The Great Eight, Part Six
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Read During Offering:
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. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified. What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 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? Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written, “For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.” No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 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.
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SECTION ONE: WHAT SHALL WE SAY?
Calvin Coolidge
One of the presidents I would love to meet was the 30th president, Calvin Coolidge. He was a man of few words. Someone once said, “I’ll bet I can make you speak more than two words,” to which Coolidge replied, “you lose.” He once said, “I have never been hurt by what I have not said” and “no one ever listened themselves out of a job.”
He was known for answering questions with questions. Once he was asked why he answers questions with questions to which he replied, “why not?”
Paul answers Questions with Questions
Paul was not a man of few words, but at the end of , after he has taken us to the heights of our benefits in Christ, he answers life’s deepest questions with more questions. Unanswerable Questions. Paul dares the Romans and now dares us to ask the tough, deep, questions....he asks an overarching one in verse 31, and then five more...
Paul dares the Romans and now dares us to ask the tough, deep, questions....he asks an overarching one in verse 31, and then five more...
. The Great 8. The greatest chapter in all the Bible because Paul takes us to the heights of the benefits we have of being in Christ Jesus. is all about what God does for us, not what we do. It is God who justifies, not us, it is God who adopts, not us, it is God who raises us from death to life, not us.
And Paul
Many of those in the Roman church faced danger every day just for being a Christian. Paul is giving them high octane Gospel fuel that will empower them to face anything in life. To be heroes.
Paul is writing this book as a letter to the Roman Church, as a sermon to people he will never meet. Paul writes to these Christians in Rome and he says they are famous in all the world for the Gospel of Jesus Christ. He isn’t writing to debate theology but to give them high octane gospel fuel that will empower them to heroically face anything in life. He is writing as a pastor concerned for people whose lives would be in danger simply for being a Christian.
Paul dares the Romans and now dares us to ask the tough, deep, questions....he asks an overarching one in verse 31, and then five more...
Paul is writing this book as a letter to the Roman Church, as a sermon to people he will never meet. Paul writes to these Christians in Rome and he says they are famous in all the world for the Gospel of Jesus Christ. He isn’t writing to debate theology but to give them high octane gospel fuel that will empower them to heroically face anything in life. He is writing as a pastor concerned for people whose lives would be in danger simply for being a Christian.
And so after Paul has taken us through
Yes, Paul wants to shape how they think about God theologically, but he wants their theology to transform how they live. Paul knows that when he makes big statements like , all things work together for the good of those who love God and those who are called according to his purpose, that there will be questions. So Paul dares the Romans and now dares us to ask the tough, deep, questions....he asks an overarching one in verse 31, and then five more...
Yes, Paul wants to shape how they think about God theologically, but he wants their theology to transform how they live. Paul knows that when he makes big statements like , all things work together for the good of those who love God and those who are called according to his purpose, that there will be questions. So Paul dares the Romans and now dares us to ask the tough, deep, questions....he asks an overarching one, and then five more...
And Paul in shows us that salvation is all of God. , salvation belongs to our God. , he is the God of our salvation. That there is no condemnation for those who are in union with Christ Jesus. For those who are bonded to him. That we have been justified, meaning we are pronounced not guilty. That we are sons and daughters adopted into the family of God. That everything Jesus gets, we get. That it is God who saves, not us. It is God who justifies. not us. It is God who adopts, not us. It is God who raises us from death to life. Paul says in we were dead in our sins.
Paul is writing this book as a letter, as a sermon to people he will never meet. To Christians in Rome who Paul says are famous in all the world for the Gospel of Jesus Christ. He isn’t writing to debate theology. He is writing as a pastor concerned for the people. Yes, Paul wants to shape how they think about God theologically, but he wants their theology to transform how they live.
Paul is writing this book as a letter, as a sermon to people he will never meet. To Christians in Rome who Paul says are famous in all the world for the Gospel of Jesus Christ. He isn’t writing to debate theology. He is writing as a pastor concerned for the people. Yes, Paul wants to shape how they think about God theologically, but he wants their theology to transform how they live.
“What then shall we say to these things?” -: 31a
“What then shall we say to these things?” -: 31a
What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?
