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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadSpurgeon Verse Expositions - Romans 8:26 - 8:39
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Rom_8:26. Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities:
Our weaknesses, our insufficiencies, our inabilities: the Spirit of God comes in to be a helper to the children of God.
Rom_8:26. For we know not what we should pray for as we ought:
We do not know our own infirmities. Perhaps we think that we are strong, where we are exceedingly weak. The Spirit of God spies out the infirmities, and puts the help where the strength is required. “We know not what we should pray for as we ought.”
Rom_8:26. But the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.
Those great things in prayer that we cannot ask for, which can never be expressed in human language, the Holy Ghost translates into groans, and so we are made to groan when we cannot speak; and those groanings bring us blessings which words cannot compass. Have you been into your prayer-chamber lately, pleading with God, and have you felt as if you could not pray? We often pray best when we think that we are praying worst. When there is the most anguish, and sighing, and crying in prayer, there is most of the very essence of prayer.
Rom_8:27. And he that searched the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.
The Spirit knows what we want. God knows: what the Spirit is asking for; and so our prayer makes the complete round, and God sends us the blessing.
Rom_8:28. And we know
We know: we are sure of it.
Rom_8:28. That all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
We know this, for we have proved it in our own experience. “All things work.” There is nothing inactive in the providence of God. “All things work together.” There is a unity in providence. God sets one thing over against another. Blessed be the name of God, all things work together for good. The purpose of God to his people is good, and only good; and though this or that might be injurious, yet, all put together, they work for good to them that love God. Come, my soul, dost thou love God? Canst thou say tonight, “Thou knowest all things. Thou knowest that I love thee”? All things work together for thy good. Not only shall they work, but they are working, they work now, for thy good. And learn another sweet lesson. Thou art one of those whom God calls, according to the sweet purpose of his electing love, for so it stands: they that love God are the same as those who are called according to his purpose. If thou lovest God, God loves thee. Thy love to God, poor and faint though it be, is the assured token that he loves thee with an everlasting love, and, therefore, with bands of loving-kindness has he drawn thee.
Rom_8:29. For whom he did foreknow,
That is, look upon with pleasure and delight from before all worlds. Whom he did love and call to be his own. Christ is the man, the archetype. He is not to be a lone man. It is not good for man to be alone, not even for the man; and there are to be other men called by God’s grace who are to be made like him, who are to be his brethren. These, whom God foreknew, with fore-love he has ordained, determined, predestinated to be made like his Son.
Rom_8:29-30. He also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called:
Not with the common call with which he calls other men, but with the special call. The hen, when she is about in the yard, keeps on calling; but when she wants her own little ones to come and run beneath her wings, then she has a special cluck for them, and they know it, and they come, and run and hide beneath her.
Rom_8:30. And whom he called, them he also justified:
He regarded them as just. He made them just through the blood and righteousness of Jesus Christ.
Rom_8:30. And whom he justified, them he also glorified.
There is no break in this chain. The foreknown are predestinated, the predestinated are called, the called are justified, the justified are glorified. It is a wondrous chain. He that getteth a hold of it anywhere hath a hold of the whole of it, for this Scripture cannot be broken. If thou art called by grace into the fellowship of eternal life, thou shalt be justified and glorified.
Rom_8:31. What shall we then say to these things?
I do not know what we can say. Wonders of grace, mountains of mercy without limit — what shall be say to these things? This, at least we can say: —
Rom_8:31. If God be for us, who can be against us?
A great many can be against us, but we reckon them as nothing at all, if God be for us.
Rom_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?
There can be no end to the bounty of God after he has given his Son. He that has given the jewel of the universe, the very eye of heaven — what! will he not give to us all else really needed, and give freely, too?
Rom_8:33-35. Who shall lay anything to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth. 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 shall separate us from the love of Christ?
Dear children of God, feed on these words. They are like wafers made with honey, like cold waters from the rock. Eat, drink, and be filled. “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?”
Rom_8:35. Shall tribulation, or distress, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
Well, these things have been tried. As it is written, “For thy sake we are killed all the day long. We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.” In Paul’s day they were being hunted to the death, by thousands, and tens of thousands. Were they separated from Christ’s love? The enemy grew tired of persecution before the saints were wearied by it. You remember how, in the days of the Roman Empire, the Christians came to the judgment-seat and confessed Christ, even when they were not sought after as if tempting their enemies to throw them to the lions, or put them to death. They were destitute of all fear, and though Emperors were worse than brutes, these Christians defied them, outbraved them; vanquished them. They could not put down the Christians.
