I know . . .

 

 

READ Romans 5-8

Faith is defined as knowing what we cannot see. This ‘knowing’ is God’s gift of grace that gives sight to a life once blind to spiritual matters. Today’s reading has a dozen examples of what Christians just know, truths that are affirmed by the Word of God and the enlightenment of the Holy Spirit. This is what we know:

We can rejoice in suffering “knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.” (Romans 5:3–5) We might complain, but we know God uses suffering to mature us.

We are united with Christ in His death and in His life. “Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death . . . in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.” (Romans 6:3–4)

That unity sets us free from sin because we know our old self was crucified with Him. “For one who has died has been set free from sin . . . we will also live with him” and He will never die again and He now lives to God, so we also are dead to sin and alive to God. (Romans 6:6–11)

We present ourselves to righteousness because we know that is freedom — rather than being slaves to sin. (Romans 6:16–18)

We know the law of God once held us captive yet we died to it and now serve Christ, knowing we are set free from the bondage of a code we could not keep. (Romans 7:1–2; 6) This does not mean the law is sin for by it we know sin and that we are guilty of sin. “When the commandment came, sin came alive and I died. The very commandment that promised life proved to be death to me.” (Romans 7:7–10)

We also know that the law is spiritual, but we cannot keep it in our own strength. We do not understand our own actions, do things we don’t want to do, and know that nothing good dwells in us. (Romans 7:14–18)

All genuine Christians know the good news: “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” (Romans 8:1) We are “not in the flesh but in the Spirit” because the Holy Spirit lives in us. We also know that “Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him.” (Romans 8:9)

This knowing is for now but also gives us eternal hope. This hope is strong and can say things like:

For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. (Romans 8:18)

For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. (Romans 8:22–23)

Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. (Romans 8:26)

For me, the very first truth I learned after Jesus gave me faith to believe the gospel was this:

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. (Romans 8:28–29)

I know that no matter what is happening in the world or in my life, it is allowed by God’s goodness and used for His transforming work. Because of this knowing, I’m do not get upset easily about a lot of things — I know that God is asking for a childlike trust and a Christlike response from me. I know trials are opportunities to grow, to be like Jesus.

While my spiritual enemy shoots lies designed to destroy my assurance, I know” the promises of God that affirm the following truth:

For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:38–39)

Lord God, as I read Your words, You continually assure me that what I know about You is true. You have convinced me by grace through faith, not with pie-in-the-sky but promises that bless my life and set my feet on solid ground.