Romans 8
The Believer’s Relationship to the Holy Spirit
1 There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.
This is the positional truth that God looks upon the believer. Every believer is in Christ, so he will never be condemned.
2 For the law of the life-giving Spirit in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and death.
"The law of the life-giving Spirit" is the authority of the Holy Spirit. "In Christ" is the position of the believer, meaning that the Holy Spirit and Christ are in perfect union with each other. This verse is dealing with believers, not unbelievers. The Greek word for "set free" is ἐλευθερόω (eleutherow), an aorist active indicative verb, meaning to set free as a one-time completed action of the past. "The law of sin and death" is the authority of the old sin nature. The authority of the new law of life has set the believer free from the authority of the old law of sin and death. Only a higher authority could set the believer free from the authority of sin and death. This freedom was a one-time completed action of the past.
3 For God achieved what the law could not do because it was weakened through the flesh. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and concerning sin, he condemned sin in the flesh,
It was impossible for the law to accomplish the justification, sanctification or the glorification of the believer. The law was not weak, but the flesh was weak. To solve this problem, God sent his Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, in human flesh.
4 so that the righteous requirement of the law may be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.
Unbelievers can only walk in the flesh. Believers have a choice. They can walk either in the flesh or in the Spirit.
5 For those who live according to the flesh have their outlook shaped by the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit have their outlook shaped by the things of the Spirit.
The believer will walk according to what is in his soul. If the things of the world are absorbed into his soul, then he will walk in the way of the satanic world system. If Bible doctrine is infused into his soul, then he will walk in the Spirit.
6 For the outlook of the flesh is death, but the outlook of the Spirit is life and peace,
The effect of the unregenerate mind is death. Everything that the unbeliever thinks and does will result in his eternal death. The effect of the spiritual mind is life and peace. The believer possesses two natures inside of him. The nature that is controlled by the Spirit will lead him to a life of peace. He will have peace with God by continually confessing his sins, as according to 1 John 1:9. This confession of sins keeps the believer clean so that he can retain fellowship with God. Those who do not continually confess their sins will remain as dirty vessels who God will not use. Some believers go through their entire life as dirty vessels. They think that they are doing everything for God, but they are actually working for the satanic world system. The key to the Christian life is 1 John 1:9. Every believer needs to study and meditate upon this doctrine.
7 because the outlook of the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to the law of God, nor is it able to do so.
There is no divine spark in man. The carnal mind is at war with God. The carnal mind will not submit to God. The carnal mind does not have the divine capacity to submit to God. Every man is the enemy of God. He is not only dead in trespasses and sins, but he is in active rebellion against God. Man will even become religious in order to escape from God. If man went up to heaven in his natural condition, then he would complain and start a rebellion. Jacob, in his natural condition, wrestled with God. He did not cooperate or follow God, He fought against God. He did not win until he yielded to God. This is the condition of the natural man.
8 Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.
Those of a carnal mind cannot please God. All the carnal mind can do is human good works, which are dirty menstrual rags to God.
9 You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, this person does not belong to him.
The "if" is a first class condition, meaning "since". Since the Spirit of God lives inside of believers, then they are not in the flesh. There are again natures in the believer. A believer can never operate in the flesh, but he can operate according to the flesh. If the Holy Spirit is not in a person, then he is an unbeliever who can never operate in the spirit. Even Paul told the carnal Corinthians that even though they were unclean, the Holy Spirit still dwelt in them.
10 But if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is your life because of righteousness.
Not only is the Holy Spirit indwelling inside of the believer, but the Lord Jesus Christ is dwelling inside of the believer as well. If Christ is in the believer, then the body is dead to sin. However, the Spirit can help the believer to perform divine good works.
11 Moreover if the Spirit of the one who raised Jesus from the dead lives in you, the one who raised Christ from the dead will also make your mortal bodies alive through his Spirit who lives in you.
The Holy Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead is alive inside the believer. Therefore, the believer has the assurance of the resurrection. Believers should have the attitude that the Holy Spirit will keep them from sinning.
12 So then, brothers and sisters, we are under obligation, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh
Since believers have been freed by the Spirit, the believer is now indebted to the Spirit.
13 (for if you live according to the flesh, you will die), but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body you will live.
