GOD IS FOR US (2)

TODAY’S SERMON

TODAY’S MESSAGE: THE GOSPEL BENEFIT OF THE ETERNAL PROTECTION OF OUR SALVATION

I. YOU MUST REST IN THE HOLY VERDICT:

BECAUSE YOU ARE IN CHRIST… V31-34

A. The HATE Of Those Who HATE Will Not HINDER You 31

Romans 8:31 ESV

What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?

1. THUG: The Hate U Give

Spiritual ThugS Major THUGS

a. Satan

b. Self

B. The Lord Has Given You EVERYTHING Already In CHRIST (v32)

Romans 8:32 ESV

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?

THE “ALL THINGS” REFER TO THE SPIRITUAL REALITIES OF THE GOSPEL:

Romans 8:29 ESV

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.

Romans 8:30 ESV

And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.

C. No Charge Can Change the Verdict of the Lord

Romans 8:33–34 ESV

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.

NOTE: AGAINST GOD’S ELECT

1. It is God, as eternal Judge, who justifies - declared us not guilty

ILLUSTRATION

- We all know OJ was guilty

- BUT Argument in the courts led the jury to the verdict: Not guilty

WE STOOD BEFORE GOD THE JUDGE, WITH THE EVIDENCE STACKED AGAINST US; IT WAS ALL CAUGHT ON VIDEO TAPE, OUR FACES WERE RIGHT IN THE CAMERA AS WE BROKE EVERY LAW OF GOD IN THE BOOK.

BUT PAUL TELLS US THAT JESUS STOOD FOR US

Colossians 2:13 ESV

And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses,

Colossians 2:14 ESV

by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross.

OJ WAS GUILTY BUT THE VERDICT CAME BACK NOT GUILTY THEREFORE CAN NEVER BE CRIMINALLY CHARGED AGAIN FOR THAT CRIME

2. Justification is your LEGAL position before God

What the THUGS say about you might be true but you cannot be tried: spiritual jeopardy

1 John 2:1 ESV

My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.

II. YOU CAN REST IN THE HOLY VICTORY

VERSE 34B IS TRANSITION­ “more than that” indicates that more tha dying for us He gave us the power to live like Him

Romans 8:34 ESV

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.

A. Gospel Principal 1: I CAN REST IN VICTORY ONLY BECAUSE I DEMONSTRATE THAT CHRIST IS IN ME

1. Paul mentions RESURRECTION to show that resurrection power to live like Christ is in me

2. Paul mentions the INTERCESSION to show that the Spirit groans because I am groaning in prayer

BOTH SPEAK TO OUR PARTICIPATION IN CHRIST

WE ARE TOLD IN ROMANS 8:1 THAT THERE IS NO CONDEMNATION TO THOSE WHO ARE IN CHRIST JESUS

AND THEN WHAT IT MEANS TO BE IN CHRIST JESUS IS CLARIFIED IN VERSES 4: WHO WALK NOT ACCORDING TO THE FLESH BUT ACCORDING TO THE SPIRIT

SINCE WE ARE WALKING IN CHRIST PAUL NOW ASKS THE QUESTION

Romans 8:35 ESV

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?

“Able”: There will be

o Seasons

o Things

o Situations

o Etc

§ That “appear” to have done that – Prodigal Son

Romans 8:36 ESV

As it is written, “For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.”

There will be times when you THINK and FEEL like EVERYTHING is separating you from Christ

B. Gospel Principle 2: But you won’t know that nothing can separate you UNTIL or UNLESS you are made to FEEL or THINK this way

- Because of others

- Own narrative

- Sin

THE GOSPEL PRINCIPLE THAT I WANT YOU TO ALWAYS REMEMBER

C. Gospel Principle 3: God LOVES to FORGIVE the FAILINGS of His people

THIS IS WHY NOTHING CAN SEPARATE YOU FROM THE LOVE OF GOD

1. It was given BECAUSE of sin that He loved you

2. It was given while you were KNEE DEEP in sin when He loved you

3. It was given while you were in REBELLION against God that He loved you

· As rebellion dripped from your lips

· As rebellion was the direction of your life

Romans 5:7 ESV

For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die—

Romans 5:8 ESV

but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

THAT’S WHY PAUL CAN NOW SAY

Romans 8:37–38 ESV

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,

Romans 8:39 ESV

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.

THIS REHEARSAL OF WHAT GOD HAS DONE FOR HIM IN CHRIST HAS GIVEN HIM INCREASING CONFIDENCE IN ITS REALITY

“FOR I AM CONFIDENT”

D. Gospel Principle 4: It Is Only As You Rehearse The Narrative Of God’s PROTECTIVE Love For You In Christ Will Your CONFIDENCE In His Love INCREASE

THIS IS WHY SO MAY LIVE IN ANXIETY ABOUT ETERNITY:

The Problem Is That We Listen Too Much and Too Often to the Narratives of the THUGS:

Our ENEMY thug - the DEVIL

Our INTERNAL thug- the FLESH