Fellowship - Groaning with the Spirit of God
(Romans 8:16-27)

(Class Notes)

• The Eternal Position of the Saints (Romans 8:16-18)
  • Children of God
    • The Spirit of God bears WITNESS with our spirit that we are the CHILDREN of God and He is the SEAL (EARNEST) of our INHERITANCE (Ephesians 1:13-14)
  • Heirs of God
    • God considers ALL His CHILDREN as His HEIRS by virtue of the SONSHIP that He has bestowed upon them (Romans 8:14-15 cf. Galatians 4:6-7)
  • Joint-Heirs with Christ
    • Being EQUAL HEIRS with Christ is the REWARD of sharing in His REIGN for the FAITHFULNESS of having shared in His SUFFERING (II Timothy 2:12)
      • Paul's desire (Philippians 3:10)
    • Paul reckoned the PRESENT SUFFERINGS to be NOT COMPARABLE to the FUTURE GLORY - the PRESENT SUFFERINGS being a MOMENTARY LIGHT AFFLICTION as opposed to the FUTURE GLORY being an ETERNAL WEIGHT of GLORY (II Corinthians 4:17)

• The Present Condition of the Creation (Romans 8:19-22)
  • The earnest expectation of the creation
    • The creation WAITS for the MANIFESTATION of the SONS OF GOD
      • The CHANGE in the ANIMAL creation (Isaiah 11:6-9)
      • The CHANGE in the VEGETABLE creation (Isaiah 35:1-2,6-7)
  • The present subjection of the creation
    • The creation was NOT WILLINGLY made SUBJECT TO VANITY (Genesis 3:14,17-19)
      • The ultimate VANITY is DEATH (Ecclesiastes 1:2 cf. Ecclesiastes 12:7-8)
      • The name of the first murder victim (John 8:44; I John 3:12 cf. Genesis 4:9-11), Abel, means "VANITY"
    • The creation was made SUBJECT TO VANITY by the will of God Who SUBJECTED the same IN HOPE
      • The HOPE of the DOMINION of Adam is the RESURRECTION of Christ
        • DOMINION LOST through DEATH (Hebrews 2:6-9)
        • DOMINION REGAINED through RESURRECTION (Hebrews 2:10,14-15)
  • The present groan of the creation
    • The CRY of the VEGETABLE creation (Joel 1:10-12)
    • The CRY of the ANIMAL creation (Joel 1:18-20)

• The Present Condition of the Saints (Romans 8:23-25)
  • The saints have the firstfruits of the Spirit (the RISEN Christ)
    • The Spirit of Him that RAISED UP Jesus from the DEAD (Romans 8:11)
    • Christ RISEN from the DEAD became the FIRSTFRUITS of them that SLEPT (I Corinthians 15:20)
  • The groan of the saints
    • The GROAN of the saints is the DESIRE for MORTALITY to be SWALLOWED UP BY LIFE (II Corinthians 5:2-4 cf. I Corinthians 15:53-54)
  • The patience of the saints
    • The WAITING for the REDEMPTION of the BODY involves the RENEWING of the INWARD MAN which results in the LOOKING at the UNSEEN (II Corinthians 4:16-18) - the ETERNAL HOUSE in the heavens (II Corinthians 5:1)

• The Present Provision for the Saints (Romans 8:26-27)
  • The help of the Spirit (our GROANINGS)
    • Just as our FUTURE HOPE of RESURRECTION (Romans 8:22-23) is as sure as Christ Who LIVES in us NOW
      (Romans 8:9-10), so also is the PRESENT HELP of the Holy Spirit in our INFIRMITIES
      (II Corinthians 12:7-10)
  • The mind of the Spirit (His INTERCESSION)
    • It is the Spirit's INCLINATION (MIND) to take the GROANINGS of our NEW and ENLIGHTENED HEART (II Corinthians 3:2-3; II Corinthians 4:6) and share them with our Heavenly Father when our INFIRMITIES would PREVENT us from DOING SO - it is the Spirit Who is CONTINUALLY STRENGTHENING our INNER MAN to EVER COMPREHEND the LOVE OF GOD that has been FREELY BESTOWED upon us in Christ (Ephesians 3:16-19)

Study Outline

Audio Message (Parts 1-4) Audio Message (Part 1) Audio Message (Part 2) Audio Message (Part 3) Audio Message (Part 4)