Romans Chapter 8 Vs 28 to 30 : 'Gods Purpose in Suffering' - JS Gillespie 

 

Because of Christ there is: 

1.    Purpose in Suffering (8:28-30) - Christ Glorified - to share in His Glory (8:29-30) 

2.    Proof of Gods interest in my suffering (8:31-34) - Christ Crucified 

3.    Power in Suffering (8:34-39) - Power available to transform suffering - Christ Resurrected 

  

  

1.    Purpose in Suffering (8:28-30) - Christ Glorified - to share in His Glory (8:29-30) 

  

To make me like a glorified Saviour 

The worlds problem with suffering: 

  

1.    Moral issue - Suffering is Unethical - suffering is intrinsically evil, God must stop it. 

2.    Logical issue - Suffering is Unproductive - it is futile, there is no point to it, suffering always means ‘it’ has gone wrong. 

3.    Practical issue - Suffering is Unpleasant 

When the scriptures seal with suffering: 

1.    Moral issue: Unethical: “all things work together for good” (8:28) - don’t judge the ethical value by the experience, you must look at the outcome. Illust: Put a knife in someone’s back, they were very grateful, cut out a tumour! 

2.    Logical issue: Unproductive: “called according to His purpose” (8:28). Suffering is not pointless or unproductive. God has purpose even in suffering. 

3.    Practical problem: Unpleasant. “He that spared not His own Son” (8:32) 

In particular suffering is unproductive: 

God has purpose in suffering 

Conformity to the image of His Son 

Out of all the many truths of suffering here is surely the most glorious; out of my suffering comes something productive and positive. 

There is hope and purpose in suffering. 

Illust: Hudson Taylor: 

'Of the trials of this early period it is scarcely possible to convey any adequate idea. To one of a sensitive nature, the horrors, atrocities, and misery connected with war were a terrible ordeal. The embarrassment also of the times was considerable. With an income of only eighty pounds a year, I was compelled, upon moving into the Settlement, to give one hundred and twenty for rent, and sublet half the house; and though the Committee of the Chinese Evangelisation Society increased my income when, after the arrival of Dr. Parker, they learned more of our circumstances, many painful experiences had necessarily been passed through. 

Few can realise how distressing to so young and untried a worker these difficulties seemed, or the intense loneliness of the position of a pioneer who could not even hint at many of his circumstances, as to do so would have been a tacit appeal for help. The great enemy is always ready with his oft-repeated suggestion, "All these things are against me." But oh, how false the word! The cold, and even the hunger, the watchings and sleeplessness of nights of danger, and the feeling at times of utter isolation and helplessness, were well and wisely chosen, and tenderly and lovingly meted out. What circumstances could have rendered the Word of God more sweet, the presence of God more real, the help of God more precious? They were times, indeed, of emptying and humbling, but were experiences that made not ashamed, and that strengthened purpose to go forward as God might direct, with His proved promise, "I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee." One can see, even now, that 

"as for God, His way is perfect," ' 

Suffering is hard but not without purpose for those whom He did foreknow 

Every circumstance of life carefully fashioned and directed to this purpose. 

“For whom He did foreknow, He also did predestinate...” (8:29) 

Not just the occasional major event God uses but every circumstance of life God uses. 

God can only use every circumstance of life because He is in control of every circumstance. 

“foreknowledge” (v29) 

  

1.    Not simply that God foreknew my circumstances / decisions / attitudes / abilities but rather Go foreknew me. This is foreknowledge of a ‘person’: “for whom He did foreknow.” He knew me before He made me. A frequent theme in the OT scriptures. 

2.    Knowledge implies relationship: Gen 4:1; John 17:3; 2 Peter 1:8 

3.    The Divine Foreknowledge of persons is a frequent theme in the OT: 

  

●     Jeremiah 1:5 

●     Psalm 71:6 

●     Isaiah 46:3-4 

●     Isa 49:1,5 

●     Psalm 68:6 : Spurrell “God seateth the beloved at home” ie God chooses the families we will be brought into and brought up in. 

Notice that the foreknowledge of a person is intimately connected to Gods foreknowledge for a purpose 

Divine foreknowledge is determinative not simply predictive or anticipatory. 

When God foreknows a person He does not say: 

‘I know that is going to happen here’ 

He says 

‘This is what is going to happen here’ 

God foreknows a person for a purpose 

Divine foreknowledge has to do with a pre-conception relationship to the purposes and plans of God 

Nowhere clearer than 1 Peter 1:20: “foreordained” = “foreknown” 

What is so precious is that that word is used of me in Rom 8:29 

What am I saying? 

I am saying that even before my birth every part of my life has been carefully constructed by God, overseen and overruled to bring me as His own to a single unified purpose: 

“conformed to the image of His Son” (8:29) 

A person foreknown is linked to a purpose foreordained. 

This is very practical and important. 

Very practical when I come to judge my suffering. 

How often do I fault God in my suffering? 

How often do i complain that God has failed me in my suffering? 

You can only fault God in your suffering if you know what He is aiming at. 

You can only say that He has thrown the dart and missed the target if you know what that target is. 

The target is: “conformed to the image of His Son” (8:29) 

That is God purposes in my suffering to conform me to the man of: 

  

1.    No reputation (Phil2:7) 

2.    No Position (Phil 2:7-8) cf. John 15 and washing the disciples feet 

3.    No Reservation (Phil2:8) - nothing held back, everything for God 

4.    Unflinching determination (Luke 9:51) 

5.    No Hesitation (Ps 40:6ff) 

6.    Perfect Trust (Luke 22:42; 23:46) 

7.    Total Sanctification (Jo8:29; 6:38; 5:30) 

In our suffering let is be careful to consider the target God is aiming at before I claim that God has failed em in my suffering. 

‘I am here by Gods appointment, in His keeping, under His training, for His time’ - Andrew Murray 

2.    Proof of Gods interest in my suffering (8:31-34) - Christ Crucified 

3.    Power in Suffering (8:34-39) - Power available to transform suffering - Christ Resurrected

 

Notes from our bible study teaching series of messages preached systematically, verse by verse, through Paul's letter to the Romans. Free to download audio mp3 recordings of this sermon and other sermons are available at the end of this blog and on the website page.    

Yours by Grace in Christ    

Dr J Stewart Gillespie