Romans 8:31-39

I hope that the study of Romans has been encouraging to you.

I hope especially chapter 8.

! It's been such a joy for myself to sit and rest in this chapter.

We normally preach the Advent themes and just thought this year it would be great to press on through.

And today's Advent theme is the Advent theme of love.

And this text helps us fix our gaze on that very thing.

So I'm grateful for the way this is timed out as we approach Christmas Day tomorrow.

So let me just begin by reading the text.

Before I do, let me remind you, beloved, that this is God's word to us, written for his glory and our good.

And so we would all do well to listen to it in order to believe its promises and obey its commands.

Romans 8, beginning in verse 31.

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.

Paul begins this part of Romans 8 with a question.

What then shall we say to these things?

And what things is Paul referring to?

Well, he's referring directly to chapter 8 verses 28 through 30,

where Paul speaks of the unstoppable plan of God to pursue his people to the end.

In this text is contained a brief order of salvation,

the main point of which is that God acts, God accomplishes, and God maintains.

Oh, recall, beloved, that these three verses are meant to be comfort to the weary soul.

Since the end of chapter 7, Paul has expressed the challenge of living in our corrupted flesh

and living in a corrupted world.

And then he says, beginning in verse 28,

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 a 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 justifies.

And those whom he justified, he also glorified.

And last week we considered these verses in terms of the confidence that is ours in this life.

Paul says, and we know.

And we considered it in three points.

First, our confidence in God's providence.

So providence is God's purposeful sovereignty.

It's him working in his power to accomplish purpose for us.

And if you are a Christian, then anything and everything that happens in your life

is being used of God for your good.

We saw, secondly, that we have a confidence in God's purpose.

What is that purpose?

What is it that he is working providentially to accomplish in our lives?

We saw that we would look more and more like Christ to the praise of Christ.

And we saw, thirdly, our confidence in God's plan.

If we are to have the confidence that Paul here states we are to have,

then we must be confident in God's plan.

You will not weather well the storms this life will assail you with

apart from an anchored confidence in all that God has guaranteed for you

in the person and work of Jesus Christ.

And verse 31 is an elaboration of the very point that Paul has been making

concerning our confidence.

So he asks a question,

What then shall we say to these things?

And he answers that question,

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

This is an answer worth settling into.

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

When life is full of trouble,

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

When you feel like an outsider at work or with your family

because you're trying to live a holy life,

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

When it seems that we live in an age that has abandoned all truth and reasonableness,

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

When the American church appears to be crumbling down around us,

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

When you or someone you love dearly receives a tragic diagnosis,

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

When you struggle against your flesh and it falters and it fails,

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

Let this answer framed as a question,

a response to God's providence and purpose and plan,

be emblazoned across your mind.

Have it be your ruling thought,

despite how desperate you may feel in any given moment,

if God is for us,

who can be against us?

No one and nothing.

Because we know that for those who love God,

all things work together for good.

Every bit of trouble in this life,

if God is for us,

we know that God is working it for the great good

that we would look like Christ for Christ.

So, who can be against us?

Paul then asks and answers four follow-up questions

that are meant to help us consider this reality

that if God is for us,

no one can be against us.

Before we look at those four questions and answers,

I want us to notice the qualifying factor

in all that Paul is saying.

He says,

if God is for us.

It is also possible that God is not for you,

and the basis of this being,

for or not for,

is whether or not you are in Christ.

Let's not neglect the context of Paul's phrase here.

Paul is speaking directly to Christians in this letter.

Those who are professing faith in Jesus Christ.

Remember in Romans chapter 8 and verse 1,

Romans 8 · chapter mention

he says,

There is therefore now no condemnation

for those who are in Christ Jesus.

Every person, he has said,

Romans chapter 3,

Romans 3 · chapter mention

has sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.

We deserve condemnation,

but for those who are in Christ Jesus,

Romans 8, 1 says,

there is no condemnation.

He goes on to say in chapter 8, verse 5,

Those who live according to the flesh

set their minds on the things of the flesh,

but those who live according to the Spirit

set their minds on the things of the Spirit.