Bring Hard Questions
In other words, so what? What practically will change in our lives as a result of ? And Paul’s heart erupts. Paul is DARING us to ask hard questions…Paul is daring us to put the Gospel to the test. Paul has said earlier that he is not ashamed of the Gospel…that he wants to know nothing but Jesus Christ and him crucified. So hard questions can be asked. Paul is challenging us to bring our darkest failures, to bring our greatest brokenness, to bring our shame, our losses, our grief, the times we have cried out in the middle of the night wondering if God is there, the times that we have wailed out loud in broad daylight because someone we love has died, Paul is daring us to bring the most crushing news we have received, or the times we have been attacked by those we thought were friends. Paul is saying, bring it all to the table. Paul asks, how will you challenge everything I have just said?
Paul could have easily ended these thoughts at verse 30 or before, but instead he asks a big question....what then shall we say to these things. In other words, so what? What practically will change in our lives as a result of ?
And Paul’s heart erupts. Paul is DARING us to ask hard questions…Paul is daring us to put the Gospel to the test. Paul has said earlier that he is not ashamed of the Gospel…that he wants to know nothing but Jesus Christ and him crucified. So hard questions can be asked. Paul is challenging us to bring our darkest failures, to bring our greatest brokenness, to bring our shame, our losses, our grief, the times we have cried out in the middle of the night wondering if God is there, the times that we have wailed out loud in broad daylight because someone we love has died, Paul is daring us to bring the most crushing news we have received, or the times we have been attacked by those we thought were friends.
Paul is saying, bring it all to the table. Paul asks, how will you challenge everything I have just said?
And once again, Paul could have left us hanging with the first part of verse 31 and that would have been a fitting end to chapter 8, but instead he asks five unanswerable questions. And these are five unanswerable questions that we need to ask ourselves all week long.
SECTION TWO: IF GOD IS FOR US, WHO CAN BE AGAINST US
Paul answers his question, what shall we say to all these glorious things in , with an unanswerable question...
“If God is for us, who can be against us?” -: 31b
“If God is for us, who can be against us?” -: 31b
Not: Who is Against You? Endless Answers
He foreknows us. This doesn’t mean that God looks down the corrider of time and sees who will and won’t love him. Foreknow means to forelove. It means that all the way back before you were created, God set his heart on you. That God loved you before the foundation of the earth. That you were pre-destined…and we get hung up on this word, but look at what we are predestined---pre determined---our destination is determined—to be confored to the image of Jesus. That part should be the controversy because we should spend the rest of our lives studying what it means to be conformed to the image of Jesus instead of studying what the differences are between demoninations and splitting theological hairs and arguing to argue over deep deep doctrinal truths. That God is sovereign. That God chooses. That God predestines. But at the same time man is responsible. Man is responsible for his decisions. That when we come to faith in Jesus, it is like approaching a door, at the top of the door as you enter, as you are saved, is the verse, the Lord does not desire for any to be lost. And then when you come in you look behind you at the door and you see at the top, you did not choose me but I chose you. But instead of getting hung up on that…because if you get hung up on that great mystery you should also get hung up on many other great mysteries of the faith like the Trinity, like the problem of pain in the world. Instead of getting hung up there, let’s get hung up on becoming more like Jesus, because no matter what, that was the purpose. And those he called he justified, those he justified, he glorified. Meaning no more sin, no more laying awake at night with guilt and stress, no more relational issues, no more sin.
If we will not be glorified until Heaven, why does Paul put it in the past tense? Glorified? Because the connection between justification and glofication is unbreakable. No one falls through the cracks along the way. The people God starts with he finishes with. The purpose of God is that certain. The cross of Jesus is that powerful. he will glorify. No, it doesn’t say it that way. It doesn’t say that we will be glorified in the future. Paul uses the past tense. That we are alaready glorified in heaven. That this is so sure, such a done deal, that the plan is sealed from eternity past, that God predesinted before anything was created that you would be glorified in Heaven. Predesintation is not a doctrine to be debated. It is not a fire insurance policy—it is God’s purpose to make us like Jesus.
And so back to verse 28—all things work together….if God’s plan of salvation spans all the way from eternity past, than certainly God must be working all things to our good in this measly little brief moment called life. This is such a small speck in the scope of eternity. God’s plan spans from eternity to eternity. Therefore, God is overseeing our brief pilgrimage for our good.
