“DOING THE RIGHT THING” “THE DECLARATION OF FREEDOM-PART 2”

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Sunday
10:30 AM Worship Service

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6:30 PM Bible Study

May 07, 2023

“DOING THE RIGHT THING”

“THE DECLARATION OF FREEDOM-PART 2”

ROMANS 8:18-39



2 Corinthians 11:23-28


Experience is sometimes the most convincing authority a teacher can have. Paul’s body bore the scars of suffering for the sake of Christ, and each mark reminded him of a victory.


Philippians 3:10 “That I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death.”


Paul knew Christ and the power he could have in his life, because of his relationship with Christ everyday. So Paul could declare his freedom in Christ and we can do the same:


  1. Freedom from Judgment-no condemnation

2.   Freedom from Defeat-no obligation


3.   Freedom form Discouragement- No Frustration- Romans 8:18-30


Paul in this passage deals with the very real problem of suffering and pain. Perhaps the best way to understand is focus on the word “groans” that Paul uses:


  • Creation Groans- Romans 8:18-22


Note the words Paul uses to describe the plight of creation:


# Suffering


Romans 8:18 “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.”


“Consider”- is the word “reckon” Paul has already talked about back in chapter 6. 


Jesus learned obedience from the things He suffered:


Hebrews 5:8 “Though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered.”


2 Corinthians 4:17 “For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.”


# Vanity


Romans 8:19-20 “For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God. 20For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope.”


Ecclesiastes 12:13 “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, For this is man’s all.”


1 John 3:2 “Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.”


# Bondage


Romans 8:21 “Because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.”


Man has a dying body, and there is death and decay in nature, trees, plants, and animals.


Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death…”


# Decay


Romans 8:21 “Because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.”


Acts 3:21 “Whom heaven must receive until the times of restoration of all things, which God has spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began.”


# Pain 


Romans 8:22 “For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now.”


Revelation 21:1 “Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea.”


As believers we should not focus on today’s suffering but we should look forward to tomorrow’s glory:


2 Corinthians 4:15-18


Today’s groaning bondage will be exchanged for tomorrow’s glorious liberty.


  • The Believer Groans- Romans 8:23-25


Romans 8:23 “Not only that, but we also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body.”


Philippians 3:20-21


2 Corinthians 5:2 “Or in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed with our habitation which is from heaven.”


Psalm 6:6 “I am weary with my groaning; All night I make my bed swim; I drench my couch with my tears.”


Romans 8:24-25 “For we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees? 25But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance.”


What hope? 


Titus 2:13 “Looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ.”


The best is yet to come!


  • The Holy Spirit Groans- Romans 8:26-30


God is concerned about the trials of His people. When He was ministering on earth, Jesus groaned when He saw what sin was doing to mankind:


John 11:33 “Therefore, when Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her weeping, He groaned in the spirit and was troubled.”


The Spirit “shares the burden.”


Romans 8:26-27 “Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. 27Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.”


The believer never needs to faint in times of suffering and trials because he knows that God is at work in the world.


Romans 8:28 “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.”


God has a perfect plan:


Romans 8:29 “For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.”


God has two purposes in that plan: Our good, and His glory.



Ephesians 1:4-5


John 3:18-21


Those whom He chose, He called:


2 Thessalonians 2:13-14


When you respond to Jesus’ call, He justifies you, and He also glorifies you. This means that the believer has already been glorified in Christ:


John 17:22 “And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one.”


The revelation of this glory awaits the coming of Jesus Christ.


Romans 8:30 “Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.”


How can we Christians ever be discouraged and frustrated when we already share the glory of God?


4.   Freedom From Fear- No Separation- Romans 8:31-39


There is no separation because we experience the love of God;


Romans 8:35 “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?…”


Paul presents five arguments to prove that there could be no separation between the believer and God.


  • God Is For Us


Romans 8:31 “What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?”


Genesis 42:36 “And Jacob their father said to them, “You have bereaved me: Joseph is no more, Simeon is no more, and you want to take Benjamin. All these things are against me.”


“If God is for us, who can be against us?”


Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.”


  • Christ Died For Us


Romans 8:32 “He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?”


  • God Has Justified Us


Romans 8:33 “Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies.”


Revelation 12:10 “Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, “Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down.”


Isaiah 50:8-9


  • Christ Intercedes For Us


Romans 8:34 “Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.”


Hebrews 4:14-16


As our advocate, He can forgive our sins and restore our fellowship with God:


1 John 1:9-2:2


Intercession means that Jesus Christ represents us before the throne of God and we do not have to represent ourselves.


Hebrews 7:25 “Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.”


  •  Christ Loves Us- Romans 8:35-39


Nothing can separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.


Romans 8:35-36 “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36As it is written: “For Your sake we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.”


Since we do, do you think He will desert us? Of course not!


Romans 8:37 “Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.”


We are “more than conquerors..” Literally, we are super conquerors through Jesus Christ!


Romans 8:38-39 “For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, 39nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”


No condemnation! No obligation! No frustration! No separation!


If God be for us, who can be against us?