O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water. So I have looked upon you in the sanctuary, beholding your power and glory. Because your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise you. So I will bless you as long as I live; in your name I will lift up my hands. (Psalm 63.1-4)
INTRODUCTION
Paul, like the authors of the Synoptic Gospels, understands that the reception of the gospel has an immediate effect upon the life of the believer but that there remains something more that is still future. There is, so to speak, an ‘already, but not yet’ dimension to the New Testament’s teaching about the good news. While the Christian is redeemed, justified, and reconciled to God, he has not yet been glorified; he still suffers from temptation and the effects of sin in the world. All creation has suffered the effects of Adam’s sin. It groans to be released from this burden, and the believer who has received the firstfruits of the Spirit also groans inwardly, eagerly anticipating the redemption of the body. This longing is often expressed by Paul; for example: For in this tent we groan, longing to put on our heavenly dwelling, if indeed by putting it on we may not be found naked. For while we are still in this tent, we sigh, being burdened—not that we would be unclothed, but that we would be further clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who has given us the Spirit as a guarantee (2 Corinthians 5.2-5; cp. Philippians 1.21-23; 2 Timothy 4.18). Though redemption’s work has begun, it is not complete. The Christian’s hope for heaven is deeply rooted in his regenerate heart and he longs for Christ’s appearing so that his salvation may be completed: Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we will be like him, because we shall see him as he is (1 John 3.2; 2 Timothy 4.8; Hebrews 9.28; 2 Peter 3.13; Revelation 22.20).
THE SPIRIT’S INTERCESSION IN THE BELIEVER’S HEART (8.26-27)
Though the suffering that the Christian endures in life is nothing by way of comparison to the glory that awaits him (8.18), God does not leave him without help. The Spirit helps him in his weakness. Even if the primary weakness Paul has in mind is that of not knowing God’s will (8.27), there is, nevertheless, no need to restrict the Spirit’s assistance of the believer only to the discernment of God’s will. Paul recognizes that the believer cannot, in this life, overcome his frequent inability rightly to perceive God’s will in a given circumstance. Paul himself, for example, had prayed three times for the thorn in the flesh (2 Corinthians 12.7) to be removed, yet as it turned out the thorn served God’s purpose for Paul and was to remain so he might know even more dramatically that God’s grace was sufficient and that God’s power was perfected in weakness. In addition, during his second missionary journey Paul attempted to go to Bithynia but the Spirit did not permit him to do so (Acts 16.7).
There are two intercessors listed in Romans 8. In 8.34 Paul assures the Roman believers that Christ in his session (Jesus seated at the right hand of God; cp. Hebrews 7.25; 1 John 2.1) is constantly interceding for Christians (for a more expansive understanding of prayer and the session of Christ review my sermon notes from September 11, 2005). But the intercessor of today’s text (8.26-27) is the Holy Spirit. He dwells in the hearts of believers (8.26-27; cp. John 14.16-17) and he prays that the merits of Christ’s redemptive work may be fully applied to those who trust in him. Though the believer desires to please God and walk in obedience to his will he does not always know how to prayer in accordance with God’s will. Jesus knew precisely what his Father’s will was (John 17.1-15), yet he prayed: “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nonetheless, not as I will, but as you will” (Matthew 26.39). It is the Spirit who always prays in such a way on behalf of believers. “In writing that the Spirit intercedes kata theon [according to God], Paul intends to say that the Spirit intercedes for believers according to the will of God. The weakness of believers in prayer, therefore, is that they do not have an adequate grasp of what God’s will is when they pray. Because of our finiteness and fallibility we cannot perceive fully what God would desire” (Thomas Schreiner, Romans, p. 443).
Thus, it is God who knows and tests the hearts of his own (1 Thessalonians 2.4); he listens to the Spirit who is at work in the heart that is fully committed to him so that he might accomplish his purpose in the life of the believer. So then, “When we do not know what to pray for—yes, even when we pray for things that are not best for us—we need not despair, for we can depend on the Spirit’s ministry of perfect intercession ‘on our behalf.’ … There is one in heaven, the Son of God, who ‘intercedes on our behalf,’ defending us from all charges that might be brought against us, guaranteeing salvation in the day of judgment (8.34). But there is also, Paul asserts in these verses, an intercessor ‘in the heart,’ the Spirit of God, who effectively prays to the Father on our behalf throughout the difficulties and uncertainties of our lives here on earth (Douglas Moo, Romans, pp. 526-27).