We can think of many who are against us. Your enemies are against you. Your enemies are powerful. Your own flesh is against you at times. You are against you at times. Your family can even be against you at times. Sometimes it feels like one more blow against us, and we are done. If Paul asked the question, “who is against you?”…the answer wouldn’t be encouraging. That wouldn’t be good news, but bad news. But that isn’t the question Paul poses.
Notice that Paul doesn’t ask, “who is against you?” Or “who is against us?” Because if Paul asked the question that way, “who is against you”, the answers would be endless. We can think of many who are against us. Your enemies are against you. Your own flesh is against you. You are against you at times. Your family can even be against you at times. Sometimes it feels like one more blow against us, and we are defeated. If Paul asked the question, “who is against you?”…the answer wouldn’t be encouraging. That wouldn’t be good news, but bad news. But that isn’t the question Paul poses.
Once Paul comes to the end of verse 30, once Paul comes to the end of all that God has determined to do. Paul asks a series of questions. The first is “what else is there to say?” His heart erupts. Paul is basically daring us to ask questions. Paul is daring us to put the Gospel to the test. To offer our hard and not pat questions. Paul is challenging us to cast our burdens and our cares upon him. Paul is challenging us to bring our darkest failures, to bring our greatest brokenness, to bring our shame, to bring our losses and our grief, and the times that we have cried out in the middle of the night wondering if God is there, and the times that we have wailed because someone we love has died, or the times we have gotten crushing news, or the times that we have been attacked by people we thought were friends. Paul is saying, bring all that to the table. What will you say, Paul asks, how will you challenge everything I have just said. So Paul says “what shall we say then?” He dares us to speak. And you would think it would end right there. But Paul doesn’t stop. Paul said in I am not ashamed of the Gospel, so Paul said, let’s put it to the test, in the real world. Let’s ask four hard questions to see if it holds up.
First question….Notice that Paul doesn’t ask, “who is against you?” Or “who is against us?” Because if Paul asked the question that way, who is against you, the answers would be endless. We can think of many who are against us. Your enemies are against you. Your enemies are powerful. The world is against you at times. Your own flesh is against you at times. You are against you at times. Your family can even be against you at times. Sometimes it feels like one more blow against us, and we are done. If Paul asked the question, “who is against you?”…the answer wouldn’t be encouraging. It would be very discouraging. It would be very defeating. We are often sinful, confused, defeated. But that isn’t the question Paul poses.
God is on Your Side
Paul asks an entirely different question. Paul asks, “if God is for us, who can be against us?” Paul isn’t saying that in your own strength you can take on the world because the only way God is FOR you is when you are being conformed to the image of Christ. In other words, if you are in Christ, God is on your side. God is in your corner. Play it out practically...
In other words, if you are in Christ, God is on your side. God is in your corner. Play it out.
Leave this slide up:
“If God is for _____, who can be against _____?”
“If God is for _____, who can be against _____?”
If God is for (put your name in the blank) who can be against you. To be against you, to fight you, to win against you, they would have to WIN against God. That isn’t happening. That is why says no weapon that is fashioned against you will succeed…you will refute every tongue that rises against you in judgment.
no weapon that is fashioned against you shall succeed, and you shall refute every tongue that rises against you in judgment. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord and their vindication from me, declares the Lord.”
And , more questions are asked, do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God. The Lord is the Creator of the Universe. The Lord, who is on your side, in your corner, does not grow tired or weak. If God is for you, who can be against you?
“O afflicted one, storm-tossed and not comforted,
behold, I will set your stones in antimony,
and lay your foundations with sapphires.
And , more questions are asked, do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God. The Lord is the Creator of the Universe. The Lord, who is on your side, in your corner, does not grow tired or weak. If God is for you, who can be against you?
Take Down Slide
Opposite Perspective (People and Church)
Play it out from the opposite perspective. If YOU are against someone who has God in their corner, how can you stand? Men, God is on your wife’s side. He is in her corner. She is a daughter of the king. If God is FOR your wife, how can you stand against your wife. Women, God is on your husband’s team. Why do you disdain him? Why are you against him? You are setting yourself against team God.
But play it out from the opposite perspective. If YOU are against someone who has God in their corner, how can you stand? Men, if your wife knows Jesus, God is on her side. He is in her corner. She is a daughter of the king. If God is FOR your wife, how can you stand against your wife. Women, God is on your husband’s team. Why do you disdain him? Why are you against him? You are setting yourself against team God.
