The Commitment
The Commitment
- Greg Waybright
- Romans 8:28-39
- Made New - A Study in Romans
- 41 mins 32 secs
- Views: 1174
Study Notes
Made New: The Commitment
Romans 8:28-39
The holy God, the Creator of the universe, has made a personal commitment to you. That’s what I want to speak to you about today. God promises he will make everything right in your life.
We have been talking about that for months here at LAC in a series from Romans 5-8 that I’ve called Made New. Today, we come to the very last message that the Apostle Paul, who wrote this book, wanted to give us. Almost all who have read these 12 verses agree that they are among the most beautifully and movingly written in the entire Bible. And, they are all about the commitment that our perfect and holy God makes to imperfect and unholy people like us, a commitment to finish in us what he started when we placed our faith in Jesus.
It’s a bit difficult to talk about what this commitment from God is like because there are no commitments in this world that are quite like it. Many of us make commitments in this world. Almost every advertisement in our consumerist society contains a commitment that, if you will buy a particular product or get involved in some kind of program, that good things will happen. Here’s an advertisement to help you look young that makes an enormous commitment to you, one I doubt it can keep: We all know that we have trouble keeping our commitments perfectly. I remember the commitments I used to make as a university president. I would meet with parents and tell them that, if their children came to our school, we would be committed to developing the intellectual, relational, spiritual and physical lives of their lives. And, we sought to do just that. However, I could promise no assurances that all this would happen. There were so many things outside of my control. So, I could only promise that we would do all that was in our power to fulfill our commitments. And, for the most part, people understood that very well. We human beings are not all-powerful and all-wise. We all often cannot follow through perfectly on our commitments.
How different it is with the commitment we see God making in Romans 8:28-39. Let me summarize briefly what we find in Romans 1-8. In Romans 1-3, Paul makes it clear that each and every one of us has fallen short of what God would have us to be. By the time we get to Rom 3:10, the Bible simply says, “There is no one right with God – no not one!”
But, everything changes in 3:21ff. In those verses, we learn that God has found a way to forgive our sins and declare us right with him, i.e., Jesus came and lived the perfect life that none of us has and then died on a cross in our place so that the punishment necessary for our sins has been paid for. Hear now some good news: You can be cleansed from your sin and guilt by placing your faith in Jesus. When Jesus is your savior, you are made right with God. All that was in Rom 1-4.
Then we come to the chapters we’ve studied these months at LAC, Romans 5-8. In those chapters, when you have placed your faith in Jesus, you not only have peace with God through Jesus, but you also are given the Holy Spirit to begin to remake your life. Oh, we still struggle with temptation and trials. We all know that. So, hear now some more good news: God will not leave you as you are. When you place your faith in Jesus, God begins a work in you to re-make you to be what you were meant to be, i.e., a person who is conformed to the very image of Jesus. He will work all things together to bring about his good. That’s God’s commitment.
Now, we come to the end of these four great chapters of Scripture. And, what we find in the last 12 verses, 8:28-39, is God making a personal commitment to finishing his work in you. I will only go briefly through what God’s Word says. (Someday, I will come back and spend more time with this passage.) But today, I want to remind you of God’s commitment to you and show you the basis for trusting him to keep that commitment. When I’m done, I will call us all to respond to what God says.
The Commitment God Makes to His Children (8:28-30) Those he justified, he also glorified (8:30).
Paul summarizes Romans 1-8 in a brilliant way in 8:29-30: Those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.
Look at the verbs in those verses:
- God foreknew – “Foreknew” in Jewish thought is not only about knowing something in our brains. It has to do with a personal relationship. Paul is saying that God was preparing to enter into a relationship with you before you ever knew him. This is the same point God’s Word makes in 1 Jn 4:19: “We love because he first loved us.” So, God loved us, called us, and reached out to us even when we were in our sins. The point is that salvation is by grace. It is by grace we are saved – not by our works (Eph2:8-9).
- God predestined – This is not saying that some are predestined to be saved and others are not. It’s saying clearly that those who are in Christ by grace through faith are promised a destiny. What is that future destiny God promises? “To be conformed to the image of his Son.”
- God justified – God is the only one who can say that we are now innocent before him. That’s what this word is about: God has used his Son’s death on a cross to made us right with him.
