Gospel Security in Uncertain Times
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Announcements
We will not be gathering until further notice in light of the guidelines from the governor and the mayor of Los Angeles recommended until April 19. Our anniversary, Easter, and member’s meeting are postponed. Even though we cannot gather, please use technology, texts, emails, phone calls as a way to do ministry to one another. Ministry doesn’t have to stop since we can’t gather on the Lord’s day. Just because we can’t gather, doesn’t mean that we can serve one another. I have been posting daily devotions, sermons, and helpful resources online so that you can redeem the time wisely while we are at home.
I understand that some of our members will be hit financially. If there is an immediate need, please let one of the elders or deacons know so we can serve you. Especially our older folks, if there are medicines that need to be picked up or groceries, please let one of us know. Some of the elders will also will designate time to be at the office if you need any spiritual encouragement through the week.
Online Giving. If you are able, would you consider giving online or through mail. We know all of us our going to be experiencing this trial together, but we want to make sure we have the resources to continue to proclaim the gospel and give to the needy among us. For those of you who are not tech savy, I believe a letter was mailed to you with an offering envelope.
Order of Service: Sing, Read Scripture, Pray, Listen to the Word, and Respond in Song
Introduction:
I’m not sure if there was ever a time in CFBC’s history where we did not gather as a church. The pandemic we are experiencing will go down in the history books. This is a unique moment in our world’s history. And in obedience to the governing authorities and the recommendations by the department of health, it was a difficult decision to cease meeting.
I know for some of you think, that is the most obvious thing to do in regards to love of neighbor. And I believe that it is important and right. But also know that not gathering has unique implications as well. There is something special that takes place when the people of God gather each Lord’s day. There is something unique that takes place with God’s people sing together, encourage one another, and listen to God’s Word together, and take communion together, give, and witness as one body to the lost.
So what we are doing today is in no way a substitute for the corporate and physical gathering of the church. And the fact that we remain apart should make us appreciate and long to gather again. Would you pray that we would be able to assemble again for worship, fellowship, and encouragement?
We are praying for you and please talk to the elders or deacons if we can serve you in anyway.
Introduction
With that said, please open your Bibles to the book of decided mid-week that I would not continue in Mark for this Sunday, because of everything that is going on.
People are worried and anxious concerning the pandemic of the Coronavirus. This is serious because it seems as if the whole world has stopped and has been put on pause. It forces us to pause and reflect on the fraility and mortality of life.
And because of social media, it is easy to be consumed in the daily news looking for updates. But as we look at updates, you just see more cases and more deaths and it can look hopeless. The news might change next week as soon as this message is over.
So there are unique challenges that this pandemic brings: social distancing, not gathering in large groups, a fear of a lack of resources, a fear of a lack of toilet paper, a fear of what life will look like in the next few months, a fear of the economy, and a fear of the future.
I was with Uncle Tony a week ago and we went to Sam’s Club. Everyone lining up and stockpiling as if the end of the World had come. They were filling their carts with bread, frozen foods, and whatever else they could get their hands on.
There were videos of people fighting for parking spaces, toilet paper, and water. This virus has caused a lot of fear and anxiety in our world.
But as a believers, we don’t have to fear the future. If you are a believer in Jesus Christ, your future is secure. And the passage I choose this morning is . In fact many sermons can be preached from these verses. I’m choosing a big chunk, just to encourage your soul, because these verses have been encouraging me in the Lord.
While the world remains uncertain about the future, believers can have gospel security in these uncertain times.
How does the Gospel give us security in uncertain times?
I truly believe the world’s greatest need is not the cure for the coronavirus, but peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. The greatest need of the world right now is the same need that the world has always needed: peace and security in God. One writer put it this way in a devotional I read this week:
The world is fearful and anxious, but it is fearful and anxious about the wrong things. The world is fearful about the economy. The world is fearful about retirement accounts. The world is fearful about natural disasters and man-made disasters. The world is fearful of terrorism, and the world is fearful of diseases like the coronavirus.
The world, however, is not fearful of God. Jesus tells us that we are not to fear those who can kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Instead we are to fear God who can destroy both (). The wrath of God makes all other objects of the world’s fears seem like nothing in comparison. A truly fearful thing is to fall into the hands of the living God ().