So, there's two categories of people, right?

Those who are in Christ

and those who are not in Christ.

Those who have the Spirit

and therefore set their minds

on the things of the Spirit

and those who do not have the Spirit

and do not set their minds

on the things of the Spirit.

Those who for there is no condemnation

and those who there is condemnation.

Those that God is for

and those that God is not for.

Romans 8, 9 says,

You, however,

are not in the flesh,

but in the Spirit,

if in fact the Spirit of God

dwells in you.

And so Paul expresses some concern here

that perhaps those who are professing

faith in Christ

are not actually in Christ

and therefore Christ is not in them

by the Spirit.

And then he says,

Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ

does not belong to Him.

And so we just must ask the question,

as Paul is making this case to us,

that if we are in Christ,

then Christ is in us by the Spirit

and we will be setting our minds

on the things of the Spirit,

namely His Word,

that we would be affectionate toward

and have the ruling thoughts in our life

be those things that are of God.

And so, what most occupies your mind?

What do you think about

when you seem to be thinking about nothing at all?

Is your general disposition bent Godward or not?

These are important things for us to consider

and to think about.

How do our affections for the things of God

stir us to the activity of God?

Elsewhere, Paul says,

this is Galatians 5, verse 22 and 23,

Galatians 5:22

the fruit of the Spirit

is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness,

faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.

God works things into us

that He works then out of us

by the power of the Spirit.

And if we are in Christ,

if God is for us,

then He is also in us

working on our behalf.

And so, consider carefully this morning,

is God for you?

Do you fit in this category

as an adopted Son of God?

And I do hope that you can join us

this morning in confidently saying,

and we know.

Because if you can then,

if God is for you,

no one can be against you.

If you are in Christ Jesus,

then this reality includes you.

You are safe because you are saved by God.

God is for you.

So, now that we've dealt with the qualifying factor,

let's look at Paul's follow-up questions and answers.

Number one, 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?

God's commitment to us

is most readily seen at the cross.

He gave His very own Son

to ransom us from the clutches of our sin

and to bring us to Himself.

What clear picture do we need

of God's concern for us?

John 3, 16.

John writes,

For God so loved the world

that He gave His only Son

that whoever believes in Him

should not perish

but have eternal life.

The prophet Isaiah records in Isaiah 53,

this is verses 4-6,

and then verse 10.

Surely, Christ has borne our griefs

and carried our sorrows.

Yet we esteemed Him stricken,

smitten by God,

and afflicted.

But He was pierced for our transgressions.

He was crushed for our iniquities.

Upon Him was the chastisement

that brought us peace,

and with His wounds

we are healed.

All we like sheep have gone astray.

We have turned everyone to His own way.

And the Lord has laid on Him

the iniquity of us all.

Yet it was the will of the Lord

to crush Him.

He has put Him to grief.

When His soul makes an offering for guilt,

He shall see His offspring.

He shall prolong His days.

The will of the Lord

shall prosper in His hand.

God the Father

gave to us

God the Son

that we might

be brought back into relationship

with Him.

So Paul reasons

if God the Father

was willing to give up for us

God the Son,

how will He not also with Him

graciously give us

all things?

That is, how could it be possible

that having started

with the greatest of gifts,

will He not complete

His plan

of spiritual blessing

for us?

Again, don't forget the context.

Just a few verses ago,

Paul said in verse 16 and 17,

the Spirit Himself bears witness

with our spirit

that we are children of God.

and if children,

then heirs,

heirs of God

and fellow heirs

with Christ,

provided we suffer with Him

in order that we may also

be glorified

with Him.

So Paul goes on

to talk about how

the suffering of this world

isn't even worth comparing

to the glory

that's being revealed to us

and how the creation

and we

and the Spirit within us

all groan

for this future

glory.

glory.

So what is the

all things

that God has promised

to give to us?

It's all of the spiritual blessing

that He's mentioned

in verse 28

through 30

that culminates finally

in our glorification.

