual things. It is possible to be a son of God and not live up to the name. The apostle is writing so that believers live the life that befits sons, for only such have the title son of God in practice. The power to live this life is not the law, with its bondage and fear, verse 15, but the Spirit of God in His capacity as the One who causes us to cry Abba, Father. In this way God will be a Father to us, and we sons to Him, not just in name, but in reality.

8:12
Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh.

Therefore, brethren, we are debtors- previously the apostle has explained the nature of the case as to our position before God. Now he presses upon us our responsibilities to God. He uses the title brethren to arrest our attention, and remind us we possess life as those who are in the family of God, and therefore have the ability to respond to the exhortation which follows. Before we were saved we were under obligation to God as sinners, and had nothing to pay, Luke 7:40-43. Now, however, the saving work of God in us has made us eternally indebted to Him, and therefore under obligation to Him as saints. The difference now is that we are able to begin to repay the debt, but only because Divine resources have been given to us.
Not to the flesh- we are not obliged to respond to the attempts of our sinful self to influence us. All of its authority has been removed by Christ when our old man was crucified in company with Him, 6:6.
To live after the flesh- we are not in the flesh, but we still have the ability to live after the flesh because we are still in the body.

8:13
For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.

For if ye live after the flesh ye shall die- this cannot mean lose salvation, for he has just addressed them as brethren, and as such they are eternally secure. He has been careful to apply the test as to the reality of their conversion in verse 9, and has proceeded as if they were really saved. Furthermore, every believer has already passed out of death into life, John 5:24, and shall never see death, John 8:51.
Die in this context therefore must mean the same as when the prodigal’s father said that his son was dead, and is alive again, (in relation to God), was lost and is found, (in relation to his family), Luke 15:24. The prodigal was as good as dead when in the far country, his life did not profit his father at all, and so it is with believers if they live after the flesh. See 1 Timothy 5:6 for a further example. In extreme cases, as with some of the Corinthians, this may mean premature physical death, if their life-style brings grave discredit upon the testimony, and they are disciplined by God because of it, see 1 Corinthians 11:30.
But if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live- note the contrast again between the flesh and the Spirit of God. The flesh is powerless to enable us to live spiritual lives, hence the great blessing of being indwelt by the Spirit of God. The Spirit is life because of, or for the sake of, righteousness, verse 10.
Instead of weakly succumbing to the flesh, the believer is to take the initiative, and mortify (put to death) the deeds of the body, using the power of the Spirit to apply the truths already detailed in chapter 6. It is through the body that the flesh, the self-principle within, manifests itself.
When our self provokes to a sinful deed, then we are to slay that deed immediately, for by crucifying our old man in company with Christ, God has signalled that it is only worthy of death, so we should signal that too. By so doing we shall clear the way for a true expression of spiritual life, which involves all those things from which the Living God derives pleasure, and which those who are in harmony with Him as His sons enjoy also.

Special note on the subject of death
Death is presented to us, in the main, in four different ways in the Scriptures, as follows:

1. Spiritual death. This has to do with the separation of a person from God, who told man at the beginning that if he ate of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, he would “surely die”, Genesis 2:17. Sadly, man listened to the lie of the Devil, who said, “Ye shall not surely die”, 3:4. So it was that the moment Adam sinned he was separated from God, and “dead in trespasses and sins”, Ephesians 2:1. His communion with God was broken. The Lord Jesus taught the doctrine of spiritual death, for He said that he that believes in Him “is passed from death unto life”, John 5:24.

2. Physical death. As a consequence of spiritual death, man became mortal, and physical death is his lot. As we have already noticed, the apostle Paul put it like this, “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned.” Romans 5:12. Physical death is the separation of the spirit from the body, for James tells us that “the body without the spirit is dead”, James 2:26. The reason this happens, even to believers, is that the sin-principle, which is the cause of physical death, is in all men. Only in the moment of resurrection will believers leave the sin-principle behind, 1 Corinthians 15:54-57.

3. Moral death. As we have noticed already, the apostle wrote “For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.” Romans 8:13. No true believer is in the flesh, (“ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit”, verse 9), but he can walk, or live his life, after the flesh, (which is his sinful side, which still remains because of the sin-principle within the body). All the while he lives like that he is not living the true Christian life, and those hours, or months, or even years spent living in this way do not count in God’s reckoning, and he is temporarily dead as to true Christian living.

4. The second death. This is defined for us in Revelation 21:8, where we read, “But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.” We know from another scripture that “it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment”, Hebrews 9:27. So the second death is not a second dying, but a second state of death, the first one being when the sinner dies, and body and spirit are separated.

12(d)   8:14-17
New privileges: The leading of the Spirit

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

For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God- only those who obey the prompting of the Spirit of God may be rightly described as the sons of God, for they manifest by their dignified and mature behaviour that they have a nature and character in God’s likeness. The word “they” is emphatic, it is “they and only they”. Clearly the apostle does not anticipate that there will be persons claiming to be sons of God, and yet who do not respond to the guidance of the Spirit. Since all God’s people have the Spirit of God within their hearts, they all must be sons, whatever their state of spiritual development may be. But the sad fact is that we often fail to live as sons, and when in that condition we cannot be said to be led of the Spirit practically, although the Spirit never leaves.
As well as being morally dead when he was in the far country, the prodigal was also not living the life of a son. The father still thought of him as such, (“this my son was dead”), but he was not a son in character and dignity. In fact the prodigal admitted as much himself, for he compared himself unfavourably even with the servants in the house. Only when he returned to fellowship with the father did he know the joy of being a son.
How different it was with God’s Son, for the promise came to Him, “I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son”, Hebrews 1:5. This is not the beginning of the Father/Son relationship, for that was eternal, but it was the beginning of the display in the world of the ideal Father/Son relationship. Everything a perfect son should be to a perfect father was seen in their relationship one with the other. There was glory attaching to that relationship, for the apostle John writes, “and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father”, John 1:14. The glory consisted of the unfailing support of the Father, and the unfailing dependence of the Son.

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.

For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear- the Spirit of God cannot be described as the spirit of bondage, for His task is to bring us into liberty. The believer is completely delivered from bondage, whether it be to sin, 6:17,18; the law, Galatians 4:3; idols, Galatians 4:8, or the fear of death, Hebrews 2:15. Each of those forms of bondage involved fear of one sort or another. The special reference is to bondage to the law, which we have seen in chapter 7 brings only to despair. Instead of exclaiming “Who shall deliver me”, 7:24, the believer cries “Abba, Father”.
But ye have received the Spirit of adoption- adoption is the act of placing as sons. The Spirit of God may rightly be described as the Spirit who brings into sonship and who maintains in sonship. He associates with us on the basis that we have been placed before God in the position of sons, for in Galatians 4:6 He comes into our hearts because we are sons. This is further proof that all God’s people are sons, for all have the Spirit within, and the Spirit only comes because they are sons. Whether all believers live and act as sons is another matter.
It is in this sense that the apostle John wrote, “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name.” John 1:12. As those who believe, we have eternal life, which gives the ability to grow in the knowledge of God. By doing this, we increasingly become like his Son, and as well as being sons of God by adoption, we become sons of God in practice.