- God glorified – “Glorified” is God’s end goal for you and me. This is his commitment to us, to make us like Jesus. It’s interesting that this word is in the past tense because this work of God is not done yet. But it's put this way because anything that an all‑powerful one plans to do is already as good as done. It's as certain as if it has already happened.
There are no dropouts from God’s family along the way. Those whom God has justified are already as good as being glorified. Again: This is God’s commitment to us. And different from human commitments, God will finish what he has started.
The Basis of Our Confidence in God’s Commitment (8:31-39) God is for us (8:31).
Look at the question in 8:31: What, then, shall we say in response to these things? The phrase “these things” refers to all the reasons the Bible has given for us to have confidence that God will fulfill his commitment to us: One statement summarizes it all: God is for us! Look at the two ways he is for us: 1) the work of God for us in Christ and 2) the love of God for us in Christ.
- The work of God for us in Christ Jesus (8:31-34)
The Question: If God is for us, who can be against us?
In these four verses, the Apostle Paul being in a courtroom having to give account for how we have lived. Why should we be declared innocent before God when we all know we have sinned? All of you who are lawyers or judges can envision this perfectly. God is the judge. Jesus is our attorney. Anyone who has seen us sin could be called to give evidence – including the devil himself.
Let’s walk through the case Paul makes verse by verse:
* V.31 – Paul says that if God is the judge and he has already declared that he is for you, then no one and nothing can really stand against you.
* V.32 -- In view of the fact that God the Judge has expressed His commitment to you by sacrificing His own Son for you, you can be sure that he will give you all you need even when you don't see yourself making much progress -- or when you cannot grasp that he will work all things that happen to you for your good.
* Vv.33‑34a remind you again that any accusations that people, Satan or even your own self may bring against you are of no real consequence since God has already declared His verdict about you.
* V.34b makes the bold and precise declaration that the one who is advocating for you will is the same one who died for you and bore the punishment for your sins!
Bottom line: It’s a fait accompli case. There is no one and nothing who can condemn you because Jesus Christ, your Savior, has died for you and has been raised from the dead to be your intercessor before the Father. God fulfills his commitments. You need no longer be a slave to fear. You are a child of God.
So, the work of God is for us in Christ Jesus. How else is God for us?
- The love of God for us in Christ Jesus (8:35-39).
The Question: Who shall separate us from the love of in Christ?
Knowing that God personally declares you innocent of all charges against you is a wonderful thing. But, Jesus is not only your defender. No, he is also the one who loves you, died for you and enters into an ongoing personal relationship with you. Nothing will ever separate you from that love.
I don’t think there is a more powerful or moving passage in the Bible than vv.35‑39. Who or what could possibly separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus? Paul anticipates every possible barrier that might try to destroy your relationship with God. Physical afflictions and persecutions, the fear of death, the terror of demonic influences, the temptations and allures of the world, and anything above the earth or below the earth and seas. The Apostle Paul tries to think of anything, anything in all creation that can undo what commits to doing. Anything he imagines all comes under a single verdict: It can't do it! Nothing can separate us from God’s love.
So, the reason we can be certain that God will finish his work is not how hard we strive to be good. Nor is it how much we accomplish accomplishments. No, it is God's eternal purpose and work on our behalf that flows out of his love for us. It's not our fragile and wavering love for God that is the foundation for our assurance that God will do what he has said he will do, but His invincible love for us.
In v. 37, he declares that, in spite of all the different kinds of difficulties in this world, we are “more than conquerors” – “hypernikao” in Paul’s language -- i.e., super-conquerors. This means, I think, we not only make it through the trials of this world but make progress because of the trials that come. At the end of pain, we're better off than before. This is the point I made last week from Rom 8:18-27, i.e., it’s not just that we make it through the temptations and trials that come in this world. No, God is at work in all those things work to bring about his good in us. So, in his final words to us about God making everything new in us, Paul says that, while we’re still in the process of what Christians have called “sanctification”, of being made new, there is nothing that will keep God from loving you.
