The Divine Love of Christ [Family Worship lesson in Romans 8:35–39]

Who can separate us from the love of Christ? Romans 8:35–39 looks forward to the midweek sermon. In these five verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that nothing can separate us from the love of Christ, because Christ is God, and all things are for His sake. (click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson)

2025.11.14 Hopewell @Home ▫ Romans 8:35–39

Read Romans 8:35–39

Questions from the Scripture text: What new question does Romans 8:35a ask (that Romans 8:36-39 proceed to answer)? What seven more things does Romans 8:35b ask about? Upon which of these does Romans 8:36 focus? What does Psalm 44 teach believers to expect in this life? For Whose sake? In light of what things from Romans 8:35 (and Romans 7:15–24, and Romans 8:17–25) does Romans 8:37 make its declaration? What is love making us to be in all these things? What nine great realities do Romans 8:38-39 name? To what category do they belong (Romans 8:39)? From what can’t things from this category separate us? Whose love? In Whom is this love? What is His title? What is His Name? What is His relation to us?

Who can separate us from the love of Christ? Romans 8:35–39 looks forward to the public reading of Scripture in public worship on the coming Lord’s Day. In these five verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that nothing can separate us from the love of Christ, because Christ is God, and all things are for His sake. 

The love of Christ is the love of God. Romans 8:34 had focused upon the powerful case that Jesus makes for us (His death! His resurrection!) and the powerful position from which Jesus intercedes for us (the right hand of God!). Now, Romans 8:35 continues with the powerful motive from which Jesus intercedes for us: His love. 

Jesus is God. Romans 8:39c says more than that God’s love for us is through Christ. It says that Jesus Himself is the Lord God, and He loves us not only with human love in accord with His human nature, but with divine love in accord with His divine nature. “The love of Christ” (Romans 8:35) is “the love of God” (Romans 8:39c), which is in Him. It is essential to His being. It is not merely a part of Him (there are no “parts” of God).

Since Christ is God, everything is for His sake. Created things (Romans 8:39b) are for the sake of the Creator (cf. Romans 11:36). If the reason for everything is that the Son of God would be the firstborn among many brethren (Romans 8:29), then whatever happens in this groaning creation (Romans 8:22) is participating in bringing for that hope in which it was subjected (Romans 8:20). The hope in which we were saved (Romans 8:24). The hope for which the Spirit prays (Romans 8:26), and according to which God works (Romans 8:27).

So, in every circumstance, we have something to say to “these things.” None of “these things” can stop God from being God, or can be for anything other than His sake. “These things” includes trouble, distress, famine, nakedness, and danger (Romans 8:35). 

But what about persecution and the sword? Just as we were thinking last week, from Genesis 50:20, even the actions of the wicked are “for us.” And now the apostle quotes Psalm 44:22 to remind us that this is because we are “for the Lord”: “for Your sake.” If I live, it is for the Lord’s sake. If I die, it is for the Lord’s sake. There is great power in living for Christ, because it is then that dying is gain (cf. Philippians 1:21). This verse reminds us that it is also gain for Christ—not only for our good but for His glory.

Since we are Christ’s, we super-conquer in everything. Christ’s love, which has been determined to see us glorified since before the world began, is behind everything that happens. The believer cannot be ultimately defeated by his circumstances, because they are being employed in sanctifying love. And what great love that is! The second half of Romans 8:37 uses a participle to describe Christ as “the One having loved us.” It takes into its scope the foreknowing love from before the world began (Romans 8:29a), the sacrificial love unto death of the cross (Romans 8:34b), and the perpetual love of His intercession (end of verse 34).  

We must be careful here. We cannot employ the wicked logic that has already been condemned in Romans 3:8 and Romans 6:1. Sinning is not a victory; part of the super-conquering here is conquering against sin. Indeed, many of the “these things” in this passage are chastenings by which the Lord helps us turn ever-more against our sin rather than for it (cf. Hebrews 12:1–15). 

Never may we heal ourselves lightly, when defeated by sin, saying, “that’s ok: I’m super-conquering it.” No, we must HATE it. Let the sinning believer feel the pain, see the damage, and be helped along in his sanctification. And thus let him feel the defeat from himself and yet the super-conquering from his Lord—driving him all the more to live by the Spirit Who conquers, rather than by the flesh that is conquered. Whenever a believer sins, let him see again the great hatefulness of his sin and hate it more. And let him see again the great worthiness of his Redeemer and love Him more.