If the believer continues in sin, then he will die to God. He will no longer wish to have fellowship with God. He will quit going to church, quit reading his Bible, quit praying, quit performing divine good words, and he will start criticizing the church and the pastor. He will be a child of God who is doing the devil's work.
When believers have problems today, they want to turn to the psychiatrist couch. This will not help them. They need to confess their sins as according to 1 John 1:9 and renew their study in the Word of God via a gifted-pastor teacher.
14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are the sons of God.
Those who are his sheep will hear his voice. Those who are not his sheep will want to get rid of those who are proclaiming his voice. Jesus said, "If the world hates you, you know that it hated me before it hated you." (John 15:8) Since the Lord Jesus Christ is not on this physical earth in his human body any longer, Satan and his henchmen have turned their hatred toward the body of Christ.
15 For you did not receive the spirit of slavery leading again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption, by whom we cry, “Abba, Father.”
The believer should be filled with joy, not fear and worry. Fear and worry are sins that need to be confessed, because the believer is not trusting in God. Believers have been adopted into the royal family of God. They are princes of a heavenly kingdom. They will one day co-reign with Christ. Therefore, when the pray, they should call God the Father as "Daddy", because they are a part of his family. Their "Daddy" wants them to talk to him as his little child. He wants to know the needs of his little children. He wants to answer and give abundantly. However, he will not give his children a snake, even if they ask for it.
16 The Spirit himself bears witness to our spirit that we are God’s children.
The Holy Spirit lives inside of every believer. He personally tells every believer that he is a child of God. Every child of God can come to their Father when they are in trouble and call him "Daddy".
17 And if children, then heirs (namely, heirs of God and also fellow heirs with Christ) – if indeed we suffer with him so we may also be glorified with him.
The "if" is a first class condition, meaning "since". Since children are heirs with God and fellow-heirs of Christ, then the believer will suffer with Christ, but he will also be glorified with Christ. Notice that the child of God is called to suffer on earth but co-reign with Christ in heaven. This is the opposite of what the prosperity teachers are teaching. Prosperity teachers take the verses out of the Old Testament that applied to Israel's conditional Mosaic Covenant and apply them to the church. Ignorant Christians do not understand the difference, so they are hooked into the false teachings of the prosperity teachers. Christians are called to suffer on this earth, but prosper in the next life. Therefore, believers need to be careful, study the entire counsel of the Word of God through a gifted pastor-teacher, and watch out for the gimmicks and trickeries of the prosperity teachers. Giving should be based upon faith giving, not tithing or emotional gimmicks or oaths.
18 For I consider that our present sufferings cannot even be compared to the glory that will be revealed to us.
The Greek word for "consider" is λογίζομαι (logizomai), a present middle indicative verb, meaning to continually reason and come to a logical conclusion. The verb is in the middle tense, meaning "I myself", as Paul is emphasizing himself. Paul himself continually reasoned and came to the logical conclusion that the present sufferings of believers cannot even compare to the glory that awaits believers when they begin to co-reign with Christ. Paul has already proven in a court of law that believers are justified and sanctified. Now, he is going to prove the coming future glorification of the believer.
19 For the creation eagerly waits for the revelation of the sons of God.
The Greek word for "creation" is κτίσις (ktisis), meaning the creation which came out of nothing. This would include all of creation, except for angelic beings and human beings. There are many human beings and fallen angels on the broad road to destruction who do not desire the Second Coming of Christ.
The Greek word for "eagerly waits" is ἀπεκδέχομαι, a present passive indicative verb, meaning to continually and eagerly await something that is so great, that it is out of this world. This verb is used seven times in the New Testament, always referring to the Second Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ.
The Greek word for "revelation" is ἀποκάλυψις (apojalupsis), meaning something that has never been revealed.
The Greek for "the sons of God" is τῶν υἱῶν τοῦ Θεοῦ (town wion tou theou), meaning those who share in the same nature as their father. The sons of God are the elect angels and elect human beings who eagerly await for the Second Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ.