Right?

How could it be possible

that Him who gave us

His very Son

will not also give us

all things?

If God is for us,

who can be against us?

The second question

that He asks

we find in verse 33.

Who shall bring

any charge

against God's elect?

And He answers it,

it is God

who justifies.

God is the judge

and the justifier.

We have been declared

righteous

in His court.

We stand before God

guilty of our own accord

and we have

no

defense.

When entering our plea,

our plea can only be

guilty

when charged

with our crimes.

But another,

the Lord Jesus Christ,

just before our sentencing,

declares

mine.

Mine.

This one belongs

to me

and I have paid

the penalty

for his sin

and I have given him

my righteousness.

He accomplishes this

on our behalf

in the courtroom

of God.

John MacArthur

wrote of this text,

God conceived the law,

revealed the law,

interprets the law,

and applies the law.

And through the sacrifice

of His Son,

all the demands

of the law

have been met

for those

who trust

in Him.

Who shall bring

any charge

against God's elect?

It is God

who justifies,

declares

righteous.

Our punishment

taken from us,

eternal reward

given to us

because of Jesus'

perfect

law-keeping.

We find

another qualifier

in this

text.

Paul says,

who shall bring

any charge

against God's

elect?

And once again,

Paul is not

trying to pick

a theological

fight.

Not at all

what he is

doing here.

He's going to

launch into

some future

chapters of

working out

all of the

implications

of the glories

he states

at the end

of chapter 8.

He here

is just

teaching

Christians

that their

confidence

is not

in their

works,

but in

God's

working

on their

behalf.

This should

do nothing

but

comfort us.

This truth

is

complex,

I will

admit.

God's

sovereignty

in our

salvation

is complex.

The doctrine

of election

gives us

much to

think about,

but let

us not

miss

that it

is

good.

You

were loved

by God

long before

you did

anything,

good

or bad,

anything.

Paul says

in Ephesians

Ephesians 1:3

chapter 1

verse 3

and following,

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,

even as

he chose

us in

him before

the foundation

of the

world,

that we

should be

holy and

blameless

before him.

In love

he predestined

us for

adoption to

himself as

sons through

Jesus Christ

according to

the purpose

of his

will,

to the

praise of

his glorious

grace with

which he

has blessed

us in

the

beloved.

Beloved,

if you do

not like

the doctrine

of election,

then you

cannot love

the doctrine

of eternal

security.

They are

cause and

effect.

And this

doctrine is

always taught

to us for

this great

end, that

we would

know that

if we belong

to God,

that he

will keep

us to

the end.

Who shall

bring any

charge against

God's elect?

It is God

who justifies.

God is

for us.

Who can

be against

us?

The third

question he

asks,

verse 34,

who is

to condemn?

Similar to

the question

he asked

previously in

verse 33.

And he

answers it,

Christ Jesus

is the one

who died,

more than

that who

was raised,

who is at

the right

hand of

God,

who is

indeed

interceding

for us.

Jesus

Christ was

condemned in

our place

and paid

the penalty

for our

sin.

He bore

the eternal

wrath that

was justly

due to

us.

This is the

doctrine of

penal

substitutionary

atonement and

is central

to the good

news.

We deserved

a punishment

and he took

it on himself

in our

place.

He atoned

for the wrath

of God

that was

due us.

We will

celebrate

Christmas

tomorrow.

And while

as we think

about the

incarnation,

it is important

to reflect

upon the

humility

of the

second part

of the

Godhead

in the

form of

a baby

lying

in a

feed trough.

We ought

not forget

why,

though,

he was

incarnate.

It is good

to think

about him

humbly

coming

as a baby,

but he

came for

a purpose.

A baby

born as

a king

to rule

and to

reign.

Sometimes I

think our

focus gets a

little shifted

too heavily

in one

direction.

Remember

Jesus said

in Mark

Mark 10:45

10,

verse 45,

the Son

of Man

came not

to be

served,

but to

serve and

to give

his life

as a

ransom

for many.

