Part 196

8:27. And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what the Spirit desireth: because he asketh for the saints according to God.

8:28. And we know that to them that love God all things work together unto good: to such as, according to his purpose, are called to be saints.

8:29. For whom he foreknew, he also predestinated to be made conformable to the image of his Son: that he might be the Firstborn amongst many brethren.

He also predestinated, etc. . .That is, God hath preordained that all his elect should be conformable to the image of his Son. We must not here offer to pry into the secrets of God's eternal election; only firmly believe that all our good, in time and eternity, flows originally from God's free goodness; and all our evil from man's free will.

8:30. And whom he predestinated, them he also called. And whom he called, them he also justified. And whom he justified, them he also glorified.

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

8:32. He that spared not even his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how hath he not also, with him, given us all things?

8:33. Who shall accuse against the elect of God? God is he that justifieth:

8:34. Who is he that shall condemn? Christ Jesus that died: yea that is risen also again, who is at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.

8:35. Who then shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation? Or distress? Or famine? Or nakedness? Or danger? Or persecution? Or the sword?

8:36. (As it is written: For thy sake, we are put to death all the day long. We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.)

8:37. But in all these things we overcome, because of him that hath loved us.

8:38. For I am sure that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor might,

I am sure. . .That is, I am persuaded; as it is in the Greek, pepeismai.

8:39. Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans Chapter 9

The apostle's concern for the Jews. God's election is free and not confined to their nation.

9:1. I speak the truth in Christ: I lie not, my conscience bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost:

9:2. That I have great sadness and continual sorrow in my heart.

9:3. For I wished myself to be an anathema from Christ, for my brethren: who are my kinsmen according to the flesh:

Anathema;. . .A curse. The apostle's concern and love for his countrymen the Jews was so great, that he was willing to suffer even an anathema, or curse, for their sake; or any evil that could come upon him, without his offending God.

9:4. Who are Israelites: to whom belongeth the adoption as of children and the glory and the testament and the giving of the law and the service of God and the promises:

9:5. Whose are the fathers and of whom is Christ, according to the flesh, who is over all things, God blessed for ever. Amen.

9:6. Not as though the word of God hath miscarried. For all are not Israelites that are of Israel.

All are not Israelites, etc. . .Not all, who are the carnal seed of Israel, are true Israelites in God's account: who, as by his free grace, he heretofore preferred Isaac before Ismael, and Jacob before Esau, so he could, and did by the like free grace, election and mercy, raise up spiritual children by faith to Abraham and Israel, from among the Gentiles, and prefer them before the carnal Jews.

9:7. Neither are all they that are the seed of Abraham, children: but in Isaac shall thy seed be called.

9:8. That is to say, not they that are the children of the flesh are the children of God: but they that are the children of the promise are accounted for the seed.

9:9. For this is the word of promise: According to this time will I come. And Sara shall have a son.