 Okay Okay, I've just started the recording I'll come back to the class all right any questions so far from Romans up to eight we have We're looking at verses 26 and 27 I just spent a few more minutes on that but any questions So far, okay All right, so in the light of what Paula said You know is the weakness of our flesh and also the sufferings that we're going through Saying the Holy Spirit helps us because we don't know what to pray for As we should in different situations, but the Holy Spirit makes intercession with grownings which cannot be uttered and what I want to emphasize here is This intercession is not independent of us That would help it in Romans 8 26 or helps And the new King James and then help it and the old in the King James version that the Greek literally means To take a hold off together With us against So the Holy Spirit is helping us That would help Could correctly be translated the spirit also Takes a hold off together with us against our weakness so How I want to make it very clear that verse 26 27 is talking about intercession that comes from the Holy Spirit It's not something Independent of us unlike the Holy Spirit is going off and praying for us somewhere. No It's taking hold of together with us against our weakness. There is the weakness of the flesh But there it's our weakness when we are going through the sufferings of this present time because there is the overarching context which is the weakness of the flesh and there is the immediate context which is The sufferings of this present time So as you're going through that and we don't know what to pray for Then the Holy Spirit takes a hold of together with us against this weakness Of not knowing what to pray for and you know when you're in your battling the flesh or going through the sufferings of this present time And he makes intercession how together with us Because he's helping us Takes hold of makes innocent together with us now This intercession it's not just normal prayer because it's it's it's it's it's something coming from the Holy Spirit That's what Paul says it's groaning which cannot be uttered and it's it's right to say that this will include praying in tongues But we don't just limit it to praying in tongues that the expression could be in any other way. Sometimes it's just groanings It's just you know, you may not even be able to have express it through words, but it's that It's something that's being expressed in your heart and God looks into our heart verse 27 We said and he understands that he knows exactly what the Holy Spirit is getting across to him And this prayer that's being birthed by the Holy Spirit through us in those to take Help us overcome those weaknesses It says it is intercession for the saints according to the will of God So we know that when we are joining with the Holy Spirit in this intercession It's perfect. It's according to the will of God No time is wasted. We are praying Just the way God wants us to pray And in the light of that he verse 28 he says We know That all things work together for good To those who love God to those were called according to his purpose so There are the sufferings of this present time. We're going through it, but This is our confidence that all things Work together for good To those who love God to those what are called according to his purpose that means even though We're going through the sufferings of this present time And even though all of creation has been subject to corruption and because of that all these things are happening that God is Causing Everything to work out for our good, so That's our expectation that somehow There will be God's purpose being brought about even through the Sufferings of this present time what we're going through And we are praying We are interceding according to the will of God and We're doing it with this confidence that Things are working out for my God things are working out for good I am love God. I'm called according to his purpose So things will work out for good and he has touched upon this word purpose in verse 28 So now he's going to build on that in the next few verses Good something to read for us, please verse 29 and 30 Romans 8 20 and 30 29 and 30. Yeah Those home God had already chosen he has He also said to become like his son So that the son would be the first among many Yeah, we lost your Okay, maybe Aaron's line has Dropped could somebody else read it 29 and 30 please Romans 8 Romans after 8 was 20 and 30 anyone else could read it He's Sorry, I couldn't go ahead. Yeah Okay For whom he for you He also Stand to be conformed to the image of his son that he might be was born among many brethren moreover whom he pretty student This he also called whom he called These he also Justified and whom he justified this he also glorified Thank you so this No problem, Aaron. Yeah, so As we're going through all these sufferings this present for a time We are praying with the help of the Holy Spirit and This is our confidence that everything is working for good Because we love God we called for his purpose What is his purpose? We're 29 and 30 Very entertaining are very important scriptures So what he's let's just break it down For whom he for knew So he's talking about us people who love God or called according to his purpose This is God for new now, that's the Omniscience of God he for knew he knew ahead of time Those whom he for knew He predestined to predestined means to to plan this out ahead of