The animate and inanimate creation, including all of the elect angels, elect human beings, animal life, plant life, and inanimate life, are not waiting for the pipe dream of evolution. Man did not evolve from a monkey and he will not evolve into some type of demigod, as portrayed in the novel 2001: A Space Odyssey. All of the elect and all of creation is waiting for the Lord Jesus Christ to return at his Second Coming and begin his literal 1000 year Millennial Kingdom.
20 For the creation was subjected to futility – not willingly but because of God who subjected it – in hope
The Greek word for "creation" is κτίσις (ktisis), meaning the creation which came out of nothing. This would include all of creation, except for human beings and angelic beings. This would include all animal life, plant life, and inanimate life.
The Greek word for "subject" is ὑποτάσσω hupotasso), an aorist passive indicative verb, meaning to be placed under the authority of another. This verb is aorist, meaning that it was placed under authority as a one-time completed action of the past. It is passive, meaning that someone else placed them underneath this authority. They did not subject themselves under this authority by their own volition.
The Greek word for "futility" is ματαιότης (mataiotais), meaning nothing, emptiness, vanity, or for no purpose. All of creation was placed underneath the authority of an existence that serves no purpose.
The Greek for "not willing" is οὐχ ἑκοῦσα (ouch ekousa), meaning that creation was forced into subjection to an existence of no purpose. All of the animals, plants, and inanimate objects of creation were forced to serve no purpose.
The Greek word for subjection is ὑποτάσσω (hupotassow), an aorist active participle, meaning to place under authority. The participle is aorist, meaning that this subjection was a one-time completed action of the past. The verb is active, meaning that the subject (God), placed all of creation under the authority of no purpose.
Adam was a given dominion over all of creation, which included the animals, plants, and inanimate objects. Adam was to use his dominion over creation to glorify God. However, at the Garden of Eden, Adam transferred this dominion to Satan. Now, all of creation is not being utilized for God's purpose. Under the satanic world system, all of creation serves no purpose. The existence of animals, plants, and inanimate objects is futile, empty, useless, and nothing but vanity.
The Greek word for "hope" is ἐλπίς (helpis), meaning an assurance of what is to come. All of creation has assurance that Christ will return and establish a kingdom where they will be able to exist with the purpose of glorifying God.
21 that the creation itself will also be set free from the bondage of decay into the glorious freedom of God’s children.
The Greek word for "decay" is φθορά (pthora), meaning decay, corrupted, dying, and rotten. At creation, everything was created to eternally glorify God. Therefore, there would be no corruption. However, at the fall of Adam, entropy began in all of creation. This is the Second Law of Thermodynamics. Everything is decaying and turning rotten. Everything is beginning to stink.
The curse that was set upon man also had an effect on all of creation. All of creation was enslaved to the Second Law of Thermodynamics. Everything is turning rotten and beginning to stick. All of creation is filled with death. The minute that a baby is born, he begins to die.
When Jesus Christ returns, he will bring with him a new heavens and a new earth. He will free the current creation from the bondage of the Second Law of Thermodynamics.
22 For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers together until now.
"The whole creation" includes all of the cosmos, including the sun, the moon, the planets, and all of the stars. When Adam committed that one sin, his sin effected the entire cosmos.
The Greek word for "groans" is συστενάζω (sustenazow), a present active indicative verb, meaning to continually groan together, as a woman in child birth. All of creation is in labor, groaning as a woman in childbirth, waiting to give birth to a new heavens and a new earth. The Law of Second Thermodynamics extends into the entire cosmos.
God is not nature, as many spiritists teach. Nature is a hungry monster who devours her young and sends them to the grave. In nature, there are predators and victims. The victims are groaning, crying out to God, of a better existence. Instead of being food for a predator, they eagerly await to glorify God.
23 Not only this, but we ourselves also, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we eagerly await our adoption, the redemption of our bodies.
The believer is in harmony with nature. He is also groaning inwardly, but he should be expressing joy outwardly. He was saved from the mouth of a nature that devours its young. Believers cry out for a new world, as they have been adopted into the royal family of God to become princes on earth. The believer is eagerly awaiting his new resurrected body, which will never decay rot away, and stink.
24 For in hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope, because who hopes for what he sees?
The Greek word for "hope" is ἐλπίς (helpis), meaning an assurance of what is to come. Just as all of creation has assurance that Christ will return and establish a kingdom where they will be able to exist with the purpose of glorifying God. Believers share in this same hope.