And so the truth about the “these things” of Romans 8:31 and the “all these things” of Romans 8:37 stands. However we may be conquered—even if we be killed by a being of great authority (principality) and ability (power), we super-conquer whoever and whatever did that. A love that had no beginning can have no end. And this almighty love will achieve its goal for us and in us: glorification. To be conformed to the image of the Son. All things serve the purpose of Christ’s divine love for us, and that purpose is to glorify us sinless and resurrected with Himself.

How does Christ’s two natures inform how you see His love? For Whose (and whose!) sake are all things happening? What is the most difficult thing in your life to believe that about right now? How will you bring the truth of this text to bear upon how you think about that thing? When did Christ’s divine love for you begin? When will it end? What things will serve its purposes? What is that purpose?

Sample prayer:  Lord, thank You for loving us so much that You have purposed all things to glorify You by doing us good. Grant that we, too, would love You by pursuing Your glory in all things—especially since that means putting off the things that hinder and the sin that remains. Remove all fear and defeat from us by the certainty that Your love is determined to make us super-conquer in all things. For, we ask it in Your glorious Name, AMEN!

Suggested songs: ARP32AB “What Blessedness” or TPH515 “More Than Conquerors”

What to Say in Our Suffering [Family Worship lesson in Romans 8:31–34]

What should a Christian say about his life? Romans 8:31–34 looks forward to the midweek sermon. In these four verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that a Christian is someone who should say that everything in time and space is coalescing for his good. (click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson)

2025.11.13 Hopewell @Home ▫ Romans 8:31–34

Read Romans 8:31–34

Questions from the Scripture text: With what question does Romans 8:31 begin this series of questions? What do believers know about God’s relation to them? What rhetorical question expects what answer in verse 31? What (Whom!) hasn’t God spared (Romans 8:32)? What has God done with His Son? What else will He give? In what way? What question does Romans 8:33 ask? About Whom, specifically, is it asking this; and, what is He doing rather than bringing charges? What question does Romans 8:34 ask? About Whom specifically is it asking this? What two things has He already done? Where is He now? What is He doing there? For whom?

What should a Christian say about his life? Romans 8:31–34 looks forward to the public reading of Scripture in public worship on the coming Lord’s Day. In these four verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that a Christian is someone who should say that everything in time and space is coalescing for his good. 

Nothing is against us, Romans 8:31. This isn’t just that nothing can succeed against us. It is that nothing is fundamentally against us. Even people who intend to be against us cannot help but fulfill whatever God intends for us. God is for us, and He works all things according to the counsel of His own will (cf. Ephesians 1:11). Even if someone close to us betrayed us and intended evil against us, God was intending it for good. THAT’s what “we shall say to these things”!

All things are ours, Romans 8:32. All things must be ours by comparison of love. God already gave that which is infinitely more than everything else together: His Son! OF COURSE the love that gave us Jesus is giving us all other things! All things must be ours by obligation of justice. God has given us His Son, and in His Son, His righteousness. OF COURSE the justice that is satisfied with us in Jesus will demand that He and we would be rewarded with all things! 

God is our Justifier, Romans 8:33. Romans 8:31 already said that “God is for us,” summarizing what God has been doing throughout the entire history of the creation (cf. Romans 8:15-25). Now Romans 8:33 says that God is for us in another way: He is our advocate. In God’s court, there is no other judge. God is Judge. And God is Prosecutor. He lays the charges. But He is also the expert Witness Who has examined all of the evidence, then takes His seat as Judge and declares, “righteous!” There will be no charges against those whom God has justified.

Christ is our Intercessor, Romans 8:34. He is our defense Attorney. And He doesn’t just make a case on our behalf. He offers Himself as the case on our behalf. He has died, taking our guilt in full seriousness and satisfying the punishment accordingly. He has risen again, demonstrating that the payment has been received. And now, He has approached the bench—ascending to the right hand of God, where He presents Himself as our case, interceding for us.

These are the things that we say to our current life in this groaning creation: nothing is against us, all things are ours, God is our Justifier, and Christ is our Intercessor. What a joyous life ours will be, if we learn to speak according to the reality of what God is doing in history, and what relationship God has given us to Himself.