time So he knew beforehand and He decided beforehand that these people What did he predestined? He also predestined To be conformed to the image of his son. He didn't predestined their choice But he predestined that they will be conformed to the image of his son So that's very important because many times people read you know Romans 8 29 30s Oh, see God already decided whom he's going who's going to be saved. No, no, no, no Whom he for knew that means God knew ahead of time Your choice my choice. He knew our choice. So we are the ones who make the choice God doesn't determine the choice God didn't predestine your choice He for knew your choice and He predestined or determined beforehand what not the choice you will make but The ones who make the choice to follow Jesus, they will be conformed to the image of Jesus Christ and as they will be Put into that image they'll become like Jesus because He is the firstborn among many brethren So we are the he predestined us that we should become like the brethren of Jesus and we should be like him That's what he predestined a predetermined He did not predetermined our choice. He for knew our choice and Predetermined that will be conformed to the image of his son. So that's the plan that God had ahead of time So We're studying whom he predestined These he also called Now God for knew He predestined to be conformed to the image of Jesus. So it's okay. All the people are going to be like Jesus going to become like him They are the ones who Become the called Now does that mean God only calls The ones he predestined or does he call everybody or is the invitation extended to everybody and Those who respond to the invitation become the called. That's the question we need to answer Because there is a school of thought It says Well, God already predetermined Things he predetermined who's going to be saved and They are the called Now if that was true, then there is no need to preach the for us to you know busy ourselves and give our lives to the preaching of the gospel because hey If God already decided who's going to be saved Let them be saved But that's not the the New Testament The New Testament tells us Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every Creature that let's give everybody an invitation. It's up to them For God's love the world that he gave is only big we got in son that who ever Believes in them. That means anyone can believe the invitation is open but Out of the whoever the ones who do believe they become The called and they come into this program They become the ones God for new God predestined To be conformed to the image of a son and they're now the called And Those who are the called he also justified that much. He said, okay, you're now declared righteous And those who may justify it. He also glorified. It's okay. Now of your as and joint as but Jesus is Our verses 29 and 30 clear so Theologically there is Calvinism and Armenianism Calvinism takes that place where says, you know, God already decided who's going to be saved now That's quite dangerous because then It doesn't give us any room to go and preach the gospel tell people to be saved or passed invitation to everybody No, no, no, there is the overarching plan, which is God for new Then he predestined that these people will say yes will become like Jesus is going to make them like Jesus He predetermined that and Then the people who did say yes the ones whom he foreknew They come into this predetermined plan of God They are the ones who become called the other ones who become justified and the other ones who become glorified So that's so armenianism says look you have to make the choice which is respecting them Free will of the individual it does not deny the sovereignty of God It does not deny that God for new or God predestined or God called Justified and glorified doesn't deny that but it says each individual must make the choice Okay, so there are these two schools of thought and And I just you know put that forward now if you ask me where I fall like I just explained this is You know we have to be consistent with the rest of scripture and the rest of scripture makes it very clear that The individual the invitation is given to every person The gospel is for everybody the crosses for every person equally But the ones who make the choice they become the called They become the chosen ones They become the ones who are justified and they become the ones who are glorified together with Jesus Christ right, so All things are working together for good to those who love God Or call according to his purpose. What is his purpose? His purpose is He has predetermined that everybody who Comes to Jesus who believes in Jesus Will be conformed to the image of his son These are the people who are called or justified and glorified That's God's purpose so all things are working together for good and They are actually working towards God's purpose, which is to get us to be conformed to the image of his son Jesus So that's the good we are looking for that while we go through the sufferings of this present time We are praying and interceding with the Holy Spirit and at the same time we have this hope that Things are gonna work out for my good What good Gonna be conformed You're called to his purpose. What is his purpose to be conformed to the image of his son So that's the purpose And you look for it. See the dots. Hey, I may be going through some hard times I Know that the sufferings of