Romans 8:26 ¶ Likewise the
Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as
we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which
cannot be uttered. 27 And he that
searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he
maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God. 28 And we know that all things work together for
good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his
purpose.
Paul says
here that many times we cannot even pray for what we should or as we ought to
and the Holy Spirit opens up that communication channel with the throne and
says the things that need to be said. The Holy Spirit, the very mind of God,
makes the throne of the universe just a whisper away. As God has made man being
composed of three parts; soul, body, and spirit, so is God composed of those
three parts and yet being one God.
God has a soul we call God the Father, invisible, the seat of will
and self-identity.
Psalm
11:5 The LORD trieth the righteous: but
the wicked and him that loveth violence his soul hateth.
God has a Spirit, how He
moves throughout creation and acts on it and in it.
Genesis
1:2 And the earth was without form, and
void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved
upon the face of the waters.
Romans
8:9 But ye are not in the flesh, but in
the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you.
This Spirit is called the
Holy Ghost, the Comforter.
1Corinthians
12:3 Wherefore I give you to understand,
that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and that no
man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost.
John
14:16 And I will pray the Father, and he
shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; 17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world
cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him;
for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you…26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost,
whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring
all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
The
Holy Spirit in its function, the Holy Ghost in His identity, is the mind of God
and also God.
For contexts
where the Spirit of God or the spirit of man can be synonymous with mind please
see the following;
Romans
8:27 And he that searcheth the hearts
knoweth what is the mind
of the Spirit, because he
maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.
1Corinthians
2:16 For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may
instruct him? But we have the mind of
Christ.
Ephesians
4:23 And be renewed in the spirit
of your mind;
Philippians
1:27 Only let your conversation be as it
becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be
absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the
faith of the gospel;
2Timothy
1:7 For God hath not given us the spirit
of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
God
not only has a soul and a mind but has a body, His person, whom man can see,
and has even touched, as God in the flesh, called the Son of God, the Lord
Jesus Christ.
Colossians 1:15 Who is the image of the invisible God, the
firstborn of every creature:
Hebrews 1:3 Who being the brightness of his glory, and
the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his
power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of
the Majesty on high;
God searches
you through your spirit, lowercase s, in you, using your very mind to see what
you are about.
Proverbs 20:27 The spirit
of man is the candle of the LORD, searching all the inward parts of the belly.
He knows your every thought.
Verse 28 is a
very important verse and a good introduction to what comes next. According to
the sentence structure people who love God are the called according to His
purpose. It’s not rocket science.
Where else
are people referred to as the called? In chapter 1 it was the Christians
at Rome whom Paul was writing to as well as Paul Himself.
Romans 1:1 ¶ Paul, a
servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of
God, 2 (Which he had promised afore by
his prophets in the holy scriptures,) 3
Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of
David according to the flesh; 4 And
declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness,
by the resurrection from the dead: 5 By
whom we have received grace and apostleship, for obedience to the faith among
all nations, for his name: 6 Among whom
are ye also the called of Jesus Christ: 7
To all that be in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to
you and peace
from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.
When you
believe you are called to something, called to be saints, sanctified ones set
apart for God. Here in this passage in Romans 8 loving God precedes the
calling.
In Paul’s
argument in 1Corinthians 1 the calling is for those that believe, that they be
sanctified, set apart for God’s purpose.
1Corinthians 1:17 ¶ For
Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of
words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect. 18 For the
preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but
unto us which are saved it is the power of God. 19 For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom
of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.
20 Where is the wise? where is the
scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the
wisdom of this world? 21 For after that
in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the
foolishness of preaching to save them that believe. 22 For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks
seek after wisdom: 23 But we preach
Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks
foolishness; 24 But unto them which are
called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.
25 Because the foolishness of God is
wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men. 26 For ye see your calling, brethren, how that
not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called:
27 But God hath chosen the foolish
things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things
of the world to confound the things which are mighty; 28 And base things of the world, and things
which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to
nought things that are: 29 That no flesh
should glory in his presence. 30 But of
him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and
righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: 31 That, according as it is written, He that
glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.
In fact,
those who are called are also elected, known beforehand by God, by virtue of
their calling.
1Peter 1:2 Elect according
to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit,
unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and
peace, be multiplied.
2Peter 1:10 Wherefore the
rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if
ye do these things, ye shall never fall:
And yet, that
we would be sanctified, those who believe, was from before the world began,
based on His foreknowledge. We are chosen that we would be holy and without
blame before him in love.
Ephesians 1:4 According as
he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be
holy and without blame before him in love:
When we are saved we are said to
be sealed and the Holy Spirit is given to us as a deposit, earnest money, so to
speak.
2Corinthians 1:22 Who hath also sealed
us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.
Ephesians 1:13 In whom ye also
trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation:
in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of
promise,
Ephesians 4:30 And grieve not the holy
Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.
Now let’s
remember this statement Paul makes later regarding God’s perfect will.
1Timothy 2:4 Who will have
all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.
So, let’s put
it together. God wants all men to be saved. He did not make any for the express
purpose of damning them. While God calls all men to Christ only He knows
beforehand who will receive Him. Those who receive Christ have a calling and
are called by God to serve Him and love Him.
We are about
to see what we are predestinated to be and how we can be predestinated to
anything.
But, to conclude with this
passage, what does it mean all things work together for good?
The Bible is
primarily a book to us, a conversation if you will, from God to us. It is the
revelation of His ministry, God’s ministry, of reconciling mankind to Himself.
Hence whatever brings us closer to God is good. This is not about you getting
the job you want or having a good day with no nuisances. Either something draws
you closer to God or it pushes you further away. All things draw us closer to
God if we are saved, the chosen, the called, the saints, the sanctified ones
who belong to God. Unfortunately, that magical 1-2-3 repeat after me mantra
that passes for salvation has fooled
many people into thinking they’ve made a commitment when they haven’t even
considered Christ’s resurrection, the belief in which is the foundation of our
salvation as stated in Romans 10:9-10. If a painful event in your life can push
you away from God you need to immerse yourself in His words in His book to
learn the truth about reality and your life. I recommend really digging into
Job. Then pray, ask for guidance, and submit yourself humbly to His will as
revealed in the Bible and in reality.
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