Let’s put it all together: As Romans 8 began with “there is no condemnation” for all who are in Christ, so it ends with “there is no separation from God’s love” while he completes his work. As we started this series of messages in Romans 5 with the fact that, in Christ, you have peace with God, so, in Romans 8 we end with the even greater declaration that in Christ, you are loved by God. To be a Christian is to have a love relationship with God.
Love is a beautiful word. Nothing brings radiance to a person's life as much as love. And in the midst of all the rot of this world, I want to tell you that when Jesus is your Savior, you are loved by God. Let me tell you again: You are eternally loved by the eternal God.
God is the one who, through Romans 5-8, makes this commitment to you when you are a Christian: “I will declare you right with me because of what Jesus did on the cross. I will remake you into one who glorifies me just as Jesus does. And until I am done, I will love you.
That is God’s commitment to all who are in Christ Jesus.
God’s commitment of grace and love to us calls for a response. The response is, first, to accept Jesus as your Savior by faith. At the same time, I see that, the one who hears of the love and grace of God also is called, as Paul would put it in Galatians 2:20, “I no longer live for myself but for him who died and rose again.” What does that life look like?
I have gone back over Romans 5-8 and listed some commitments I would like you to consider in light of God commitment to make all things new in your life. I’ll go through those with you now – pausing to ask you to join me in prayer after each. After I’ve done that, I will give you a chance to make a more formal commitment to the Lord as a response to his Word:
My Romans 5-8 Commitments
I make a commitment today and each day:
- To live no more for myself but for Jesus, who loved me and gave himself for me.
God demonstrates his love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us (5:8).
All: Lord, help me remember that you loved me while I was a sinner – and that you love me still.
Help me to be humble because of my sin that requires mercy and thankful for your love that provides it.
I will not forget your great blessings lavished on me only because of your grace.
- To surrender my thoughts, desires and decisions to the Lordship of Jesus.
Count yourself dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus (6:11).
All: Lord Jesus, I will be your servant, under your command. I will no longer be my own.
I will give up my priorities and preferences to your will in all things.
- Both to acknowledge my sins and to rejoice in God’s salvation.
I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing… Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord (7:19,25)!
All: Lord, I will no longer trust in my own strength and power.
In my weakness, I will not forget that, in Christ, you have declared that I am right with you.
With your help, I will learn to rely upon your promise that I am saved by grace through faith in Jesus.
- To set my mind on what God’s Spirit desires.
Those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires (8:5).
All: Lord, I vow to set aside some time each day to spend alone before you;
I will seek to learn from your Word what your Spirit desires,
and then to set my mind on those things rather than my own desires.
- To live with the certain hope – both in good times and bad -- that God is making everything new.
In all things God works for the good of those who love him… Nothing will separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord (8:28,39)!
All: Lord, make me what you will.
I put myself fully into your hands:
Put me to doing what you will. Put me to suffering if you will,
Let me be employed for you, or laid aside for you.
Let me be full; let me be empty,
Let me have all things; let me have nothing.
Do all that you will until you have conformed me to the image of my Savior, your Son, Jesus Christ.
The Blessing to Be Offered:
Holy Father, in the name of Jesus, I ask you now to bless this sister/brother with the strength to fulfill these commitments. Remind her/him always that nothing will separate her/him from your love that is in Christ Jesus. Fill him with your joy until your work is complete in her/him and she/he is conformed to the image of your Son.
Chinese Study Notes
更新: 委身
羅馬書 8:28-39
聖潔的神,宇宙的創造者對你委身! 相信麼?這就是我今天要講的信息。神愛你,祂應許要你的生命全然更新稱義。
這幾個月我們教會一直在講羅馬書5-8章的“更新”系列,今天我們要討論這本書的作者使徒保羅在這一段的最後。所有讀過這12節經文的都同意這段經文是整部聖經最感人、最美麗的篇章。這裡所討論的委身,是完美聖潔的神向不完美、不聖潔的人的委身;當我們相信耶穌時,他就開始了這樣的委身,並要在我們的身上成就。
要談論從神而來的委身有點困難,因為這個世界沒有如此的委身,倒是我們對這個世界有很多委身。在商業化社會幾乎每個廣告都有一個承諾,如果你買了這個產品,就會有怎樣的好處。以下是一個承諾你返老還童的廣告,我懷疑它的持久性https://i.ytimg.com/vi/PRNvhGND7Kc/hqdefault.jpg 我們都知道我們很難完美地持守承諾。我記得我當大學校長時做過許多承諾。我要會見家長告訴他們說,如果他們的孩子來我們學校,我們就承諾使孩子們的德智體和人際關係都得到發展;我們也應該這樣做,但我卻不能保證一定能做到,因為有許多不能控制的因素。我只能應許我們將盡力而為實現我們的承諾,而大多數人也可以理解。我們人類並非全能全智,我們常常不能完美地實現我們的承諾。
而神在羅馬書8:28-39的委身是多麼不同。在1-8章,神的話告訴我們,神在世上做工,要帶來祂和平與公義的國度。對人類而言,使徒保羅在1-3章說得很清楚,每個人都虧欠了神的榮耀,在3章10節,聖經明說:“沒有一個義人,一個也沒有!”