Special note on the translation “sons of God” in John 1:12
The Authorised Version has been criticised for translating the Greek word tekna as “sons”, when the root of the word has to do with childbirth. It is contended that the word should be translated “children”. We should remember that the men who translated the Authorised Version were learned men, who were very well qualified for the task. They would have weighed up the question of whether they should translate as sons or children very carefully.

We should remember also that at the end of the scriptures there is a solemn warning about taking from and adding to the words of scripture. This would include taking from and adding to the sense of the words, as well as the words themselves. This warning was given in the context of the promise of Christ’s coming again, so it is clear that there would be something that could be called the Word of God that was not to be tampered with, and that would last until the Lord’s coming. In the goodness of God the Word of God is with us in its perfect form, and we seek to change it at our spiritual peril.

Could it not be that John is looking on to the future? It is God’s purpose to reveal His Son to this world in a day to come. At that day He will come accompanied with multitudes whom Paul calls the sons of God, Romans 8:19. They will have been conformed to the image of God’s Son, as Romans 8:29 tells us. But what they will display is “the glorious liberty of the children of God”, verse 21. Their glory as children is that they have liberty. Their glory as sons is that they are like the Son of God. It is the same company in view in each case, but the emphasis is different. So in John 1:12 it is “become the sons of God”, whereas in the next verse the same people are born of God, and are therefore His children. The new birth is the beginning, whereas being the sons of God as conformed to the image of God’s Son, is the ending. Notice the way in which the apostle Paul speaks of believers as sons and children in the same passage, Romans 8:14-21. We should remember that in normal circumstances it was a Greek or Roman’s own child that he made his son, as we see from Galatians 4:1-6. This is not to say that believers only become sons after they have been children for a while. The apostle writes in Romans 8:17, “if children, then heirs”, and yet in Galatians 4:7, “if a son, then an heir”. So believers are heirs of God as children, and heirs of God as sons, so they are sons as soon as they are children.

It is God’s purpose to give to His sons even now the power to become the sons of God in the sense that they become increasingly son-like. The word for power is the one that emphasises authority, that is, freedom to act. It would be presumption for believers to take the place of sons if the Son of God Himself had not given them the right. They are trusted to mature in sonship. This is a fitting climax to the section in which John is detailing interventions by the Word. It is as if the sons of God are authorised to continue the task begun by the Word, namely, to manifest God. The grand result of His interventions will be when He comes again with those who have responded to Him and have been made like Him.

Whereby we cry Abba, Father- in the power of the Holy Spirit and by His prompting we commune with God. This cry to our Father is the most intimate, and includes within itself all other experiences we may have of God. In Galatians 4:6 the Spirit cries “Abba, Father”, but since God is not the Father of the Holy Spirit this must mean that He expresses perfectly for us what we express feebly. The double use of the name Abba, (as also with Christ in Gethsemane, Mark 14:36), would signify intensity of feeling, and a deep appreciation of the relationship implied in the term. The fact that one is in Old Testament language and one in New Testament, would perhaps hint at the fact that believers from Jewish and Gentile background may unite in the use of the expression.
It is said that slaves were forbidden to call their masters by this name, so we do not read of Ishmael addressing Abraham in such a way, for he was the son of the slave-woman, Galatians 4:21-23. On the other hand, Abraham’s true son was Isaac, and his first recorded words are “My father”, Genesis 22:7.

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

The Spirit itself- that is, the Spirit mentioned in the previous verses, “that very One who is the Spirit of adoption”. Note that there is no connecting word between verses 15 and 16, indicating strength of feeling on the part of the apostle, no doubt overawed by the thought of being able to call God his Father.
The Holy Spirit is a Divine Person and not simply an influence, for He teaches, leads, convicts, reveals and comforts, all of which only persons can do. The use of the words “He” and “Him” for the Holy Spirit in John 14:16,26 and 16:7 is not in itself a proof of this, for the pronoun in Greek takes its gender from the antecedent noun, which in those verses is comforter, which is masculine. When the pronoun follows the word Spirit, which is a neuter noun, as in John 14:17; 16:13,14, the Authorised Version still translates by the word He, because in those verses the emphasis is on the fact that He is a Person of the Godhead. He is another of the same sort as Christ, and therefore is a person. By person is meant one who has a centre of intelligent consciousness.
In the verse we are considering, however, the point is that the apostle has just used the word Spirit in a descriptive sense, “Spirit of adoption”, (in contrast to “the spirit of bondage”), so it is proper to translate the pronoun as “itself” since the personal aspect is not to the fore.
Beareth witness with our spirit that we are the children of God  – by encouraging us to commune with God as Father, the Spirit signifies that He reckons us to be indeed God’s children. By responding to this encouragement, we show that we really are in that relationship with God. The Holy Spirit and the believer’s spirit testify to the same truth, for it is beareth witness “with”, not “to”. Thus there is a joint testimony to the reality of the relationship that exists between ourselves and God.
Note the apostle now refers to us as children, even though he has said that we call God Father as His sons. Perhaps the reason for this is found in the reference to our spirit. It is the spirit of man which is acted upon by the Spirit of God when the new birth takes place, John 3:6, and by this means he becomes a child of God.

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.

And if children, then heirs- here heirship is founded on a relationship with God as His children, whereas in the parallel passage in Galatians 4:7 heirship is based on sonship. Since this heirship involves feeling the same things about this groaning creation as Christ did, (for suffering is part of our inheritance at this present time), then the capacity to know things as Divine persons know them is needed, and for this reason believers have been given eternal life as His children.
If so be that we suffer with him- or “provided that”. True believers are sure to suffer with Christ, and are thereby shown to be children of God. What sorrow filled the heart of Christ when He was on the earth and saw the effects of the fall of Adam around Him, knowing all the time that the only way in which the situation could be permanently remedied was by Him tasting death for every man, Hebrews 2:9. Not only did He suffer as He looked on these things, but also when He sympathetically took upon Himself the pains and sorrows of suffering men and women, Matthew 8:17.
Believers carry a burden of suffering in their own bodies, to a lesser or greater degree, and also feel for those all around who suffer, and in the measure in which they feel about things in the way Christ did, they suffer with Him. Sufferings with Him are to be distinguished from suffering for Him, which happens when we seek to maintain a good testimony despite opposition from the world, Philippians 1:28-30. They are also to be distinguished from the sufferings of Christ, 1 Peter 1:11. These are the sufferings, foretold by the prophets, that pertained to Him, being unique and special to Him.
That we may be glorified together- when He is manifest as the glorious deliverer of a groaning creation, His people will share that glory. Their suffering is the necessary path to that glory, for they shall share the glory as they shared the sufferings.

As we have proceeded through Section 12, we have noticed the following ministries of the Holy Spirit in the believer:

Section 13 Romans 8:18-27
Sufferings then glory

Subject of Section 13
In 8:17 the apostle had introduced the truth that suffering is part of our inheritance with Christ. He now traces the cause of that suffering to the fact that we are still in the body, which is not as yet redeemed, although the ransom price for its redemption has already been paid at Calvary. He presents a series of conditions which we share with creation, and then outlines the contrasting conditions which will be brought in when Christ comes to earth as the deliverer of creation. In the last division there is presented a contrast between our ignorance as to what to pray for in such circumstances, and the Spirit’s complete insight into our needs.

