 Romans 8:23-25 We have the "firstfruits of the Spirit". "Firstfruits" is the Greek "APARCHEN", which means, "the first installment". We who are Christians have the first installment of the Spirit's work: we are washed (regenerated), we are sanctified (separated for God's use), we are justified (declared righteous), we are freed from sin. We are in the Body of Christ and our power is in the Holy Spirit of God, not in the flesh. We are the spiritually adopted children of God, this evidenced by the indwelling Spirit. And yet we are not complete. We have the "first" installment of the Spirit, but we are not yet glorified. Our bodies are still mortal, we are still subject to death. So we wait in suspense for the second and final installment of the Spirit when we will be perfected in sinlessness in "both" body and soul. We are saved by hope and faith but our redemption is not yet complete -- not until that time when we are complete in righteousness. In his discourse on hope and faith Paul explains why the Christian is still waiting for "the redemption of our body". We have our adoption as children of God "spiritually", but we have not completed our adoption "physically". We still wait in hope because we are not yet complete, and would not be wait in hope if we were already complete.
This is a beautiful text of Scripture, particularly the first line: "the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities". The word "helpeth" is the Greek "SUNATILAMBANO", which means, "To take over together with". The illusion is drawn of one person who goes over and "partially" takes the load that another person is bearing. The Spirit's ministry is "not" to totally take over the burden of our lives, but to work in "partnership and harmony" with the Christian who relies on Him. The word "infirmities" is the Greek "ASTHENEIA", which means, "Want of strength, weaknesses". So many Christians fall and then condemned themselves for their failure. "God knows" that we are not strong within ourselves, which is why he gave us the Holy Spirit. We have the responsibility to be reliant on the Spirit's power. We are freed from sin "and" given the Divine Helper. We must be reliant on that Helper in order to achieve a victorious Christian life.
When we look at the teachings of the Holy Spirit in the Scriptures we see that His works are often reflective of those works of God and Christ. The Scriptures proclaim that God is our Helper -- they also proclaim that the Spirit is our Helper. Romans states "the Spirit (Himself) maketh intercession", that he is, he stands between us and the Father as a mediator on our behalf. When we parallel this statement to:
We see in the Hebrews verse above that Christ "also" makes intercession for us. Christ intercedes for us, and the Spirit intercedes for us. Our Lord tore the veil of the Temple and now stands in the breech to intercede for us before the Father in Heaven. Christ also left us the Comforter to be with us while we are here on the earth, interceding for us.
Christ sent the Spirit to be his replacement here on earth, so it is not unusual to see the Spirit performing many of the personal ministries that were Christ's. Dr. Berkhof stated: "The Spirit came as the "parakletos" to take the place of Christ and to do His work on earth' that is, to teach, proclaim, testify, bear witness, etc, as the Son had done..". So when the Spirit intercedes for us here on earth, he does it as if it were Christ praying for us in the flesh. The Spirit took over the work, so to speak, that the Christ left off, so that Christ is now free to intercede for us in the heavenlies. In our Romans text Paul states that the Spirit intercedes for us when "we know not what we should pray". He makes intercession for us with "groanings which cannot be uttered". Cannot be uttered is the Greek "ALALETOS", which means "unspeakable". The Spirit's intercession for us in prayer is "not reflective of a prayer Tongue" which the supplicant speaks, but is a groaning which is unintelligible to our ears, unheard by any but God. The Charismatics seek to use this verse to point out that there is a prayer Tongue, "but the Greek text will not support any such proposition." The Spirit grown things are heard only by God, and this is "all" supported by both the Greek and English context of Romans. Note that the Greek word used here is "unspeakable". The "prayer tongue" used by the Charismatics is indeed speakable, that is they make a noise when using it. In the last part of this text we have the assurance that the Spirit's intercession for us will be accepted, because he intercedes for us "according to the will of God". "Think about how truly rich we are, my fellow believers! Two of the three members of the Godhead are interceding for us, loving us, representing us before the Father. Oh, the unsurpassable riches of His Grace. Oh, the security of our salvation and the peace that this knowledge brings. Praise Him for His overwhelming blessings toward us all!"
In our study of Romans so far we have explored many new areas of Scripture and teachings. Yet of all the areas we have covered to date, the one which we are about to discuss is one of the most difficult we will never encounter. I am talking about the "Doctrine of Election". Why is the Doctrine of Election such a difficult area to understand? The Doctrine is very difficult because it seeks to explain the eternal and infinite Plan of God to our finite minds. All other doctrines that we have discussed have dealt more directly with the creature (us) than with the Creator. The Doctrine of Election deals with the eternal Plan of Almighty God, and this infinite plan is as incomprehensible to us as the plans of men are to mice. I have an entire three part section on this site dedicated to the "Doctrine of Election". I would ask that if you want a more detailed explaination to explore then click here, study the Doctrine and then return to this study on Romans. We shall now continue with our Study in Romans! ".. And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God .." The Greek tense of "know" is one which emphasizes "knowing with an absolute knowledge". The Christian is no longer the enemy of God because of the blood of Christ. We are "them that love God". We have an absolute knowledge that all things (not just outwardly good things) "work together" for our good because of the series of reasons. These reasons are established by Paul in the continuing context. ".. to them who are the called according to his purpose .." The Greek "called" is "KLETOS", which translates "appointed". The illusion is not of a mother "calling her child" so that he comes, but of a ruler "appointing an agent" for a specific reason. The reason the Christian is appointed is to fulfill the plan of God. This plan of God (the plan of salvation) was established before the foundation of the earth. This plan is a "mystery", as Paul states:
We were not called to salvation because of our own works or because we deserved it, but we were appointed as Saints to satisfy the "purpose and grace" of God:
We were saved by Grace, appointed to this state of salvation according to the "purpose and grace" of God. Just as we did not earn nor deserve the salvation we now enjoy, we also did not "earn the right to the offer" of salvation. It suited God to call us who believe in Him. ".. For whom he did foreknow .." "Foreknow" is the Greek "PROGINOSKO", which means, "to know before hand". God knew before hand whom He would appoint or call unto salvation. It has often been said that God looked down through the ages and saw who would be saved. Based upon this gained knowledge he predestinated those He knew would accept salvation. Yet this interpretation of the verse does not take into account the general tenor of Scripture on the nature of God's changelessness.