但是3:21節改變了一切,這段經文告訴我們神以一個特別的方法赦免我們的罪並宣告我們在祂面前成義,那就是耶穌來了,並活出人類不曾有的完美生命,他替我們死在十字架上,付清了我們的罪債。聽這福音:因著信耶穌,你可以從罪孽中得潔淨。當耶穌成為你的救主,你就在神面前成義。這就是1-4章所寫的。
接著我們來到這幾個月來在教會學習的這幾段經文,羅馬書5-8,在這幾章中,當你把信心放在耶穌身上,你不僅藉著耶穌與神和好,你也被賜予聖靈得以開始更新你的生命。我們都知道仍然會有試探和試煉的掙扎。這裡是更好的信息:神不讓你再像過去那樣!當你信耶穌時,神就在你裡面做工,重造你成為你本來的樣式,轉變像耶穌。他叫萬事互相效力,帶給你祂的良善。這就是神的委身。
現在,我們來到這四個偉大篇章的結尾,我們在最後的12節看見神對你的委身,要成就在你身上的工。今天我只能簡單過一下神的話(以後我會回來更多談論這一段),請注意:神委身於你,並告訴你為什麼你可以信任祂能持守委身。我們結束時,我要呼召大家回應神的話。
神對祂子女的委身 (8:28-30) 所稱為義的人,又使他們得榮耀 (8:30)
保羅在8:29-30節,以精彩的方式總結羅馬書的1-8章:因為神預先所知道的人,神也預先定下他們和他兒子的形像相似,使他兒子在眾多弟兄中做長子;而且,神預先所定下的人,神又召他們來;所召來的人,又稱他們為義;所稱為義的人,又使他們得榮耀。
看看這些經文的動詞吧:
- 神所預先知道的 – “預先知道” 在猶太思想中不僅是在頭腦中知道,更是有著個人的關係,保羅說神在你還不認識祂的時候就預備進入 和你的關係中。正如約翰一書4:9節神說:“我們愛是因神先愛了我們。” 所以當我們還在罪中時,神就愛我們,呼召我們,主動尋找我們;我們得救是本乎恩,不是自己的功勞。
- 神所預先定下的– 這並非說一些人預定得救,一些人沒有;而是清楚說那些本於恩、因著信在基督裡的人有一個被應許的結局,就是神所應許的未來: 神也預先定下他們和他兒子的形像相似
- 神所稱為義的 – 神是唯一可以說我們是無罪的,祂的道就在於此:神用祂兒子在十架上的死使我們可以和祂建立正確的關係。
- 神所榮耀的 – “榮耀” 是神對你我生命最終的目的。這是祂對我們的委身,使我們像耶穌。有意思的是,神的工作尚未結束,但這個詞卻用了過去時態;全能者所做的任何事都像是已經完成了那樣美好,都像事情已經開始那樣確定。
而且中途不會失落。那些被神稱為義的已經像得了榮耀那樣美好。這就是神對我們的委身。與人的委身不同,神必要成全他所開始的。
我們相信神委身的信心基礎 (8:31-39) 神支持我們(8:31).
看看8:31的問題: 那麼,對這些事我們要怎麼說呢? “這些事” 指的是聖經給我們的所有原因,使我們相信神必成就他對我們的委身,一言以蔽之: 神支持我們! 看看他支援我們的兩個方式: 1) 在基督裡神為我們的工作 ;2) 在基督裡神對我們的愛
- 在基督裡神為我們的工作 (8:31-34)
問題: 神如果支持我們,誰還能反對我們呢?