Again, given our circumstances, I am just going to do a fly over of these verses and not spend to much time digging in. But I hope that you would find gospel security and gospel sanity when the world is fearful, uncertain, and panicking.
I titled my message Gospel Security in Uncertain Days because what we need to find our security is not our wealth, not our health, not our government ultimately, but in God who saves through Jesus Christ.
Main Proposition: shows us three ways that the Gospel gives us security in uncertain times as these, so that we may have peace as we trust in God during these troubled times.
I. The Gospel gives us security in our future (vv. 18-25)
II. The Gospel gives us security in our salvation (vv. 26-30)
III. The Gospel gives us security in our sufferings (vv. 31-39)
For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.
Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. 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 firstborn 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 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.
I. The Gospel gives us security in our future (vv. 18-25)
I. The Gospel gives us security in our future (vv. 18-25)
A. Renewed Creation (vv. 18-22)
For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now.
Romans
Paul begins by saying that the sufferings of this present time or present age is not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed from us.
For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison,
Again, people are panicking. People are fearful. People are doing everything to preserve their lives because something like this has never happened in their lifetime. The future is uncertain for the unbeliever. They don’t know what is going to happen to their health, to their money, to their retirement accounts, to their jobs, to their families. How long will this lock down be? What is the world going to look like in the days ahead.
Paul had confidence about the future. He begins by saying that the sufferings of this present time or present age is not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.
Paul contemplates and considers and thinks about eternity and the present. And as he thinks about what is to come, all sufferings seem light. Believers are not exempt from suffering, yet they should have divine perspective on uffering.
From eternity, coronavirus will seem insignificant with the light of eternity and what is to come.
For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison,
He is also realistic about the sufferings we all experience. Because of Adam’s rebellion and sin, creation was cursed. We see this in the next verses.
Romans 8:
For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope
Creation is personified as longing to be set free from its corruption when the full redemption comes of believers. Verse 20 alludes to the chapter 3 of Genesis when the world was cursed because Adam and Eve rebelled against God. Not only did Adam die because of his sin, creation started to decay and be subject to futility, or didn’t fulfill its purpose because of Adam’s sin.
The Message of Romans 2. The Glory of God’s Children (18–27)
The word for ‘eager expectation’ is apokaradokia, which is derived from kara, the head. It means ‘to wait with the head raised, and the eye fixed on that point of the horizon from which the expected object is to come’. It depicts somebody standing ‘on tiptoe’ (JBP) or ‘stretching the neck, craning forward’ in order to be able to see.
Sin brought decline, decay, death, decomposition. The reason why coronavirus, aids, ebola, malaria, cancer are in the world because we live in a fallen creation. The ground was cursed because of man’s sin.
For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now.
For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope
Romans 8:
The Message of Romans a. The Sufferings and Glory of God’s Creation (20–22)
It means ‘emptiness, futility, purposelessness, transitoriness’ (BAGD). The basic idea is emptiness, whether of purpose or of result.
For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now.
Creation is groaning. When will it be liberated? Paul uses the the metaphor of childbirth. Before a woman gives birth, the intensity of the pain increases before the baby arrives.
Creation is longing to be liberated. To fulfill its original purposes. To be set free from bondage. From viruses and natural disasters and death and decomposition.
But Paul not only longs for a renewed creation, but he longs for a renewed body.
B. Renewed Bodies (vv. 23-25)
If this virus is teaching us anything, it teaches us that we are mortal. You see, with the rise of science and technology, we functionally think we are invincible. People are worried that there is not going to be a cure in time as death rises.
B. Renewed Bodies (vv. 23-25)
But Paul understands that creation is not only subjected to decay, but our bodies our subjected to decay.
And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees?
And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.
Christians are those who have been given the firstfruits of the Spirit.
