Ultimately...the Decision is...

Romans Chapter 8

#1 – When we are born-again, we are born of the Spirit of God thus making us children of God and heirs to the Kingdom of God, but we must go through suffering just as Christ did that we may be ready to obtain this inheritance having learned obedience just as Jesus did.

Hebrews 5:8 though He were a Son, yet learned He obedience by the things which He suffered;

Romans 8:8-9 So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of His.

Romans 8:16-17 - The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.

#2 – While we wait for the coming of Christ, our spirits groan within ourselves as we enter the sufferings of Christ. However, the Holy Spirit knows the hearts and minds and makes intercession for us with the groanings we could not have uttered; this is why when we go in prayer to God we have need of asking Him to guide us in our prayer that it might be His will accomplished through that prayer – that His name truly would be praised and exalted for all time.

Rom. 8:22-23 - For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.

Romans 8:26-27 - Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And He that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because He maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.

The Spirit, is the Holy Spirit of God, which Jesus asked our Father to send to us when Jesus had to leave the earth physically. The Holy Spirit was sent in His place to be the Comforter, so we would have God with us always, and it would be just as He said: Lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the world (Matthew 28:20).

- This same Holy Spirit intercedes for us when we don't know how or what we should pray. The Spirit makes intercessory requests on our behalf according to what God's will is.

Romans 8:28-29 - And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose. For whom He did foreknow, He also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.

Romans 8:30-32 - 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. What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? He that spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?

2 Timothy 2:19 - Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are His. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.

With this understanding,

Romans 8:34 - Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.

If we know that we belong to Christ, and if we are determined to depart from iniquity, knowing that we not only name the name of Christ, but are representatives of Jesus Christ, being called by His name, we bear His name, then...

Romans 8: 35a-37 - Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, For Thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us.

Romans 8:38-39 - For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Persuade: to move by argument, entreaty, or expostulation to a belief, position, or course of action (Merriam-Webster)

It is a word which from Latin is: persuādēre, from per- (intensive) + suādēre to urge, advise / to prevail on (a person) to do something, as by advising or urging: to induce to believe by appealing to reason or understanding; convince: (from dictionary.com)

Paul, a very intelligent, well-educated man, who had been through tribulation and distress and great persecution, and more, was convinced, completely converted to the belief that nothing would be able to separate us from the love of Christ SO LONG AS we have this resolve as he did. Paul believed the words of Christ when He said:

Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. Sell that ye have, and give alms; provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief approacheth,neither moth corrupteth. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also (Luke 12:32-34).

Ultimately, the decision to follow Christ and to endure is ours. In Christ is provided all of our needs so that we would have all resources necessary available to us. Therefore, He is our ALL in ALL, everything we need at any given point and in every aspect of our lives, He provides.

The decision to continue in the patient love of Christ is ours.

Revelation 14:12 - Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.

May GOD'S name be praised and His name glorified, from this time forth and even forevermore!

AMEN.