ROMANS THE WAY OF RIGHTEOUSNESS

Bible Text: Romans 8:31-39

Subject: Questions

Title: Seven Questions That Prove Salvation Is Secure In God’s Hands

INTRODUCTION

Biblical Orientation:

The first question Paul asks is one that gets the ball rolling. Paul asks the readers to consider the things he has said to this point. Another way of putting it would be: how should we react to the things he has said?

To answer the questions Paul asks a series of questions that require answers that reveal what a believer really believes. Paul gives the answers, but ask yourself these questions; what do you really believe. If you do not truly believe the things Paul has said so far, you cannot be saved. You would have no answer to these questions

What can you say about sin and salvation? What do you as a believer say about the fact that God foreknew your salvation, called you to be saved, predestinated you to be conformed to the image of His Son, justified you, and is planning on glorifying you? That is what Paul has taught so far

Sermon Orientation:

The doctrine taught in this passage is eternal security. It teaches why eternal security is both eternal and secure. What we find is that this is not a Baptist doctrine but a Bible doctrine. We are Biblicists first!

MAIN TEXT/EXPOSITION

I. WHAT SHALL WE SAY THEN? V 31

A. A Question Asked Frequently In The Letter

ü Romans 4:1 What shall we say then that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the flesh, hath found?

ü Romans 6:1 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?

ü Romans 9:14 What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid

ü Romans 9:30 What shall we say then? That the Gentiles, which followed not after righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith

B. Paul Alludes To The Fact That When God Is In Control, There Is Nothing To Say

1. Often our words fail and fall short when describing the blessings, goodness, and righteousness of God

2. The obvious response is to just stand in complete amazement of what God has done for us

3. The next six questions help us understand the specifics of what God has done for us

II. IF GOD BE FOR US, WHO CAN BE AGAINST US? V 31-32

A. The Answer To This Question?

1. In all truth, there are many against us

a. Satan hates all who are saved

b. Those in darkness do not understand nor trust us

2. However, God is for us!

a. What an incredible truth

b. The God of heaven is in our favor

c. God who ultimately triumphs over all things is on our side

B. The Gift Of Christ Assures Us Of The Answer

1. In order to assure and cement our salvation, God gave His Son

a. He “spared” not

b. The word “spared” means to withhold

c. Abraham did not withhold his son and God did not withhold His either

2. Christ suffered to provide the way of salvation

ü John 1:29 The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world

C. No One Can Truly Be Against God And Since God Is On Our Side, No One Can Really Be Against Us And Hope To Win

III. HOW SHALL HE NOT WITH HIM ALSO FREELY GIVE US ALL THINGS? V 32

A. All The Things The Christian Has Have Been Given Freely

1. The word “freely” means to grant or to graciously bestow

2. We have not deserved God’s gifts, but He has given them to us because of His love

B. That Which We Needed For Our Sanctification God Has Given To Us Through Him

1. Him being Christ

2. As Peter says, God gives us what we truly need

ü 2 Peter 1:3 According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue

IV. WHO SHALL LAY ANYTHING TO THE CHARGE OF GOD’S ELECT? V 33

A. Answering The Question

1. We know that Satan is the great accuser

ü Revelation 12:10 …for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night

2. The reason we need Jesus as our advocate is because Satan casts accusations at you day and night

3. However, we are innocent until proven guilty

B. Proof That Nothing Will Stick

1. It is God that justifieth

2. Talk about a stacked jury

a. We are accused by the prosecutor, actually the persecutor

b. The judge is God

c. The jury is God

d. Jesus, who is God, paid for our justification

ü Remember to be justified means to be pronounced as righteous

3. How can one who is righteous be declared guilty? The answer is, they cannot

C. In Christ, You Are Accused But Never Convicted

V. WHO IS HE THAT CONDEMNETH? V 34

A. The One Who Attempts To Condemn Us Is Satan

1. One who has himself fallen

2. The evil one tries to complain about us being evil

B. The Purpose Of The Accuser

1. He is trying to get God to give up on you

2. He tries to get God to punish you

C. The Reason His Condemnation Goes Unanswered Christ Intercedes On Your Behalf

1. Paul reminds us Christ died for our sins

2. Paul reminds us Christ is alive and sits at God’s right hand

3. Sin did not cost us, it cost God, and His payment is there to remind Him that in Christ, we are not condemned

VI. WHO SHALL SEPARATE US FROM THE LOVE OF CHRIST? and SHALL TRIBULATION, OR DISTRESS, OR PERSECUTION, OR FAMINE, OR NAKEDNESS, OR PERIL, OR SWORD? V 35-36

A. The Troubles Of Life

1. Tribulation, distress, persecution, famine, nakedness, peril, and the sword

2. it is very similar to the list Paul gave in 2 Corinthians 11:23-28 regarding the things he endured as a Child of God and an apostle

3. However, God’s love for us is too strong to be defeated by the troubles of life

B. Martyrdom

1. Verse 36 is a quote of Psalm 44:22

2. Nero the Caesar had already begun his cruel persecutions of Christians

3. Rome was a dangerous place to love Christ

4. Even if Nero killed you for loving God, that could not stop God from loving you

C. Nope, We Are Conquerors Not The Conquered

1. Through the love of God, His children overcome everything the world has to throw at us

2. We conquer through the greatest conqueror of all time: Christ

a. He overcame Satan’s temptations

b. He overcame the world

c. He overcame the grave

3. By the way, the word conqueror does not mean barely, it means completely and gloriously

PREACHING PORTION

THE REASON PAUL DID NOT WORRY ABOUT BEING FORSAKEN BY THE LORD

He Had Been Persuaded

The word “persuaded” means to have trust and confidence in the truth

Paul did not hope he would go to heaven and overcome this world

Paul did not hope that God would not abandon him for one reason or another

Paul had a “know so” salvation

ü 1 John 5:13 These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life

Do Christians have hope? Yes we do

However, when it comes to our salvation we do not hope at all: we know

We are persuaded!

He Had Been Tested

Read verses 38-39

Between the troubles of life, martyrdom, and even the spirit world; Paul had faced them all

Never once since that day on the road to Damascus had he thought, ‘God is going to forsake me’

Nope, the price of God’s love is too dear to God for Him to forsake us

Ladies And Gentlemen It Is Because God Paid The Price That We Are Saved, For Him To Give Up On Our Salvation Would Be To Say The Price Was Not Worth It; And That Is Something He Cannot Do

CONCLUSION

Therefore, Any Child Of God Who Answers These Questions Is Sure Of Their Salvation, Because What Can We Say Except: God Is For Us, He Has Freely Given Us His Salvation, He Has Justified Us, He Died And Rose Again To Make Intercession For Us, And Nothing Can Separate A Conqueror From God’s Love Through Jesus Christ