People have put themselves up against our church at times. If God is FOR Reach Church, who can stand against Reach Church? That is why God says to Moses in , the Lord will fight for you, all you need to do is be still. Jesus said even the gates of hell will not prevail against the church.
Paul answers his own question with an unanswerable question. What shall we say to all these amazing benefits of ? If God is for us, who can be against us?
SECTION THREE: HE DIDN’T SPARE HIS SON
Paul asks, what shall we say to all these glorious benefits of and answers the question with a second unanswerable question…verse 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?” -
“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?” -
Paul asks, if God gave his only son, do you really think there is anything you need that God will withhold from you? He has already given you his most treasured possession.
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?
Two Police Officers
There is a show on TV that depicted the shooting of two police officers by a 15 year old boy. All three are at the same hospital and the two police officers die while the 15 year old boy who shot them is in critical condition since he was shot as well. The 15 year old boy needs a liver transplant. One of the police officers is a match. So the mother of the two sons who were just killed has to decide whether or not to give her dead son’s liver to her dead son’s killer so that the 15 year old can live. The mother is faced with whether or not to give the 15 year old boy who just shot her sons, an organ that will save his life. What will she do? And it is a profound question.
Second question…verse 32…if God didn’t spare his own son, why would you think he will hold back these things from you? Imagine if you became aware of a stranger whose own son needed a liver transplant. And your heart was moved to the point where you said, I will give that stranger my own son’s liver. I will sacrifice my own son for a stranger. I saw a hospital TV show and two police officer brothers were killed by a young 15 year old boy. And the 15 year old boy was severely wounded at the same time. So the two adult brothers die. And the 15 year old boy is fighting for his life in the same hospital. And his liver is severely damaged. He needs a liver transplant. So they go to the mother of the two police officer sons who were murdered for no good reason by this 15 year old boy. And the doctor tells the mother that her son is a match for his killer’s need…will she allow them to use her dead son’s liver to save the life of the 15 year old boy who killed her two sons? And it’s a profound question. But it doesn’t get to the heart of it. Imagine if her one son was killed, but her other son was healthy. And the 15 year old killer needs a transplant and she says, I will sacrifice my other son for my son’s killer. That starts to get closer to what God did for us sacrificing his own son for us. Paul is asking, “if God gave you the most precious gift of his son to save your souls, do you really think he is going to begrudge you of anything else? Do you really think he is going to give up on you? Do you really think that even though he already gave his son, he is now going to say the deal’s off? Paul says, I don’t think so. In eternity past, God didn’t say, I will love them, I will adopt them, I will justify and sanctify them, but I will never ever give my son for them. In fact he determined in eternity past that he loves us so much, oh how he loves you and me, oh how he loves us, he loves us so much, that he would give his only son for us. There is nothing we can do to make God love us more or make him love us less. We are the calculating ones, we are the conditional ones with our love and our affection, there is no outer limit to God’s love for you, for God’s love for me, and we should be very thankful that is true…all of us…all Christians, for all time. And what are these “all things”? All things are all the things that Jesus gets, we get. In other words, Paul is saying why are you setting your minds and hearts on such small temporal earthly fleshly things, when God has destined to give us ALL things. No eye has seen no ear has heard neither has it entered into the heart of man the things that God has prepared for those who love him. He is the image of the invisble God. IN him all things were created whether on earth or things visible or invisible, all things were created by him and FOR him and FOR us. And notice Paul doesn’t simply ask,”doesn’t God give you all things?” Because he doesn’t give us everything we want. But Paul asks it in light of eternity, in light of the work of Jesus. The all things Paul is talking about is so much infinitely more than the all things that we are talking about. In other words, God will give us whatever ALL THINGS we need to prepare us for heaven to prepare us to be glorified to be with Jesus and like Jesus…to prepare us to be an image of Christ in Heaven. To bring many sons and daughters to glory.