this world are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed But there's also a purpose that's being worked out in my life And somehow God is gonna make the sufferings of this present time Come together in some way To fulfill that purpose, which is to conform me to the image of Jesus Christ. That means to become more like him So you look for that good Wow That's something worth it So when we go through some challenges here in this life and Today God is making it work together for good What is that good look into your own life See wow I went through that they helped me become more like Jesus and That's the purpose God is working in each one of us every one of us whom he foreknew he predestined Predestined to be conformed to the image of his son. That's the purpose. He's working out. So everything Is working together for our good So those who love God and those who are called according to his purpose So having said all this Paul wraps up or he goes into this Yeah, where's 31 onwards he goes into this almost celebratory Proclamation that hey Here's like we you know, I'm summing up everything and I'm just celebrating All that God is has done For us Okay, so that's where study 1 to 39 somebody could read that please Romans chapter 8 Was this 31 to 39 please Romans 8 31 to 39 anyone quickly What themselves we say to these things if God is for us who can be against us He who did not serve his own son, but delivered him up for us all How shall he not with him also freely give us all things? Who shall bring a church against God's left? It is God who justified Who is he who condemned? It is Christ who died and For her more is also resin Who is even at the right hand of God? Who also makes intercession for us who also separate us from the Love of Christ Self-tabilization or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or pale or short as it is written for your sake we are killed all day long we are Counted as sheep for his soldier Yet in all the things we are more than conqueror through him who love us for I am purchased then neither date or nor life nor Nor angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor highest nor deep nor any other created things shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord Emma, thank you so as Paul is Yeah, now kind of just putting all this together He's you know, he's bringing all that he said so far is bringing it together and then he's gonna change focus He's in his writing He's gonna shift to another entirely different Theme He's bring all this together and he does it by asking these four rhetorical questions like you know, it's been something very unique About the book of Romans again, the book of Romans is very unique like we said in many ways and One of that is in Paul's style of writing Only in this episode Do you find him using this whole concept of rhetorical questions meaning he asked a question and he himself answered it So it's kind of you know, we've seen it all the way from Romans 2 and He keeps he asks a question then he gives an answer. He asks a question. He gives an answer He asked a question. He gives it. So it's very unique in how he has Presented the teaching That that God has put in his heart So he's asked now as he brings all this together he's asking four questions Of course, he's gonna answer this questions but it's almost like These are the questions that you know that are Coming up in the minds of people of which he would like to come up in the minds of people Because he wants to summarize. Hey, these are the main things I've been telling so far So the first question of course verse 31 he says so what do we say to all these things? That means all right We know we're going through, you know, the sufferings of this present time. We know we're facing hardships We know we're you know, we're going through all of this. So what do we say? Well In other words, what is our reaction? What is our response to all of this? well our response is If God is for us Who can be against us? Oh, it's look I may face the sufferings of this present time I'll be going through all this but My responses if God is for me it's gonna be against me and So that's the first assurance God is for me And not least God for me The other thing is this God did not spare his own son But he gave himself up Once he also give me everything else that means there is this assurance of God's presence God is for me There is also this assurance of God's provision Hey, how do what's the assurance? God didn't hold back his only son Won't you also give me everything else that I need? so while we're going through The sufferings of this present time While we are waiting for the adoption The redemption of the body and the glorious liberty that's up ahead Well, they're going through all of this What do we say? God is for me And God will provide for me God is for me So who's gonna be against me? God will provide God gave his only son. So you will surely provide for me That's our assurance goddess God's presence God's provision God's presence God will provide goddess with me God will provide for me God is with me God will provide for me God is with me God will provide for me as we journey through These things he will not hold anything back. He gave his own son. So won't he give me everything else? That's in verse 32 So what's the believer's response or reaction as we journey through life? This is it goddess for me And God will provide for me The next question