The Message of Romans b. The Sufferings and Glory of God’s Children (23–27)
First, we … have the firstfruits of the Spirit (23a). Aparchē, the firstfruits, was both the beginning of the harvest and the pledge that the full harvest would follow in due time. Perhaps Paul had in mind that the Feast of Weeks, which celebrated the reaping of the firstfruits, was the very festival (called in Greek ‘Pentecost’) on which the Spirit had been given. Replacing this agricultural metaphor with a commercial one, Paul also described the gift of the Spirit as God’s arrabōn, the ‘first instalment, deposit, down payment, pledge’ (BAGD), which guaranteed the future completion of the purchase.114 Although we have not yet received our final adoption or redemption, we have already received the Spirit as both foretaste and promise of these blessings.
So creation groans, but believers groan inwardly through the Spirit as we long for the redemption of the bodies.
Even though we have been legally adopted by God the Father, we long for the experience and the intimacy of adoption when our redemption is complete.
And that is why we wait for this with hope.
Biblical hope is faith looking forward and faith waiting for the promises of God to be fulfilled in the future.
But if we see it now, we won’t hope for it.
But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.
These trials we experience with a cursed creation, and a cursed body, makes us long for a renewed creation and the redemption of our bodies.
Paul know that His future is secure.
Christian—Your future is secure. Jesus told us not to worry. We don’t have to stockpile and hoard. But we simply need to look at the birds.
“Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
Christian—The Christian does not have to ignore the problems of the world. The Bible is realistic about the pain of creation and the pain of our decaying bodies. Sin is our greatest problem which leads to a corrupt creation and the decomposition of our bodies. We will experience trials because we live in a fallen world.
Church—A fallen creation and a weak and decaying body should make us long for Heaven and give us an eternal perspective. As we sing in the Hymn:
Till all the ransomed church of God
Are safe, to sin no more:
Non-Christian—What is your hope? Is your future secure? Because if you don’t have true hope, or lasting hope, then you future is not secure and certain. And it can produce fear and anxiety and panic and worry as you see what you hope in get stripped before you.
Suffering often reveals what people hope in. And if your hope is in the wrong place, your future is uncertain.
But a Christian has an unshakeable and unbreakable hope because of who we believer.
Transition: The gospel gives us security concerning our future…but secondly, the gospel gives us security regarding our salvation...
II. The Gospel gives us security in our salvation (vv. 26-30)
II. The Gospel gives us security in our salvation (vv. 26-30)
A. Spirit’s Help in our Prayer (vv. 26-27)
Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.
Though we still remain in the flesh, and have the Spirit, he supplies strength to our prayers and spiritual life.
We often don’t know what to pray because of our own weakness and our own spiritual blindness. We often don’t know whether to pray for healing, or whether to have strength and courage to deal with a particular trial. Our prayers are often weak, as I confess.
But God gives us His Spirit, and God who knows our hearts, helps us by His own Spirit to intercede or plead for us according to the perfect will of God.
Paul is not talking about tongues or some heavenly language, but what he is talking about is that we often do not what to pray, but the Spirit comes along and helps supplies strength to our prayers to help us yearn for the things of God even when we don’t know how to express in in words.
The Holy Spirit helps in our prayers, but He also helps us to know what we have been given to us in Christ.
The Message of Romans b. The Sufferings and Glory of God’s Children (23–27)
First, ‘the Spirit helps us’ (because of our weakly, half-saved situation); secondly, ‘the Spirit intercedes for us’ (because of our ignorance of what to pray for); and thirdly, ‘the Spirit intercedes according to God’s will’ (and therefore God listens and responds).
The Message of Romans b. The Sufferings and Glory of God’s Children (23–27)
Prayer is in itself an essentially trinitarian exercise. It is access to the Father through the Son and by the Spirit. The inspiration of the Spirit is just as necessary for our prayers as the mediation of the Son. We can approach the Father only through the Son and only by the Spirit.
B. God’s purpose in our salvation (v. 28-29)
And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.
We know. And we continue to know. We know that those who love God, all things work together for good.
Whether good or bad, favorable circumstances or unfavorable circumstances, virus free vs. virus infected, whatever circumstances, whether good or evil, God uses all of those things for our good. One church father has said,
“God uses painful things in this way to show his great power” Chrysostom
And the NT Scholar Thomas Schreiner says,
“What is remarkable, though, is that even suffering and tribulation turn out for the good of the Christian.” Schreiner
“The text does not say all things are intrinsically good or pleasant, but instead that the most agonizing sufferings and evils inflicted on believers will be turned to their good by God.” Scheriner
As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.