It is a characteristic of man that we continually grow and learn with each new experience. We adapt and learn with each new change in the environment around us. But God is not incomplete. He does not have to learn something to know it, but knows all because he plans all. He would not "look down through the ages" to see who would be saved to complete His plan. This would be an action of learning and God "does not need to learn". He is complete: nothing can be added to his knowledge. Also, His Plan is certain. To be in accordance with the teachings on God's unchanging nature we must believe that God designated whom He would appoint unto salvation at the time he designed His eternal plan. ".. he also did predestinate .." The Greek word for "predestinate" is "PROORIZO", which means "to mark out the boundaries or limits before hand, to pre-determined". To them God chose to appoint unto salvation "before the world began" he pre-determined that they would be "conformed to the image of his Son". In other words, he determined that they would be saved and later be glorified. We see this teaching also reflected in the Scriptures:
We were "predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will". We were chosen so that Christ might be: ".. the firstborn among many brethren .." "Firstborn" is the Greek "APARCHE", which means "first fruits or first harvest". Christ was the "first fruit" of salvation in that it was through him that God initiated the plan of redemption. Christ led the way, making it possible for many brethren (those who have believed on Him) to follow Him into the glory of Heaven.
In the next part of the text we see the mechanics of the plan of God, the means by which it was brought into being. ".. Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified .." On the basis of the plan of God Paul was able to say "all things work together for good to them that love God". Because the Plan is certain, our salvation is certain, and no bad thing could happen to us that would not ultimately be for our good. God is Sovereign and will protect those whom he has appointed (predestined).
God gave us security in his plan through Christ. He delivered up his Son to die for our sins. Based on our security in His Plan we should fear no man, for we have protection in God. We know that if we are killed for the faith then, based on the surety of God's plan of salvation, we shall certainly be glorified and with God forever.
"Elect" is the Greek "EKLETOS", "chosen out ones". This word is used to point back to the teachings given in verses 29-30 to reaffirm the surety of our salvation. To "lay any thing to the charge" is to "condemn, or to put judgment against". Paul points out that no one can lay a legal charge against the Saints because God has justified them. God will not justify (declare someone innocent) and at the same time condemn them. Either one statement is true or the other statement is true: both cannot be true at the same time. We have been justified by God, and no one can bring us to a state of condemnation again. God has promised our continuing justification unto glory. A final note should be made in this section of Romans: The Scripture fully teaches the free will of man "as well as" the predestination of God. As Christians we have a responsibility to uphold the integrity and authority of the Scriptures. We must accept both doctrines as true based upon the testimony of the Scripture, and attribute any alleged discrepancies to "our own lack of understanding". There are two interpretations of the Doctrine of predestination that are popular within the Church today and either, based on scripture, could be within the realm of truth. Some teach that God predestinated each Christian "individually" unto salvation. Others teach that God predestinated the Body of Christ "as a group", and not individual members within the group. Let the Spirit guide you into all truth. In these verses Paul recognizes the situation the Roman Christians are in. They were under "extremely" great persecution. The same text can be applied to any Christian who is a great persecution or tribulation. Since we are in God's Sovereign plan, who can truly hurt us? "If God be for us, who can be against us?"
Christ paid our debt. He is the "only one" in a position to condemn us, since we are His. Christ cannot condemn us and at the same time be interceding on our behalf. Christ is actively making intercession for us all on the "right hand of God" the Father (the right hand being the position of honor). God is compelled to listen to His Son. Because of this the Christian is secure in his salvation in the courtroom of God. The text places importance on the death of Christ, but it places "greater importance on his resurrection". This greater emphasis is there because the resurrection of Christ "insures our salvation", whereas the death "made our salvation possible".
"The love of Christ is permanent, regardless of the conditions that might be present around us." Christ is our key to continuing salvation, sitting and making intercession for us on the right hand of God. Some might say, "but what Christ stops loving us, what then? Will we not then be condemned by God the Father?" "The Bible asserts that no condition or action will ever cause Christ to stop loving us."
"We are more than conquerors through Him that loved us". The phrase "more than conquerors" is the Greek compound "HUPERNIKAO", which means "to gain a surpassing victory". We do not have just victory over the power of the world, but we have a "surpassing and splendid victory" through Christ. We have more than enough power to handle the sting and persecutions of this world because He first Loved us.
Because of the Plan of God and our place in it (eternal redemption), Paul was "persuaded" that "nothing" could separate to us from the love of God. Paul next lists all conditions that could be construed to separate us from Christ "but cannot".
God is able "to keep that" which we entrusted unto Him, the salvation of our souls, unto the day of complete redemption.  Click Here! Click Here! 
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