Silencing the Accuser

The Gospel Presented in Unlikely Places

Have you ever really listened to the Christmas music that is played at a mall or sung on the radio? Some of the music presents amazing Christian doctrine. For example, in the 2018 animated rendition of Dr. Seuss’s The Grinch, the carolers of Whoville are singing the carol “God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen” (directed by Yarrow Cheney and Scott Mosier [Universal Pictures, 2018]).

This might seem like just another Christmas song. But think about it. A fictional world of animated characters is singing, “Remember Christ our Savior was born on Christmas Day. To save us all from Satan’s power…” Such powerful Christian doctrine presented in a movie that has nothing to do with Jesus! The unconscious presentation of the gospel is sung by the world during the Christmas season.

I think somewhere deep down inside everyone knows that there is an adversary who is against us in this world. Someone who continues to accuse us and keep our minds imprisoned to the lies of this world. Even in a secular movie about a Grinch they saw fit to put a song about the one who has come to save us all from Satan’s power and dominion.

Romans 8:33–34 ESV

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.

WHO SHALL BRING ANY CHARGE AGAINST GOD's ELECT

Paul’s rhetorical questions shift from general opposition to legal opposition. Paul asks: “Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies” (v. 33).

The presumed setting is a type of heavenly courtroom where the fate of Christians supposedly hangs in the balance (see Job 1–2; Zech 3, with possible echoes of Isa 50:8, “He who vindicates me is near. Who then will bring charges against me?

‌One of the most frequent sins a Christian must endure in this life, is at the hands of other people, is that of slander. ‌

In fact, one of the names for Satan means the Slanderer (devil), and as Christians we are constantly exposed to the criticism, the insults, the slanders of those who are hostile toward us. ‌Remember the words of Jesus in the Beatitudes, his benediction on those who bear the pain of false accusations:

‘Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me’ (Matt. 5:11). ‌

Jesus anticipated that those who follow him will be the victims of the same kind of false accusations that he himself received.

The Question Given: Who will Accuse you and condemn you? Who is at the right hand of God Interceding?

Each of the following questions comes with its implied warning, answer, and Promise.

Implied Warning:

1. Be careful what voices you are listening to.

‌Picture the Courtroom Scene‌

The case against you has been laid out, you are a sinner, which means you stand condemned already. So who will accuse you? Once again, if this question stood on its own, many voices would be raised in accusations against you. ‌The Devil or Satan would be at the top of the list. The Devil never ceases to press charges against us, for his title is diabolos which means “Slanderer,” and He is called the accuser of the brothers. ‌

In addition, we doubtless have human enemies who delight to point an accusing finger at us. But none of their allegations can be sustained. Why not? Because God has chosen us (we are God’s elect) and because God has justified us.

Therefore, all accusations fail miserably. ‌When we first started the Journey Church I remember getting messages either on my sermon or on our facebook pages coming against us and hurling all kinds of accusations and slander. I remember years ago hearing Billy Graham talk about getting letters like that all the time. He gave some good advice, be careful who you are listening to. Listen to legitimate criticism, but if you being to minister on the basis of seeking to integrate yourself with people, you will soon prostitute any commitment you have to Christ.” What sound advice.

*The Voice we Listen to is the Holy Spirit

Note: One of the primary roles of the Holy Spirit is to convict us of sin and righteousness in order to lead us to repentance. The result is that we go to God and confess our sins and ask for forgiveness.

The conviction of the Holy Spirit is a positive thing; it is redeeming and restoring.

The aim of Satan is to point out exactly the same sins of which the Spirit has convicted you and to:

Oppresses you

Satan will continue to bring your sins back up to you and throw them in your face in order to oppress and condemn you. Unlike the activity of the Spirit, which is intended to redeem and restore you.

Paralyzes you

Once Satan has you in an oppressive state, you become spiritually paralyzed to the point that you are of no good for the kingdom of God. You become paralyzed with fear and doubt.

Destroy you

Once Satan has oppressed you with your sin, causing you to become paralyzed, he then destroys you with a great sense of guilt over past sins that have already been confessed and dealt with before God.

