Sermon Tone Analysis

*God’s Everlasting Love Romans 8:31-39*

!!! IDOP 2005.

Maranatha Baptist Church

Sunday November 20, 2005.

10 am

*CONCERT OF PRAYER: SLIDE 1-23*

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*SLIDE 24**, *

*SLIDE 25*

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*Today*, *more than 200 million Christians* in *over 60 countries* around the word – our *brothers and sisters* in the faith – *face brutal opposition* and *persecution* *because *of *their faith* in Jesus.

*The number one request* they have when asked, is always *“please pray for us”.*

So *today* we bring their request to you, to *plead their cause* *before a gracious God.* *Together*, *our prayers help suffering believers* *to experience* *the faithfulness of God,* to *see their societies transformed* by the Gospel*, to know*, along with Jesus’ sufferings, the *peace and victory of Jesus*.

*When the Apostle Paul wrote to the Roman church, probably **during a winter in Corinth*, between 55-57AD, it was a time with great peril looming.

It would not be many years before they would *face fierce persecution from a pagan government* and people that now tolerated them with indifference.

It would not be long before the blood of those to whom this epistle is addressed would soak the sands of *Roman amphitheaters*.

Some would be *mauled by wild beasts*, some would be *slain by ruthless gladiators*, and others would be *used as human torches to light Nero’s garden parties*.

*Paul was writing to instruct* remembrance to aid the Roman Christians who would face peril.

Perhaps, the *concept of persecution* is so *foreign *it is *hard to comprehend*.

*We face* so *many calls for our attention,* it is easy to have *appeal fatigue*.

But *the message from God though the Apostle Paul* is one of *a lesson and help us as well as our persecuted brethren in the faith.

*

*When faced with peril, doubt or challenge for example*, *how do you react.*

When faced with challenges, *the temptation* is to *second guess ourselves*, our *resources* and *understanding of the situation.*

*The message of Romans 8* however is *assurance* *regardless of the peril, doubt or challenge ahead*, we can have *assurance in the God who is in control.

*We see:

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*SLIDE 26*

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The impossibility of meaningful 1) opposition v. 31, 2) depravation v.32, 3) accusation v.33, 4) condemnation  v.34 and 5) separation v.35-39.

*1) The impossibility of meaningful opposition,*

Romans 8: 31 a What then shall we say to these things?

Judging from what Paul says in the rest of the passage, *these things* doubtless refer to the *issues he has already dealt with in the chapter*.

Much of what he says in *verses 31–39* *relates to the doctrine of Christ’s substitutionary atonement*, but *the specific focus* is still on the *security that His atonement brings to those who believe in Him.*

 

Paul realizes that *many fearful believers* *will still have doubts about their security* and that *false teachers would be ready to exploit those doubts.

To give such believers the assurance they need*, the apostle reveals *God’s answer to two closely related questions:* *Can any person* or *can* *any circumstance* cause a believer to *lose his salvation?*

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Persons Who Might Seem to Threaten Our Security

*INTERROGRATIVE~/ RHETORICAL QUESTION*

Paul begins with an *all-encompassing rhetorical question*, *If** God is for us, who can be against us?*

The word *if* translates the Greek conditional particle /ei/, *signifying a fulfilled condition*, *not a mere possibility* *The** meaning of the first clause* is therefore *“/Because/ God is for us.”*

The obvious implication is that *if anyone were able to rob us of salvation* they *would have to be greater than God Himself*, *because He* *is both the giver and the sustainer of salvation.*

To Christians Paul is asking, in effect, “Who could conceivably take away our no-condemnation status?” (see 8:1).

Is there anyone stronger than God, the Creator of everything and everyone who exists?

*Please turn to Psalm 41*

*SLIDE 27*

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*David declared with unreserved confidence*, Ps. 27:1(Of David).

The LORD is my light and my salvation; *whom shall I fear*?

The LORD *is the stronghold* of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?

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*CLICK*

 

In Psalm 46, we read, Psa 46:1(To the choirmaster.

Of the Sons of Korah.

According to Alamoth.

A Song. ) God is our refuge and strength*, a very present help in trouble*.

Psa 46:2  Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, Psa 46:3  though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling.

