Opening Prayer
God our father, we are truly thankful for this opportunity to study Your Holy Word. As it is given to us in Romans. Teach us now those matters that you would have us learn from this study. Lead us in our efforts to serve thee that we might become more effective witnessing Christians in our day to day lives. Be with those of our group that are not here tonight, we pray that you will share our blessing with them. In Jesus Holy name, Amen
Scripture reading Romans 8:18-27…. The matter of Suffering,
27 For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the coming glory to be revealed in us. 19 For the earnest expectation of the creation waits for the manifestation of the sons of God. 20 For the creation was not willingly subjected to vanity, but because of Him who subjected it on hope 21 that the creation itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. 22 And we know that the whole creation groans and travails in pain together until now. 23 And not only so, but ourselves also, who have the first fruit of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, awaiting adoption, the redemption of our body. 24 For we are saved by hope. But hope that is seen is not hope; for what anyone sees, why does he also hope for it? 25 But if we hope for that which we do not see, then we wait for it with patience. 26 Likewise the Spirit also helps our infirmities. 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. 27 And He searching the hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.
Discussion
Paul tells us here that trials are to be expected. Suffering is part of this life. We are to keep our faith and even strengthen our trust in Him during times of trial for God will create a greater good out of it. The present state of our world, even as sin seems to envelop it, the projects we suffer for, the missions we struggle with, expose a world of hurt , the sufferings we see, even in our own ministry, cannot begin to prepare us for the coming glory that will be revealed in us. We are not to lose hope, but hope in what can be seen or possessions that can be lost, is not true hope, But we are to pray for the hope that saves. The very soul of our caring does not even know how to pray for release from the suffering, nor can it be explained away in the most eloquent words. In this, the spirit intercedes for us. In simple terms, the benefits of sonship far outweigh the price we are called upon to pay as sons of God. (2Co 4:16-18) Paul reflects his deep, personal conviction of this in his words to the Corinthians: We are to continue in prayer and always seeking the will of God in our lives. But we are not to allow such matters to overtake the single purpose for which God created us. Recognizing the complete sovereignty and holiness of God. Our souls will enjoy no satisfaction short of the Glory of God.
Questions
Q.1 What is meant by Paul’s reference to the sufferings of this present time?
Q.2 Why do you think that God allows tragedy and suffering?
Q.3 How is our response to suffering different from a non-believer?
Q.4 How have you reacted to suffering in the past?
Q.5 How does the Spirit intercede for us?
Q.6 Describe some instances of the suffering that creation is experiencing
Q.7 Why is it important for you to know that the Holy Spirit “groans” with you?
P.2
Predestination
Predestination is a doctrine which is interpreted in different ways by different faiths. It is one of the most misunderstood of all religious doctrines. And because of this, the matter is often a point of contentious debate. These verses are Paul’s effort in helping his readers understand God’s Love for His creation. And these scriptures also support our desire to have a better understanding of what God has predestined for those whom he has called. There are two great questions of predestination. (1) What is God’s intention for his creation? And (2) How can we determine the truth of the matter? Both are easily answered. But with so many differing interpretations the truth of it is still very elusive
Scripture reading Romans 8:28-39…. Who shall separate us from the Love of Christ?
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. 29 For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. 30 And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified. 31 What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all--how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? 33 Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. 34 Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died--more than that, who was raised to life--is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 36 As it is written: "For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered." 37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
A brief discussion of Predestination
Much like the story of Joseph whose brothers sold him into slavery. His brothers filled with rage and envy against him, meant it for evil, but God turned it all for good, (Genesis 37:2-50:26). Do you agree that God could have prevented all of that from happening? Certainly we would not agree that Josephs brothers were “doing the right thing” when they sold him into slavery, “nice guys” such as they were. But God worked the whole matter for good. Coincidence? I think not.