Paul is asking, “if God gave you the most precious gift of his son to save your souls, do you really think he is going to begrudge you of anything else? Do you really think he is going to give up on you? Do you really think that even though he already gave his son, he is now going to say the deal’s off? Paul says, I don’t think so. In eternity past, God didn’t say, I will love them, I will adopt them, I will justify and sanctify them, but I will never ever give my son for them. In fact he determined in eternity past that he loves us so much, oh how he loves you and me, oh how he loves us, he loves us so much, that he would give his only son for us. There is nothing we can do to make God love us more or make him love us less. We are the calculating ones, we are the conditional ones with our love and our affection, there is no outer limit to God’s love for you, for God’s love for me, and we should be very thankful that is true…all of us…all Christians, for all time. And what are these “all things”? All things are all the things that Jesus gets, we get. In other words, Paul is saying why are you setting your minds and hearts on such small temporal earthly fleshly things, when God has destined to give us ALL things. No eye has seen no ear has heard neither has it entered into the heart of man the things that God has prepared for those who love him. He is the image of the invisble God. IN him all things were created whether on earth or things visible or invisible, all things were created by him and FOR him and FOR us. And notice Paul doesn’t simply ask,”doesn’t God give you all things?” Because he doesn’t give us everything we want. But Paul asks it in light of eternity, in light of the work of Jesus. The all things Paul is talking about is so much infinitely more than the all things that we are talking about. In other words, God will give us whatever ALL THINGS we need to prepare us for heaven to prepare us to be glorified to be with Jesus and like Jesus…to prepare us to be an image of Christ in Heaven. To bring many sons and daughters to glory.
But even that illustration doesn’t get to the heart of what God did for us when he gave his only son for us. Because imagine that only one of the brothers is shot by the 15 year old and dies, and the other brother is ok, but the 15 year old still needs a liver transplant. God giving his own son for us would be more like the mother who just lost her one son, sacrificing her surviving son and giving her healthy son’s liver to the 15 year old killer. No one would do that.
Imagine that you read of a child who needs a heart transplant, and you decide that you will sacrifice your healthy child, and give your own child’s heart to the stranger. No one would do that. Paul asks, what shall we say to these things…if God is for us who can be against us? And he answers his own question with another question....Paul is asking, “if God gave you the most precious gift of his son to save your souls, do you really think he is going to begrudge you of anything else? Do you really think he is going to give up on you? Do you really think that even though he already gave his son, he is now going to say the deal’s off? Paul says, I don’t think so.
Paul asks, what shall we say to these things…if God is for us who can be against us? And he answers his own question with another question....Paul is asking, “if God gave you the most precious gift of his son to save your souls, do you really think he is going to begrudge you of anything else? Do you really think he is going to give up on you? Do you really think that even though he already gave his son, he is now going to say the deal’s off? Paul says, I don’t think so.
Determined to Give His Son in Eternity Past
In eternity past, God didn’t say, I will love them, I will adopt them, I will justify and sanctify them, but I will never ever give my son for them. In fact he determined in eternity past that he loves us so much, oh how he loves you and me, oh how he loves us, he loves us so much, that he would give his only son for us. There is nothing we can do to make God love us more or make him love us less.
He doesn’t love us the way we love others. We are the conditional ones. We are the calculating ones, we are the conditional ones with our love and our affection, there is no outer limit to God’s love for you, for God’s love for me, and we should be very thankful that is true…all of us…all Christians, for all time.
Go to Foot of Cross
Paul says, when you think God is abandoning you and not giving you what you need and not giving you the desires of your heart, go back to the foot of the cross and look up.
Paul is saying you never graduate past your need for the basic Gospel message. Paul is saying here is the cross again. When I survey the wondrous cross on which the prince of glory died. My richest gain I count but loss and pour contempt on all my pride.
Jesus is Enough
He who spared not his only son, will he not give you all things?
Paul doesn’t simply ask, “doesn’t God give you all things?” Because he doesn’t give us everything we want. But Paul asks it in light of eternity, in light of the work of Jesus. The “all things” Paul is talking about is so much infinitely more than the all things that we are talking about. In other words, God will give us whatever ALL THINGS we need to prepare us for heaven to prepare us to be glorified to be with Jesus and like Jesus…to prepare us to be an image of Christ in Heaven. To bring many sons and daughters to glory.
And what are these “all things” ultimately? All things are all the things that Jesus gets, we get. In other words, Paul is saying why are you setting your minds and hearts on such small temporal earthly fleshly things, when God has destined to give us ALL things. No eye has seen no ear has heard neither has it entered into the heart of man the things that God has prepared for those who love him.