‌Suppose that the Spirit has convicted you of a sin, and you confess it before God. God has promised to forgive my sin, (1 John 1:9). God has promised to forgive my sin, but Stat starts telling me one little lie after lies. It’s like the old Fleetwood Mac song, “Tell me lies, tell me sweet little lies,” however, they are not so sweet.

He whispers ever so gently in your ear:‌“How can you even call yourself a Christian? Look at what you did again! You must not even be saved, there is no way that God could love you after what you have done. ‌As the Accuser, aka Satan starts taking away your peace, it is at that point I should say to Satan, who shall lay any charge against God’s elect? Get out of hear! You have nothing to say because I am justified or made right through Christ alone. ‌However, what happens much of the time is we begin to buy into and feed on these lies which then leads to us standing paralyzed and full of shame and regret. We never truly experience the freedom that Paul is talking about. We forget what Jesus promised in John 8:36.

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John 8:36 ESV

36 So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.

* The voice we have been freed from is the Voice of Bondage, Penalty, and Shame.

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Note: The voice of the world tells you you are not forgiven, God could not possibly love you, and your sins are so bad that God could surely not accept you or take you back.

THE VOICE OF THE WORLD:

1) The Voice of Bondage - (your captivity)

For something or someone to be liberated, they must first be bound or imprisoned. The very definition of a captive is someone who is confined or held in bondage to something or someone. That is exactly what we were. You and I were prisoners held under the bondage of sin. We were held captive by the impulses of our sin. We were slaves to the instinct of our sin. We had no power to overcome it on our own. Sin was our ruler.

In your days before Christ,, whatever sin wanted, that is what sin received. In Romans 6 Paul refers to sin as your master. However, when you were born again, something incredible happened - you got a new master. God gave you a new nature and, more importantly, filled you with the Holy Spirit so not you are no longer under the control of the sinful nature - you have been set free.

2) The Voice of the Penalty

We know that Romans 6:23 reminds us that the wages of sin are death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Let’s be perfectly clear here that any life outside of Christ has an eternal death sentence placed on their life because of sin. That is right, you and I were on death row. You may not have understood it or fully grasped the gravity of your state before God, but that is where you were.

Unfortunately, today, many people still don’t understand that. Because of our sin, you and I were on a path to be eternally separated from the very presence of God. This was the eternal penalty or liability of our sin.

The lie the Accuser will continue to throw back into your face is the need to somehow atone or pay for your sin. Or the thought that your sins have not truly been forgiven, or your sins are so bad and the guilt is so heavy that there is no way that one sacrifice once and for all would actually clear you of the guilty sentence on your head.

However, the truth that the voice of the Spirit will continue to combat the Accuser is that:

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You are forgiven, you are adopted, you are chosen, you are accepted, you have an inheritance, you are sealed with a promise, you have received mercy

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3) The Voice of Guilt and Shame

Have you ever experienced the feeling of guilt? Have you ever felt shame for things you have done in your past? Have you ever repented but felt like you need to repent again because you feel so bad that you want to make sure God “really forgave you?”

We have all done things that we are ashamed of and wish we could take back and never do again. We are all prone to relive our past failures, questioning why we did what we did.

This is one of the greatest weapons Satan uses: encouraging you to look back at the shameful moments of your past. When you do this, you can be overwhelmed by guilt, shame, and condemnation. This will ultimately strip you of any joy or peace that you would have in Christ. It will destroy your vitality as a follower of Christ.

Forgiveness is not just dealing with our sin it also deals with our shame. Christ does not just forgive us for our sins in the past. He also liberates you from the shame and guilt of your past. He takes away the thing that has limited your ability to live and develop, which is your guilt and shame.

‌If you are forgiven, you are forgiven completely and totally. Sin, and shame was dealt with at the Cross of Christ. This is why Paul reminds us in our text today that Christ Jesus is the one who died and rose again to give us the victory over sin and death. ‌When we understand what Christ has freed us from, then we are able to live in what Christ has freed you to.