Structure of Section 13

13(a)   8:18
Suffering and glory

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.

For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time- the apostle gives us the benefit of his spiritual calculations, as one who suffered much in the body. He had also been to paradise, 2 Corinthians 12:4, so he knew much about glory as well. But although the things he experienced in paradise were inexpressible, yet we are confident that his reckoning as to the relative importance of suffering and glory is accurate. The present time is the period from the fall of man until Christ’s coming to earth, when creation is characterised by corruption and groaning.
Are not worthy to be compared- literally rendered, the idea is the sufferings “are not heavy enough to make the balance of the apothecary move”, in other words, are of small account, comparatively. The apothecary used his delicate apparatus to weigh very tiny amounts. As the apostle writes elsewhere, “For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.” 2 Corinthians 4:17.
With the glory that shall be revealed in us- the sense of “shall be” is “shall certainly be”. The word revealed has the idea of being unveiled, as when a curtain is drawn aside, the word used in Revelation 1:1 for the unveiling of Christ. After believers have been glorified at the Rapture, the glory in them shall be manifest to the rest of creation at the Revelation.
See 1 John 3:2 for these two events, where we read, “when he shall appear”, (at the Revelation, His coming to earth), “we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is”, (at the Rapture, His coming into the air). The particular glory in view is that of having bodies delivered from the effects of the fall, and transformed into the likeness of Christ, who has a glorious body. So the subject is not glory manifest to them, but manifest in them, by their instrumentality.
The apostle writes in Philippians 3:20,21, “For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.” So the change in the believer’s body is the pattern for the change of creation.

13(b)   8:19-21
Bondage and liberty

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

For the earnest expectation of the creature- creation is viewed as if it is a person, craning its neck to catch the first glimpse of what is coming. Psalm 148 speaks poetically as if creation is able to praise God intelligently.
Waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God- “waiteth for” has the sense that creation awaits expectantly and eagerly. There is again the idea of revelation, this time of the sons, as they are introduced to a creation about to be delivered by the coming of Christ, the Last Adam.
Note that the apostle emphasises the revelation of the sons, not of the Son of God Himself, although He will in fact come. The appearance of multitudes of mortals who have been changed into the likeness of the Son of God, and are thereby enabled to represent Him, will be the signal that creation is about to be delivered.
It will also be the sign that God is able to deliver, for these sons were once part of a groaning creation, but now they are free. The right to deliver was purchased by Christ when by His blood He laid the foundation for peace between an alienated creation and the God who brought it into being. The apostle writes elsewhere, “And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven”, Colossians 1:20.

8:20
For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope,

For the creature was made subject to vanity- it was not appropriate for Adam, as a fallen creature, to be head over an unfallen creation, so because of his sin the earth was cursed. Vanity is want of vigour, the opposite of the glorious liberty of verse 21. The ground was cursed for man’s sake, Genesis 3:17, for it is not in man’s best interests to be a sinner with nothing to occupy his time. One of the features of Sodom was “abundance of idleness”, Ezekiel 16:49.
Not willingly- the apostle continues to speak of creation as if it is a person with a will, not welcoming the subjection to vanity. This is one of the reasons why creation groans.
But by reason of him who subjected the same in hope- it was God’s will that creation should be affected by the fall of man, in order that the hope of final restoration might be before it, see verses 24 and 25. As soon as Adam sinned, God promised the coming deliverer, Genesis 3:15, who would realise the hope of deliverance from the curse. God cannot therefore be charged with callousness over the issue of the sufferings associated with this life because of the fall.

8:21
Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.

Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption- the very selfsame creation that was subjected to vanity shall also be delivered. This shows that the change the apostle is speaking of in this passage is not from an old earth to a new earth, which will happen at the end of time, Revelation 21:1, but rather the regeneration of the old earth. In this way Christ will glorify God as He acts as head over this earth, and thus vindicate Him for originally entrusting the earth to man, Psalm 8:6; Hebrews 2:5-10.
Sin brought corruption in its wake, and this in turn meant that all things were in a state of slavery to that corruption, serving its interests. Everything in the universe is based on the principle of rotation. When motor engineers discover that a car’s brakes are slowing it down, they say the brakes are binding; the circular motion of the wheel is slowed down, with consequent problems. So every atom in the universe is operating as if it has its brakes on, and the bondage thereby becomes the bondage causing corruption, for nothing is working as efficiently now as it did when God created it in perfection at the beginning.
Into the glorious liberty of the children of God- instead of bondage there will be liberty, with creation freed from the hindrances which prevent it fully declaring the glory of its Creator. Instead of corruption, a process of decay and deterioration, there will be glory, as the full splendour of what God created in the beginning, and which He described as very good, will be restored. The same change which shall set the children of God free from the limitations of this present body shall affect the whole of creation. God has begotten His children so that they should be a kind of first-fruits of His creatures, James 1:18. Their change as to the body will be the signal for the change for the whole of creation.

13(c)   8:22-25
Groaning and redemption

8:22
For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.

For we know that the whole creation groaneth- things around, and personal experience, contribute to this knowledge, together with the testimony of Scripture. Every earthquake, volcanic eruption and tsunami is testimony to a groaning creation.
And travaileth in pain together until now- if groans tell of the consequences of a past fall, then travaileth, whilst indicating pain, also indicates the hope of new birth for creation. The Lord Jesus described the coming kingdom age as “the regeneration”, Matthew 19:28, when conditions in the earth will be changed so as to be fit for Messiah to reign.
Until now- from the fall of man in the past, to the very real and often painful present, as compared to the glorious future when groaning will cease.

8:23
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.

And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the first-fruits of the Spirit- it is not only inanimate creation that groans. Even though we are indwelt by the Spirit of God, (who is the guarantee of our resurrection and change, verse 11), we still groan. First-fruits of the Spirit means first-fruits consisting of the Spirit and all that His presence implies for the future. This word first-fruits is used of a birth certificate in secular documents. We have within us the proof that the travailing of creation will bring forth results.
Even we ourselves groan within ourselves- “we” is emphatic, even such as we who have the Spirit of God within.
Waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body- we already have “redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins”, Ephesians 1:7, but our bodies are not yet set free from the bondage of corruption.

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?

For we are saved by hope- in hope we were saved, for the hope of having redeemed bodies was one of the goals in view when we were saved. We are encouraged in hope because we know that the ransom price for the eventual redemption of the body has already been paid, Ephesians 1:14. This hope saves from despair and from having wrong thoughts about God.
But hope that is seen is not hope, for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? By definition a hope is something not yet realised, so we should not be surprised if we still groan.

8:25
But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.

But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it- because hope in the New Testament is a certain thing, then the believer is encouraged to patiently wait for the realisation of it, even though meanwhile he has to endure the privations imposed by a groaning body.

13(d)   8:26-27
Ignorance and knowledge

8:26
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.

Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities- as well as the sure hope of change helping us to endure patiently, the Spirit helps too. The indwelling Spirit comes to our aid, for He is a “paraclete”, one who comes alongside to help. He joins with us to help us in our weak condition. He does not take over completely, but jointly helps us as we pray.
The word “helpeth”, is a complex word, meaning “to take hold with at the side for assistance”. The infirmities or weaknesses which are the consequence of being in an unchanged body are too much of a burden for us to carry alone.
For we know not what we should pray for as we ought- note that the apostle assumes that the situation will cause us to be cast upon God in prayer. But what the will of God in such circumstances is, we, (including the apostle), have no way of knowing. We do know that it is not God’s will to remove every sickness from us now, as the apostle himself discovered in 2 Corinthians 12:5-10.
But the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us- this is the way the Spirit helps our infirmities; not by removing them, but by interceding on our behalf so that we are enabled to endure them, and to glorify God through them, 2 Corinthians 12:8,9.
With groanings that cannot be uttered- with words that we could not express ourselves, (even if we knew what to pray for), the Spirit intervenes on our behalf. The believer groans, and the Spirit identifies Himself with those groanings as He engages in intercession with God. It is not so much that the Spirit groans, but that He translates our groanings into meaningful intercession as He associates with us in our need.

8:27
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 he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit- because what the Spirit expresses in the ear of God is a perfected expression of the sincere groaning of the believer in his heart, they are in that sense like-minded, and God appreciates and accepts the intercession of the Spirit as if it were the intercession of the believer.
Because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God- “the will of” has been supplied to make the meaning clear. The Spirit intercedes according to God in the sense that He intercedes infallibly in line with what the will of God is. God knows or understands the Spirit’s intercession because it is in accordance with His will. We are unable to intercede like this because we know not what we should pray for as we ought. In other words, we do not know what the will of God is in these circumstances. So the Spirit identifies both with the sincere desires of our hearts, and the settled will of God, forming a link between the two. He interprets our feeble prayers so that they truly harmonise with the will of God, whilst still remaining the exercise of our hearts.

Section 14   Romans 8:28-39
Overwhelmed or overcoming

Subject of Section 14
Having shown how God has dealt with the first two things brought in by the fall, namely the flesh and a groaning creation, the apostle now turns his attention to the adversary, Satan, through whom man fell. He does not flatter him by a direct mention, but shows that the attempts of the Evil One to accuse the brethren and to divert them from trust in God are completely thwarted.

Structure of Section 14

14 (a)   8:28-30
The purpose of God

8:28
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.

And we know that all things work together for good- whilst we do not know what to pray for in the perplexities of life in the midst of a groaning creation, we do know there is One who superintends it all for the ultimate, long-term good of His people. Jacob said of his trials, “all these things are against me”, Genesis 42:36, whereas Joseph said of those same circumstances, “ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good”, Genesis 50:20. The “all things” refers both to the things that make us groan in the present, and also the various aspects of God’s purpose in eternity that the apostle is about to tell us about. The word good refers to the blessings of verses 29 and 30.
To them that love God- not “to them that God loves”, but the apostle takes it for granted that there will be a response to God from those who are sons of God. We have learnt from Romans 5:3-5 that the trying experiences of life are for our education, and result in the consciousness of the love of God in the heart. So it is that true believers can be defined as those who love God, for they respond in this way to God’s dealings with them.
To them who are the called according to his purpose- if the former phrase relates to the trials spoken of in the previous verses, this phrase relates to what follows in the next verses. What happens in our life-time and what is true in eternity are linked by these two expressions.
Note the apostle does not write, “them who are called according to His purpose”, as if others are called in some other way than according to His purpose. It is, “them who are the called according to His purpose”, so they are a definite company, (hence the definite article), being those who have responded to the gospel, and by this come within the scope of God’s purpose.
The call of the gospel goes out to all men, and those who respond to that call enter into the good of the purpose of God, which is what He has determined shall come to pass. As the apostle wrote to the Thessalonian believers, “God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth: whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ”, 2 Thessalonians 2:13,14. So all who hear the gospel invitation are “called”, but only those who respond are “the called”, those who have responded to the gospel. The apostle has described the believers at Rome as “the called of Jesus Christ”, 1:6. He clearly does not mean by this all who have heard the gospel call, whether they have responded in faith or not, but rather that group of people who have believed it.
So it is not that believers have been called with a different sort of call to those who hear the gospel and never believe. Or to put it another way, there is not a general call and an effectual call. The difference in effect when the gospel is preached is because of the response or lack of response of the hearers. The gospel call is thoroughly genuine, and may be preached to all without reserve or limitation.
It is to “the called”, and to these alone, that the assurances of these verses come. Since God’s people are the object of His eternal purpose, the temporary troubles of this life are of little account. Compare 2 Corinthians 4:17, where the apostle declares “For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory”.

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.

For whom he did foreknow- the reason why we know all things work together for good is now to be explained. The apostle has carefully defined those of whom he is speaking, namely those who love God and who are the called. So he is not writing about sinners in this passage.
God knew His people before the events of time came their way. Therefore those events cannot affect their position before Him. Peter declares that believers are elect according to the foreknowledge of God, 1 Peter 1:2, and Paul declares that His choice of them in Christ was before the foundation of the world, Ephesians 1:4. So we may say that before time began God foreknew His people, meaning He encompassed in His thoughts all who would believe in Him. He did this in relation to Christ, for His people were “chosen…in Him”, meaning in Christ. His choice of His people is conditioned by His thoughts about His Son, for He purposes to surround His Son with those who are like Him and represent Him. What His Son has been to Him for all eternity is what His people shall be to Him through Christ for all eternity.
He also did predestinate- which means “to set out the boundaries beforehand”. Just as God ordained the geographical boundaries of the tribes of Israel when they entered Canaan, so He has set the bounds of the believer’s position before Him. There is a difference, however, for each tribe had part of the land of promise, whereas each church believer has the whole of the heavenly equivalent to Canaan, namely “all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ, Ephesians 1:3.
To be conformed to the image of his Son- note that the predestination is not to heaven or hell, but rather to a moral position, even that of likeness to Christ. It is God’s purpose that ultimately all His people shall be altered so as to fully manifest and represent the moral features that characterise His Son. This is the idea behind the word image. We could not be conformed to His Son personally, for He is unique, but we shall be conformed to Him enough to be able to represent Him.
This involves a change as to the body, for at present we bear the image of the earthy, 1 Corinthians 15:49, and as such have limitations which prohibit the full expression of what Christ is. This is why the change of the body is called the adoption or son-placing in verse 23, for it will be the consummation of God’s purpose to make us like His Son when we “bear the image of the heavenly”.
That he might be the firstborn among many brethren- so the likeness we shall bear is not the likeness of Christ as the Only-begotten Son, for in that He is unique and alone. As Firstborn however, He will have many brethren sharing and manifesting His glory, and He will be pre-eminent among them. This is the result of Him giving to His people the glory that has been given to Him, in accordance with His prayer in John 17:22.