Jesus'

focus was

fixed on

the purpose

for which

he came,

to die

in our

place.

Jesus Christ

is the

one who

died.

However,

his work

did not

end there.

He is

risen and

interceding

or praying

for us.

The text

says,

verse 34,

that Jesus

is at the

right hand

of God

and interceding

for us.

Hebrews 8,

1 states

that we

have such

a high

priest,

one who

is seated

at the

right hand

of the

throne

of the

majesty

in heaven.

So we

pick up

the detail

that not

only is

Jesus at

the right

hand of

the Father,

the place

of honor,

the place

of esteem,

but also

that he

is seated

there.

Jesus

declared in

his dying

breath,

it is

finished.

He has

no need

like the

earthly

priest to

continually

make

sacrifice

because

he

himself

was

that

sacrifice

and he

died

once

for all.

The work

is completed.

All that

he was sent

to accomplish

is guaranteed

by his

death

and

resurrection.

It is a

sure

thing

that all

that he

purchased

in his

death

will

come

to

believe

in him

and

will

persist

to the

end.

2 Corinthians

2 Corinthians 1 · chapter mention

chapter 1

the first

part of

verse 20

says

for all

the promises

of God

find their

yes

in

Christ.

Finished

work.

Guaranteed

result.

And Paul

tells us

as we live

in this

age of

already

and not

yet

that

Jesus

is

praying

for

us.

This

is just

an

unfathomable

depth.

I don't

have much

to say

about it.

He's

told us

previously

in this

chapter

that the

Spirit

intercedes

for us

and now

that

Christ

Jesus

intercedes

for us.

What

glorious

truths

these are.

As we

walk in

this

difficult

life

and it

is

surely

difficult

we

should

be

comforted

that

the

Godhead

prays

for us

works

on our

behalf

for what

purpose

that our

holiness

would bring

about the

praise

of Christ.

He is

with us

and he

is for

us.

If God

is for

us

who

could

be

against

us?

The

fourth

and last

question

that he

asks

verse

35

who

shall

separate

us

from

the

love

of

Christ?

Paul's

answer

to this

question

also

implies

or

what

shall

separate

us

from

the

love

of

Christ?

And

his

emphatic

answer

is

nothing.

Nothing.

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.

Shall

all of

the

trouble

that

this

world

can

throw

at

us

separate

us

from

the

love

of

Christ?

And

he

does

this

very

interesting

thing

in

verse

36.

He

cites

Psalm

44

and

verse

22.

And

it

feels

upon

first

reading

it

like

an

unnecessary

assertion.

It

feels

as if

Paul

under the

inspiration

of the

Spirit

feels

like

he

needs

to

prove

himself

from

the

Old

Testament

as we

often

do

in our

preaching.

We

draw on

text

to say

this

thing

I'm

saying

to

you

is

not

a

crazy

thing.

Look

here

it

is

in

the

Bible.

I

think

Paul

felt

the

need

to

do

that

to

prove

himself

from

the

Old

Testament

text.

So he

must be

doing

something

more

interesting

than that.

So join

me if

you will

in

Psalm

44.

While

you're

getting there

I'm just

going to

tell you

that in

verses

1-8

the

psalmist

recounts

the past

glories

of

Israel's

history.

The way

that

God

had

worked

on

behalf

of

Israel.

Verse

1 says

O

God we

have

heard

with

our

ears

our

fathers

have

told

us

what

deeds

you

performed

in

their

days

in

the

days

of

old.

He

reaches

back

the

psalmist

does

to the

history

of the

way

that

God

had

worked

amongst

his

people

but

then

beginning

in

verse

9

he

laments

Israel's

present

state

and

declares

that

Israel

God's

people

had

not

forgotten

God

or

turned

away

from

him.

And then

he says

in

verse

22

this is

what

Paul

cites

in

Romans

8

yet

for

your

sake

we

are

killed

all

the

day

long

we

are

regarded

as

sheep

to be

slaughtered.

we

have

been

faithful

to

you

and

yet

it

seems

that

you

have

forgotten

us

because

we

are

being

killed

like

sheep.