he asks is was 33 who can accuse? Who can bring a charge against God's elect? It's the answer he gives God himself has justified so So who can bring an accusation So Paul has already explained this whole truth of justification. So he says he sums it up in this look God has justified you and me So there's no more accusation against us What's 34? Who is he who condemns who can condemn us again? Paul has already explained to us that Christ died for us But he's risen. He's at the right hand of God and he makes intercession for us He's there and he's there as are saying that look I've already made the provision for their lives So who can condemn us? Who can accuse us? Who can condemn us? Right, so we live with the sense of knowing we've been justified We live with the sense that the one who justified us is there at the right hand of the father The one who made justification possible for us who died and rose again is there at the right hand of the father So there's no way Any condemnation or any accusation against us we prevent now I'm just making a little side journey here. You see Maybe I don't exactly when this all started maybe Five to seven years ago. I'm thinking There was this whole teaching on the courts of heaven that was going on People are saying, you know, you have to If you want your prayers answered if you want to see God You know work in your life and all of that Then you need to go to the court of heaven. You need to defend your case And if you defend your case successfully You will get a breakthrough you get an answer your healing will come and so on and so forth because Satan is accusing you in the court of heaven and that's the reason why answer to prayers are delayed And I'm just summarizing the general gist of the teaching and how it goes about But you know even when I just heard that whole idea the concept It just doesn't hold with scripture why Because as far as the New Testament is concerned now Old Testament I we know okay Jesus had not yet died on the cross, but when you come after the cross We know The case is closed and you find that you know, it repeated in so many chapters in John 16 Jesus himself said Of you know, he said the Holy Spirit will convict the world of sin righteousness and judgment He said of judgment because the ruler of this world is judged That means The the actual Greek there is is a it's a legal term the ruler of this world referring to the devil is judged That means the sentence has been pronounced The verdict has been announced. He's been judged So the verdict has been announced What is the use of any more there is no more court cases and then you come here to Romans 8 But 33 34 it says, you know, who's going to bring a charge against you Who's gonna accuse you because God has already justified you who can condemn you? the one Who removed all condemnation is right there at standing there at the right hand of the father the work has been done he finished the work and Then he stood at the right hand of the father So when we understand that then we don't buy into this whole idea of you having to go into the courts of heaven To defend your case when the accuser of the brethren is there and then if you defend your case Then you get your answer to prayer or you get your healing or you get your deliverance or your breakthrough Right. I'm just this is just a side thing So, you know, I never subscribed to that teaching and we never taught it or preached to that APC Because it doesn't doesn't hold with the teaching of you know, the finished work of the cross And the fact that we are justified just a side note to that, right? But these verses are both so powerful That's 33 and 34 33 34 Paul is asking. Hey, I here's a sum I've already told you in Romans 5, you know, we've been justified and we have peace with God and Romans 8 There is no condemnation. So this is a summary of it Who can charge you? Nobody who can condemn you? Nobody? Case is closed and then last one verse 35 who will separate us from the love of Christ Now very interesting This actually ties back to what he mentioned in Romans 5 Verses 1 through 5 in a Romans 5. He said, you know, hope doesn't disappoint us Because the love of God is poured into our hearts We have this hope but this hope is Consolidated it is strengthened because God's love is poured into our hearts and Here it says I am so worst 35. I am so assured of this love That's why we have this hope. So hope is undergirded by this love that's been poured into our hearts We are so confident of this love so he says Who will separate us from love of God? So we're going through the sufferings of this present time We are going through it with perseverance with patience endurance and And then he lists all kinds of things Tribulation persecution a famine He says, you know life or death angels principality all kinds of whatever can come against us in this life Whether they are natural things Or they are spiritual things. So he talks about principalities and powers angels He says the love of God It is poured into our hearts We know that nothing can separate us from the love of God and therefore Whatever we go through We are coming out as more than conquerors That means And you can imagine Paul He's trying to tell us that we're not just victorious. We are more than victorious So he's saying Hey Whatever we go through in life They're going to come out victorious. I mean not just victors. We're going to come out as more than Congress because