在這四節裡,使徒保羅設身在法庭上,講述我們是如何生活的。當我們自知有罪時,為什麼會在神面前被宣告無罪呢?你們有作律師和法官的可以好好想一下。神是法官,耶穌是我們的律師,所有見過我們犯罪的,包括魔鬼,都可以被稱為見證人。
讓我們一節節地看保羅的案子:
* 31節 --保羅說,如果神是法官,那神已經聲明了他會支持你,所以沒有什麼人或事能反對你。
* 32節 -- 事實上,大法官神藉著他自己兒子為我們的擺上,已經表明了他向我們的委身;我們可以確信他會把我們需要的都給我們,儘管你沒有看見自己的進步,沒有體會到神為了你的益處而讓一些事發生在你身上。
* 33‑34a--再次提醒你,因著神已經宣佈了要為你伸冤,無論從人、從魔鬼,甚至從你自己而來的對你的控告都不能有什麼真正的後果。
* 34b --有勇氣地準確斷言,支持你的那一位就是為你而死,承擔你刑罰的那一位。
歸根結底: 這是既成事實的案子!因著耶穌基督,你的救主----為你死又從死裡復活,在父的面前替你祈求的那一位,沒有什麼人或事能夠控告你。神信守他的應許,你不再像一個奴隸害怕,你是神的孩子。
神就是這樣在基督裡為我們的工作 ;此外,神還以何種方式支援我們呢?
- 在基督裡神對我們的愛 (8:35-39).
問題: 誰能使我們與基督的愛分開呢?
認識到神個人性地宣告你在一切控告面前都無罪,真是一件奇妙的事。但耶穌不只是你的辯護者,他還愛你、為你死、並進入與你的關係中。沒有什麼可以使你與他的愛相隔絕。
我認為35-39節是聖經中最有力、最感人的一段。有什麼人或事能使我們與在基督耶穌裡的神的愛相隔絕呢?保羅預估了可能破壞你與神關係的各種障礙:身體的患難與逼迫,對死亡的懼怕,擔心魔鬼的攪擾,世界的試探和誘惑,天上地下或海洋的影響。使徒保羅試著去想每件事,每件被造物試圖推翻神所成就的或神應許要成就的事---結論是,這一切都伏在一個裁決下:辦不到!沒有什麼能把我們與神的愛分開。
所以,神能持守對我們委身的確據不是我們努力做個好人或我們個人的成就;而是神為著我們益處的永恆目標和工作,是神使他的愛福杯滿溢。我們的脆弱和對神的愛的小信也註定不是神實現他應許的確據,而是他對我們無比的愛。
在37節,他宣告,儘管世界上有各種各樣的困難,我們都得勝有餘了,就是勝了又勝。我想,神不僅使我們經過這世界的試煉,並要讓我們因著試煉來臨得以成長。痛苦結束的時候,我們比以前更好。這就是我上週從羅馬書8:18-27 等節經文中所談的,我們不只是在這個世界上經過試探和試煉,而是神叫萬事都互相效力,帶給我們生命中神的良益。因此,保羅在最後的話中告訴我們神在我們生命中叫我們全然更新,雖然我們還在更新進程中,基督徒稱為“成聖”的過程,但是沒有任何事可以隔絕神對你的愛。
讓我們總結一下:羅馬書第8章一開始就說,“沒有什麼可以控告在基督裡的人”;又以“沒有什麼能把我們與神的愛隔絕”為結尾。當我們在第5章開始這個系列時,我們認定在基督裡,我們與神和好;而在第8章,有更大的宣告說,在基督裡,你被神所愛;就是說作為基督徒,我們與神有著愛的關係。
愛是一個美麗的詞彙。沒有什麼能像愛一樣帶給人生命的光彩。在這個破碎腐朽的世界中,我要告訴你,當耶穌是你的救主時,你被神所愛。讓我再次告訴你:你被永生的神永遠地愛著。
神就是在羅馬書5-8章向我們委身的那一位:“我宣告,因著耶穌的工作,你在我面前成為義,並被我所愛,我要以永遠的愛來愛你。‘永遠’ 就是愛你愛到你得了榮耀,愛到你轉變成為基督的樣式。”
這就是神對我們所有在基督耶穌裡之人的委身。
神以恩典和愛對我們委身,呼召我們回應他。這回應首先是憑信接受耶穌作你的救主;同時,要聽神恩典和愛的呼召,像保羅在加拉太書2:20節所表述的: “所以現在活著的不再是我,而是基督在我裡面活著” ---這樣的生命是什麼樣子呢?