This assurance cannot be seen as of yet, but it is coming, and the believer and all of creation know that it will come. Therefore, when a believer suffers, he has an assurance of what is heavenly to come.
25 But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with endurance.
Someday, hope will pass away and the reality of the new creation will be here.
26 In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness, for we do not know how we should pray, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with inexpressible groanings.
The body of a believer is weak, because it has two natures inside of the soul that are constantly fighting each other. Because the body is weak, then the Holy Spirit helps the believer with his prayer life.
A Christian is weak when he does not know Bible doctrine. A mature believer can become weak when he is tempted by the old sin nature. Believers who do not have strong Bible doctrine do not know how to pray. Mature believers with strong Bible doctrine are not perfect, so sometimes they will not know what to pray. There is an invisible enemy that comes against the believer who attempts to accomplish divine good works. When the believer does not know what or how to pray, then the Holy Spirit intercedes for the believer with inexpressible groans to the Father.
Charismatics use this verse to support their view that since believers do not know how or what to pray, then they should pray in "inexpressible groans", which they teach is tongues. However, it only takes one little Greek word to dispute this view. The Greek word for "tongues" is γλῶσσα (glossa), meaning a person speaks in his own language, but everyone hears the language of their birth. This is not the Greek word used in this passage. This is not the type of tongues that occurs in modern Charismatic churches of today. God will not allow Satan to duplicate this miracle. Therefore, charismatics are forced to speak in gibberish, which is not how the gift was used by the apostles in Acts 2. This gibberish is either invented by the delusions of the mind of one who is not strong in Bible doctrine. Another possibility is that these tongues are occultic in nature. The speaking in tongues has been used by many pagan religions on all seven continents. Priests would drug one of their temple prostitutes, the woman would speak in gibberish, and the priest would interpret. The Greek Oracle of Delphi used this method. This practice still exists today, but not in the religious temples of pagan nations, but in the religious institutions of pagan America.
Notice also that it is the Holy Spirit doing the praying, not the believer.
27 And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes on behalf of the saints according to God’s will.
The Holy Spirit is a fellow groaner, but he is a better groaner than the believer, because he groans for the right reasons. When the Holy Spirit prays, he does not make mistakes. He knows exactly what to pray for. His prayers are perfect and he never leaves anything out. Therefore, when praying, believers should pray for God's will in their lives, and then allow the Holy Spirit to provide the details.
28 And we know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose,
The Greek word for "know" is οἶδα (oida), a perfect passive indicative verb, meaning to see a spiritual concept with spiritual eyes. The verb is in the perfect tense, meaning that this knowledge came to them supernaturally as a one-time completed action of the past and this knowledge will continue forever. It is passive, meaning that they received the knowledge from an outside source, which is God. The mood is indicative, meaning that this statement is a 100% statement of fact. Man's humanity could have never understood this supernatural concept. This knowledge had to be given to man supernaturally as a gift.
Notice that not all things work out for unbelievers, but only for those who love God. The natural man hates God, so things will not work out so well for him. Therefore, there is no universal salvation given to all.
Universal salvation is offered to all, but most men reject it. The only men who accept the gift of salvation are those who are made alive by the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit resurrects their dead spirit, gives them a new mind that can understand the gospel message, and makes an efficacious call to the believers that will not and cannot be refused. The Holy Spirit then yanks them out of the slavery of the satanic world system, gives them a new personality, and then adopts them into the royal family to become a prince of God.
Although the child of God is groaning inwardly, he also knows supernaturally that all things will work out for good.
The Greek word for "called" is κλητός (klatos), meaning a supernatural call by God. God makes a general call to all of mankind, but man is so totally depraved and evil, that most of them reject this call. There is also an efficacious call made to those whom God chose before the foundations of the world were created. This call will not be rejected. Notice that God does the calling. Every man will refuse the call, unless the Holy Spirit awakens the dead spirit that is within all of men.
After Joseph was revealed to his brothers, he said, "you thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good …” (Gen. 50:20). God is so sovereign and so magnificent, that he can take all of the evil things in the world and use it for good.
29 because those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.
The Greek word for "whom" is ὅς (his), meaning a plural group of people.