For in him all things were created, things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities. All things were created through him and for him.…
For in him, in Jesus, all things were created, things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities. All things were created through him and for him.…if all things were created for Jesus, all things were created for us.
Jesus is Enough
Paul is saying, God gave us Christ. The most valued possession of all. Nothing compares to him. But we have devalued him. We have said that Nothing But Jesus isn’t enough. There has to be something more than Nothing But Jesus. Paul is saying that God set the bar high by giving us Christ. That there is nothing he can give us more than what he has already given us. Paul could write this because he had already determined that nothing compares to Christ, he had already determined to be a Nothing But Jesus person. He had already said in Philippians, Everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ.
Paul is saying, God gave us Christ. The most valued possession of all. Nothing compares to him. But we have devalued him. We have said that Nothing But Jesus isn’t enough. There has to be something more than Nothing But Jesus. Paul is saying that God set the bar high by giving us Christ. That there is nothing he can give us more than what he has already given us. Paul could write this because he had already determined that nothing compares to Christ, he had already determined to be a Nothing But Jesus person. He had already said in Philippians, Everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ.
We haven’t relished the gift of Jesus. We want more. God has already given us his best. What more can he give us when he has given us Jesus? If I gave you my son, if I gave you his heart so that your son could live, what more would I possibly be able to give you when I have already given you the greatest possible gift?
SECTION FOUR: WHO SHALL BRING ANY CHARGE AGAINST GOD’S ELECT
Paul asks, what shall we say to these things of and answers his question with a fourth unanswerable question, verse 34...
“Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect?” -
“Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect?” -
Paul isn’t saying the charges people bring against us don’t have credibility. They do. I often say that when people accuse you, when people judge you, you can boldly say to them, that’s nothing, if you only knew me better, if you only knew me the way my spouse knows me, or the way I know myself, you would have a lot more to bring against me. You can own it when you are charged. That isn’t what Paul is saying. You have to read the next sentence. Verse 33:
“Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. -
“Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. -
You were justified by the cross. Justified, just as if I had never sinned. And the other side of the coin, just as if I had always obeyed. Who can bring a charge against you? If you are in Christ Jesus, bringing a charge against you is like bringing a charge against Jesus himself. Who will charge him? We were chosen not in ourselves, not because of ourselves, but chosen in Christ, in the obedience of Christ, in the covenant headship of Christ, in the perfection of christ. Jesus has paid in full the price for every believer and has clothed us with his righteousness. The Christian ought to be the freest person on planet Earth because of this.
Fourth unanswerable question, verse 34...
Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us.
:
“Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn?” -
“Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn?” -
Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us.
“Who is to condemn?” -
“Who is to condemn?” -
Bringing charges in verse 33 is the first phase of a trial, condemnation in verse 34, is the verdict.
Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us.
Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies.
Who can bring charges? These are charges from the outside. When we are charged we can be so free as to say, you may not be totally right about that one charge, but if you only knew me the way my spouse knows me, you would really have something to bring against me. But bringing charges against those in Christ Jesus is like bringing charges against Jesus. Who will condemn? Our hearts condemn us. We see the inconsistencies of our lives. But Christ Jesus has paid the price. In other words, the case is closed. Not because of us. Not because of anything we have done. But because justice has already been served.
Woman Caught in Adultery
Third question..verse 33—who will bring any charge against God’s elect? Who will condemn? Christ Jesus has paid the price. In other words, the case is closed. Not because of us. Not because of anything we have done. But because justice has been served. You still think you are under condemnation….Paul said I told you earlier there is therefore now no condemnation. Are you still condemned? Is someone still bringing a charge against you? It’s almost like the time that the men, old men and young men had caught a woman in the act of adultery and had picked up stones to execute her, and Jesus comes along, and begins writing in the sand, and one by one, starting with the oldest, because the old guys lived long enough to realize just how judgmental they were being, dropped their rocks, walked away, and Jesus’ question to the woman was, where are your accusers? Where are they? And the woman said nowhere. They are gone. Paul is saying the same thing—who will condemn?