He says nothing's going to be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our lord It says nothing can separate us from this Wonderful love that God has for us And that is what gives us hope to go through all these things All So it's like a summary now of all that he's you know taken us through from You know from chapters four where he talked about faith But five six seven eight It's like a summary What do we say to all these things we if God is for us God is for us God will take care of us he'll provide for us Nobody can accuse us. Nobody can condemn us And nobody can separate us or not nobody and nothing can separate us from the love of God And that's why We journey through life as more than Congress so this is our assurance that Whatever we go through God is bringing us out as more than Congress Not only do we overcome But God is making all of everything work together for good That is for the fulfilling of his purpose conforming us to the image of his son Jesus Christ and ultimately He's going to redeem us He's going to bring us into that glorious liberty of the children of God So that brings us to the end of chapter eight. Any questions before we just I'll just give an introduction to the next chapter actually the next three chapters Okay, feel free to ask any questions anytime. Okay so having brought us to this point Where he's you know taught us about justification and he's taught us about identification he's taught us about how we overcome and live the victorious life and Even the midst of all the suffering, etc It's very interesting chapters nine 10 11 he actually Focuses on a completely different team and it's probably because A lot of the people in Rome remember we said Rome was a mixed crowd There were Jews and there were Gentiles There are believers is it ready to believers of course, but there was solid Jewish beliefs so While he has presented everything, you know so far which applies You know to everyone who believes in Jesus Romans nine 10 11 again as a very unique portion of Paul's writings again I think I'm going to be saying this quite often. He doesn't discuss this anywhere else Maybe a little bit he mentions, you know in Ephesians two that you know, Jews and Gentiles Are made one and and all of that or you know, there will be A worse year in Ephesians two or in Galatians. He says there is neither Jew nor Greek male nor female But other than that passing statement He never addresses this whole issue in depth anywhere else the the main focus of the next three chapters nine 10 11 is So what is God doing with the Jews the Jewish people? What is he doing with them? And it's very interesting how Paul Presents this truth to us The question is Has God abandoned The Jewish people because now he has the church Believers in Jesus, you know these people whom he has predestined to be conformed to the image of his son, which he has So beautifully mentioned here in Romans eight just because God has got these people Has he abandoned The Jews the Jewish people whom he called through Abraham What's going on with them? and So you've got two sets of people God is working with right now How does all this come together and What should the church's attitude be towards the Jewish people? Right because remember On the other side of this letter are people Some of them not all of them, but some of them who've actually left the Jewish faith the Judaism And embraced Jesus Christ So for them, they are still wondering okay now I'm following Jesus Jesus was a Jew A descendant of Abraham We are all descendants of Abraham. We're believing in Jesus as the messiah You're saying we're part of the church You're saying we are you know these people who are the sons of god bears and we justified all of that But what about the people the jewish people who've not yet believed and What is god doing with them And in answering that question Again again This is uh, it's getting a little bit more intense actually in chapter nine This whole idea of predestination comes up again 9 10 11 you'll see it in all these three chapters whole idea predestination. So chapters 9 10 11 are pretty strong chapters in addressing three destination, you know Because god shows The jewish people ahead of time And he called Abraham and he promised so many things to Abraham So this was his plan even before the church came into existence So paul this whole This whole truth of predestination comes up in the context of the jewish people Right because god had a plan for them So that is another you know a theme that comes up. So it's not only the jewish people What is god doing with them? How does the church? Relate to the jews but also this whole thing about his plan Which he determined before before hand that he was going to do with them. What's happened to that plan How is god going to do it? Okay, so chapters 9 10 11 paul is addressing This basic question jewish people what about them? Okay, so let's spend maybe a few at least go go into a few verses. I know uh, We just a little less than 10 minutes, but let's get started Uh, roman's chapter 9. We'll read the first five verses, please Somebody could read that roman's nine one to five romans nine I tell the truth in the christ. I am not lying my conscience Also bearing my witness in the holy spirit that I have breathed sorrow the Continual grief in my heart for I could wish that I myself fear accused from christ for my brethren my Countryman according to the flesh who are is