(Romans 8:31-39)
1. “If God is for us, who is against us?” (v. 31)
Philippians 1:6, “For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.” The LORD God is not going to stop until; He has conformed us to the image of His Son.
“God is for me.” He is not hostile. God is for sinners who come to Him and receive His abundant grace. Since “God plus me is a whole person” what does it matter who may be against me. Our text assumed that the Lord is on the side of His people. Our confidence is in God alone.
God is for us in a way that produces His highest “good” in our lives and accomplishes His eternal purpose. Since God is for us, all things work together for our good.
No foe can prevail against people who are supported by a God so committed to His people. Since God is for us, what difference does it make who is against us? Here is encouragement and assurance in our times of suffering. “God + Me = A Whole Person.”
2. If God graciously gave His Son for us, will He not freely give us all things? (v. 32).
How can we be certain God will meet all our needs? We are certain because of His supreme act of love.
“He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things?” (v. 32).
The cross proves the generosity of God. God gave up His most treasured possession in heaven for us (I Peter 1:18-19). Even though there exists a very special relationship between the Father and the Son the Father still “gave Him up for us all.” He graciously gave His Son as a free gift. Jesus reminds us in John chapter ten that this was also His volitional choice –– He gave Himself “for us.”
Since God has done the greatest thing in giving up His Son, how can He not now do the lesser things for us? This is the final guarantee that He loves us enough to supply all our needs. Is there anything He will not do for His church?
3. Who will bring any charge against God’s elect?” (v. 33)
Christ our Advocate pleads our case before the Father. Our conscience accuses us, the Devil never ceases, carnal Christians grumble, we blow it, etc. There has never been a shortage of enemies to make accusations against God’s people.
“Who will bring a charge against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies” (v. 33).
But God is the Judge and He has already acquitted me (v. 33). Since “God is the one who justifies” our justification can never be overthrown. He is completely satisfied in the righteousness of Christ. Second Corinthians 5:21, “He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” God has taken us to court to show us that there is no condemnation for those who are “in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1). We now have peace with God (5:1-2).
And when we sin what should we do? God has provided a bar of soap for us and we should use it often! “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar and His word is not in us” (1 John 1:9–10). As soon as we admit to Him that we deserve condemnation, He restores our fellowship with Him. Christ has already born our guilt and condemnation when He went to the cross and died for us. That is the only way to deal with sin. He is the friend of sinners –– saved sinners and lost sinners!
4. Who shall condemn us? (v. 34)
The only one who has the right to condemn us is Jesus Christ and He died for us!
A. T. Robertson well said, “Our Advocate paid the debt for our sins with His blood. The score is settled. We are free (8:1).”
5. Who will separate us from Christ’s love for us? (v. 35)
Jesus said, “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.”
Paul gives a list of struggles in the Christian’s life. Can life at its worst remove us from Christ?
“Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?” (Romans 8:35).
“Tribulation” is the strong pressures in life, like the treading of grapes in a winery. These are the pressures that burst and trouble us.
“Distress” is hardship, outward affliction plus inner stress, anguish. The word was used to describe being caught in a tight place between high rocks. Are you feeling like you have been caught in a tight place? Is life squeezing in on you? Do I write to someone who carries a heavy burden? Have you grown weary of life and feel beaten down by life? Have you come to the place where you feel like you cannot take it any more? Has life become an overwhelming burden to you? Jesus said, “Come unto me, all you that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). Literally, He says, “I will rest you.” As we exchange our burden He gives us His rest.
“Persecution” is to be hunted down like an animal and killed.
“Famine” and hunger are brought on because of draught or persecution. Like the people in Jesus’ day we worry over what we will eat, drink, or wear tomorrow. Jesus said God would take care of the basic necessities in our daily lives. We worry because of a sense of inadequacy. Jesus said, “Seek first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you” (Matthew 6:33). When we seek first the kingdom of God we become super–conquerors.
“Peril” is danger of any sort. “
“But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us” (v. 37).
We are “super–conquerors” (hypernikomen). He doesn’t say we are copers, but super–conquerors. The word comes from nikao, meaning “to conquer, to carry off the victory, come off victorious,” and huper which means “above.” These “super-conquerors” are more than victors; they gain a surpassing victory. We are “more than conquerors,” “we are super–conquerors!”
“For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (vv. 38–39).
It is always amazing to me how God turns defeat and disaster into victory. He uses what we would call defeat to produce His ultimate victory in our lives. He accomplishes His goal through our suffering. He makes us more than conquerors through the suffering of the saints.
Source: http://www.abideinchrist.com/messages/rom8v31.html
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