The Message of Romans a. Five Unshakeable Convictions (28)
We do not always understand what God is doing, let alone welcome it. Nor are we told that he is at work for our comfort. But we know that in all things he is working towards our supreme good.
Why does God send us affliction? God sends affliction to make us more like His Son.
For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.
The Message of Romans b. Five Undeniable Affirmations (29–30)
Foreknowledge is ‘sovereign, distinguishing love’.
Foreknew is God’s sovereign bestowing grace on the objects of his love. His choice was not because of anything we have done, but simply out of his own good pleasure.
And the purpose is to make us like Jesus.
The Message of Romans b. Five Undeniable Affirmations (29–30)
In the simplest possible terms, God’s eternal purpose for his people is that we should become like Jesus.
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.
Suffering helps us be more like Jesus. It strips the idols of our lives and helps us look to Christ.
C. God’s security in our salvation (v. 30)
And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.
This is called the unbreakable and golden chain of salvation. Notice that God the Father is the subject.
He predestined—Those who he set his affection on before the foundation of the world.
He called—Those who responded to the divine summons.
He justified—Those who he declared righteous and guiltless by the blood of His Son.
He glorified—Those who will experience everlasting bless when their salvation is complete.
I don’t have time to expound this rich theology and and each verse, but the point is that not only is our future is secure, but our deliverance and salvation our secured by God himself.
The doctrine of eternal security should give comfort to the believer in time of trial. God will keep us. He will hold us fast. No one will be able to snatch us out of the Father’s Hand.
Saved people should look like Jesus. So if you are not living a holy life, or have not been changed to look like Jesus, then you may not be one of His. But if you repent and turn from your sins, God knew from eternity that you would respond to His call. And when you responded to His call, He declared you righteous and will keep you until He glorifies you.
Christian—Do you believe that God is working everything for your good? Every trial He sends in our life is to help us look more like Jesus. It is true, we don’t know what tomorrow will bring, but we know who is in control of tomorrow. A loving Heavenly Father.
Church—The church has often thrived in time of plague. Why? Because while people were trying to flee and preserve their lives, Christians were rushing to help even at risk of being contaminated in order to give their lives because they had a better and long lasting hope. They were able to love in the worst of times because they had hope. They had Christ. And they were even willing to sacrificially love because they had Jesus.
"Cyprian, Dionysius, Eusebius and other church fathers thought the epidemics made major contributions to the Christian cause. I think so too...had classical society not been disrupted...Christianity might never have become so dominant a faith." Rodney Stark, Rise of Ctianity, 74.
Christians were known for their genorisity, courage, and sacrifice. I hope that is for us too.
Transition: The gospel not only gives us security in our future, in our salvation, but God’s love for us is secure for us in our sufferings...
III. The Gospel gives us security in our sufferings (vv. 31-39)
III. The Gospel gives us security in our sufferings (vv. 31-39)
If that is not enough, Paul lays out five questions concerning if God really loves us.
If God loves us, why does He allow us to suffer? Why doesn’t He get rid of evil in the world?
God will get rid of evil. The natural thought is to think God has abandoned us in trials. But no, Paul is saying God’s love is proven in our sufferings.
Christians are not exempt from suffering. But notice what Paul asks. Notice these five rhetorical questions in which there is no response.
Does God love you when things go wrong?
A. No accusation can separate us from God’s love (vv. 31-34)
If God is for you, who can be against you?
What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?
If God is on your side, and not against you, you have nothing to fear. God is no longer judge to you, but a Father to you in Jesus Christ.
2. If God did not spare up his own Son, how will He not graciously give us all things with Him?
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?
and said, “By myself I have sworn, declares the Lord, because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son,
It is a greater to lesser argument. If God has done the hardest thing He could possibly do, give you Himself in His Son? How will He not love you through lesser things?
I am willing to give my life to my children. And they doubt whether I love them because I don’t buy them a toy from the dollar store.
3. Who can accuse you?
Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies.
The Message of Romans c. Five Unanswerable Questions (31–39)
Our conscience accuses us. The devil never ceases to press charges against us, for his title diabolos means ‘slanderer’ or ‘calumniator’, 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.
