Romans chapter 8 verses 24 through 25, the role of hope in salvation. For we were saved by hope. Yet hope that is seen is not hope. For why would a man hope for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience. Being saved by hope means basically the same thing as being saved by faith. We come to Christ because we believe in the promises of God. Chrysostom writes, " If you are to be looking for everything in this world, what need is there for hope? What is hope then?
It is having confidence in things to come. " In today's English, the word " hope " is often used in the sense of a mere wish or desire. However, the Scriptures usually use hope in the sense of having a confident expectation of a reward or future event. As we have said, it is like faith. Chrysostom writes again, " If then it was this hope that saved you, then hold fast to it now. For that which has afforded you such great blessings will certainly not deceive you regarding things yet to come.
" So in this passage, Paul emphasizes that the greatest rewards are unseen and are still in the future. We must patiently await them. Jesus had said, " Let your waist be dressed and your lamps burning be like men watching for their Lord when He returns from the wedding feast, that when He comes and knocks, they may immediately open to Him. " Origen comments that we know that salvation has been promised to us. Yet this salvation is still something hoped for, not something seen.
For if it were something seen, clearly we would not need to hope for it. Yet because these things are so great and glorious, they are often attained only through much affliction. As Paul and Barnabas had told the early disciples, " We must enter the kingdom of God through many afflictions. " Theodoret adds, " Paul is saying, " Do not be cast down while looking on present distresses, for we have brought you no false promises in saying you must yet wait a while before you can enjoy these good things.
For good things hoped for in this manner are not seen with bodily eyes. " Romans chapter 8 verses 26-28, " The Spirit intercedes for us. " Verses 26 and 27. " Likewise, the Spirit also helps our infirmities, for we do not know what we should pray for as we ought. Yet the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings that cannot be uttered. And he who searches the hearts knows the mind of the Spirit because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.
Jesus had promised us, " I will pray to the Father, and He will give you another helper that He may be with you forever, the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive. For it does not see Him and does not know Him. You know Him, for He lives with you and will be in you. I will not leave you orphans. I will come to you. " What a comfort to know that the Holy Spirit takes a personal interest in us and helps us in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought.
Because we see things in a hazy mirror, we often pray for the wrong things. God even turned down some of Paul's prayer requests. Concerning the messenger of Satan, I implored the Lord three times that it might depart from me. He said to me, " My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. " So none of us completely knows the things for which we should pray. Therefore, we need the Holy Spirit to make intercession for us.
Theodoret writes, Paul says, " Do not ask to be delivered from affliction, for you do not know what is profitable for you, as does God your governor. Resign yourselves into his hands. For he holds the helm of all things, and he wisely arranges everything relating to you, and will grant those things that will be to your advantage. " Ambrosiaster adds, " The Holy Spirit helps because He does not allow anything we ask for to happen before the proper time or against God's wishes.
" The Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings that cannot be uttered. The Spirit makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God, not according to our will. Origen comments, " That is why the Spirit is not said to offer intercession for the saints with words, but with groanings, and not with common groanings, but with unspeakable ones. " For how can anyone explain how the Spirit of God speaks to God? After all, even our own Spirit often cannot explain what it feels and understands.
Verse 28, " And we know that all things work together for good, for those who love God, to those who are called according to their purpose. " Paul had just said that the Spirit also helps our infirmities, and he makes intercession for us with groanings. Earlier Paul had said, " The whole creation groans and travails in pain together until now. " So clearly all things are working together for our good to bring about our ultimate salvation.
Origen comments, " When we have carried out all we can do, the deficiency caused by human weakness will be filled by God. For in all things, He cooperates for good with those who love Him and whose future growth He has foreseen according to His unerring foreknowledge. " Chrysostom adds, " Here when Paul speaks of all things, he mentions even the things that seem painful.
For even if tribulation, poverty, imprisonment, famine, death, or anything else comes upon us, God can change all these things into something beneficial. For this is only one example of his unspeakable power. His ability to change seemingly painful things into something easy to bear and even helpful to us. Paul does not say that no grief afflicts those who love God. Rather, he says that it works together for good. For God uses even evil things to bring His approval on the persons who are plotted against.
And this is a much greater thing than His preventing such evils from coming near us. It is also greater than His stopping them once they have come. Take, for example, what He brought about at the furnace in Babylon. As Jesus had said, " Are not five sparrows sold for two small coins? Not one of them is forgotten by God, but the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Therefore, do not be afraid. You are of more value than many sparrows. " Jesus tells us that we will have tribulations.
However, God is always in control. Who are called according to their purpose? Most modern translations read, " Who are called according to His purpose? " However, the word " His " is not in the Greek text. So, this verse can just as accurately be translated, who are called according to their purpose. In fact, that is how most of the early Christians understood this verse, that they understood it to refer to the purpose or intent of the ones called.
The purpose of the ones called is their disposition and their response to God's call. Chrysostom writes, " Paul says that it is not the calling alone that brings about salvation. Rather, it is also the purpose of those called. For the calling was not forced upon them, nor was it compulsory. All of them were called, but all did not obey the call. " As Jesus said, " Many are called, but few chosen.
" Origen writes, " The ones called according to their purpose are those who have exhibited both good intent and goodwill toward the worship of God. When such people have been called, they are justified. For the only thing they were lacking as to their righteous intent was being. " Called. Ambrosiaster adds, " Those who are called according to their purpose are those whom God knew would be genuine believers. "