We have free will, God allows us to make mistakes, and bad decisions, not to serve evil, but to allow us to be truly free. But he will turn events to serve his purposes in the lives of those whom he has called. Not everything happens to serve “our good”, but to serve God’s good purposes for those who are true believers. God does not interfere with mans decisions be they good or bad decisions, they are still our decisions.. Here is a phrase from Exodus 33: vs 19, with God speaking to Moses. “I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.” That tells me that Gods mercy and discretion is flexible, and applicable if, when, where, and how He chooses. God is in control, and we are not privy to his manner of decision making, no matter who we are. However it is Jesus who is full of the knowledge of God, and what He has purposed for every living soul. Because of Jesus, Salvation is offered to all who believe in him. That is God’s plan
Pg.3
Predestined? Yes there are those whom God foreknew, and he foreordained some as well. ( Ephesians 1:5-14) Whom he foreknew, he also predestined" means that God's appointment of the destiny of his people is based on his prior election, and this election is not based on any foreseen faith that we could produce by some power of self-determination. (one cannot save ones own soul). The plan of redemption was never conceived to include the saving power of human self-determination. John 3:16; For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. Is this verse the basis for predestination, regardless it is the basis for our salvation
To correctly understand these passages, it is essential that we understand that eternal life in the Kingdom of God is the proper destiny of every member of the human race! This does not mean that every individual will arrive at the destiny God has set before the human race.
Rather, it means that God's purpose for humankind was established before the foundation of the world was laid, and that all who cooperate with His desire for the entire human race will reach their God purposed, proper destination.
Predestination, then, pertains to the purpose God had in mind when He decided to make creatures bearing His own image and likeness. It concerns the destination God established for the human race before He put humans on this planet.
The failure to find the salvation offered to humankind by a gracious and loving God seems more likely determined by the way men and women "reject God's purpose for themselves" ( Luke 12:30 ) rather than to a prior, unalterable rejection by God. In other words, we are predestined to either condemnation, or to glorification by the acceptance or rejection of Gods predetermined plan of salvation through His Son Jesus Christ. Who Himself was predestined to become our only salvation. It is not ours to choose eternal life, It is God’s to Grant us eternal life because we choose to obey his will for our life. . Luke 10:27 "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind'; and, 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'"
Our choice is not eternal life or eternal condemnation, Our choice is to obey Gods call, or not to obey God’s call. The outcome of that choice is God’s predetermined plan
Questions
Q.1 What are your feelings about the events of life that happen in our world, some being truly accidental, some which work obviously for the good, and some which surely are evil?
Q.2 With which do you feel that God would choose to become involved?
Q.3 How would you describe your response to what God’s intends for Your path of life?
Q.4 How do you respond to your freedom to choose the path of life for yourself?
Q.5 God gave Adam and Eve the freedom of choice, how did that turn out?
Q.6 After God saw that man does not always make morally right choices, what did he do?
Q.7 What does The Bible say about how God feels about the world?
Q.8 How would you respond to the matter of God directing the life of an individual?
Q.9 What is your response to what the life of Jesus, has meant for your life?
Q.10 I was first a non believer but then I accepted Jesus as my savior, what is that called?
Q.11 What has “being born again” got to do with one’s salvation?
Q.12 Do you feel the “new life” of the born again person is self directed?
Q.13 What is God’s intention for the citizens of his world?
Pg.4
Scripture references
2Co 4:16-18 For this cause we do not faint; but though our outward man perishes, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. 17 For the lightness of our present affliction works out for us a far more excellent eternal weight of glory, 18 we not considering the things which are seen, but the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are not lasting, but the things which are not seen are everlasting.
Ephesians 1: 5-14 having predestined us to the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, 6 to the praise of the glory of His grace, in which He has made us accepted in the One having been loved. 7 In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace, 8 which He caused to abound toward us in all wisdom and understanding; 9 having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself, 10 for an administration of the fullness of times, to head up all things in Christ, both the things in Heaven, and the things on earth, even in Him, 11 in whom also we have been chosen to an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His own will, 12 for us to be to the praise of His glory, who previously had trusted in Christ; 13 in whom also you, hearing the Word of Truth, the gospel of our salvation, in whom also believing, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, 14 who is the earnest of our inheritance, to the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.
