Intercession and Predestination Rom. 8:26-30 CLICK TITLE FOR AUDIO
In Rom 8:26-30, we will study intercession and predestination, the intercession of the Holy Spirit and the predestination of believers.
Intercession – Rom 8:26-28
Rom 8:26 “Likewise,” refers to something before. In Rom 8:22 the whole creation groaneth. In Rom 8:23 even we ourselves groan. Likewise, the Spirit groans with groanings which cannot be uttered. These groanings are not a private prayer language. Our “infirmities” are the result of living in bodies that have not been redeemed [the spirit indeed is willing but the flesh is weak]. We know not what to pray for. On the one hand, we want out of here so that we can be with the Lord. On the other hand, it is needful for us to stay [Phil 1:21-26].
Rom 8:27 “He that searcheth hearts” is the Lord [1 Chr 28:9; Jer 17:10]. He knows the mind of the Spirit. Therefore, the Spirit’s intercession is according to the will of God. In other words, the Spirit doesn’t have to utter anything. God knows his mind and his mind is lined up with the will of God. This allows us to pray with confidence in the will of God [1 Jn 5:14-15]
Rom 8:28 “And we know.” The Lord knows the mind of the Spirit and we know that all things work together for good. We may not remember… we may not like it… but we know ALL things work TOGETHER for good. Individually they may be bad things but together they are good. One fellow had CP and said I couldn’t reach them if I were healed. Joni Eareckson Tada said her paralysis became her platform. Alan Redpath said, “There is no circumstance, no trouble, no testing, that can ever touch me until, first of all, it has gone past God and past Christ, right through to me. If it has come that far, it has come with a great purpose.”
The conditions for all things to work together for good are that we must love God and be called according to his purpose [notice his purpose and his will are aligned]. There are many who do not love God and who are not called. Anyone he has saved is called. But then some saved miss the goodness of the Lord in ALL things because their love has waned and they are not fulfilling their call.
Predestination – Rom 8:29-30
Rom 8:29 Here’s the situation with those who are called. God has foreknowledge [1 Pet 1:2]. God already knows who is going to be saved but he doesn’t predestine them to salvation [Comp 1 Sam 23:9-14]. You have the will to choose [Jos 24:15; 1 Ki 18:21; Rev 22:17]. All those saved are elect and are saved through sanctification of the Spirit, obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ. Our predestination once we are saved is to be conformed to the image of his Son, to be adopted as his sons [Eph 1:5] and to obtain an inheritance [Eph 1:11]. But predestination is never to salvation. And it is not to the fulfillment of his will [Rom 12:1-2]. You must present yourself a living sacrifice. Jesus is the “firstborn among many brethren.” He is the firstborn of God; Adam was not born, he was created. And we are born of God [Jn 1:12-13].
Rom 8:30 “Whom he did predestinate,” he called according to his purpose. His purpose incudes:
- The fellowship of his Son [1 Cor 1:9],
- Grace for salvation [Gal 1:6],
- Grace for service [Gal 1:15],
- Our vocation [Eph 4:1],
- Our move out of darkness and into light [1 Pet 2:9],
- Our suffering [1 Pet 2:20-21] (George Matheson said, “I have thanked thee a thousand times for my roses, but not once for my thorn. I have been looking forward to a world where I shall get compensation for my cross, but I have never thought of my cross as itself a present glory. Thou divine Love, whose human path has been perfected through sufferings, teach me the glory of my cross and the value of my thorn.”).
He justified [Rom 5:9, 1 Cor 6:11]. He glorified [Jn 17:22]. We don’t have our glorified bodies yet [Rom 8:23-25] but we have been raised together with him [Eph 2:6]. Predestination is never to salvation. Jesus didn’t limit atonement to the “elect.” He gave himself a ransom for all [1 Tim 2:6] and he will have all men to be saved [1 Tim 2:4].