Special note on foreknowledge
When considering this important subject, we must be guided by the Scriptures alone. They have supreme authority, and disaster awaits those who ignore this fact. Just as the Scriptures were written by men who were borne along by the Spirit of God, and thus wrote the words of God, so those who seek to understand those words must do so by the help of that same Spirit of God. For no Scripture is of any private interpretation, as if the reader is able to understand it unaided. The Spirit-given Scriptures must be Spirit-explained.
This is not to say that we should despise the thoughts of other men; rather, they, and we, must be subject to the Spirit in His role as the Spirit of truth, who is able to take of the things of Christ and reveal them unto us.
The apostle Paul warned the Corinthians against allowing worldly thinking to affect their thoughts of God and His truth. The world crucified Christ in ignorance- eloquent testimony to its failure to understand Divine things. And we believers have not received “the spirit of the world”, that attitude of heart and mind which led it to crucify the Lord of Glory, but rather, we have received “the Spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God”, 1 Corinthians 2:12. In the first instance these words refer to those who wrote the New Testament, so we have infallibly conveyed to us the truth the Spirit imparted to them, so that we may have at our disposal that which will guide us in our search for truth.
With these cautionary thoughts in mind, we consider the great and mysterious subject of Divine foreknowledge. As with the study of any Bible concept, all those Scriptures that have a bearing upon it must be taken into account. Any answer to an exam question which fails to take account of all the information contained in the question, is very likely to be wrong. In the matter before us, it will not take long to quote the Scriptures involved. They are as follows, with the relevant words in bold for the sake of clarity:

“Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain”, Acts 2:23.

“My manner of life from my youth, which was at the first among mine own nation at Jerusalem, know all the Jews; which knew me from the beginning, if they would testify,” Acts 26:4,5.

“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.” Romans 8:29.

“God hath not cast away his people, which he foreknew.” Romans 11:2.

“Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ”, 1 Peter 1:2.

“Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you”, 1 Peter 1:20.

“Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away by the error of the wicked, fall from your own steadfastness.” 2 Peter 3:17.

The Greek word used where the text is in bold type is based upon the verb “prognostiko”, meaning “to know first, or beforehand”. We may notice briefly the references to Paul, Acts 26:5, and a believer’s general knowledge, 2 Peter 2:17, for they will serve to remind us that the “knowing before” by unbelievers and believers alike, is general and gradual. General in the sense that men could not know Saul of Tarsus perfectly. They could only look at his life and come to an opinion. So is it also with the knowledge of believers. Peter writes in 2 Peter 3 of the fact that we know things that will happen in the future, but any discussion of prophecy will soon reveal that there are many matters of which we know very little. We are given the outline of future things, and the details await their fulfilment. God’s foreknowledge, however, is not general, but particular and detailed, for all things are open to Him.
God’s foreknowledge is also not general in the sense that it is able to be concerned with specific people, as we shall see from Romans 8:29. There is an element of involvement with particular people in God’s foreknowledge in that verse, but this is often absent from our knowledge of people and events.
The foreknowledge of man is also gradual. As events unfold, (in the case of Saul of Tarsus), or as we grasp the truth of Scripture more firmly, (in the case of future events in 2 Peter 3), then we advance in knowledge. Not so with God, who, being the Eternal God, is not dependent on the passage of time. To Him all is an eternal present. His grasp of all things is total and immediate.
With these reservations in mind, we concentrate now on the references to Divine foreknowledge in the remaining five passages, looking at them in the order in which they occur in the Scriptures.

The foreknowledge of God and Christ’s crucifixion
“Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain”, Acts 2:23.

This passage makes clear that the Divine determinate counsel and Divine foreknowledge are not synonymous terms. God’s determinate counsel is His settled purpose with regard to events. God’s foreknowledge is not simply His prior and general knowledge of all things before they happen, but rather His prior and particular knowledge of events and persons as they are included in His gracious purpose. It is clearly events that are in view in the passage just quoted, whereas in Romans 8:29 it is persons. It is not just people that are the subject of foreknowledge, as is sometimes stated, for here it is the deliverance of Christ to Calvary that is in view. Peter is doing three things as he makes his statement. First, he is assuring the nation of Israel that even though they thought they were in control when they crucified Christ, it was not so. God’s settled purpose was being carried out. Moreover, even though it was God’s will that was being done, the hands that did the work were still guilty hands. It was not God who was morally responsible for what had happened, but they. This establishes an important principle, that even when God’s permissive will is carried out by men, the blame for any evil done lies entirely with them.
Second, he is giving assurance to those who had believed on Christ during His ministry, that He had not been the victim of circumstances, but everything was under Divine control. They had great hopes that He would set up His kingdom, instead of which He was nailed to a cross! Does this mean He has lost control? Not so, the apostle is saying in effect, for the crucifixion was part of God’s purpose.
Third, he is assuring all, saved and unsaved, that God’s interests lay with Christ, not just when He was being arrested and crucified, but all along, in time and in eternity. God had taken knowledge eternally of what His Son would do, and in accordance with that He allowed men to work out their plan. The objects of God’s foreknowledge are of special interest to Him, and any who attack those objects of interest place themselves in great peril. No wonder the apostle appealed to his audience to save themselves from the generation who had crucified God’s Son, Acts 2:40.

The foreknowledge of God and the believer (a)
“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.” Romans 8:29.