The Greek word for "foreknew" is προγινώσκω (porginowskow), an aorist active indicative verb, meaning to know beforehand. The verb is aorist, meaning that God had some kind of prior knowledge in the past of an event that would happen to the future. The verb is active, meaning that God himself possessed this knowledge. The mood is indicative, meaning that it is a 100% statement of fact. God himself possessed some type of prior knowledge of a group of people who would live in the future.
The Greek word for "predestined" is προορίζω (proorizow), an aorist active indicative verb, meaning predetermined, or marked out beforehand. Sometimes in eternity past, God knew a certain people and he marked them out in advance to complete a certain task. The verb is aorist, meaning that this marking out was a one-time completed action of the past. The verb is active, meaning that God himself did the marking out. The verb is indicative meaning that this is a 100% statement of fact. Since both προγινώσκω (progiknowskow) and προορίζω (proorizow) are both in the aorist tense with the same subject, then they make an unbreakable chain of events that cannot be broken.
The Greek word for "conformed" is σύμμορφος (summoprhos), meaning that those who were called, foreknown, and predestined by God will have the same inward-essence-identity-form as the Lord Jesus Christ. At the cross, the righteousness of Christ was imputed to all future believers. When God sees the believer, he see the imputed righteousness of Christ.
The Greek word for "image" is εἰκών (ikon), meaning a mirror-like representation. The elect were pre-known, predestined, and conformed to become a mirror-like representation of the Lord Jesus Christ. When God sees a believer, he sees a mirror-like representation of the Lord Jesus Christ.
The Greek word for "firstborn" is πρωτότοκος (prototokos), meaning the first in time, or the preeminent one. This Greek word is the root word of the English "prototype". The Lord Jesus Christ was the first human being that was 100% righteous. He was the prototype of all future glorified believers.
30 And those he predestined, he also called; and those he called, he also justified; and those he justified, he also glorified.
These four verbs were all used in the aorist tense with the same subject. When verses 29-30 are combined, then there is an unbroken chain of five aorist Greek verbs which cannot be broken. All of these five verbs occurred in the past as a one-time completed action of the past. These five verbs are all active, meaning that the subject (God), not the believer, performed this unbroken chain of action. These five verbs are all indicative, meaning that it is a 100% statement of fact. In eternity past, God himself foreknew, predestined, called, justified, and glorified every believer. He completed all five of these actions before the foundations of the world were created. This chain is unbreakable. This means that no one can break the chain, not Satan, not any demon, or not even the believer himself.
God foreknew the believers, meaning that he knew them in eternity past. God predestined believers, meaning that he chose them for a specific mission. God called all believers with an efficacious call. This call happened sometime in the lives of the believers. God justified the believers, meaning that as Judge, man was judged righteous enough to enter into heaven. This verdict took place before the foundation of the world was even completed. It was a completed action of the past, so it cannot be reversed. Eternal security is taught here by Paul very forcibly and very straight forward in this aorist chain. The believer has already been glorified in eternity past. He has already been adopted into the royal family of God as a prince who will one day co-reign with the Messiah.
Jesus is the Great Shepherd. He starts out with 100 sheep, and he protects and delivers 100 sheep. Most shepherds will lose half of their flock, but not the Great Shepherd. He keeps, protects, and preserves all 100 sheep, delivering them to Heaven's Gate. This is God's eternal purpose. While the believer is grazing here on earth, dumb as a sheep, with invisible ravenous wolves surrounding him and attempting to devour him, he is being guarded and protected by the Great Shepherd. The sheep do not have any fangs, claws, armored skin, fast legs, or even a smart brain, to protect themselves. Most farmers will claim that the sheep are the most stupidest animals that they possess. They will walk right off a cliff if the shepherd does not watch them closely. They must be protected and cared for by the Great Shepherd. All who were foreknown, predestined, called, justified, and glorified will make it into heaven, because this aorist chain cannot be broken. God will deliver every one of his sheep. The sheep know him, because they know his voice.
31 What then shall we say about these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?
If God is the Great Shepherd, then there is no wolf that can devour with his flock. If God is for the believer, then the enemy does not have a chance. One with God is a majority.
