We conclude week 4 in Romans 7-8.
Today’s notes:
Romans 7:14-25 (NIV)
14We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. 15I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. 16And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. 17As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. 18I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. 19For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do — this I keep on doing. 20Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.21So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. 22For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; 23but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. 24What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? 25Thanks be to God — through Jesus Christ our Lord!
Of all Scripture, this is one of the passages I can relate to most. The struggle with sin is such a crazy thing… we know in our hearts and minds what we should or shouldn’t be doing to honor God… we know the consequences of following through with sin… but for some reason, we often fall short and sin anyway. As Paul describes, we do what we don’t want to… we seem to have the inability to follow through on our desires to do good.
It’s so good to know that God will save us in spite of ourselves through faith in Christ.
Romans 8:9-14(NIV)
9You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ. 10But if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, yet your spirit is alive because of righteousness. 11And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you.12Therefore, brothers, we have an obligation — but it is not to the sinful nature, to live according to it. 13For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live, 14because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.
This particular passage is both encouraging and troubling. On the positive side, it’s awesome to know that once we’ve placed our faith in Christ and chosen to follow Him, that God will not allow us to be controlled by sin. At the same time, however, we know Christians still sin. When we’re in those times (such as those described by the previous passage) where we seem to be unable to resist sin, this passage is troubling, as it opens the door to thoughts about us not truly belonging to Christ… questioning our salvation.
I suppose the key word in this passage is “controlled”. Even though we may stumble and fall on occasion, we will not be controlled by sin.
Romans 8:26-39 (NIV)
26In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. 27And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God’s will.28And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. 29For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. 30And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.
31What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all — how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? 33Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. 34Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died — more than that, who was raised to life — is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. 35Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 36As it is written:
“For your sake we face death all day long;
we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”37No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
This is an incredibly set of verses… when the pain of our circumstance is too much to bear, and we’re utterly at loss for words to pray… the Holy Spirit intercedes for us. God knows what we’re going through… and He cares for us in accordance with His will. Moreso, he will never leave us alone to face difficult times, as nothing can separate us from Him.
What amazing assurances!
I come from a pentecostal background. In Romans chapter 8:26 about the Spirit making intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. From my pentecostal background they interpret it as tongues. I’m not sure how to interpret that scripture. Do you any insight into this scripture?
Although I’m not a blanket cessationist, I would not use this particular verse as a prooftext for tongues. As I read this, I see the key words being “the Spirit himself intercedes for us”. Two points about this intercession, as I see things:
First, intercession, by definition, is prayer on behalf of another. It’s directly from the Spirit to God Himself. I don’t see that meaning that the Spirit works through us to express prayer to God through tongues, but rather than the Spirit goes straight to God to plead on our behalf.
Secondly, the intercession is by the Spirit. Whatever groans or utterances occur are done by the Spirit… not us. I think that eliminates us speaking in tongues from the picture.
Now I understand that Pentecostals or other charismatic groups would say that’s exactly what is happening… that the Spirit is speaking, through us. I just don’t see that being wholly true to this Scripture.
All this being said, I am not a cessationist. I have never experienced tongues personally, but I can’t deny the Biblical support for tongues, nor can I deny the first-hand experiences of other Christians who HAVE experienced this spiritual gift.
How do I interpret the practical working of this Scripture? Simply that when we are hurting, confused, or in pain, and really don’t know how to pray or what to pray for, God knows what we’re going through by the working of the Holy Spirit. We don’t always have to talk to God with words… sometimes He simply knows and that’s enough.
I dont know if I ever really spoke in tongues or if it was a learned behavior. There is Biblical evidence for it but I don’t fully understand how they work. If the Spirit is the one making intercession alone, not us, when we are at a lost for words, do you think we should pray and ask the Holy Spirit to intercede? Do you think thats how the intercession works?
I don’t know with certainty how the Spirit’s intercession works. I tend to believe we don’t even have to ask, but in those moments where we simply don’t know what to say to God, the Spirit jumps in and intercedes for us. Those moments are probably varied, but I typically envision moments where we’re greatly conflicted over things, either because a decision is extremely difficult to make or because we’re simply hurting greatly.
I guess I don’t really worry so much about how it works… I’m simply thankful that God DOES work in that manner.