“The Believer’s Triumph!”
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Introduction
Introduction
31 What, then, are we to say about these things? If God is for us, who is against us?
32 He did not even spare his own Son but gave him up for us all. How will he not also with him grant us everything?
33 Who can bring an accusation against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies.
34 Who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is the one who died, but even more, has been raised; he also is at the right hand of God and intercedes for us.
35 Who can separate us from the love of Christ? Can affliction or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?
36 As it is written: Because of you we are being put to death all day long; we are counted as sheep to be slaughtered.
37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.
38 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers,
39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
PRAY
Our passage this morning is the BOOK-END of where we began Romans 8:
1 Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus,
I’ve entitled this morning’s message, “The Believer’s Triumph!” (which is undeniable plagiarism on my part from the heading of my Bible), because that is what these closing verses are describing—the believer’s triumph, namely, the REASON “…there is now no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus!”
The Apostle Paul does so through a series of QUESTIONS/ANSWERS in (vv.31-39)!
And as any good teacher will tell you, the purpose of a RHETORICAL QUESTION is not to elicit a reply, but to produce an effect, or to make an assertion of affirmation or denial!
In this case, they cause us to THINK, to PONDER the completeness, or assurance of our salvation “…that is in Christ Jesus our Lord” - (v.39b)!
So this morning, we are going to walk through these QUESTIONS and ANSWERS, and in the process we will discover “The Believer’s Triumph” in Jesus Christ!
Question #1: “What, then, are we to say about these things?” - (v.31a)
Question #1: “What, then, are we to say about these things?” - (v.31a)
The “…these things” is a reference to the verse and/or verses immediately preceding our passage:
30 And those he predestined, he also called; and those he called, he also justified; and those he justified, he also glorified.
Which can be summarized, “Your salvation is so sure that God speaks of it in past-tense!”
Answer with Question (A-Q): “…If God is for us, who is against us?” - (v.31b)
Answer with Question (A-Q): “…If God is for us, who is against us?” - (v.31b)
The implied answer is, “NO ONE!”
Who is greater than God?
When it comes to your SALVATION, there is no one who has greater authority than God!
Answer with another Question - (v.32)
Answer with another Question - (v.32)
The PREMISE for the Question is a NEGATIVE/POSITIVE: “He did NOT even spare his own Son, BUT gave him us for us all…”
“gave” - παρέδωκεν - ‘hand over, deliver up; to surrender someone or something to another’
Q - “…How will he not also with him grant us everything?”
Q - “…How will he not also with him grant us everything?”
3 His divine power has given us everything required for life and godliness through the knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.
God didn’t just give us Jesus (which would be enough), but He literally has granted us, “…everything”!
Question #2: “Who can bring an accusation against God’s elect?” - (v.33)
Question #2: “Who can bring an accusation against God’s elect?” - (v.33)
Answer: “…God is the one who justifies.”
Answer: “…God is the one who justifies.”
It is God who has made you righteous! He is not going to reverse His own work by bringing an accusation against you!
There is no doubt that Paul is echoing the prophet Isaiah!
8 The one who vindicates me is near; who will contend with me? Let us confront each other. Who has a case against me? Let him come near me!
Isaiah and Paul both agree: “Bring it on!”
Question #3: “Who is the one who condemns?” - (v.34)
Question #3: “Who is the one who condemns?” - (v.34)
AGAIN, from Isaiah:
9 In truth, the Lord God will help me; who will condemn me? Indeed, all of them will wear out like a garment; a moth will devour them.
Answer: “…Christ Jesus”
Answer: “…Christ Jesus”
Not just, “Jesus,” but Χριστὸς Ἰησοῦς, ‘anointed, the Anointed One’ Jesus!
22 The Father, in fact, judges no one but has given all judgment to the Son,
FOUR TRUTHS in the description of Christ Jesus in (v.34):
“…is the one who died”
“…but even more, has been raised;”
“…he also is at the right hand of God”
“…and intercedes for us.”
The ONLY ONE who has the authority to condemn us is the one who “…died…has been raised..is at the right hand of God and intercedes for us!”
Not only are we secure JUDICIALLY—no accusation; no condemnation, but we are also secure RELATIONALLY—no SEPARATION!
Question #4: “Who can separated us from the love of Christ?” - (v.35a)
Question #4: “Who can separated us from the love of Christ?” - (v.35a)
“…separate” - from χωρίσει - ‘to force, take, or pull apart.’
“Is there any PERSON (who) that can separate from the love of Christ?”
First Answer: NO PERSON! - (vv.35b-37)
First Answer: NO PERSON! - (vv.35b-37)
It’s an impressive list of SEVEN circumstances in (v.35b):
“Can affliction…” - from θλῖψις - ‘affliction, distress, or pressure’
“…or distress” - στενοχωρία - ‘trouble or difficulty from an oppressive and constricting condition.’
“…or persecution” - διωγμὸς - ‘the systemic hunting down of adherents of a particular religion to inflict pain or death upon them.’
“…or famine” - λιμὸς - ‘violent hunger, starvation and death’
“…or nakedness” - γυμνότης - ‘the state of being without clothing or covering of any kind.’
“…or danger” - κίνδυνος - ‘peril; the condition of being susceptible to harm or injury.’
“…or sword?” - μάχαιρα - ‘a small sword; dagger’ - a reference to death!
BTW - None of these these circumstances are a SURPRISE to God (nor should they be to you)!
36 As it is written: Because of you we are being put to death all day long; we are counted as sheep to be slaughtered.
Which is word-for-word from (Psalm 44:22)
12 In fact, all who want to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.
Whether we like it, or agree with it, “…these things” are part of God’s plan!
Not only will “these things” not separate you from the love of God, you will be made STRONGER through them!
37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.
“…more than conquerors” translates one word: ὑπερνικῶμεν - ‘prevail completely; to utterly defeat beyond the norm.’
Second Answer: NO THING! - (vv.38-39)
Second Answer: NO THING! - (vv.38-39)
Again, it’s an impressive list of TEN THINGS unable to separate us!
(v.38) - “For I am persuaded that…
“…neither death no life,…”
“…nor angels nor rulers,”
“…nor things present nor things to come”
“…nor powers” - δυνάμεις - ‘authority/power whether spiritual or governing authority’
(v.39) - “nor height nor depth”
“…nor any other created thing” - τις κτίσις ἑτέρα - Lit. ‘any created thing other’!
It’s the TRUMP card! There is literally NOTHING that…
“…will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
CONCLUSION:
CONCLUSION:
Folks, this is why I love Romans chapter 8!
It begins with NO CONDEMNATION and ends with NO SEPARATION!
In this one chapter we discover the work of the TRINITY—God the Father, God the Son, and in assuring us, transforming us, leading us, helping us, interceding for us, conforming us into the image of His Son, saving us, and keeping us in the love of God!