我回顧了羅馬書5-8章,列出了一些應許;我請你照著神使你生命完全更新的應許,好好思想。我現在就和你們過一遍---每一個應許後,我要停下來請你和我一起禱告。然後,我要給你機會向主做一個更正式的委身來回應他的話。
羅馬書五至八章我的委身
今天及每一天我作出委身:
- 我不再為自己而活,而是為愛我並為我而死的耶穌而活。
唯有基督在我們還作罪人的時候為我們死,神的愛就在此向我們顯明了(5:8)
眾人:主阿,請幫助我記得當我仍是罪人時,你愛我!且如今你仍然愛著我。
請幫助我謙卑自己,乃因我的罪需要你的寬恕慈愛,並幫助我感恩你所給予的愛。
我將不忘因你的恩典厚加予我莫大的祝福。
- 我的意念、欲望與決擇順服於耶穌主權。
你們向罪也當看自己是死的,向神在基督耶穌裡,卻當看自己是活的。(6:11)
眾人:主耶穌,我接受你的命令,成為你的僕人。我不再是我自己。
我將放棄我生活中的優先事項與喜好,順服你的旨意。
- 我自知有罪,同時以神為樂。
我所願意的善,我反不作,我所不願意的惡,我倒去作。。。感謝神,靠著我們的主耶穌就能脫離了。(7:19, 25)
眾人:主啊!我將不再依靠我自己的能力。在我的軟弱中,我不會忘記在基督裡你已宣告了我與你的同在。因著你的幫助,我學會仰賴你的應許,也就是因著信靠耶穌我已被祂的恩典拯救。
- 讓我的心思想聖靈的事。
隨從聖靈的人體貼聖靈的事。(8:5)
眾人:主 阿!我誓要在每一天撥出ㄧ些時間與你獨處;我將尋求你的話語和聖靈的心意,思想上面的事,而不隨心所欲。
- 不論順境或逆境,帶著確定的盼望生活--神叫萬物更新。
神叫萬事互相效力,叫愛神的人得益處。。。無論什麼都不能叫我們與基督的愛隔絕(8:28,39)!
眾人:主啊!求你依照你的意念塑造我!
我將我的一切放在你手中:讓我作你要我作的事!讓我受苦,如果這是你的旨意。讓我為你所用,或是為你而在一旁等候差遣。讓我富足,也讓我缺乏。讓我一無所缺,也讓我一無所有。
按你的旨意在我裡面運行,直到改變我成為救主耶穌基督的形象。
祝福:
聖父,奉耶穌之名我祈求你賜福弟兄/姊妹們力量來完成對你的委身。不斷地提醒她/他沒有任何事能將她/他與你在耶穌基督裡的愛分開!將你的喜樂充滿他/她直到你的工作完成在她/他身上,塑造成為你兒子的形象。
榮耀歸給神,
Greg Waybright 博士
主任牧師
Small Group Questions
- Romans 8:28 is one of the most famous verses in the New Testament. How do you think this verse is taken out of context? How can we better understand it?
- Read Romans 8:28-30 out loud. These verses clearly indicate that God has a plan for our lives. How does this make you feel? Is there anything about God foreknowing or predestining that rubs you the wrong way? Why or why not?
- If it is true that God has a plan for us and that plan is ultimately good, then how can we move forward in our lives with confidence? Read through Romans 8:31-34 and take note of the parts of those verses that reinforce your trust in God’s plan for your life.
- Romans 8:35-39 contain one of the most amazing promises in all of the Bible. What is the promise? What is so amazing about it?
- Reflect on how believing in the promises of God can and should influence the way we live our lives day-to-day.