You

see

Paul

cites

this

verse

to

explain

the

present

state

of

the

faithful.

Those

who

were

familiar

with

Psalm

44

would

have

understood

the

lament

of

the

psalmist.

We

will

experience

tribulation

and

distress

and

persecution

and

possibly

famine

or

destitution

or

danger

or

sword.

But then

the

psalmist

in

Psalm

44

goes

on.

Awake!

Why are

you

sleeping,

O Lord?

Rouse

yourself.

Do not

reject us

forever.

Why do

you hide

your face?

Why do

you forget

our

affliction

and

oppression?

For

our soul

is bound

down to

the dust.

Our

belly

clings

to the

ground.

Rise

up.

Come

to our

help.

redeem

us

for the

sake

of

your

steadfast

love.

Now we

probably,

when we

read

Romans

Romans 8 · chapter mention

chapter

8,

and Paul

cites

Psalm

Psalms 44:22

44

verse 22,

don't have

our minds

drawn to

the context

the way

his original

readers were.

We've got to

do a little

more work,

and I'm

doing that

work for

you at

the moment

this

morning.

Do you

see what

Paul is

doing by

citing

Psalm

44

22.

Paul is

stating,

under the

inspiration of

the Spirit,

that God

has come

to our

help.

He has

redeemed us,

and he has

done so

because of

his steadfast

love.

See that

connection

there?

So you

find yourself

in a

moment in

your life

feeling as

the psalmist

of Psalm

44 feels.

Why are you

sleeping,

O Lord?

Where are

you?

Have you

rejected me?

What's

going on?

You feel

like you're

a sheep

to be

slaughtered.

You feel

like you've

been separated

from the

love of

God.

Paul

says,

no.

Our

circumstances

may not

be

temporally

pleasant,

but we

are

eternally

blessed.

Verse 37,

no,

in all

these things

we are

more than

conquerors

through

him

who

loved

us.

Despite

everything

going on

in the

already

and the

not

yet,

we are

more

than

conquerors.

It is a

guaranteed

thing.

That we

will

receive

the

blessing

that

awaits

us.

This

glory

that

we

groan

for

because

if

God

is

for

us,

who

can

be

against

us?

Verse

38,

for I

am

sure,

and I

just

love

these

sweeping

comments.

That's

what Paul

is doing

here.

He

is

just

trying

to

encapsulate

every

possible

thing

that

might

come

into

your

mind,

that

might

separate

you

from

the

love

of

God

in

Christ

Jesus

our

Lord.

He

says,

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.

So

good.

Charles

Spurgeon

once

said,

God's

children

are

God's

children

anywhere

and

everywhere

and

shall

be

even

unto

the

end.

Nothing

can

sever

that

sacred

tie

or

divide

us

from

his

heart.

If

God

is

for

us,

who

can

be

against

us?

Romans

8 is

such

a

precious

chapter

in

the

Bible.

Some

have

argued

the

book of

Romans is

the

most

important

book

of the

Bible.

That

it's

the

hinge

on which

all of

the

truths

of

Scripture

swing

and

that

Romans

Romans 8 · chapter mention

chapter

8

is

the

spindle,

which

is

that

little

thing

that

goes

down

the

middle

of

a

hinge

that

holds

it

all

together.

I

hope

you

don't

underestimate

the

significance

of

Romans

Romans 8 · chapter mention

chapter

8,

especially

what

Paul

is

arguing

from

verse

28

and to

the

end

of

the

chapter.

It's

core to

what he's

teaching us

in this

book and

we're going

to work on

unpacking it

further in

the next

year.

Before I

conclude today

and pray for

us, I

just want to

read the end

of the chapter

again.

It brings me

such joy

to read it.

I'm going to

start in

verse 28,

read to the

end,

and pray

on our

behalf.

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 first

born 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 did not

spare his

own son,

but gave

him up

for us

all.

How will

we 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 were you

being killed

all the day

long,

were you

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.