Implied Answer

2. Only God can Justify the Condemned

Who is to condemn you?

The ultimate one who holds condemnation in His hands for sinful people is God; only God can condemn in the final sense. But Paul reminds us in verse 34 that “Christ Jesus, who died - more than that, who was raised to life at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.

Basically, Christ was condemned for me. While the words condemning Jesus to the fate of the cross may have come from Pilate’s mouth, it was God who condemned his son to die in our place. We read about that last weak when we read “He who did not spare his own son, but gave Him up for us all...”

There may be all kinds of people who would condemn me with their mouths, and who pray that I would be condemned by God, but that prayer is futile or in vain. The only one who could possibly condemn me and hold my eternal future in his hands has already declared the verdict to fall on His son Jesus Christ.

‌What does it mean to be Justified by God? 

‌“It is God who Justifies” ‌The doctrine of justification concerns God’s gracious judicial verdict in advance of the day of judgment, pronouncing guilty sinners, who turn in self-despairing trust to Jesus Christ, forgiven, acquitted of all charges and declared morally upright in God’s sight.

*God - the Absolute Standard

We must begin by looking at the standard for our justification which is the one true living God-Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The Triune God is the ultimate standard of morality.

The absolute standard is expressed in the Mosaic Law especially as it summarizes the 10 commandments and the law of love.

It is also perfectly witnessed in the character and life of Jesus the Messiah who we read about in Hebrews 4:15 “He was tempted in every way like us yet remained without sin.”

*Humans - Guilty, Condemned and Helpless

Human beings created in God’s image are all held accountable to God, and fall short of the ultimate standard of Righteousness. God’s assessment of the human experiment/condition is beyond dispute: no one is good or righteous. Isaiah 64:6. God’s law condemns us and therefore, the presence of Christ, we can only acknowledge our sinful condition and need for a Savior. Who can stand in the presence of God in their natural sinful condition, no one? Even our most righteous deeds are filthy rags before a Holy God.

How can a person be made right in the eyes of God? We may try as much as we like, making whatever excuses we can, or live in the hope that God will one day look favorably on our virtuous life and overlook what is evil, yet all this will be to no advantage.

The righteous judge of the living and the dead is perfectly justified in pronouncing us guilty sinners worthy of eternal damnation.

*The Dilemma - How Can a Person Be Right with God?

Remember that Job posed the question to his friends who accused him of some great sin before God that he had failed to confess. “But how can a man be in the right before God?” (Job 9:2). In the parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector, Jesus made it clear that it was possible for God to justify sinful people Luke 18:9-14 (tell the story of the Pharisee and the Tax collector)

The Bible indicates how sinful Humanity possibly could ever be justified by the God who judges justly all the time. The Bible indicates how objectionable it is for anyone to justify lawless, rebellious people. God himself states in Exodus 23:7 that “I will not acquit the wicked?” and calls on judges to act justly by “acquitting the innocent and condemning the guilty.”

Deuteronomy 25:1 ESV

1 “If there is a dispute between men and they come into court and the judges decide between them, acquitting the innocent and condemning the guilty,

In the Justification of Sinners God does what is Humanly impossible.

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He has provided a righteous way for declaring the sinner righteous in His sight while remaining completely fair and true to his own righteous character.

Romans 1:16–17 ESV

16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.”

*Jesus the God-Man-the Sinners Representative and Substitute

Jesus is God’s answer to our human predicament. The Son took human nature to rescue humans by becoming the representative head of his people and their substitutionary sacrifice.

Adam was the original representative of Humanity, making all united to Him in Sin, “From Adam all die.”

Christ is the last Adam: He is the representative of those who belong to him but, unlike Adam, he is also their substitute. Jesus came to earth and lived a sinless life, dying and atoning death on the cross, and gaining victory over the principalities and dark forces of Satan through His resurrection three days later He is now given the name “Lord” having defeated sin and death and disarming Satan’s hold on humanity once and for all.

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Implied Promise

3. Jesus Lives to make Intercession for You

Hebrews 7:25 ESV

25 Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.

