The Holy Spirit in the Book of Romans 8:27; 9:1-3; 14:17; 15:13, 16, 18-19, 30

Daniel Segraves

During January, I am teaching an adult elective class each Sunday morning at The Sanctuary UPC, our home church, located in Hazelwood, Missouri. Mitchell Bland is our pastor.

The lessons are drawn from my new book, The Holy Spirit: A Commentary. Next Sunday, January 10, I plan to discuss the verses listed above from the Book of Romans.

The book is published by the Pentecostal Publishing House and can be ordered at pentecostalpublishing.com. It is also available as a Kindle download at amazon.com and as an Apple Book.

This Sunday’s study guide is posted below. I plan to post the video of the class by next Monday, January 11. The study guide for January 3 was posted on this blog on January 2 under the title “The Holy Spirit in Romans 8:18-27.” The video for that session was posted on January 3 under the same title.

The Holy Spirit in the Book of Romans 8:27; 9:1-3; 14:17; 15:13, 16, 18-19, 30

January 10, 2021

Daniel L. Segraves, Teacher

danielsegraves.com

Twitter: @danielsegraves

[1] Paul’s description of God as knowing the “mind of the Spirit” and the Spirit making intercession “according to the will of God” indicates the radical monotheism of God (Romans 8:27). There is no fragmentation within God; there is only one God.[1] This omnipotent,[2] omniscient,[3] omnipresent[4] God is capable of relating to us as Father; He is capable, by means of the Incarnation, of relating to us as the Son of God in providing redemption; and He is capable, apart from the Incarnation, of dwelling within us as the Holy Spirit. For these reasons, the mind of the Spirit is, by definition, the will of God.

[2] Paul was in Christ as he wrote Romans 9:1-3. (See Romans 6:3-8; 8:1-2, 9-10.) His confession, “I tell the truth in Christ, I am not lying, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Spirit” (Romans 9:1) indicates that to be “in Christ” was by definition to be “in the Spirit.” The Holy Spirit dwelling within him offered no condemnation of his sincerity or truthfulness in conjunction with his confession, as dramatic as it was.

[3] The kingdom of God is not defined by a sacred diet but by the work of the Holy Spirit in the life of the believer: righteousness (right standing with God), peace (Romans 5:1), and joy (Romans 14:17). This is similar to the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). Since matters of diet (and, by implication, observation of sacred days [Romans 14:5-6]) are not defining issues, they should never be issues of fellowship. Entry is gained and maintained in the kingdom of God by the birth of the Spirit (I Corinthians 12:13), not by embracing dietary laws or sabbath days. (See Galatians 4:9-11; Colossians 2:16-17).

[4] The only way believers can abound in hope is by the power of the Holy Spirit (Romans 15:13). Nothing can develop biblical hope apart from the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit. Hope is not positive thinking, positive mental attitude, or possibility thinking. It results only by relying on the power of the Holy Spirit within.

[5] Paul’s reference to “the offering of the Gentiles” seems intended to remind his Jewish readers that the Gentiles’ salvation was accomplished by the will of God (Romans 15:16). Thus, there was no reason for Jewish believers to hold Gentile brethren at arm’s length. If Gentiles were acceptable to God, they should be acceptable to Jewish Christians. (See Romans 15:5-7.) If Gentiles were sanctified, or set apart unto God, by the Holy Spirit, no legitimate reason remained for Jewish Christians to reject them.

[6] How Christ accomplished the conversion of Gentiles through Paul was “in word and deed . . . in mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God” (Romans 15:18-19). Paul’s ministry was not limited to a vocal declaration of the gospel; it included confirming the word with signs following. Nothing in Scripture suggests God intended to restrict this kind of ministry to the first century.[5]

[7] Paul was apparently in Corinth when he wrote his letter to the Romans. He knew difficulties awaited him in Jerusalem. (See Acts 20:22-24; 21:10-14.) Even Agabus, a prophet, and other believers warned Paul about the consequences of going to Jerusalem, he did not hesitate to pray for deliverance. He was not unwilling to face whatever was in store, but he was no fatalist. Since no man is omniscient, there is always a place for prayer for deliverance from difficulties – even those that are foretold, unless God specifically declares His refusal to remove the obstacles. So Paul appealed for prayers “through the Lord Jesus Christ,” or based on the believers’ unity together in Him (see Romans 6:3-8; 12:4-5), and “through the love of the Spirit,” meaning the love that results from the indwelling Holy Spirit (Romans 15:30).

Summary of the Holy Spirit in Romans

  1. The Spirit declared Jesus to be the Son of God by the Spirit’s role in His resurrection from the dead.
  1. The Old Testament practice of circumcision symbolized New Testament realities involving the Spirit.
  1. The Spirit produces hope and love, and believers are to be led by the Spirit.
  1. The kingdom of God does not involve what believers eat or drink. It involves the Holy Spirit.
  1. Signs and wonders accomplished by the Spirit play a vital role in the spread of the gospel.

[1] See Deuteronomy 6:4; I Corinthians 8:6; Galatians 3:20; Ephesians 4:6; I Timothy 2:5; James 2:19.

[2] Revelation 19:6.

[3] Psalms 33:13-15; 139:1-4; Isaiah 46:9-10; Jeremiah 1:5; Matthew 10:30; Hebrews 4:13.

[4] Deuteronomy 4:39; I Kings 8:27; Psalm 139:7-10; Isaiah 66:1; Jeremiah 23:24; Amos 9:2-3.

[5] See Mark 16:17-20; Acts 13:11; 14:3, 8-10, 19-20; 19:11-12; 20:9-12; 28:1-8; I Corinthians 2:1-5; II Corinthians 12:12; Hebrews 2:3-4.

(c) 2021 by Daniel L. Segraves

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