By Steven J. Hogan
~ A Saturday Morning Post #196 ~
How are you going to successfully make it to the end of your life, especially when times get really tough? How will you be glorified? And how will you ever get from earth to heaven so you can be with Jesus, and other believers who went on ahead of you? It is certainly not by what you do. Here is the simple answer –“‘Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ says the Lord” (Zech. 4:6). An expanded answer is given in Romans 8:18-39, for it tells you that your hope, your future, is guaranteed, for your salvation, from beginning to end, is the work of God, the work of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. What does it say?
Romans 8:26-27. Your salvation is by the work of the Spirit. Let’s be honest, you are physically weak for you get tired, sick, and have aches and pains. You are spiritually weak for you struggle in life, still sin, and don’t always obey God. “We ourselves groan within ourselves” (Rom. 8:23). “My iniquities have overtaken me” (Ps. 40:12). This is why God gave you the Spirit, and a most wonderful gift and help He is. “He saved us… by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit” (Titus 3:5). “He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever, that is the Spirit of truth” (John 14:16).“By the Spirit you are putting to death the deeds of the body” (Rom. 8:13). “… being led by the Spirit” (Rom. 8:14). “… the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.” (Eph. 4:30). “… the fellowship of the Spirit.” 2 Cor. 13:14. How incredibly encouraging, knowing that God gave you the Spirit, and that you have Him now and forever!
Now the main point of Rom. 8:26-27 is that the Spirit is praying for you, interceding for you according to God’s will. Because you’re weak, you can’t make it without the Spirit’s continual prayers. And His prayers are fervent and intense, “groanings too deep for words.” The Spirit wants God’s will to be carried out in your life more than you do, and He is praying that this happens. As for the Father, He knows exactly what the Spirit is asking and is answering those prayers, meeting spiritual needs you don’t even know about. And if it’s God’s will for you to be on earth when the Antichrist is persecuting the church, remember that the Spirit will be with you, and be praying for you, asking the Father to give you whatever you need so you can keep living for Him all the way to the end. Be very thankful that the Holy Spirit is your Helper and will keep doing His part to make sure you make it to heaven to be with Jesus Christ.
Romans 8:28. Your salvation is by the sovereign work of God. This favorite verse of many describes God’s personal and meticulous work in your life. He is purposely, powerfully, lovingly, and wisely working, ensuring that all His plans for you are carefully being carried out. “God causes all things” – good things, bad things, trials, conflicts, temptations, sins, your family, your church, friendships, sickness, enemies, death – “to work together for good.” Life may seem like a gigantic puzzle, with a million different pieces seemingly scattered all over the place, but God is perfectly putting all the pieces together, making one beautiful picture.
This “good” can refer to the results of God’s work in your daily life. I am sure you have seen God causing both little things and big things to happen in just the right way at the right time with the right person, something only He can do. You plan out your way, but God directs your steps – He continually intervenes in your life and carries out His plans. This “good” also refers to the final part of your salvation, which is described in vs. 29.
Romans 8:29. Your salvation will not be complete until you become like Jesus. Have you forgotten that your salvation won’t be finished until you are glorified? In eternity past God foreknew you, meaning that He knew all about you, that He had you in His heart and loved you long before you ever loved Him. And in eternity past, He determined and predestined all the details of your life. The time came when you were born, and then you were saved, were born again. But at this point in time, you’re not fully saved, your salvation is not yet complete. Only when Christ returns to rapture the church will you be fully saved, be glorified, that is, be “conformed to the image of His Son.” To experience life to the full, you need to be like Jesus (1 John 3:2), you need to be raised in glory, raised in power, and raised with an imperishable body (1 Cor. 15:40-42). Then, in unimaginable and extraordinary ways, you will be able to wholeheartedly worship Him, learn from Him, fellowship with Him, be satisfied by Him, and serve Him!
Romans 8:30. Your salvation is what God Himself planned and will do for you, from beginning to end. The right way to think about your salvation is that it is all the work of God. First, God predestined you – He determined and planned out all the intricate details of your life so you could be saved. Second, the time came for you to be physically born, and then God called you, for His Spirit worked in your heart, convicted you of sin, and revealed Christ to you. Third, He justified you, meaning you were made righteous in God’s sight, and forgiven of all your sins. Fourth, you were glorified, you received a brand-new, Christ-like body. But notice that “glorified” is in the past tense, meaning that what God planned to do for you will surely be done, for He sees the end from the beginning. Once a person is foreknown and predestined, it’s an absolute certainty that he will be called, justified, and glorified. Rom. 8:30 is one of the greatest assurance verses, giving you confidence that you are a child of God, and that nothing can or will stop God from completing your salvation, from making you like His Son, and which happens at His coming. 1 Cor. 15:23, 50-53; Phil. 1:6; 1 Thess. 4:15-17
Romans 8:23-39 is needed truth for every Christian, especially for those living in the end-times, and that’s because it’s truly a prophetic passage. For many people, 2020 has been a most difficult year, but I must tell you that life will be getting tougher and tougher as times goes on, as we get closer and closer to Christ’s return. With increasing birth pains, lawlessness, and persecution, life will only get harder. But remember, since the Holy Spirit is praying for you and the Father is working in you, then God will finish what He started in you. Knowing God’s overall plan for your life, His unwavering commitment to you and His continued faithfulness, should give you much confidence and motivate you to keep serving the Lord until the very end. “He will keep you strong to the end so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful.” 1 Cor. 1:8-9
P.S. Knowing that God Himself is responsible for your salvation is essential to know, for it results in joy, peace, confidence, and a heart that zealously wants to follow and obey the Lord. “The Sovereignty of God, A Most Important Truth” is an article that is extremely helpful in knowing how God is personally lovingly, wisely, and powerfully involved in your life.