As we have seen, in Romans 8:26-39 the apostle is encouraging the believers in a two-fold way. First, he shows that the sufferings which they experienced, which often perplexed them so much that they did not know what to pray for as they ought, were not outside of Divine control. And if they were tempted to doubt this, then the apostle makes clear that the believer is totally secure within the bounds of Divine Purpose.
Second, he encourages them with the thought that as far as the Courts of Divine Justice are concerned, there is no condemnation for them. If they are arraigned before the courts of men and unjustly accused, tried, and sentenced, they may rest assured that this cannot affect their standing in relation to Divine righteousness.
Before time and space began God had them in His thoughts, for they are the subject of His foreknowledge. Now clearly God would not be God if He did not know beforehand everything that would happen. But here there is a special knowledge which involves relationship; a relationship which God does not have with unbelievers. It is only those who are foreknown in this specialised way that can be described as predestinated, called, justified and glorified. (An example of this sort of knowledge can be found in Amos 3:2, where God says of Israel that “you only have I known of all the families of the earth”. Of course God knows about the other nations, but the nation of Israel was His peculiar treasure, and He knew them as such).
Notice that those foreknown are not just predestinated, but are also called, justified and glorified. The whole scope of God’s purpose is in view. Note also that it is not until the apostle has outlined that purpose that he begins to call the believers “God’s elect”, verse 33. The elect therefore are all those who are in the good of God’s foreknowing, predestinating, calling, justifying and glorifying activity. We shall have reason to look at this point again when considering 1 Peter 1:2.
Notice that those thus known are predestinated, not to heaven, but to a particular status, that of conformity to the image of His Son. The word predestinate might give to us the false impression that destinations, (heaven or hell) are in view. But it is not so, for the word simply means “to mark out the boundaries beforehand”. That there are boundaries to the position is a great comfort to tried saints, but it is important to realise that it is moral position of which the apostle writes, even that of conformity to the image of God’s Son. This ensures that He will be represented and replicated by His people in an unhindered way.
Those thus predestinated are now said to be called. Now this call is the call of the gospel, which, because it concerns “God’s Son Jesus Christ our Lord”, Romans 1:3, is a matter of deepest interest to God. Any who are involved believingly with His Son are the objects of His care and concern. Note the apostle does not say that the predestinated ones believe, but are called. The fact that he goes on to speak of them being justified shows they did in fact believe, for justification is by faith, but the apostle does not introduce anything of man into the reasoning of this passage. He is skilfully turning the believers away from themselves and their troubles so that they may concentrate wholly on God’s purpose.
There are those who believe in two sorts of gospel call, the general and the effectual. By this they mean that God calls all men indiscriminately in the gospel, but only in the case of some does He make this effectual, enabling them to believe. This is erroneous, and is a serious slur on the integrity and sincerity of God. It has led some to speak of a “tongue-in-cheek gospel”, a gospel that is made to sound as if it is for everyone, but which in fact is only for the elect few. It also makes those who hold this view insincere as they preach, for telling the audience that “whosoever will”, may “take of the water of life freely”, Revelation 22:17, whilst all the time believing that perhaps the majority of unbelievers present in the audience are not elect, and therefore cannot come, is insincere. The apostle was able to say “For our exhortation was not of deceit, nor of uncleanness, nor in guile”, 1 Thessalonians 2:3.
The truth is that God has no hidden agenda. He is perfectly righteous in His dealings, not saying one thing while meaning another. He does not present the gospel to men to tantalise them, holding out to them something that He knows full well they cannot have. Cannot have, moreover, not because of some reason lying within them, but a cause lying within Himself, namely, His refusal to give faith to any but the elect.
If it is impossible for men to believe, how is it the god of this world has to blind the minds of men so that they do not believe? The Calvinist says they cannot believe without Divine intervention, but it seems the Devil does not believe that! He uses every tactic he can to prevent men believing, and needs to do so, because the ability to believe is part of man’s constitution as created by God after His image and in His likeness.
So in what sense is this call said to be of those who are predestinated? Does it not appear from the passage that the call is only to these in some way? After all, it is only the elect who are foreknown, predestinated, justified, glorified; is it not also the elect only that are called? When thinking of this we must remember that the apostle is not telling us of a process here, but is unfolding the moral order in which eternal purpose is described. It appears to us that the call comes before the justification, and in practice and experience it does, but in the context here it is not so, and for this reason. When God predestinates to a particular status, then it is done. This is seen when we omit the italicised words in Romans 8:29, “He also did predestinate conformed to the image of His Son”. Our view of things is that the predestination took place in what we call eternity past, and the conformity will be effected in what we call eternity future. But the fact is there is no such thing as eternity past or future, for the words “past” and “future” have to do with time.
So if what we think of as a process is really settled purpose, then it is no surprise that the apostle does not take account of the call of the gospel to those who do not respond to it. He is only interested in showing the way in which a soul becomes involved in God’s eternal plan. So when he states that God called the predestinated ones, he is in no wise implying that the call does not come equally to those not foreknown and predestinated. What he is definitely saying is that those who do respond to the call are certain to be conformed to the image of God’s Son, since that is the way God sovereignly decrees it should happen in practice.
Summarising, we may say the following things about God’s foreknowledge as presented in this passage:

The foreknowledge of God and Israel
“God hath not cast away his people which he foreknew.” Romans 11:2.

When the boundaries of the nations were set after the scattering because of the building of the tower of Babel, then the sons of Adam were divided up in relation to the people of Israel, even though as a nation they were not yet formed. They were in the mind of God, however, for “When the Most High divided to the nations their inheritance, when he separated the sons of Adam, he set the bounds of the people according to the number of the children of Israel. For the Lord’s portion is his people; Jacob is the lot of his inheritance.” Deuteronomy 32:8,9. When Christ rules as King of Israel, it will be a kingdom prepared from the foundation of the world, Matthew 25:34. He has not cast away the nation utterly, for they are destined for greatness according to His foreknowledge. Note Leviticus 26:45, “But I will for their sakes remember the covenant of their ancestors, whom I brought forth out of the land of Egypt in the sight of the heathen, that I might be their God: I am the Lord.”
God’s foreknowledge in this passage has to do with His dealings with Israel before it became a nation. Paul argues that the God who displayed such interest in their formation and preservation, will not cast them away with the result that His purpose for them is not realised, especially since that purpose involves being ruled over by His Son, the Messiah.

The foreknowledge of God and the believer (b)
“Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ”. 1 Peter 1:2.

Strictly speaking the word elect is connected with the word “strangers” of verse 1. However, to read “to the elect strangers…according to the foreknowledge of God” would not make good sense, and we might think that the specific reference is to being strangers according to the foreknowledge of God, whereas the point is that they are elect according to the foreknowledge of God. Noting this does serve to highlight a very important matter, which is this. Believers, when considered personally, are not described as elect before they have become believers. Of course Ephesians 1:4 does speak of believers, “us”, as being chosen in Him, that is, Christ, before the foundation of the world. The operative words being “in Him”, which occur throughout the passage- “faithful in Christ Jesus…spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ…chosen us in him…in the beloved…in whom we have redemption…gather together in one all things in Christ…even in him…in whom we also have obtained an inheritance”. When, for instance, we read the expression “in whom we have redemption”, we rightly conclude that the redemption is totally Christ’s responsibility, and our only claim upon it is our claim upon Him. The redemption and its benefits lie entirely within Christ, and we have no input at all. So is it with being “chosen in Him”. God’s choice of His people is entirely dependant upon Christ, and only as men are linked to Christ upon believing are they personally in the good of what eternally has been vested in Christ.
There is no such person in the Word of God as an elect sinner. Only when he has believed can he be described as elect. This is not to say that sinners elect themselves, for that is certainly untrue. Election is God’s prerogative alone, but we ought to be open to allowing Him to say how He does it, rather than formulating our own system and imposing it upon the Scriptures.
This verse is critical in seeking to understand election, insofar as that is possible for finite minds. (We should not hide behind our finiteness in order to avoid the issue, however). The apostle is describing elect persons, and he is saying that they are elect “according to” something, “through” something, and “unto” two things:

They are elect according to the foreknowledge of God.

They are elect through sanctification of the Spirit.

They are elect unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ.

So these four things, (not just the first one), are constituent parts of their status as elect ones.