GOD’S PROVIDENCE IN ELECTION (8.28)
Everything works together for the good of the believer precisely because the Holy Spirit is interceding on his behalf. Paul is not distinguishing between true and false believers; he is merely restating in another way those who are in fact believers. The Christian loves God and has a great desire to do what most pleases his heavenly Father. He is obedient to the Word and faithful in prayer; he trusts that the exigencies of his life are being order by God and that ultimately God will use all things in his life to serve and exalt his glory. In saying, all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his [God] purpose, Paul is not suggesting a pollyannaish worldview, nor does he mean that the effects of every evil deed will somehow be miraculous reversed for Christians. As we have previously noted, suffering is endemic to the Christian’s call. Rather, Paul presents God’s perspective in the Father—child relationship that exists between himself and his elect (8.33).
The believers’ love for God is ultimately due to God’s purpose in calling them to salvation. … It is not merely an invitation that human beings can reject, but it is a summons that overcomes human resistance and effectually persuades them to say yes to God. This definition of “calling” is evident from Rom. 8:30, for there Paul says that “those whom he called (ἐκάλεσεν, ekalesen) he also justified.” The text does not say that ‘some’ of those called were justified. It fuses the called and justified together so that those who have experienced calling have also inevitably received the blessing of justification. Now if all those who are called are also justified, then calling must be effectual and must create faith, for “all” those who are called are justified and justification cannot occur without faith (3:21-22, 28; 5:1) (Schreiner, pp. 450-451).
EXCURSUS ON EFFECTUAL CALLING
The London Baptist Confession of Faith of 1689 begins chapter ten with this statement: “Those whom God hath predestined unto life, he is pleased in his appointed, and accepted time, effectually to call [Rom. 8:30, 11:7; Eph. 1:10, 11; 2 Thess. 2:13, 14; Eph. 2:1-6; Acts 26:18], by his Word and Spirit, out of that state of sin and death in which they are by nature, to grace and salvation by Jesus Christ [Eph. 1:17, 18]; enlightening their minds spiritually and savingly to understand the things of God [Ezek. 36:26]; taking away their heart of stone, and giving unto them a heart of flesh [Deut. 30:6]; renewing their wills, and by his almighty power determining them to that which is good, and effectually drawing them to Jesus Christ [Ezek. 36:27; Eph. 1:19]; yet so as they come most freely, being made willing by his grace [Ps. 110:3; Cant. 1:4].” What is meant by effectual calling is the multifaceted reality of the Christian’s conversion. That is, one hears the gospel, is regenerate by the work of the Holy Spirit, then he or she repents of his or her sin and comes to faith in Christ. Paul repeatedly makes reference to believers being called of God and in that he refers to their salvation (Romans 8.28-30; cp. 1.6; 9.24; 11.29; 1 Corinthians 1.23-24, 26; 7.18, 21; Galatians 1.15; Ephesians 1.18; 4.1,4; 2 Thessalonians 2.14; 2 Timothy 1.9; Hebrews 3.1; 2 Peter 1.10 vs. Matthew 22.14).
Paul says, whoever confesses with his mouth and believes in his heart that God raised Jesus from the dead will be saved. The Lord will save anyone who calls upon him (cp. Romans 10.9-13). The process of salvation begins through the proclamation of the gospel: How, then, can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!’ (Romans 10.14-15). About this process J. I. Packer writes: “Original sin renders all human beings naturally dead (unresponsive) to God, but in effectual calling God quickens the dead. As the outward call of God to faith in Christ is communicated through the reading, preaching, and explaining of the contents of the Bible, the Holy Spirit enlightens and renews the heart of elect sinners so that they understand the gospel and embrace it as truth from God, and God in Christ becomes to them an object of desire and affection. Being now regenerate and able by the use of their freed will to choose God and the good, they turn away from their former pattern of living to receive Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior and to start a new life with him” (Packer, Concise Theology, p. 153).
This outward or general call to salvation is an invitation extended to everyone (cp. Matthew 11.28; Isaiah 45.22). Jesus concludes the parable of the wedding banquet by saying, “For many are invited, but few are chosen” (Matthew 22.14). This is clearly an indication that there is a difference between the general call of God and the effectual call. The special call of God is a work of the Holy Spirit in illuminating the gospel in the life of the hearer. The depravity of original sin prohibits anyone of his own initiative from laying hold of the eternal life that is offered through the propitious work of Christ. “Special or effectual calling, then, involves an extraordinary presentation of the message of salvation. It is sufficiently powerful to counteract the effects of sin and enable the person to believe. It is also so appealing that the person will believe. Special calling is in many ways similar to the prevenient grace of which Arminians speak. It differs from that concept, however, in two respects. It is bestowed only upon the elect, not upon all humans, and it leads infallibly or efficaciously to a positive response by the recipient” (Millard Erickson, Christian Theology, Vol. 3, p. 931). As with the other aspects of salvation (e.g., conversion, regeneration, repentance, justification, etc.) everything is God centered. Salvation both originates and culminates with God. The doctrine of effectual calling is solidly biblical and of particular comfort to the Christian. The effectual call of God is a part of the golden chain of God’s redemptive work, which demonstrates God’s resolve to bring about salvation for his elect.