‌Intercessory Prayer‌

Intercessory prayer was a part of Christ’s earthly ministry and the scripture teaches us that he now intercedes for us from the throne of heaven in his exalted life above. ‌

But what does this mean? And what Value does it add to my Daily Life? ‌

The text we just read in Hebrews sets forth that on the basis of His once for all sacrifice on the cross, Christ now lives in His resurrected state at the right hand of God making it His purposeful and perpetually intercession for us right now.

This is frequently referred to as His high priestly ministry. ‌You might ask, doesn’t He get tired of interceding for all of our messed up lives. Then the accuser again comes whispering in our ear, He does not really have time to listen to all your problems, Jesus must get tired of interceding for all your screw ups. ‌

The reality is that we are trying to portray or place on Jesus a human experience. Humanity is quick to tire of your struggles and shortcomings. Humanity is quick to turn their back on you or slam the door in your faith. However, Jesus say’s “Come to me all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest, take my yoke upon yourself, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls, for my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30). We are used to being rejected and ignored when we are struggling through life. ‌

Look at John 17 in Jesus High Priestly prayer before going to the cross. Notice that Jesus “prays for the believers as He intercedes that the Father would unify the Church and keep you in His name so that they will be guarded and protected until Christ returns.” Jesus continues to intercede today on your behalf towards the Father. ‌

Notice in Psalm 121 that we read at the beginning of worship today the Psalmist proclaims that our advocate in heaven neither slumbers nor sleeps, and the one who kept Israel will also keep you for the day of His coming.

OT Precursors

The OT High Priest, for example, was responsible on the Day of Atonement for taking the blood of the bull and goat into the most holy place and sprinkling it on the Ark of the Covenant, on the mercy seat of God. As High Priest, Christ now brings his own blood into the presence of the heavenly Tabernacle.

The relationship between types in the OT does not always work out in the NT. So, for example, Jesus is the true Tabernacle (John 1:14), the true temple (John 2), the true priest, and the true sacrifice. So, He now takes His blood into the heavenly temple to present it to God, in which He is the high priest but not the temple. High priest and Sacrifice; High priest and Temple; High Priest and King; - Jesus is all of them configured in various ways.

What is the Content of Christ’s Intercession?

What does He actually Say?

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Misconceptions about the Unique Intercessor We have and How He prays

‌Misconception #1 We pray to the saints and they intercede for us before God.

‌If you are united by faith to him, Jesus is interceding for you right now in such a way that he will most certainly save you in every way. This means we don’t need this kind of intercession from anyone else, living or dead.

I have met many people who are Roman Catholic or Eastern Orthodox, and they hold to some version of prayer to the saints, who will then intercede to God on our behalf. I love these people, but I cannot see a biblical foundation for praying to the saints.‌

The best versions of this doctrine do not teach that we pray to the saints so that they will somehow intervene in events on earth; instead, these people will say that we ask the saints to intercede on our behalf because they have closer access to God.

Retired Roman Catholic professor Robert Doud describes this understanding well: “We think of saints as especially close to God and as influential for others in their relationship with God. . . . The saints love us; they care for us; they intercede for us”

(“Saints, the Church and Personal Prayer,” The Way 55:1, 41).‌

Some might say that this intercession is just like asking our fellow church members to pray for us. ‌But when the New Testament speaks of intercessory prayer, it is a call to labor together in ministry as brothers and sisters in Christ, as Paul asks the Corinthian church to do (2 Corinthians 1:11).

It is not pleading to God on the basis of our superior closeness to him with the aim of winning acceptance from him on behalf of others. That kind of intercession is reserved for Christ alone.

Hebrews 4:14–16 ESV

14 Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

‌Misconception #2 Jesus Has to talk the Father into relenting and Forgiving us.‌

Some people have the misconceived picture of God the Father standing over us in judgment and potential wrath mode, while the Son, far more loving and approachable, speaks to his Father on our behalf to try and coax the Father into a begrudging forgiveness. ‌

The truth is that the cross was actually the Fathers plan after all, and Jesus goes to the cross to perform his Father’s will. God so loved the world that He sent His Son.