Who is for you? What things does this mean are for you? On the last day, who will be laying charges against the wicked? What will He be doing for those who believe in Christ? What will Christ be doing? For His own?

Sample prayer:  Father, thank You for giving us Your Son, our Lord Jesus, so that we may know that Your love and Your justice both demand that every possible good be done unto us. Help us believe this by Your Spirit, we ask through Christ, AMEN!

Suggested songs: ARP1 “How Blessed the Man” or TPH457 “Jesus, Thy Blood and Righteousness”

All Things Working for Glory [Family Worship lesson in Romans 8:28–30]

What does God know about the mind with which the Spirit intercedes for the saints? Romans 8:28–30 looks forward to the midweek sermon. In these three verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to God’s plan to glorify them in and with His Son. (click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson)

2025.11.12 Hopewell @Home ▫ Romans 8:28–30

Read Romans 8:28–30

Questions from the Scripture text: Which things do we know work together for good (Romans 8:28)? To whom do they work together for good? What did God also do to those whom He foreknew (Romans 8:29a)? To what did He predestine them (verse 29b)? For what reason (verse 29c)? What did He do for those whom He predestined (Romans 8:30a)? What did He do for those whom He called (verse 30b)? What did He do for those whom He justified (verse 30c)?

What does God know about the mind with which the Spirit intercedes for the saints? Romans 8:28–30 looks forward to the midweek sermon. In these three verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to God’s plan to glorify them in and with His Son. 

We know, Romans 8:28. All things working together for good isn’t even the main idea of verse 28. The main idea is that we know. How do we know? We know that the Spirit helps us to pray for it (Romans 8:26a), because He Himself prays for it (verse 26b), because He Himself has purposed it (Romans 8:27). What evidence is there that He purposed it? Because He called us according to that purpose (Romans 8:28c). 

That’s the only way that sinners such as we are could ever come to love Him (Romans 8:28b). Here the love of God summarizes the keeping of the whole law (cf. Matthew 22:37–40). The one who was a slave under sin is now a lover of God? How did THAT happen?! God purposed it. God called him. God turned him into a lover of God.

God foreknew, Romans 8:29a. Why would God do this for someone who was going to be such a sinner? God did foreknow that we would be sinners. But that’s not the foreknowing that this verse is talking about. Some have thought that it’s talking about God foreknowing that we would choose Him, but that’s a rubbish idea. Apart from converting grace there would only be sin. But this is not foreknowing about a person; this is foreknowing the person himself. Predestination unto glory is the consequence of God determining to have an eternal relationship with a person. 

God knows, Romans 8:29-30. What is the mind of the Spirit as He prays for us in Romans 8:27? It is the mind that belongs to God from all eternity. The mind that treasures the glory of the Son. The mind that predestined those whom God foreknow to be conformed to that glory (Romans 8:29b). The mind that has shaped the history of every foreknown saint from predestination, through calling, to justification (Romans 8:30). And this glorification, that was determined from all eternity, is so sure to come (and to last into all eternity) that the apostle puts it in the past tense. For, it was determined in the knowledge of God—determined in that knowledge which is not a reactive knowledge, but the knowledge that has decreed whatsoever comes to pass (cf. Ephesians 1:11). 

The saint can know that all things are working together for his good, because the way that he came to be a lover of God is because God has determined to work all things together for that saint’s glory with Jesus Christ.

What’s the only way a sinner like you can become a lover of God? When would that have been determined? What had God unstoppably planned to do to such as love God? Why did He predestine them to that?

Sample prayer:  Lord, thank You for loving us and planning a relationship with us from all eternity. Grant unto us to know the fellowship of Your Spirit, Who works in us and prays for us, that we may be sure that all things are working together for our good—working together to conform us to Christ, which we ask in His Name, AMEN!