It is God who justifies. It is God who declare you not guilty.
He who vindicates me is near.
Who will contend with me?
Let us stand up together.
Who is my adversary?
Let him come near to me.
Behold, the Lord God helps me;
who will declare me guilty?
Behold, all of them will wear out like a garment;
the moth will eat them up.
4. Who is to condemn you?
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.
We deserved the condemnation and wrath of God. Our greatest problem and enemy was the wrath of a Holy God!
But instead of punishing you, He punished His Own Son. He died. But he didn’t stay dead. He was raised! He is at the right hand of God, and lives to meditate between you and a Holy God.
You can come to God because you have a living Savior and Mediator.
Who is to condemn? The question posed in v. 33 is repeated. Christians may rejoice with the certainty that they will never be condemned, for (1) Christ died for them and paid the full penalty for their sin; (2) he was raised, showing that his death was effective; (3) he now is seated triumphantly at God’s right hand (); and (4) he intercedes for his people on the basis of his shed blood. Interceding signifies effective intervention.
5. What can separate you from God’s love?
This is the mount everest of Romans.
Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?
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.”
Paul quotes from . The context of the Psalm is believers experiencing pain and persecution as a result of being loyal to God.
In , the psalmist is lamenting the sufferings of the righteous who have not abandoned God’s name. They are subjected to humilation, defeat, and mocking. Christians are not exempt from mockery, humiliation, pain, or suffering.
No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.
Superconquerers is the actual word. Even if the devil would try to conquer us through death, we would conquer Him in our dying because we get to be with Jesus.
B. No suffering can separate us from God’s love (vv. 35-38)
C. Nothing an separate us from God’s love (v. 38-39)
C. Nothing an separate us from God’s love (v. 39)
Who is to condemn? The question posed in v. 33 is repeated. Christians may rejoice with the certainty that they will never be condemned, for (1) Christ died for them and paid the full penalty for their sin; (2) he was raised, showing that his death was effective; (3) he now is seated triumphantly at God’s right hand (); and (4) he intercedes for his people on the basis of his shed blood
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.
Nothing can separate you from God’s love. If we have God’s love in Christ, there is nothing in all of creation that can separate us from Christ.
No disease.
No disaster.
No
No death.
Nothing can separate us from God’s love in Christ.
Christian—We don’t have to be crippled by fear if you are a believer in Christ Jesus. If you have the love of God within you, you don’t have to fear any circumstance in your life because God has already done the hardest thing, giving Himself to you in His Son.
For this is the message that you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. We should not be like Cain, who was of the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own deeds were evil and his brother’s righteous. Do not be surprised, brothers, that the world hates you. We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers. Whoever does not love abides in death. Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.
By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him? Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.
By this we shall know that we are of the truth and reassure our heart before him; for whenever our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and he knows everything.
See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.
Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; sin is lawlessness. You know that he appeared in order to take away sins, and in him there is no sin. No one who abides in him keeps on sinning; no one who keeps on sinning has either seen him or known him. Little children, let no one deceive you. Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, as he is righteous. Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil. No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God’s seed abides in him; and he cannot keep on sinning, because he has been born of God. By this it is evident who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is the one who does not love his brother.
There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love. We love because he first loved us.
Christian—We don’t have to hoard or seek to save our lives. Our lives have been saved and we can therefore do good to others in a time of fear and panic.
Christian—What opportunity to walk by faith, not by sight. Trust in your Father who loves you and who has secured your future, your salvation, and even in your sufferings is making everything turn out for your good.
Christian—Care for suffering members. Show compassion. And be willing to suffer because nothing can separate you from the love of God in Christ Jesus.
The Message of Romans c. Five Unanswerable Questions (31–39)
In giving his Son he gave everything. The cross is the guarantee of the continuing, unfailing generosity of God.
Rejoice in your King and your God.
Non-Christian—There is something worse than the coronavirus. That is the wrath of God. A plague like this should cause you to pause and consider the mortality of your own life. Anyone can get sick. Anyone can die. And if you die without Christ. You will experience greater suffering that no earthly disease can compare to because you have sinned against a Holy God.