Rom_8:36-39. As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come. 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.
Rom_8:26. Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities:
Oh, how many these are! Want of memory, want of faith, want of earnestness, ignorance, pride, deadness, coldness of heart, — these are some of our infirmities; but, thank God, we have the omnipotent Spirit of God to help us.
Rom_8:26. 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.
These groanings are too deep, too full of meaning to be expressed in words. There are some things the Christian wants for which he cannot ask; perhaps he does not even know what it is that he wants. There is a vacuum in his heart, but he does not know what would fill it. There is a hunger in his spirit, but he knows not what the bread is, nor where the bread is, that can satisfy his wants. But the Holy Ghost can articulate these unuttered groans, and the deepest needs of our soul can thus be brought before God by his own Spirit. You, then, who find it difficult to pray, do not give up praying. The devil tells you that such poor prayers as yours are can never reach the ear of God. Do not believe him. The Spirit helps your infirmities: and when he helps you, you shall, you must prevail.
Rom_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.
It cannot be supposed that the Father does not know what is the mind of the Spirit, since they are one God, and, moreover, inasmuch as the Spirit of God never intercedes for anything which is not according to God’s will, we are sure that our heavenly Father will grant every Spirit-indited prayer.
Rom_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.”
Almost everything in this world looks to us to be in confusion, but to God’s eye all is in order. One wave dashes this way, and another that, but they are all working together, and they are all working with one great purpose too. Say not, Christian, “All these things are against me.” Ah, poor soul! this is the verdict of your unbelief, but you will know better than that one of these days. All things are working for you, and not one of them is working against you; therefore, be not dismayed. They are all working together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to his purpose.
Rom_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.
That was the very end and object of their predestination that they might become like Christ, their great perfect elder Brother.
“’
Then chose our souls in Christ our Head
Before he gave the mountains birth
Or laid foundations for the earth.”
My soul, hast thou been called of God? Has the Spirit of God ever called thee? If so, rejoice in thy predestinator. Have no doubts and fears concerning that matter, for he would never have called thee if he had not intended to save thee from before the foundation of the world.
Rom_8:30. And whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.
My son, dost thou believe in Jesus? Hast thou trusted in his precious blood? Then thou art justified. Never give way, then, to any fears concerning thine eternal salvation, for, as surely as there is a heaven, thou shalt be a partaker of its glories, for never was there a soul justified who was not afterwards glorified.
Rom_8:31. What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?
Hast thou the world against the Christian? What is the opposition of the world when God is on thy side? Is thine own heart against thee? What then? God is greater than thy heart. Is the devil against thee? Ah! he is mighty, but God is almighty, and he shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly. Paul was no fanatic; he was a man of great experience and of sound sense; yet he makes nothing of all our foes when God is on our side.
Rom_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?
When God gave us Christ, he gave us everything, for all the blessings of this life and of the life that is to come lie hidden in Christ as the kernel is within the shell of the nut. What encouragement we have here for believing prayer! Christian, Christ is the golden key of God’s treasuries; you have but to use him aright, and whatever you need shall be yours.
Rom_8:33. Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect?
Here is true boldness; Paul, who called himself the very chief of sinners dares to challenge anyone to lay anything to the charge of God’s elect? Surely God can do so. No,” says Paul, —
Rom_8:33. It is God that justifieth.
He is both just and the Justifier of all who believe in Jesus, and they are
“God’s elect.”
Rom_8:34. Who is he that condemneth?
“Why,” saith one, “Christ, the great Judge, will condemn.” No, that he will not, for —
Rom_8:34. 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.
Christian, as Christ makes intercession for you, he will never condemn you. Did he shed his blood for you, and yet will he cast you into hell? Did he rise from the dead for you, and yet will he leave you among the dead and the lost? Think not so strangely of the Christ of God, who is the same yesterday, and today, and forever, and who will never condemn those who trust in him.
Rom_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?
They have been tried again and again.
Rom_8:36. It is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.
What was the effect of this persecution? Were the saints turned away from Christ by it?
Rom_8:37-39. Nay, in all these things, we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 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.