The question Paul asks is like the question Jesus asked the woman caught in adultery in …she had been caught in the act of adultery, a bunch of old and young men are ready to stone her, to execute her, and Jesus comes along and begins writing in the sand, one by one they drop the rocks they were ready to throw at her, starting with the oldest man, because the older men had lived long enough to remember their own sins, perhaps, and they walk away until it is just Jesus and the woman caught in adultery…and Jesus asks her two questions....where are those bringing charges? And didn’t even one of them condemn you? The woman answered, not one is left. They are gone. Paul is saying the same thing....who will condemn those hidden in Christ Jesus?
Why? Paul gives the answer in the rest of the verse:
“Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died-more than that, who was raised-who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us.” -
“Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died-more than that, who was raised-who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us.” -
When we are being accused even now, the holy spirit of Christ is interceding for us, putting into words our prayers when words fail us. How can anyone condemn us when Jesus lived a perfect life for us. When his righteousness is our righteousness. If we are relying on our own righteousness, even as Christians, we have nothing to offer but filthy rotten rags. But we don’t stand in our own righteousness but in Jesus’ perfect righteousness. What higher court is there then the court of heaven? We cannot be de-justified. We cannot come under condemnation again.
Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us.
And not only that, but Jesus is alive and the Holy spirit of Christ is interceding for us, praying for us when words fail us. How can anyone condemn us when Jesus lived a perfect life for us. When his righteousness is our righteousness. If we are relying on our own righteousness, even as Christians, we have nothing to offer but filthy rotten rags. But we don’t stand in our own righteousness but in Jesus’ perfect righteousness. What higher court is there then the court of heaven? We cannot be de-justified. We cannot come under condmentation again.
Clothed in his righteousness alone. Do you mean it when you sing it or don’t you? In Christ Alone. Your grace is enough. Who can condemn? No one.
SECTION FIVE: WHO SHALL SEPARATE US FROM THE LOVE OF CHRIST
Paul asks, what shall we say to all these glorious things of and answers this question with a fourth unanswerable question in verse 35...
“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?” -
“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?” -
Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?
And his fourth question,,,unanswerable. Verse 35. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ. And Paul doesn’t bury his head in the sand. Paul had been beaten. Paul had been scoffed at. Paul had been stoned. Paul had been imprisoned. Paul had been shripwrecked. Paul had been abused by friends and other believers. Paul had a horrible horrible past to bring him guilt and shame. So Paul doesn’t bury his head in the sand. And Paul makes sure he covers all bases. He looks around and sees what we see. Paul throws a bunch of things up against the wall to see if any of them stick. Will trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword. To put it on our terms, will stress, will opposition, will uncertainty, will finances, will anxiety, will enemies separate us? Paul hits it head on. Paul says life is brutal. Life is hard. Paul even draws on —that we are like sheep being led to the slaughter. Remember who Paul is writing to. Those who will literally be led to the slaughter. And Paul says, I know it’s hard, but you know what…in ALL these things…we are more than conquerors. For I am convinced…
Paul doesn’t bury his head in the sand
Paul had been beaten. Paul had been scoffed at. Paul had been stoned. Paul had been imprisoned. Paul had been shipwrecked. Paul had been abused by friends and other believers. Paul had a horrible horrible past to bring him guilt and shame. So Paul doesn’t bury his head in the sand. And Paul makes sure he covers all bases. He looks around and sees what we see. Paul throws a bunch of things up against the wall to see if any of them stick. Will trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword. To put it on our terms, will stress, will opposition, will uncertainty, will finances, will anxiety, will enemies separate us? Paul hits it head on. Paul says life is brutal. Life is hard. Paul even draws on —that we are like sheep being led to the slaughter. Remember who Paul is writing to. Those in the Roman church, who will literally be led to the slaughter.
But who can separate those who have been bonded to Jesus? Those who are hidden in Christ Jesus? No one can. And then Paul says something incredible in verse 37:
And then Paul he says something incredible in verse 37
“No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.” -
“No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.” -
No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.
As it is written, “For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.”
One Greek Word
That phrase “we are more than conquerors” is actually just one Greek word. It means to prevail completely. Paul adds a prefix that means hyper. We are hyper or super conquerors. Through our own power? No, through Jesus who loved us.
In verse 35 and in this whole section, Paul wants us to line up our enemies. Paul wants all of our enemies to come bearing down on us. In other words, Paul is saying, make sure you remember this enemy and that enemy. He wants the tough questions asked.