32 Indeed, he who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all – how will he not also, along with him, freely give us all things?
God did not allow Abraham to sacrifice his own son, but God did not spare his own son. If God allowed his Son to die on the cross, then the easy part is to give his children all things, including the privilege to co-reign with Christ in his kingdom.
33 Who will bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies.
Satan is accusing believers at the throne, but the Lord Jesus Christ is the advocate of all believers. He is a Jewish lawyer who has never lost a case. He tells God the Father to negate any charges against his sheep, because Christ has already paid the price for that sin. Therefore, the believer is protected by the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. No one can harm a believer, unless God allows it to happen.
34 Who is the one who will condemn? Christ is the one who died (and more than that, he was raised), who is at the right hand of God, and who also is interceding for us.
Not only is the Holy Spirit interceding for the believers inside of their own bodies, but Christ is sitting right next to God in heaven and he is interceding for believers as well. Since the Holy Spirit and the Lord Jesus Christ are both praying for believers, then nothing can happen to the believer which is outside the will of God. The believer is immortal, until he completes the assignment which God has given him. Therefore, believers need to study the entire counsel of the Word of God, continually confess their sins to keep themselves spiritually clean (God does not use dirty vessels), pray, and apply what they have learned.
35 Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will trouble, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?
Believers will have troubles, especially if they possess enough bible doctrine to perform divine good works, but these troubles will not separate them from the love of God.
Believers will have distress, especially if they apply bible doctrine. However, this will not separate them from the love of God.
Believers who serve Christ will be persecuted, physically, emotionally, career wise, and even by friends and family members. However, this persecution will not separate them from the love of God.
Sometimes believers may experience physical hunger, but this will not separate them from the love of God. God has promised to provide all believers with food, clothing, and shelter. The believer who is serving Christ may suffer hunger temporarily, but God has promised to provide.
Believers may be called to go without proper clothing for a little while, but God will provide.
Believers who are serving God will face danger, as invisible forces will come against them.
Governments may execute believers with the sword by capital punishment, but if they are removed from this life by martyrdom, God will not persecute them.
Paul possessed extremely sound Bible doctrine, so he experienced every one of these sufferings.
36 As it is written, “For your sake we encounter death all day long; we were considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”
Ps 44:22 confirmed that Christians were called to suffer. Some Christians will be called to martyrdom. The attitude of the satanic world system is that Christians are nothing but dumb sheep who need to be slaughtered. If a believer applies strong Bible doctrine, then the enemy will use all avenues to exterminate this type of believer out of the satanic world system.
37 No, in all these things we have complete victory through him who loved us!
The paradox here is that the sheep who are to be slaughtered are more than conquerors.
38 For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor heavenly rulers, nor things that are present, nor things to come, nor powers,
The Greek word for "convinced" is πείθω (peithow), a perfect passive indicative verb, meaning to be confident of a certain doctrinal truth. The perfect tense means that Paul was persuaded in the past and this persuasion continues into eternity. The passive tense means that God was persuaded by an outside force, which would be the Holy Spirit. The indicative mood means that this is a 100% statement of fact.
Paul is persuaded that death, life, angels, demons, powers, are anything else in all of creation cannot separate him from the love of God.
Death cannot separate the believer, because it takes him into God's immediate presence. The attitude of the early martyrs was "Thank you. You will take me instantly into his presence."
Life is tougher than death. Life's temptations, failures, disappointments, uncertainties, and sufferings will not separate the believer from the love of God.
Fallen angels will attempt to separate believers from God, but they will not be able to do so.
Heavenly rulers are the powerful demons who come against the believers.
There is nothing in the present, past, or future that can separate the believer from the love of God.
39 nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in creation will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Height and depth refer to anything in the universe that will come against the believer. Anything else would include the believer himself. The believer cannot walk out of God's hand and lose his salvation, as the Arminians claim. God has already secured the believer in the unbroken chain of five aorist verbs.
In conclusion, the believer was justified in the past, sanctified in the present, and glorified in the future. But, what about Israel? Since Israel failed, will God still keep his promise to them? What about Israel's promises that are unfulfilled? If God does not keep his promises to Israel, then how can the believer know that God will keep his promise to him?
The next three chapters will discuss this issue.
