(Rom 8:31-32) Debunking the Lie of Destruction: We are Secure in the Power God.

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Nathan Sehi

Bethel Baptist Church

Romans • Sermon • Submitted 4 years ago • Presented 4 years ago • 37:10

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INTRODUCTION:

You are what you believe.

That is a statement from pop psychology,

but there is some merit to it.

I would suggest that our response to suffering,

is often directly proportional to what we believe about God.

Not what we know about God, because I am talking about more then just knowing some facts.

I am talking about the actual convictions of your heart.

While God’s truth is eternal and absolute - our hearts are not.

Our hearts are prone to wonder.

Our hearts are prone to doubt and struggle.

For example -

>>>Remember a time when you were suffering.

Perhaps a time when you -

Found out about some terrible news, and you thought your world was crumbling.

Or a longer period, where you had to endure something terrible.

Or perhaps something that redefined the direction of your life, the quality of your life.

But remember that time! Hold on to it in your mind for a second.

I would like to suggest - that every one of us - in that moment, at least for a moment, were tempted to believe a lie about God?

We probably asked questions like -

God, why did you do this?

God, do you love me?

God, what did I do wrong?

Is God strong enough to protect me? Or even help me?

After all - Isn’t the book of Job about him and his friends answering those questions.

- And his friends believed a lie.

- And by the end of the book, Job was believing the lie too.

Romans 8:12-39 all discuss suffering in our lives.

But Romans 8:31-39 is very different then the rest of the chapter.

Romans 8:12-30 emphasized the facts.

12-17 emphasized that Christians are God’s adopted children, who can cry out to him.

18-25 emphasized that the coming glory is better then the suffering of this world.

26-30 emphasized the Spirit helps us in our weakness.

But Romans 8:31-39 primarily consists of a series of questions.

Thought provoking questions.

And what is interesting is that I bet most of us go to Romans 8:31-39

rather then Romans 8:12-30 when we are hurting.

Why is that?

Why does Paul not just end it at v. 30? Don’t we know enough?

Why does Paul use questions here?

Why are these questions so encouraging?

I believe that Paul uses these questions to reveal and debunk

the lies that we believe when we are hurting.

>>>> Which is why they are so helpful.

You see -

You are what you believe.

I am not suggesting we should never hurt,

but that the

depth of our hurt

the height of our pain

the extent of our despair

>>>Are directly proportional to what we believe

… and that is exactly what Paul’s questions reveal to us.

The lies that we believe, the anxiety’s we struggle with

>>> that make us feel separated from power, love, and wisdom of God.

Lets consider the questions of Paul, and the lies that we believe.

Now we will be focusing on Romans 8:31-32, but for context sake we will read to v. 35.

Romans 8:31–35 ESV

31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 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? 33 Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. 34 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. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?

As we understand this text -

We Must Reject the Lies of Despair and Trust in the Grace Found in Christ.

The first lie that Paul addresses is -

The Lie of Destruction: Because Our Ultimate Well Being is Secure in God. (Romans 8:31-32)

As we consider, what is Paul addressing in our lives in this Passage?

Romans 8:31–32 ESV

Our fear of destruction.

When I am afraid,

I am afraid - that God won’t be enough, that I won’t be enough. - I am afraid of destruction.

If it is money, I am afraid I won’t have enough.

If it is wisdom, I am afraid I won’t be wise enough.

If it is strength, I am afraid I won’t be strong enough.

I am afraid of not being enough … and that is ultimately a fear of destruction.

I believe a lie - that something in this world could ever overcome me.

But can anything overcome the Christian who has God?

How do we know that destruction is a lie?

First, because -

1) No one can overcome the believer who has God. (Romans 8:31)

Romans 8:31–32 (ESV)

1) The Lie of Destruction

This section is not stated truth that we ought to believe,

but questions whose answers are so obvious that they leave us remembering why suffering can't overcome us.

Paul uses this line several times in Romans -

“What then shall we say to these things?”

Here he is saying -

In light of the reality of the cross, how should we respond to suffering?

With confidence.

But then he emphasizes why.

“If God is for us, who can be against us?”

Again the answer is so obvious.

Who is bigger than God?

What enemy could ever defeat God?

ILLUSTRATION:

My kids like to wrestle in the living room.

And so it is not uncommon to walk in our living room on a Saturday afternoon,

and you will find Dad sitting on one of my kids

and using my legs to hold down the other kid

while holding the third kid with my hands in a knot.

I'm sure my day is coming at some point where the three of them can take me,

but at this point in their life the more likely to climb Mt. Everest then beat dad.

God is just like that.

It's almost laughable to think that anybody could ever oppose God.

Even if we were all to gang up together,

God would still be mightier than us.

He is all-powerful.

Application:

Some of us live with this morbid fear of Satan and demons,

and what Satan and demons might be able to do to us.

Certainly Satan is an adversary that we should be mindful of.

But if God is for us who can oppose us.

May I comfort you this morning

- whether we are talking about affliction

- or we are talking about satanic attacks ...

None of these can overcome you.

Because God is always bigger.

I love the way Isaiah puts it as well.

Isaiah 14:27 ESV

27 For the Lord of hosts has purposed, and who will annul it? His hand is stretched out, and who will turn it back?

(Who can cancel the purposes of God … what God plans?)

(Who can pat God’s hand down when he reaches out to take of his people?)

If God is for us, who can be against us?

So Destruction is a lie - don’t believe it.

Our well being is secure in God.

Further, we know the destruction is a lie because -

2) Through Christ God gives the believer every blessing available. (Romans 8:32)

ILLUSTRATION:

What is more precious to you then your children?

Nothing in our life really cost as much children.

Children take an enormous amount of time.