But if you turn from your sins. If you look to the Son of God who died on the cross to bear your Sin. And more than that, who was raised from the grave to be your High Priest and Mediator before God. If you cry out to Him in mercy and repentant faith, you too will have eternal life and security.
Your future will be secure. Your salvation is secure. Your sanctification and sufferings will not work out for your bad, but work out for your good.
Turn to Him. Look to the God of peace who offers you peace.
for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.
There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.
Conclusion:
We don’t know what will take place in the future. We don’t know what is going to happen in the days ahead.
But if you know Christ, you know the best is yet to come because your future is secure.
The best is yet to come because your salvation is secure.
The best is yest to come because no earthly suffering can ever separate you from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Amen.
“The believers’ love for God is ultimately due to God’s purpose in calling them to salvation.” Schreiner
“What is remarkable, though, is that even suffering and tribulation turn out for the good of the Christian.” Schreiner
“The text does not say all things are intrinsically good or pleasant, but instead that the most agonizing sufferings and evils inflicted on believers will be turned to their good by God.” Scheriner
“The believers’ love for God is ultimately due to God’s purpose in calling them to salvation.” Schreiner
“God’s unstoppable purpose in calling believers to salvation cannot be frustrated, and thus he employs all things to bring about the plan he had from the beginning in the lives of believers” Schreiner
“Since he has done the greatest thing imaginable—sacrificing his Son to death for their sake—then it surely follows that the Father in his grace will grant them everything along with his Son” Schreiner
Greater to lesser argument.
“The point is that the love of Christ is so powerful that it turns our greatest enemies into our friends” Schreiner
“God being for believers means that no legal charge will be leveled against them on the eschatological day (vv. 33-34)” Schreiner.
Yet the afflictions do not separate from God’s love, but become means by which we become more than conquerers.
The Message of Romans 2. The Glory of God’s Children (18–27)
The word for ‘eager expectation’ is apokaradokia, which is derived from kara, the head. It means ‘to wait with the head raised, and the eye fixed on that point of the horizon from which the expected object is to come’. It depicts somebody standing ‘on tiptoe’ (JBP) or ‘stretching the neck, craning forward’ in order to be able to see.
Sin brought decline, decay, death, decomposition.
The Message of Romans a. The Sufferings and Glory of God’s Creation (20–22)
It means ‘emptiness, futility, purposelessness, transitoriness’ (BAGD). The basic idea is emptiness, whether of purpose or of result.
Sin brought decline, decay, death, decomposition.
The Message of Romans a. The Sufferings and Glory of God’s Creation (20–22)
He spoke of false teachers, wars, famines and earthquakes as ‘the beginning of birth-pains’ (NIV) or ‘the first birth-pangs of the new age’ (REB), that is, preliminary signs of his coming.
The Message of Romans b. The Sufferings and Glory of God’s Children (23–27)
First, we … have the firstfruits of the Spirit (23a). Aparchē, the firstfruits, was both the beginning of the harvest and the pledge that the full harvest would follow in due time. Perhaps Paul had in mind that the Feast of Weeks, which celebrated the reaping of the firstfruits, was the very festival (called in Greek ‘Pentecost’) on which the Spirit had been given. Replacing this agricultural metaphor with a commercial one, Paul also described the gift of the Spirit as God’s arrabōn, the ‘first instalment, deposit, down payment, pledge’ (BAGD), which guaranteed the future completion of the purchase.114 Although we have not yet received our final adoption or redemption, we have already received the Spirit as both foretaste and promise of these blessings.
The Message of Romans b. The Sufferings and Glory of God’s Children (23–27)
Prayer is in itself an essentially trinitarian exercise. It is access to the Father through the Son and by the Spirit. The inspiration of the Spirit is just as necessary for our prayers as the mediation of the Son. We can approach the Father only through the Son and only by the Spirit.
The Message of Romans b. The Sufferings and Glory of God’s Children (23–27)
Thus ‘the children of God have two divine intercessors’, writes John Murray. ‘Christ is their intercessor in the court of heaven …,’ while ‘the Holy Spirit is their intercessor in the theatre of their own hearts.’
The Message of Romans b. The Sufferings and Glory of God’s Children (23–27)
It is truly amazing that, having written of the groaning creation and of the groaning church, Paul should now write of the groaning Spirit.