We must never think of God in terms of the Son attempting to talk the bad tempered Father into forgiving sinners. The triune God is one in his purpose and designs. He simultaneously stands over and against us in wrath (we are all by nature children of wrath) but also stands over against us in love. The plan of redemption is as much the Father’s design as the Son’s. ‌Intercession must never be portrayed that Jesus is somehow talking the Father into doing something the Father does not want to do.

John 17

Jesus High Priestly prayer gives us the greatest picture of what Jesus is interceding for you.

#1 Jesus Intercedes for our Protection

While Jesus walked the earth, he protected the disciples from Satan and the world. Now he prays,

John 17:11 ESV

11 And I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one.

Later he prays, “keep them safe from the evil one.”

Fundamentally Jesus praises our faith to be protected. He knows he is leaving us in a dangerous situation with Satan’s constant lies being hurled at us.

We all probably have stories of why Jesus didn’t protect us from this or that. We live in a sinful, fallen world and we were never promised relief from the consequences of sin.

Jesus reminds the Father that not one of them was lost except the son of destruction which was Judas.

#2 Jesus Intercedes for our Joy

John 17:13

John 17:13 ESV

13 But now I am coming to you, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves.

1 John 1:4 ESV

4 And we are writing these things so that our joy may be complete.

Jesus came to set the captives free, can you imagine any greater joy than a recently released prisoner, especially one who did not know freedom was possible?!

#3 Jesus Intercedes for our Holiness

John 17:17 ESV

17 Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.

Our Holiness is made possible by His truth. As he promises us, “I give myself as a holy sacrifice for them so they can be made holy by your truth.” (verse 19)

So, when the accuser is busy doing his best to discredit us before a watching world, we must remember that in order to be effective in our mission, we need to be holy, as God is holy.

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4# Jesus Intercedes for the Unity of the Church.

John 17:21 ESV

21 that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me.

After all the events of Jesus' final evening with His disciples; he washed their feet (shows the true servant); he identified the betrayer (shows the true depravity of humanity); He gave them a New Commandment (the world will know you by your love); Jesus foretells Peter’s betrayal (shows the that Pride marks the downfall of even the most ardent believer).

Jesus was using each one of these final examples to show what the Church should look like.

#5 Jesus Intercedes for our Witness

John 17:23 ESV

23 I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me.

The whole purpose of Jesus leaving us here on earth is to be reflections of His love to the world. Unfortunately, I do not think the church is doing a very good job of fulfilling this purpose.

Conclusion

Tim Keller’s Mentor Explained Security in Christ

Tim Keller said he would never forget the story about one of his mentors, a college professor named Dr. Addison Leach. Two young women at the college were both bright and their respective parents wanted them to get Master’s Degrees and go on to careers. But, instead, they both became Christians. Both decided that they were going to become missionaries.

Their parents had a fit. One of the mothers called Dr. Leach, thinking that Dr. Leach was one of the reasons that the girls had become (in the mother’s words) “religious fanatics, rather than pursuing the course they had hoped, getting a career and having security. Instead, they were going to go wildly off into the blue.”

This mother said, “We wanted our daughter to get a master’s degree, start a career, and get something in the bank, so she could have some security. Dr. Leach responded: Please just let me remind you of something. We’re all on a little ball of rock called Earth, and we’re spinning along through space at zillions of miles per hour. Even if we don’t run into anything, eventually we are all going to die. This means that under every single one of us, there’s a trap door that’s going to open one day and we’re all going to fall off this ball of rock. And underneath will either be the everlasting arms of God or absolutely nothing. So maybe we can get a master’s degree to get some security.

But the biggest savings account in the world cannot stop cancer. It can’t stop traffic accidents. It cannot stop broken hearts. It can’t give you anything … any things only God can give you. He’s the only significance you can have. He’s the only love that you can get and can’t lose.

Who is Interceding for You in Life and Death?

Are you able to ask the same Question Paul Asks with all Assurance and Confidence; Who is able to bring any Charge against God’s elect? Who is there to condemn you?