Suggested songs: ARP98 “O Sing a New Song to the Lord” or TPH469 “Who Are These Like Stars Appearing”

Dying, You Shall Die [Children's Catechism 26—Theology Simply Explained]

Pastor walks his children through Children's Catechism question 26—especially explaining how God threatened Adam with spiritual, physical, and eternal death. Q26. What did God threaten in the covenant of works? To punish Adam with death if he disobeyed. (click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson) The Covenant of Works threatened Adam with death as the penalty for disobedience, not merely physical demise but the immediate severance of his intimate fellowship with God, which was the very essence of his life. Though Adam was created as a living being, animated by an eternal soul and sustained in divine communion, his sin instantly severed his fellowship with God, resulting in spiritual death and the beginning of physical decay. This death was not deferred but began immediately, marking the collapse of his original state of divine intimacy and the onset of mortality. The threat encompassed both the temporary separation of soul and body and the everlasting consequence of eternal condemnation, though redemption through the Gospel ultimately reversed this fate. The lesson underscores that the penalty of disobedience was not just biological death but the loss of the life-giving relationship with God that defined Adam’s existence.

The Spirit's Ministry in Prayer [Family Worship lesson in Romans 8:26–27]

How does the Spirit help, when our perseverance is weak? Romans 8:26–27 looks forward to the midweek sermon. In these two verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that the Spirit of God, Who has the mind of God, teaches us to pray for glory with certainty, even as He perfectly prays the same. (click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson)

2025.11.11 Hopewell @Home ▫ Romans 8:26–27

Read Romans 8:26–27

Questions from the Scripture text: Who helps us (Romans 8:26)? Because of what reality about us? In what lack of knowledge are we particularly weak? Who prays for us? What sorts of prayers? How does Romans 8:27 describe God? What does it say that He knows? For whom, particularly, does the Spirit make intercession? According to what?

How does the Spirit help, when our perseverance is weak? Romans 8:26–27 looks forward to the public reading of Scripture in public worship on the coming Lord’s Day. In these two verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that the Spirit of God, Who has the mind of God, teaches us to pray for glory with certainty, even as He perfectly prays the same. 

The help of the Spirit. We ought to be “eager” and “persevering” (Romans 8:25) in our hoping, and therefore our praying. But we are not what we ought to be. We do not strain as we ought to for that glory for which we were saved, and to which we are certain to attain. So the Spirit helps us in our infirmities. We don’t know how to pray for what we ought. So the Spirit helps us to pray. He helps us be eternally minded, heavenly minded, even as we pray for things in our time and place. If we did not have the Spirit to help us in prayer, we could only pray from our flesh. But we do have His help, praise God!

The intercession of the Spirit. In Romans 8:23 we heard that “we ourselves groan.” Now in Romans 8:26 we read that “the Spirit Himself makes intercession.” That is to say: not only is He responsible for whatever good and true praying comes out of us, but He also prays in our behalf. God prays for us! Christ prays for us as our Mediator (cf. Romans 8:34). And God the Spirit prays for us according to His own divine will. So, we have both our own praying that He conforms to God’s will, and His praying that is itself an expression of God’s will.

The groaning of the Spirit. What does the Spirit pray for us? That all of God’s will would ultimately be accomplished. That for which the creation groans (cf. Romans 8:22), and that for which we who have the firstfruits of the Spirit groan (cf. Romans 8:23), would be fulfilled. The hope in which God subjected the creation (cf. Romans 8:20), the hope in which God saved us (cf. Romans 8:24), is the hope for which God the Spirit prays for us. God the Spirit groans for us not in human words but with the very desire and intention of God Himself! So, as God searches our Spirit-prompted hearts, He observes the mind of His own Spirit and approves it.

From where does any good praying that you do come? Who else is praying for you? What for?

Sample prayer:  Father, thank You for giving us Your Spirit to help us pray according to Your own priorities. Grant that by His help, we would pray more and more like Christ, through Whom we ask it, AMEN!

Suggested songs: ARP98 “O Sing a New Song to the Lord” or TPH469 “Who Are These Like Stars Appearing” 

2025.11.10 Hopewell @Home ▫ Psalm 100

Read Psalm 100

Questions from the Scripture text: What sort of Psalm does the superscript call this? What does Psalm 100:1 command to be made? What sort of shout? To Whom? Who are to make it? What command does Psalm 100:2a give? Serve Whom? In what manner? What command does verse 2b give? Come where? With what? What does Psalm 100:3a command? Know Whom? That He is Whom? That He has made what (verse 3b)? Who didn’t make them? Into what relation with God does His making bring us (verse 3c)? What other relation do we have with Him? What command does Psalm 100:4a give? Enter where? Whose gates? With what? Enter where else (verse 4b)? Whose courts? With what? What command does verse 4c give? Thankful to Whom? By blessing what? Why—for which attribute of His in Psalm 100:5a? And which attribute in verse 5b? What about His covenant love (“mercy”)? And which attribute in verse 5c? What about His faithfulness (“truth”)?

