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Notes...
Vs. 26
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Connection to previous verses is first in “weaknesses.” In context, this must be “mental weaknesses.” Vs. 24, 25 We do not see to the end, yet we have hope. In the same way, we don’t know how to pray as we should (“we do not know what we ought to pray for” NIV)
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“So too the [Holy] Spirit comes to our aid and bears us up in our weakness; for we do not know what prayer to offer nor how to offer it worthily as we ought, but the Spirit Himself goes to meet our supplication and pleads in our behalf with unspeakable yearnings and groanings too deep for utterance.” (Amplified)
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26 And in a similar way, the Holy Spirit takes hold of us in our human frailty to empower us in our weakness. For example, at times we don’t even know how to pray, or know the best things to ask for. But the Holy Spirit rises up within us to super-intercede[a] on our behalf, pleading to God with emotional sighs[b] too deep for words. (Passion)
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“The Greek word hupererentugkhano is best translated “super [or hyper]-intercede for us.” We can only imagine how many blessings have poured into our lives because of the hyper-intercession of the Holy Spirit for us!” (Passion Translation note)
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“The Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words” (lit. inexpressible)
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“When the Christian’s prayers are too deep and too intense for words, when they are rather a sigh heaved from the heart than any formal utterance, then we may know that they are prompted by the Spirit Himself (within us...wn). It is He who is praying to God for us.” Ellicott’s Commentary
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Second connection between this verse and previous verses is “groanings.” Vs. 22 is “creation groaning.” Vs. 23 is “believers groaning” for their final redemption. This verse is “the Spirit groaning” in us.
Vs. 27
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“He who searches the heart” in this context is Jesus Himself. (see vs. 34) He intercedes through the Holy Spirit between us and God the Father. In effect, it is Jesus Himself praying our prayers to the Father for us!
Vs. 28
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One of the most quoted verses in NT...and misquoted!
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“God works all things together” not for everyone, but for those who love God, those who He has called.
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Two different mss readings of this verse...“God causes all things to work together” is better than “all things work together” as some versions state.
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Connected to vs. 26-27. Those who love God are those who are praying. For these praying saints, whose groans are too deep for words, He works all things in their lives for good.
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“Called” (Helps word-studies)...”Kletos (divinely called) focuses on God’s general call - i.e. the call (invitation) He gives to all people, so all can receive His salvation. God desires every person to call out to Him and receive His salvation...Unfortunately, many choose not to - but all can; all don’t but all can call out to God for His mercy (not just some)”
Vs. 29, 30
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Dr. Lawrence Wood (describing John Wesley’s view of predestination)...
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”He argued very strongly against (absolute) predestination in which he argued that absolute predestination makes God the author of evil...makes God the author of sin. It makes it (pointless) to preach the gospel if everything is predetermined by God’s will.
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“Wesley did agree with the emphasis on God’s absolue foreknowledge or God’s omniscience...but Wesley did not believe that that meant that everything ahd been predetermined. Rather, he says that God knows everything, but what causes God’s knowledge is what will be. What will be is not determined by God’s knowledge.”
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“God doesn’t (literally) foreknow anything. That is a human way of speaking. God simply knows...God knows everything. Everything is instant to God...even our future. (Our future) is nonetheless present to God because God is transcendent.”
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David Pawson…
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“If you study predestination in the Bible, it’s not so much that you are chosen for salvation but that you are chosen for service. It is not so much your privilege as it is your responsibility to be one of the chosen people.”
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Asbury Commentary
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The word predestined (prohorizō) occurs in vv. 29-30. This has been misinterpreted to mean that God arbitrarily determined in advance certain individuals to be saved. This, however, is not the meaning of the word. This word occurs six times in the NT: Ac 4:28; Ro 8:29, 30; 1Co 2:7; and Eph 1:5, 11. In all other occurrences, the context indicates clearly that it has to do with the plan, the design, the condition of some event, or salvation. It is also so used here (Murray, 1:318). Those who participate in salvation are those who love God. They are called according to God's purpose (prothesis, v. 28). In the entire NT when purpose (prothesis) is used of God, it has to do with the plan, the design, or the condition of some event, never with certain persons. God's purpose regarding salvation is that all be saved and none be lost (1Ti 2:4; Tit 2:11; 2Pe 3:9). The call is the invitation addressed by God to all human beings. It is inclusive, not exclusive.
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In v. 29 the object of predestine is to be conformed to the likeness of his Son. In v. 30 the object seems to be certain persons. These persons, however, are those whom God foreknew, not those arbitrarily chosen by God. Foreknowledge does not cause them to have faith, but rather their faith causes God to foreknow. My knowing does not cause you to do something. But your doing causes me to know. In the same way, God's knowledge does not cause us to do something, but our doing causes God to know. Since, however, God is not bound by time, he can know before we do it.
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Romans 8:31-39 King James Version (KJV)
31
What
shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be
against us?
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?
33
Who
shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that
justifieth.
34
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.
35
Who
shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or
distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or
sword?
36
As
it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are
accounted as sheep for the slaughter
.37
Nay,
in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that
loved us.
38
For
I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor
principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
39
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.
Vs. 37
“More than conquerers” or
“overwhelmingly conquer” means “super-conquerer who is
completely and overwhelmingly victorious!”
1 And
can it be that I should gain
an
interest in the Saviour's blood?
Died he
for me, who caused his pain?
For me,
who him to death pursued?
Amazing
love! How can it be
that
thou, my God, shouldst die for me?
2 'Tis
mystery all: the Immortal dies!
Who can
explore his strange design?
In vain
the first-born seraph tries
to sound
the depths of love divine.
'Tis
mercy all! Let earth adore,
let
angel minds enquire no more.
3 He
left his Father's throne above —
so free,
so infinite his grace —
emptied
himself of all but love,
and bled
for Adam's helpless race.
'Tis
mercy all, immense and free;
for, O
my God, it found out me!
4 Long
my imprisoned spirit lay
fast
bound in sin and nature's night;
thine
eye diffused a quickening ray;
I woke,
the dungeon flamed with light;
my
chains fell off, my heart was free,
I rose,
went forth, and followed thee.
5 No
condemnation now I dread;
Jesus,
and all in him, is mine!
Alive in
him, my living Head,
and
clothed in righteousness divine,
bold I
approach the eternal throne,
and
claim the crown, through Christ, my own
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