God’s Love for Us
But he answers by saying there is a love that will not let us go. There is a love that has us firmly in his grip. There is a love that will meet us where we are. God can no longer stop loving us than he can stop loving his own son. Martin Luther said, “when I read the Gospel, I could almost believe that God loves me more than he loves his own son.” God’s love for us is invincable, everlasting, and stronger than death. Yes, you will wail in this life. Yes you will groan in this life. Yes you will bleed in this life. But even when Satan accuses and even when life throws everything at us, and even when our own hearts condemn us…will we waver? Will we give up on God? Or will we grow stronger and stronger in our faith? If we created our faith we would give up. But God created our faith. God undergirds our faith. God is deepening our faith.
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.
Eagles
Conclusion
The Eagles finally did it. They won the super bowl. And I was caught up in it. I have been an Eagles fan since I was a little boy. I remember seeing Reggie White speak at a Billy Graham crusade at the old veteran’s stadium. That day, another player, just 27 years old, Jerome Brown, died in a car accident with his nephew and Reggie White announced it to the entire stadium. God and football. And it has been interesting this past week to listen to sports talk radio in the car and to hear grown men of all backgrounds literally crying because the Eagles won the super bowl. And I am not criticizing. I got filled up when they finally won. I get filled up when I watch the dramatic videos of the Philly special…to see the determination and courage. There were people who brought their loved ones ashes to the victory parade and spread their loved ones ashes along the parade route. One guy described the joy at the parade and said, there is no republican, no democrat, no black, no white, no age or socio economic barrier, that we are all one in…the Eagles. This is the talk of religion. And it was so unexpected. And yet, even now as I am talking about it, it is nice, but it wears off a little bit. There was a joy all week…palpable. But it ends.
Five questions…God is for us, God provides for us, God justifies us and God loves us. God fights for us, God gives to us, God cares for us and defends us. God is over us in our need and around us for our protection. If God is for us who can be against us.
Night to Shine
Even if you are suffering right now…and this is a hard hard truth….you could make the argument that God is using that suffering to make us more and more like Jesus.
Fast forward to Friday night here at Reach Church. We had 150 guests at our Night to Shine Prom. All with special needs. I was able to greet each person who walked in and seeing the joy on their faces as they came in to be the honored guests. But I also saw the tiredness and the pain in their parents’ faces. The girl who got me, who made me really fill up was in a wheelchair, her feet shackled to the footrests, in a prom gown, not totally aware of what is going on. But for a night all the guests and even the hundreds of volunteers were filled with joy. But the joy ends.
All Things
He who spared not his only son, will he not give you all things?
Paul doesn’t simply ask, “doesn’t God give you all things?” Because he doesn’t give us everything we want. But Paul asks it in light of eternity, in light of the work of Jesus. The “all things” Paul is talking about is so much infinitely more than the all things that we are talking about. In other words, God will give us whatever ALL THINGS we need to prepare us for heaven to prepare us to be glorified to be with Jesus and like Jesus…to prepare us to be an image of Christ in Heaven. To bring many sons and daughters to glory.
And what are these “all things” ultimately? All things are all the things that Jesus gets, we get. In other words, Paul is saying why are you setting your minds and hearts on such small temporal earthly fleshly things, when God has destined to give us ALL things. No eye has seen no ear has heard neither has it entered into the heart of man the things that God has prepared for those who love him.
For in him, in Jesus, all things were created, things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities. All things were created through him and for him.…if all things were created for Jesus, all things were created for us. When Paul says in verse 32 he who gave his son, will he not also graciously give us ALL THINGS?
Imagine the feeling you had when your football team won…that feeling that a lot of people had for a few days…multiply that infinitely and you get an idea of what Heaven will be like…what it will be when he gives us all things. Think about those moments of joy at Night to Shine…those moments when there were no special needs, only kings and queens…multiply that infinitely....and you begin to get a taste of all things that Paul is speaking of.
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.
What will YOU say to ? How will YOUR life change because of the Great 8?
What will YOU say to ? How will YOUR life change because of the Great 8?
What will YOU say to ? How will YOUR life change because of . Paul is asking. This is the application. 31-39. He doesn’t give you a how to….he gives you the Gospel again and again.