When all earth finally comes to YHWH, what shall they do? Psalm 100 looks forward to the opening portion of morning public worship on the coming Lord’s Day. In these five verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that all earth must come and worship YHWH in a manner appropriate to their relationship to Him and to the character that He has displayed in bringing us into that relationship.  

In the Holy Spirit’s arrangement of the Psalms into the order in which He brought them to us, this Psalm follows several Psalms that look forward to the praise of the last day, when redeemed from all the nations praise the Lord upon His coming to judge the world. It is the conclusion to a section of worship Psalms (Psalms 93–100). What are the redeemed to do, when He comes? We are to worship! Indeed, all worship assemblies of God’s people are dress-rehearsals for this. So, let us pay good attention to the instruction given here.

Worship Him in a particular manner, Psalm 100:1–3a. Shout joyously. Serve. Come. Know. These are the actions of worship commanded here. The verb for the shouting is one that includes the idea of joy. The next two verbs have a manner added to them “with gladness” and “with singing.” 

But how are we to summon such intense joy? Some of us perhaps have been in situations where this was attempted by lighting, or greeting, or melody, or a collective effort of the people gathered to summon joy from within, but the final command in this section gives the key to true worship-joy: “Know!” Know YHWH. Know that He is God. 

The proper manner of worship is not man-induced joy but God-induced joy. Joy that is springs from knowledge of the object of our worship. Joy that that springs from knowing the Person Whom we worship. Don’t just come to think about Him. Don’t just come to address Him. Come to know Him; come to interact with Him.

Worship Him as a particular people, Psalm 100:3-4. The joy of our worship comes not only from knowing YHWH as God but from knowing Him as our Maker and Redeemer. Our failure to praise and thank Him (cf. Romans 1:21) is so foolish. It is as if we think that we have made ourselves. So the Psalm reminds us of something that should be obvious: we did not make ourselves! He made us.

But He has done more than make us. The singers of this Psalm, the offerers of this worship, are His covenant people. Not just “His people” as those made by Him but “His people” as those pastured by Him, those pastored by Him. Oh, there is joy in knowing YHWH as God, but how great is that joy when we do this “knowing Him” as those who are His sheep! There’s a double image in Psalm 100:4 for the worshipers as they gather to God: not just the sheep of verse 4 being brought into the fold by the hand of the shepherd, but also subjects entering the gate/court of a King.

In Hebrew, as in English, the last word of verse 4 is “His Name.” He has given these sheep, these subjects, to know Him by Name. He has brought them near and divulged Himself to them. Do you see what a great thing it is to worship God in the assembly of His people? He brings us near and makes Himself known to us! This is what fuels the thanksgiving, praise, and blessing.

Worship Him for particular attributes, Psalm 100:5. The three lines in the conclusion to this Psalm highlight three attributes: goodness, covenant love, and faithfulness. To know the Lord and draw near to Him as He makes Himself known to us is to know His attributes, His perfections, His glories. In particular, His goodness, love, and faithfulness have displayed themselves in His redeeming us and gathering us. So, every time we are gathered to worship Him, these three are on spectacular display. An entire devotional, indeed an entire book or a world of books, could be given to each attribute. Such is the character of the God to Whom we gather, the character of the God Who gathers us to Himself. And He is worthy of this worship!

Where should your joy be coming from, when you gather for public worship on the Lord’s Day? So, what will you set your mind and heart upon? What is happening in the worship service? What three attributes of God are always on particular and spectacular display? How is He presenting them to you? How will you receive and respond?

Sample prayer:  Lord, we rejoice to worship You. Thank You for gathering us to Yourself for that worship now. You made us. You redeemed us for Yourself. You shepherd us. And when You gather us to Yourself, You show Yourself abounding in goodness and steadfast love and faithfulness that are from everlasting to everlasting. So grant us thankfulness from Your Spirit, by which we may praise You through Your Son, through Whom we ask it, AMEN!

Suggested songs: ARP100 “All Earth, With Joy” or TPH100B “All People That on Earth Do Dwell”