realized to womb But the adoption the glory the convince Covenants the giving of the law the service of god and The promises of womb are the fathers and from womb according to the flesh christ came who is over all the Lee blazed god All right, okay so Paul is now changing attention or focus he says Okay, I want to tell you the truth. Like it's like he's he's actually like unburdening or opening up his heart Okay, so it's saying hey, I want to tell you something that's really on my heart And i'm not lying There's like i'm not making this up. This is really on my heart And You know, he says verse two, you know, I have great sorrow Continual grief and miles just like look, I'm actually opening up my heart. I'm unburdening what I'm carrying in my heart to you Is what he's saying if you put it in, you know modern paraphrase it modern language And what's his heart all about? He's you know, he's Verse three he says and this is very strong He says I wish I could be accursed from christ for my brethren My countrymen according to the flesh, but this is I don't know how to articulate this he's saying I wish I could be accursed and a team out creek I wish I could be accursed from jesus for the sake of my jewish brothers brethren now Means this is how much he is longing For his people is the meaning the jewish people the israelites israel For them to come to know christ He's willing to give up. I I I I don't mind if I'm Literally to put it in plain words I don't mind if I go to hell So long as they can come to jesus That is very strong That's the burden he's carrying for the jews Some side notes. I just want to you know bring out here in this look at verse one He says My conscience bears witness Very me witness in the holy spirit or with the holy spirit So this conscience bearing witness The holy spirit also bears witness Very interesting What is conscience conscience is the voice of your own spirit It's what your spirit is telling you So remember your the human conscience has been preprogrammed by god with What's right and what's wrong? So it's the human conscience and the human conscience telling us speaking to us And he's saying My conscience bearing me witness in the holy spirit. I mean the holy spirit is also Bearing witness So there are two witnesses My own conscience What the holy spirit is saying So, you know sometimes we tell We ask people somebody says, you know What should I do Then sometimes I'll ask them. What do you feel like doing? So I'm not asking feel meaning as in the flesh But I'm asking What is your conscience saying and that means You're going deeper than the soul realm. You're going into your spirit What do you feel like doing in your spirit? That's your conscience now That's you What do you feel and we're not asking what is the holy spirit saying? Saying, what do you feel like doing? That's your conscience now the holy spirit lots of bare witness Meaning by his peace By his sense of peace or sometimes The sense of saying no Right. So the holy spirit also bears witness. So there are two witnesses from within There's a witness of our own conscience And then there's a witness of the holy spirit If your conscience is giving you an okay most likely And and if you've been feeding your conscience with the word of god Then most likely what your conscience is telling you is right Then you also listen to the witness the holy spirit is the holy spirit giving me peace Or is he saying no is he raising a red flag? So then you've got two witnesses from your own spirit About a certain matter now in this case Paul's case in this very specific case It is about His heart for the jewish people His heart for the jewish people That's that's the context says, you know, this is what I feel For the jewish people And my own conscience is telling me this My conscience is clear And the holy spirit is also with me He knows what I'm saying So I just wanted to highlight these two points here from verse one We will pick this up again next week Romans 9 as we go through Romans 9 10 11 and just look at what The revelation concerning The church and israel that's Romans 9 10 11. Okay I know our time is up. Let's just pray together and we will dismiss I would request somebody to pray with us as a class And we will dismiss Anyone can pray Thank you lord for Letting us know the truth lord from the book of Romans Lord Okay Aaron Aaron dropped off Can somebody finish prayer For the good we just come before you through and for the good for the good Thank you for your revelation for the good thanking you for your word and your your your thanks for the good We we receive for the good for the good Just help us to understand more and more and deeper for the good to your words for the good that we can receive And we can apply our life and We can apply to your kingdom for the good thanking you for the good that all promises for the good that You you've given us for the good father god thanking you that the the power and the the the word father god that The present situation and we are leading father god and the more glorious day father god Through you your your presence father god thanking you for everything father god thanking you for today class father god thanking you sir And our student father god thanking you for the god thanking you listening up here for the god Thank you almighty Jesus name. We pray come in Amen. Thank you Thank you everyone. Um We'll take a quick break and go to our next class. Thank you God bless