The Message of Romans b. The Sufferings and Glory of God’s Children (23–27)
First, ‘the Spirit helps us’ (because of our weakly, half-saved situation); secondly, ‘the Spirit intercedes for us’ (because of our ignorance of what to pray for); and thirdly, ‘the Spirit intercedes according to God’s will’ (and therefore God listens and responds).
The Message of Romans a. Five Unshakeable Convictions (28)
We do not always understand what God is doing, let alone welcome it. Nor are we told that he is at work for our comfort. But we know that in all things he is working towards our supreme good.
The Message of Romans b. Five Undeniable Affirmations (29–30)
Foreknowledge is ‘sovereign, distinguishing love’.
The Message of Romans b. Five Undeniable Affirmations (29–30)
So the doctrine of divine predestination promotes humility, not arrogance; assurance, not apprehension; responsibility, not apathy; holiness, not complacency; and mission, not privilege. This is not to claim that there are no problems, but to indicate that they are more intellectual than pastoral
The Message of Romans b. Five Undeniable Affirmations (29–30)
In the simplest possible terms, God’s eternal purpose for his people is that we should become like Jesus.
The Message of Romans b. Five Undeniable Affirmations (29–30)
Here then is the apostle’s series of five undeniable affirmations. God is pictured as moving irresistibly from stage to stage; from an eternal foreknowledge and predestination, through a historical call and justification, to a final glorification of his people in a future eternity. It resembles a chain of five links, each of which is unbreakable.
The Message of Romans c. Five Unanswerable Questions (31–39)
He challenges anybody and everybody, in heaven, earth or hell, to answer them and to deny the truth which they contain. But there is no answer. For no-one and nothing can harm the people whom God has foreknown, predestined, called, justified and glorified.
and said, “By myself I have sworn, declares the Lord, because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son,
The Message of Romans c. Five Unanswerable Questions (31–39)
In giving his Son he gave everything. The cross is the guarantee of the continuing, unfailing generosity of God.
The Message of Romans c. Five Unanswerable Questions (31–39)
Our conscience accuses us. The devil never ceases to press charges against us, for his title diabolos means ‘slanderer’ or ‘calumniator’, 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.
He died..he was raised…he is at right hand of God…interceding...
Problem? Doesn’t God care?
The Message of Romans c. Five Unanswerable Questions (31–39)
In order to enforce this, the apostle quotes from a psalm, which depicts the persecution of Israel by the nations. They were not suffering because they had forgotten Yahweh or turned to a foreign god. Instead, they were suffering for Yahweh’s sake, because of their very loyalty to him:
The Message of Romans c. Five Unanswerable Questions (31–39)
Paul seems to be saying that, since Christ proved his love for us by his sufferings, so our sufferings cannot possibly separate us from it.
The Message of Romans c. Five Unanswerable Questions (31–39)
Paul now reaches his climax. He began with we know (28); he ends more personally with I am convinced. He deliberately uses the perfect tense (pepeismai), meaning, ‘I have become and I remain convinced’,
The Message of Romans c. Five Unanswerable Questions (31–39)
Here then are five convictions about God’s providence (28), five affirmations about his purpose (29, 30) and five questions about his love (31–39), which together bring us fifteen assurances about him. We urgently need them today, since nothing seems stable in our world any longer. Insecurity is written across all human experience. Christian people, are not guaranteed immunity to temptation, tribulation or tragedy, but we are promised victory over them. God’s pledge is not that suffering will never afflict us, but that it will never separate us from his love.
This is the love of God which was supremely displayed in the cross (5:8; 8:32, 37), which has been poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit (5:5), which has drawn out from us our responsive love (8:28), and which in its essential steadfastness will never let us go, since it is committed to bringing us safe home to glory in the end (8:35, 39). Our confidence is not in our love for him, which is frail, fickle and faltering, but in his love for us, which is steadfast, faithful and persevering. The doctrine of ‘the perseverance of the saints’ needs to be re-named. It is the doctrine of the perseverance of God with the saints.
Who can be against us?
How will he not also give us all things?
Who will bring any charge?
Who is He that He condemns?
Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?