They are elect according to the foreknowledge of God. As we have noticed from Romans 8:29, God’s foreknowledge is neither general nor gradual, but personal and eternal. In His mind, and in eternity, God knowingly took account of certain specific persons. He purposed that those persons will be conformed eventually to the image of His Son, so His foreknowledge takes account of that. (That state of conformity to the image of His Son is another way of saying they are glorified). This state of glory is granted only to those who are justified, so His foreknowledge takes account of that. That state of being justified is the portion only of those who have obeyed the call of the gospel, so His foreknowledge takes account of that also. The result is that the foreknowledge of God has taken account of all these parts of the Divine Purpose, and when those persons obey God’s call in the gospel they may rightly be described as elect.
They are elect through sanctification of the Spirit. Peter is writing to those who had been brought up as part of a nation that God had separated to Himself. “And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation.” were His words to Israel in Exodus 19:6. But Peter’s readers have been saved, and now they are separated to God as individual believers, for sanctification is no longer national. Thus it was that when they believed the gospel the Spirit of God severed them from their natural connections, and they were joined to Christ. Now that they are believers, they may be described as elect. So they are elect through the sanctification of the Spirit.
They are elect unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ. The means whereby God formed a holy nation for Himself was by entering into a covenant with Israel. He stated, “ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine”, Exodus 19:5. In other words, God is saying that He could choose any people wherever they are upon the earth, but He chose the children of Israel to be a people for Him to have for Himself specially, His “peculiar treasure”. And what was to be distinctive about this people? Two things: first, obedience, “if ye will obey my voice”. Second, faithfulness to His covenant, “and keep my covenant”. Now that covenant of the law was ratified by the sprinkling of blood, for we read, “And Moses took the blood, and sprinkled it on the people, and said, Behold the blood of the covenant, which the Lord hath made with you concerning all these words.” Exodus 24:8.
So we can easily see that Peter is using this as a means of contrasting their present individual position with their former national position. God’s choice of the nation and their sanctification was closely connected with obedience and sprinkling of blood. So Peter’s readers, as believers, are God’s elect, for He had taken foreknowledge of them, separated them to Himself in the power of the Spirit, and done so in view of obedience and the sprinkling of blood. But whereas the obedience was to be Israel’s, as they attempted to keep the law, the obedience Peter refers to is Christ’s, (the words “Jesus Christ” relate to both obedience and sprinkling), as He committed Himself to being the covenant victim in accordance with His Father’s command. Before He left the upper room to go to Calvary, He said to His own, “This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you”, Luke 22:20, showing that for Him, the establishing of the new covenant in His blood was a foregone conclusion, so determined was He. It is this precious blood that has been applied to the hearts of His people, so that they are eternally bonded to Him.
Summarising, we may conclude that God’s elect ones are those whom He has foreknown eternally; who have been set apart by the Spirit to be His own; who are in the good of the obedient submission of Christ to His Father’s will that He be the covenant victim for His people.
So we have seen in Romans 8 that all parts of God’s purpose, whether foreknowledge, predestination, calling, justification, or glorification, must come into view before men are described as God’s elect. Likewise we have seen in 1 Peter 1 that God’s people are described as elect in connection with foreknowledge, sanctification, obedience, and sprinkling of blood. That sprinkling of blood assumes our belief in Him.
At this point we may draw a very important conclusion. Since in both Romans 8 and 1 Peter 1 obedience to the call of the gospel is implied, and since all the elements of the purpose of God must be taken account of when considering the foreknowledge of God, we may safely conclude that belief of the gospel by men is part of that of which God takes foreknowledge. And since the believer’s election is in accordance with God’s foreknowledge, we are justified in saying that election takes account of the exercise of faith.

8:30
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.

Moreover, whom he did predestinate, them he also called- the reason why the end result, that of conformity to Christ in His glory, is sure to be achieved, is now detailed. The word “them” is emphatic, the very same ones that were predestinated, were also called. The apostle is not dealing with the fact that the gospel call is universal, (as if God only called the predestinated ones), but rather with the way in which God’s purpose is brought to fulfilment. Note the dignity that attaches to the gospel, for it is the means God uses to work out His eternal purpose.
And whom he called, them he also justified- note the repetition of “whom…them” to show that the same people are in mind at each stage, and to show that the link from predestination in the past to glorification in the future is unbreakable. The exercise of faith is not mentioned here, although in fact it is vitally important. The apostle is viewing things from God’s side for our comfort and assurance. He does not want us to be distracted from these wonderful truths, perhaps by worrying whether our faith is strong enough. Involvement in God’s purpose is not made more certain by our faith, but it is nonetheless true that justification is by faith. If faith can be implied in God’s justification of the called ones, there is no reason why it cannot be implied in God’s foreknowledge of the called ones.
And whom he justified, them he also glorified- the apostle persists with the past tense, even for future glorification, since he is dealing with the purpose of God, which cannot be frustrated. The glory is that of conformity to Christ, and since He has predestinated us to that position, verse 29, nothing can prevent it. As the apostle will ask later, “For who hath resisted His will?” 9:19. Amidst all the suffering of this present time we may be encouraged with the thought of glory for all eternity. Things truly do work together for good: God’s foreknowledge, His predestination, His call, His justifying those who believe, His glorifying; all these things work together for the ultimate and final good of conformity to the image of God’s Son.

14(b)   8:31-37
The preservation of God’s people

8:31
What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?

What shall we then say to these things? The expression “what shall we say”, or similar, occurs seven times in the epistle, for the apostle wants to carry his readers along with him in a united response to the truths he is unfolding. There follows a series of questions with which the apostle challenges all comers to give reasons why God’s people are not secure. We could summarise them as follows, to help us as we consider them:

First question:

“If God be for us, who can be against us?”

Summary of the response: If God is our defence lawyer, what prosecutor can present a case that overturns His arguments?

Second question:

“Who shall lay anything to the charge of God’s elect?”

Summary of the response: If God justifies, then no further charges can be brought.

Third question:

“Who is he that condemneth?”

Summary of the response: The only one who could possibly condemn us is the one who died, rose, ascended, and makes intercession for us.

Fourth question:

“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?”

Summary of the response: With Divine persons on our side, who can haul us away to prison, separated from all the expressions and results of Christ’s love?

If God be for us, who can be against us? That God is for us is seen from verses 29 and 30. From eternity to eternity He has enclosed His people in His purpose. So whilst there might be adversaries, not one of them can meaningfully be called a real danger. As David said when confronted by Goliath, “the battle is the Lord’s”, 1 Samuel 17:47. Some of the Roman believers may have been brought before the law-courts of men simply because of their stand for Christ. They may rest assured that whatever the outcome of human judgment, their position before the Judge of all the earth is secure.

8:32
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?

He that spared not his own Son- if in love for His people He was prepared to go so far as to not shield His Son from the suffering of the cross, then His determination to bless is proved beyond any doubt. It is said of God in relation to His dealings with Israel that He will be like a man who spares his own son that serves him, Malachi 3:17. Israel will be spared, God’s Son was not. “His own Son” means His Son in a special and unique way; we may compare this with John 5:18, “his Father”, where the word “own” is understood, meaning His Father in a unique way, and not in the way God is the Father of believers.
But delivered him up for us all- the opposite of shielding Him is to send Him forth to suffer. Judas, Caiaphas, Pilate and the rulers of the nation of Israel all delivered Christ up, but beyond all this He was “delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God”, Acts 2:23, the very same counsel that purposed our blessing.
How shall he not with him also freely give us all things? What possible reason can there be for the cancellation of His plan? If the suffering which He knew His Son must endure at Calvary was not a strong enough reason for God to change His mind about delivering Him up, then certainly no lesser consideration will make Him falter.
Since God has freely given Christ to us to suffer on the cross in our place, then He will surely give us all that His death secured. The “all things” includes the blessings of verses 29 and 30. Compare this with the scene on Moriah in Genesis 22, with the father giving up his only son, followed by a confirmation of God’s purpose with regard to Abraham because he had not withheld his son. Isaac was spared but Christ was not. If the blessing came despite the fact that Abraham’s son was spared, how much more certain is the blessing when God’s Son was not spared!

