Read the passage: Romans 8:26-39 (ESV, Bible Gateway)
Verses 26-27
- What is our weakness?
- Have you ever experienced a time when you just didn’t know how you should be praying for something that burdened you – when you just couldn’t find the words?
- According to v27, in such situations, what is the Father doing?
- According to v26-27 how does the Spirit help in such times?
- Considering v26-27, v34 and Hebrews 7.25, who intercedes for you?
- How do you respond to the fact that you do not stand alone, but that the Godhead is praying for you?
- Have you ever experienced a time when you just didn’t know how you should be praying for something that burdened you – when you just couldn’t find the words?
Verse 28
- What can we know even when we don’t know the words to pray?
- According to v28, for whom do all things work for good? Is it for everyone? Do things on their own work for good?
- What does it mean to love God, and why is our response to trials and difficulty a good indicator of whether or not we truly love God?
- How does this help us understand why it is for such people that God works all things for good?
- How might God turn bad things for our good?
- Are there any areas where it’s not so much your circumstances that need to change but your attitude to them?
- How might all things – both the good and the bad – not work for the good of those who do not love God or are not in relationship with Him?
- What can knowing that God works all things for your good give you?
- Can you – or anything else – ruin God’s plan for your life?
- According to v28, for whom do all things work for good? Is it for everyone? Do things on their own work for good?
Verses 29-30
- How does this chain of things that God has done for us help us understand how all things work for good for those who love God? What is the ‘good’ that God is working all things for?
- Considering v29: what is God creating, and who tops it all?
- Take each verb from verses 29 – 30 in turn. What does it mean that God:
- Foreknew you?
- Predestined you?
- Called you?
- Justified you?
- Glorified you?
- In v30, Paul talks about our future glorification as if it has already happened. Why?
Verses 31-35
- In these verses Paul asks multiple questions. If you had to summarise one overarching, all encompassing answer for all the questions, what would you say?
- Considering these verses, what has Christ accomplished for us?
Verse 37
- How can we be more than conquerors? Surely we are either conquerors or not?
Verses 38-39
- What does it mean that nothing can separate you from the love of God in Christ?
- How is that possible?
- What should this tell us about how we should respond to guilt, or anxiety, or fear, or despair?
Take home message
Take a few minutes of each person to formulate a take-home message from the passage. Then share yours with the group. As a group, try to cover as many aspects from the passage as possible.
Leader’s notes
Verses 26-27
- What is our weakness?
There are times when we don’t know how to pray- Have you ever experienced a time when you just didn’t know how you should be praying for something that burdened you – when you just couldn’t find the words?
Examples might include: praying for a major decision; a realisation of how we have sinned; when we are facing bad news; or something bad has happened to someone we love.- According to v27, in such situations, what is the Father doing?
He is the one who knows what’s going on in our hearts – better even than ourselves. He knows our true desires and motives. - Considering v26-27, v34 and Hebrews 7.25, who intercedes for you?
Both the Spirit and the Son
- According to v27, in such situations, what is the Father doing?
- Have you ever experienced a time when you just didn’t know how you should be praying for something that burdened you – when you just couldn’t find the words?
Verse 28
- What can we know even when we don’t know the words to pray?
- According to v28, for whom do all things work for good? Is it for everyone? Do things on their own work for good?
All things work for good for those who love God and are called according to His purpose. Therefore, Paul implies, all things do not work for good for everyone. This means it is not the things themselves but God who works them for good.- How does this help us understand why it is for such people that God works all things for good?
The person who truly loves God will keep going, keep enduring even when life is hard. It is in the lives of such people that God can take those hard times and turn them for good – by increasing their closeness to Him, by developing their endurance, by equipping them to help others, by deepening their prayer lives. - How might God turn bad things for our good?
You could think about how they teach us humility, dependency, patience, endurance, compassion.
- How does this help us understand why it is for such people that God works all things for good?
- How might all things – both the good and the bad – not work for the good of those who do not love God or are not in relationship with Him?
To be given whatever you want in life may be a punishment, not a good thing; Good things happening can increase a person’s pride or self-centredness; bad things can make them resentful or bitter. - What can knowing that God works all things for your good give you?
It can give us peace, security, confidence, joy and thanksgiving even in the hard times. You are not the victim of chance events – your life is in the hands of your living and loving heavenly Father. - Can you – or anything else – ruin God’s plan for your life?
Sin is sin, but God will even turn those wrong things we have done, or that have been done against us, for our good. Nothing and no-one can thwart His good purposes in our lives – not even ourselves.
- According to v28, for whom do all things work for good? Is it for everyone? Do things on their own work for good?
Verses 29-30
- How does this chain of things that God has done for us help us understand how all things work for good for those who love God? What is the ‘good’ that God is working all things for?
God has predestined us to be conformed to the image of His Son – to become more like Christ. This is the ‘good’ for which He works all things. And that means it’s going to happen! Which means, that everything along the way can only work to achieve God’s good end and purpose for our lives.- Considering v29: what is God creating, and who tops it all?
He is creating a family in Christ – and Christ is the firstborn brother – He’s the heir, the focus of all hope, the one who will inherit the crown. - Take each verb from verses 29 – 30 in turn. What does it mean that God:
- Glorified you?
To be foreknown by God is – in the words of Paul in Ephesians 1:4 – to be chosen by Him before we, or even the world, were created. It is to have Him set His love upon us before we did anything to deserve it (see also Rom 9:11, 16). Having been foreknown and chosen by grace, to be predestined by God is to be set apart by Him for salvation, in such a way that we cannot fail to be saved. Having been predestined God calls us to Himself – and when He calls we cannot resist to come! His calling is always effectual. Then He justifies us – which means He declares us not guilty. This is the great exchange: Christ becomes sin for us that we might become the righteousness of God in Him (see 2 Cor 5:21). And having been justified He glorifies us – that is, our eternal salvation is guaranteed – we will live with Him forever in glory, and in glorious resurrected bodies. And every step is by His grace to us in Christ. None of it is our doing!
- Glorified you?
- In v30, Paul talks about our future glorification as if it has already happened. Why?
Because, in the purpose of God, in His predestining power, it’s as good as happened! The outcome for your life is certain.
- Considering v29: what is God creating, and who tops it all?
Verse 37
- How can we be more than conquerors? Surely we are either conquerors or not?
We are more than conquerors, because Christ fought the battle for us and then handed us the prize. We have conquered by not lifting a finger. He has done it all!
Verses 38-39
- What does it mean that nothing can separate you from the love of God in Christ?
- How is that possible?
Because it depends on nothing else than God’s choice to love you – He loves you because He loves you and nothing will ever stop Him doing that.
- How is that possible?
Download the complete study: Bible study on Romans (PDF) and leader’s guide (PDF)