Selah.

Psa 46:11  The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.

Selah.

*In Romans **8:31* *Paul does not specify any particular persons who might be successful* against us, but it would be helpful to consider some of the possibilities.

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*CLICK*

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*First of all, we might wonder, **“Can other people rob us of salvation?”*

*Please turn to Acts 20:28*

The Roman Catholic church teaches that *Can salvation be lost* by committing so-called *mortal sins?* *Can a church claim* power for itself both to *grant and to revoke grace?.*

But such ideas have no foundation in Scripture and are thoroughly heretical.

No person or group of persons, regardless of their ecclesiastical status, can bestow or withdraw the smallest part of God’s grace.

When Paul was bidding farewell to the Ephesian elders who had come to meet him at Miletus, he warned,

 

Act 20:28  Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood.

Act 20:29  I know that after my departure *fierce wolves* will come in among you, *not sparing the flock*; Act 20:30  and from among your own selves will arise men *speaking twisted things*, to *draw away the disciples after them*.

Paul was *not suggesting* that *true believers can be robbed of salvation* but *was warning* that *they can be seriously misled, confused, and weakened in their faith and that the cause of the gospel can be greatly hindered*.

Although *false teaching cannot* *prevent the completion of a believer’s salvation*, *it can easily confuse* *an unbeliever regarding salvation.*

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*SLIDE 28*

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*We* *might wonder if Christians can put themselves out of God’s grace* by *committing some unusually heinous sin* that *nullifies the divine work of redemption* that binds them to the Lord?

Tragically, some evangelical churches teach that loss of salvation is possible.

But *if we were not able by our own power or effort to save ourselves*-to free ourselves from sin, to bring ourselves to God, and to make ourselves His children-*how could it be* that *by our own efforts we could nullify the work of grace* that God Himself has accomplished in us?

 

*SLIDE 29*

 

*We might wonder **if God the Father would take away our salvation?*

Phi 1:6  And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.

*We have seen:*

*SLIDE 30*

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*The impossibility of meaningful 1) opposition v. 31, *

*And now to answer the questions, we see:*

*The impossibility of meaningful** 2) depravation v.32,*

Romans 8:32 He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?

*How could it possibly be* that God would sacrifice His own Son *for the sake of those who believe in Him* and then cast some of those blood-bought believers out of His *family and His kingdom?* *Would God do less* *for believers after they are saved* than *He did for them prior to salvation?*

Would He do less for His children than He did for His enemies?

If God loved us so much while we were wretched sinners that He delivered up *His own Son … for us*, would He turn His back on us after we have been cleansed from sin and made righteous in His sight?

*Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross* not only is *the foundation of our salvation* *but also of our security.*

Because the Father loved us so much while we were still under condemnation,

*2Co **5:21*  For our sake *he made him to be sin who knew no sin*, so that *in him we might become the righteousness of God.

*

 

*Romans **8:32** concluded by saying: *

Romans 8:32b will he not also with him graciously give us all things?

When Romans 8:32b specifies that God graciously gives translates /charizomai/, which means to bestow graciously or out of grace.

In some of Paul’s other letters the same word carries the idea of forgiveness (see 2 Cor.

2:7, 10; 12:13; Col. 2:13; 3:13).

It therefore seems reasonable to interpret Paul’s use of /charizomai/ in Romans 8:32 as including the idea of God’s *gracious forgiveness* as well as His *gracious giving*.

If so, the apostle is also saying that God *freely* /forgives/ *us all things* (cf. 1 John 1:9).

God’s unlimited forgiveness makes it impossible for a believer to sin himself out of God’s grace.

*CLICK*

 

In *his letter to **Ephesus* the apostle is *also speaking of fellow believers when he says*, *Eph 1:3  Blessed* be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with *every spiritual blessing* in the heavenly places,

If God blesses *us*, His children, *blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places,* *loss of salvation* *is clearly impossible*.

*All believers* *receive that eternal inheritance.*

*SLIDE 31*

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*We have seen: **The impossibility of meaningful 1) opposition v. 31,2) depravation v.32, **and now** *

*3) accusation v.33,*

*Rom **8:33*  Who shall bring any charge against God's elect?

It is God who justifies.