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

Who shall lay anything to the charge of God’s elect? Paul’s second challenge. “Lay anything to the charge of” means to bring an accusation against. In the face of the undoubted resolve of God to bless His people as demonstrated by Calvary, can it be true that any will still seek to undermine their position? Alas! it is so, for the adversary accuses the brethren day and night still, Revelation 12:10.
It is God that justifieth- the only One competent to bring a charge against believers is the One who justifies them. To accuse them now would be to undermine His own actions and reverse His own decision.

8:34
Who is he that condemneth? 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 is he that condemneth? If none can bring charges, then surely none can still condemn, but again the Devil persists. There is a fourfold protection for the believer from the attempts of the enemy to condemn, as the next words show.
It is Christ that died- the first protection, for by His death He dealt with our sins once and for all. He has dealt judicially with what caused us to be condemned.
Yea rather, that is risen again- the second protection, for His rising is proof of the effectiveness of His death, see 4:25. He brings His people into the sphere where there is no condemnation.
Who is even at the right hand of God- the third protection is that Christ is in the place of control and authority as God’s Firstborn Son, charged with the care of His own. He has the position of supremacy over all the forces of evil.
Who also maketh intercession for us- the fourth protection, that of the intercession of One who acts as the advocate for His people with the Father, 1 John 2:1, and who appeals to the value of His propitiatory work, 1 John 2:2. He so intercedes that their faith does not fail under testing. See an example of this in Luke 22:31-32.
Note the words “yea rather…who is even…who also” all expressing a sense of wonder at the strength of the support Christ gives to those who are attacked by the enemy. He died and rose again on earth, where the sins were committed. He has ascended to the right hand of God and intercedes in heaven, the very place where the Devil accuses the brethren day and night.

8:35
Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? If the case goes against the accused in the courts of men, he is separated from those he loves by imprisonment. Note that whilst the apostle says “who”, he goes on to speak of things. This is because they are things the Devil will use to try to unsettle God’s people, and deprive them of the sense of their Saviour’s love for them. The answer to the one who tries to separate is found in verse 37. All the things listed here were endured by Christ in love for His people, so there is proof from the past that His love will not allow us to be parted from Him.
Shall tribulation- but the pressure this involves only serves to develop Christian character, 5:3-5.
Or distress- this is extreme affliction; but who could have been more afflicted than Christ? “I am the man that hath seen affliction by the rod of his wrath.” Lamentations 3:1.
Or persecution- the Spirit of Christ in the psalmist said, “All thy commandments are faithful: they persecute me wrongfully; help thou me.” Psalm 119:86.
Or famine- “My heart is smitten, and withered like grass; so that I forget to eat my bread. By reason of the voice of my groaning my bones cleave to my skin.” Psalm 102:4,5.
Or nakedness- “They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture.” Psalm 22:18.
Or peril- “Be not far from me; for trouble is near; for there is none to help.” Psalm 22:11.
Or sword- “Deliver my soul from the sword; my darling from the power of the dog.” Psalm 22:20. Even if the authorities unjustly use the sword of justice which God has placed in their hand, Romans 13:4, and condemn and execute them, believers cannot be cut off from Christ by the sword of men.

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

As it is written- the mention of sword might have seemed extreme, so the apostle supports his idea with an Old Testament quotation.
For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter- this is a quotation from Psalm 44. The context of quotations should always be studied, for the apostles did not pluck texts from the Scriptures at random. In Psalm 44:1-3 the psalmist recounts the way God had intervened for Israel in the past. In verses 4-8 he appeals to God to intervene again in the present. In verses 9-16 he laments that far from delivering them, God had cast them off. In verses 17-22 he asserts that despite this, they had not forgotten God. In verses 23-26 the psalmist appeals to God to intervene again. Paul quotes from verse 22, and it is important to notice that the psalmist claims that they are suffering for the sake of God’s interests, and this means the suffering is meaningful and worthwhile. The words are very similar to those used by Isaiah concerning Christ, “he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter” Isaiah 53:7. Far from separating them from the love of Christ, believers will find that their extreme experience only serves to remind them of His deep love for them.

8:37
Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.

Nay- on the contrary. The apostle’s response to the idea that believers can be separated from the love of Christ, verse 36 being a parenthesis.
In all these things- not when delivered from them, but even when in the midst of all of them.
We are more than conquerors- a verb, meaning “we more than overcome”, or “we gain a surpassing victory”. The believer does not simply survive suffering and defeat the opposition that way, but gains a greater victory by using the trial as a means of glorifying God, as the psalmist did, for he said “for Thy sake we are killed all the day”.
Through him that loved us- this is the motivation for the believer under trial. Note the past tense, that particular demonstration of the love of Christ when He went to Calvary. As the beloved said, “love is strong as death…many waters cannot quench love, neither can the floods drown it”, Song of Solomon 8:6,7. The one who strengthens us when we meet the hostility of the enemy is fittingly entitled, “him that loved us”, for His love not only took Him into the place where the prince of this world attacked Him so fiercely, but also the place where the floods of Divine judgment came over Him.

14 (c)   8:38
The persuasion of the apostle

8:38
For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,

For I am persuaded- Divine justice at work in verses 31-34, and Divine love in verses 35-37 combine together to give irrefutable evidence that God is on our side. This being so, none of the “creatures” of this verse, veritable monsters as they may seem, can overturn the purpose of the Creator, whose power, justice and love are infinite.
That neither death- believers may fear the process of dying, but they should not fear death itself, for it is a conquered foe, and is a servant who ushers into the presence of God, as indicated in 1 Corinthians 3:21-23.
Nor life- this can be very dangerous for a believer, with all its temptations and pitfalls. The apostle is confident that no experience in life can separate from the love of Christ.
Nor angels, nor principalities nor powers- since we cannot conceive that the apostle would think holy angels would wish to separate us from Divine things, this must mean evil angels, but despite their power and malignant intentions, they cannot succeed against the believer, for they are subject to Christ, 1 Peter 3:22.
Nor things present- very present trials can never accumulate to overwhelm the believer.
Nor things to come- coming events are all under Divine control, for “Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world.” Acts 15:18.

8:39
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.

Nor height, nor depth- nothing that looms large on the believer’s horizon, nor any depth of depression and doubt through which he may pass, may serve to affect Christian standing, which does not depend upon what we feel, but on what God says.
Nor any other creature- is this a fleeting, grudging reference to the Devil, whom the apostle has not mentioned before in the epistle? The great accuser of the brethren has nothing to say in view of God’s intervention on our behalf.
Shall be able to separate us from the love of God- Paul is confident about the future because he is confident about the past. The love of God has endured its severest test at Calvary. The giving up by Abraham of his beloved son Isaac on Moriah is but a faint picture of what happened at Calvary. “Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and offer him…for a burnt offering…and Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son”, Genesis 22:2,10.
God has done what none other has the right to do, even introduce love into the proceedings of the Courts of Divine Justice. The Son of the Judge has died for the guilty prisoners in the dock, and they walk free, convinced that they are the objects of His eternal love.
Which is in Christ Jesus our Lord- love has been expressed historically, and in that sense is in the Christ of Calvary, but it is also known presently and personally, being expressed to us now in all its fulness by our Saviour. Because He is Lord, having all power in heaven and earth, then nothing and nobody can snatch the believer from His powerful, loving hand.