The Grace of God When We Grieve Over Loved Ones Who Are Not Yet Saved.

In one sentence, this is a summary of Romans 9: God has always sought to redeem those whose sin has taken them away from Him.

Our Deep Compassion for Those Who Say No to Christ.

We began our study of Romans last year using an outline from Alva J. McClain. We studied Condemnation and Salvation in chapters 1-8. Now we begin the section on Vindication in chapters 9-11. The key question for this section is "Why was Israel set aside?" The answer we will find in Romans 11:30-32 is that God might show mercy to all.

The Impenetrable Love of God.

Romans 8 was written to believers who lived in a society experiencing relative peace and security, similar to what we experience in our day. Often this sense of security gives way to moral relativism. Regardless of society's views, Jesus is always the exclusive way to spiritual peace.

The Impenetrable Love of God.

Romans 8 concludes with a strong emphasis on the truth that God's children can experience no separation from the love of Christ. If God's love is enough to hold the whole body together, how much more so will it hold individual believers eternally secure! There are no people or circumstances that can separate us from God's love.

The Impenetrable Love of God.

Prayer is essential for physical protection and spiritual safety (2 Thessalonians 3:1-2). Our safety is not to be taken for granted. We have been investigating layers of spiritual protection from Romans 8 for those who are in Christ. Verses 33-34 ask two more questions without an immediate answer.

The Impenetrable Love of God.

We continue to study the hymn of security and assurance in Romans 8:31-39.

The Impenetrable Love of God.

In a time when our news is dominated by natural disasters and tragedies of all kinds, the glorious conclusion of Romans 8 is a comfort to our souls. This passage has been called a Christian hymn of security and assurance by many. Singing God's Word brings assurance and security to our hearts no matter what the circumstances may be.

Our Security in God’s Eternal Purpose.

Romans 8:28-30 is a text of comfort and reassurance along with the entire chapter of Romans 8. In these verses, we find:

• Our Ultimate Purpose
• God's Supreme Plan
• Our Pursuit

All these are discovered in the light of being in Christ.

Embracing Our Omnipotent Support in Knowing and Doing the Will of God.

A desire to do God's will is another assurance for a child of God.

Embracing Our Omnipotent Support in Knowing and Doing the Will of God.

Romans 8:26 is another often-quoted verse from this chapter. Remember that its truth must be understood in the context of the spiritual security and assurance of the believer.

Lessons in Spiritual Security Taught by Creation.

Romans 8:19-25 offers Christians encouragement from Creation. The non-rational created order has a message for us in the context of the believer's assurance of spiritual security in Jesus Christ.

Our Incomparable Glory, Part 2.

Last week, we discussed our personal approach and perspective in suffering. Now we will consider our prize, a glory that is beyond our comprehension.

Our Incomparable Glory.

The next portion of Romans 8 compares temporary suffering to eternal glory. All Christians experience suffering in varying degrees: Some faithfully serve despite chronic illness; others grieve over a straying child, unsaved spouse or parent; some persevere after losing a faithful spouse; and many are waiting to see friends they love come to Christ.

The Spirit of Adoption, Part 2.

At his death in 1902, Cecil Rhodes left 6 million pounds to Oxford University to establish the Rhodes scholarships. As great as a material inheritance can be, Christians value a spiritual heritage more than any earthly treasures (Colossians 3:1-2). The Holy Spirit ensures countless resources for the believer as a result of our adoption.

The Spirit of Adoption.

Romans 8:14-17 describes how God comes to our aid in our greatest time of spiritual need. These verses come in the midst of a passage describing the activities of the Godhead, specifically in keeping the believer eternally secure. The Holy Spirit's activities of giving life and now of adoption give great solace, comfort, and peace in times of personal loss. At every time, we are being kept safe by God.

Glorious Life in the Spirit.

Human history is filled with stories of empires that attempted to rule as much territory as possible. It is part of our fallen nature to want to rule the world. Romans 5 told us that we used to be ruled by sin, but salvation changes the ruler of our lives. We are now governed by the life-giving Spirit of God.

No Condemnation: Our Eternal Standing in Christ.

Christian parents often tell their children, "There is nothing you can do to change my love for you." How much greater is God's infinite love! There is nothing we can do to change God's love for us. God the Father keeps us eternally secure in Jesus Christ, omnipotently held by the Holy Spirit. These truths provide hope for us throughout this earthly journey regardless of our circumstances.

The Safest Place in the World.

Our human fascination with the science of preservation, mummification, and time travel fiction reveal a deep desire to live beyond our earthly lifespan. Yet no human will ever be able to preserve life for eternity. Romans 8 teaches us how God preserves eternal life for His people.

Saved by Grace – Grown By Grace.

We cannot be saved by grace and grown by the law. Trying to grow ourselves or others by the law is setting up any external standard of holiness by which to measure one's spiritual growth. Whether the standard is given by God or man, it can never produce spiritual growth.

Avoiding a Pitfall to Spiritual Growth.

Romans 6-7 are all about how a Christian becomes more Christ-like after he or she comes to know Jesus. Chapter 6 takes a positive approach, while chapter 7 takes a negative approach.