Luke 12:30 For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them. 31 But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well.
Pg.5
Meditation
John 3:16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. That is the basis for predestination
The term predestination means "to mark out beforehand," and refers to the plan and goal of salvation that God has predetermined for the whole human race which His great love embraces.
We can and do make choices about our salvation, and God has set the results against our choices. But it is not that we can choose Christ and secure our salvation by having chosen for ourselves. It is not us, but Jesus who saves. It is that God has called all of humankind to make a choice to follow Christ. Once we give our life to Christ, we become one of those predestined to Gods set plan for our salvation, but it is not our choice that saves us, we are saved by the Grace of God. Our choice, once we heard God’s call, simply opened the door to Christ.
Revelation_3:20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock: if any man hear my voice and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. It is God’s plan and calling that has given us the desire to know Christ and invite Him into our hearts and thus begin the process of our salvation. Not every one is called, and not everyone answers the call,
Philippians 2:12 -13 Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed--not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence--continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.
Predestination does not refer here to the choice of who will be saved. It refers to the destiny appointed for those who receive and accept the call. First, God chooses, that is, he unconditionally sets his favor on whom he will, (just as he did Adam and Eve). But man’s failure changed God’s original plan, and then God had to make other provisions, which He did. (Genesis 2:7- 3:24). And (Genesis 6:13)
The Bible tells us that God’s sovereignty under girds our salvation and our freedom. He works all things together for our good. Not all things are good, in the sense that they reflect God’s original good intention for the world, but all things work together for good under God’s guidance, for those called of God. That means that even our sins, which bring God’s judgments, are woven into His amazing plan. This should not cause us to cringe in fear. God’s sovereignty is for us. He is controlling all things for the ultimate good of his creation, and we, His Chosen are part of that creation He is working all things together not simply for His own purposes, but for the good of those He has called into His kingdom. Yet even today, there are those that would deny Jesus as Savior. Their destiny hangs in the balance their souls are safe in God’s grace, but there must be a willingness to accept that Jesus is Savior. The call has been issued, The chosen will respond.
AMEN
This is by no means the end of the discussion of predestination. It is simply one interpretation and should be understood as one view of one person still seeking the truth of the matter.
(1) What is God’s intention for his creation? And (2) How can we determine the truth of the matter? Both are easily answered. But with so many differing interpretations the truth of it is still very elusive
Pg.6
Predestined, Foreknowledge, Called, Born again, Saved, Justified, Sanctified, Glorified
All are words related to predestinations discussions
A TRUE BELIEVER
1....believes the Word of God. 1 John 3:14
2. ...has a hunger for God’s Word. 1 Peter 2:2
3....prays to his Heavenly Father. 2 Peter 2:7-8
4. ...loves the brethren. 1 John 3:7-8
5 ...obeys the Lord (keeps His Word). 1 John 5:9-10
6....does not continue in sin but lives a righteous life. 1 John 2:3-4
7....does not enjoy living in sin. Romans 8:15-16
8....performs good works. Romans 10:9-10 Matthew 10:32-33
9....confesses Christ before men James 2:14-26
These scriptures are descriptive of and ought to characterize the life of a true believer. If you are a true child of God, then you ought to show it and live it. A believer should know that he is saved and should show that he is saved. You ought to bear the family image (1 John 3:9-10). If these things do not characterize your life, there is a serious spiritual problem.
Two possibilities exist You may have professed salvation but you may never have possessed salvation, given you heart to God. Or there is the possibility that you are an intellectual believer, one who knows and understands the path of life for the true believer, but one whose heart is still a captive of this world.
Nothing is more important than your relationship to the Lord Jesus Christ, and you need to do whatever is necessary so that you can have a real and right, healthy and happy relationship with the only true God. Not just Intellectually but in a spiritual sense as well. This comes from a total commitment to dedicate your life to Christ, heart, soul, mind, and body, There is no greater victory for a Christian, than to succeed in the accomplishment of complete surr