Children are expensive … When you consider how much it cost

cloth them,

bed them,

fix their mistakes

... feed them.

My wife and I use to go to Panda express and share a single 2 item meal.

Now we have to buy 2 three item meal just to feed the Purina's of our house.

Children are messy ...

Whether we are talking about the diaper

or were talking about the duploes spread across the living room.

Children are exhausting ...

I was talking to a friend of mying a few weeks ago.

And he said something that I have said,

and I have heard others say.

Parenting is the hardest thing they have ever done.

Parenting costs a lot.

So why do we do all that for them?

Because we love our children.

And what happens if something threatens are children?

Watch out because mama and papa bear are coming out.

We will stop at nothing to protect our children.

Now think about this, who is Jesus Christ?

The son of God.

I guarantee God loves his son immensely.

If God is the author of love, does he not love his son?

1 John 4:7–8 ESV

7 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.

If God knows how to give good gifts to you and me, would he not know how to love his son?

Matthew 7:9–11 ESV

9 Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? 11 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!

So I guarantee God loves his son immensely.

So consider the logic of Paul.

Romans 8:31–32 (ESV)

1) The Lie of Destruction

One of the reasons destruction is a lie for the believer,

is because God literally has opened his arms to every blessing he has.

What could be more valuable to God than his own son?

Would protecting you or providing for you

be much to a God who has already given his son.

Think of Christ as the token

>>>> that reminds that us there is nothing God will not give us.

ILLUSTRATION:

My son loves to wear the old shirts from Papa.

There 3x his size, but he loves them.

Why?

Because they are token of his Papa’s love.

Think of Christ as the token

>>>> that reminds that us there is nothing God will not give us.

CAVEAT:

This doesn't mean that God will prosper you.

>>> Because wealth might be the worst gift you could ever have... it could ruin your walk with God.

ILLUSTRATION:

The statistics of someone who receives an inheritance or wins the lottery is horrible … more often then not it causes divorces and bankruptcy.

We think wealth is our cure … but it is not.

Our hope is only found in God.

Nor,

does this mean that God will never let you suffer.

>>>>Because suffering might just be what you need to learn to look for the strength found only in Christ.

So often we hurt … and wonder is God good.

How can a good God let his people suffer?

But the reality … the hurt is good for us.

People

are prone to wonder from God. Like sheep.

We are prone to worship ourselves. Idolatry.

We are prone to try to live independent and in rebellion to God

Often we need suffering … to bring us back to God.

Your poverty and your suffering

may be exactly the grace that you needed.

But I guarantee -

Like a father who loves his children ... there is no need you have to worry about.

If God has given you his son ... then what can you face that God will not take care of you through.

Remember next time you wonder if you are going to make it -

Destruction is a lie.

A Believer’s Ultimate Well Being is Secure in God.

CONCLUSION:

So how do we respond to this section.

To begin with - We must remember how the lies that we believe effect us.

ILLUSTRATION:

Living in the Rockies here,

many of us have from time to time had to split wood.

And often we will use a wedge to split the wood by hand.

The lies that we believe, and the anxiety's we let control us .... are like a wedge that separate us from living in light of God’s grace.

They drive a wedge into the convictions of our hearts.

Leaving us feeling like God is a 1,000 miles away.

Not that we are actually are -

after all - v. 35 says - Who shall separate us from the Love of Christ?

But we feel like it.

<<<<<And the lie of destruction makes us feel alone and hopeless. >>>>>

And Further,

- let me challenge us that -

To often, we are to black and white with the struggles of life.

In this chapter, Paul has already reminded us

12-17 emphasized that Christians are God’s adopted children, who can cry out to him.

18-25 emphasized that the coming glory is better then the suffering of this world.

26-30 emphasized the Spirit helps us in our weakness.

Isn't that enough?

Do we need any more?

Paul could have chosen to end this section right here.

But he didn’t.

And in fact,

these verses are perhaps the most hopeful section in the whole chapter.

But they are questions … not direct truth.

Why?

Because he forces us to ask questions about our relationship with God.

whose answer is so obvious it forces us to recognize that our well being is safe with God.

May I make a point of application with this -

To often, we are to black and white with the struggles of life.

Someone struggles …

and we say - they ought to know better.

or in naiveness … we think we just need to beat people over the head with truth.

But life is messy and our hearts are messy.

In a perfect world, it would be true that all we need is the truth.

But in an imperfect, fallen world … where our hearts are prone to wonder from the things of God.

The issue is not so black and white.

We have to realize that rejecting the lies of despair,

and hoping in the grace of Christ -

is a process of transforming the heart.

a process none of us are ever done with.

Given the right set of circumstances,

the right struggle .... anyone of us could fall into despair.

On one hand … the more you know about God, the less likely you are to fall into despair.

On the other hand … even the most mature Christians can know the truth and yet struggle with despair.

ILLUSTRATION:

When we first moved to Minnesota,

an older couple quickly adopted our family.

These people loved the Lord.

They showed grace and kindness.

They knew their Bibles well.

But in my last year there … the wife had an eye surgery that had complications … and left her nearly blind.

She couldn’t read her Bible anymore. She could hardly walk around anymore.

And she really was struggling with despair.

And I remember … the Pastoral staff talking about their surprise at the depth of her struggle.

And to an extent - what they could do to encourage her.

In the end … it wasn’t a new truth they needed.

Not even really an old truth reminded.

They needed to reject the lie they were believing … that their struggle was going to be to great for them.

The lie of destruction.

We need to realize

Our anxieties matter

The lies we believe matter.

And that anyone of us can despair deeply.

We should be careful to guard our hearts,

and to understand and encourage when one of us struggle.

I challenge us -

We Must Reject the Lies of Despair and Trust in the Grace Found in Christ.

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