Secured in Christ Romans 8:31-39

Intro: Security

“Paul did not write Romans 8 as an exercise in theology, but as instructions for how to live free from the fear of being separated from the love of God—regardless of what test may come.”

Transitional Statement: Paul wants the Romans to know three things....

I. God Is For Us (Vv. 31,32)

What then shall we say to these things?

Everything Paul has taught about in regards to salvation

“Gospel of Salvation”

List a few things

Immediate context: Romans 8:30

Paul’s conclusion: God did it all!!!

What shall we say?—>logical conclusion is that God is for us

Not hypothetical....deal w/Greek first class conditional

Need to deal with “if”

Greek first class conditional

Not hypothetical question—>In view of the fact that God is for us, who is or could be against us

Most encouraging words in the entire Bible=“God is for us”

for=above; over;—>not that God is above in the sense of authority (certainly true) over us in the sense

limited to believers

often misquoted: don’t be mistaken: For us In regards to salvation

Paul is talking about when he says “these things”

Overall Context: Everything that Paul has taught in chapters 1-7 in regards to our salvation

Immediate Context: Romans 8:30 “Moreover whom He (being God) predestined, these (He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.”

God predestined us—>not a word to be scared of; not saying some have an opportunity to be saved and others do not—>v.29 God pre determined that believers would grow into the image of Christ

God called us—>moment accept Christ; God calls us unto salvation

God justified us

God has also glorified us

Paul’s conclusion in regards to our salvation: God did it all

The question that Paul is asking, “Does anyone or anything have the power/authority to undo what God has already done?”

Paul is arguing from the hardest to the easiest

Need Illustration of hardest to easiest

Hardest

God did not spare, but delivered

Spare-discreetly cautious, prevent trouble from happening

Deliver-to surrender someone to another especially authority

God handed over His own son to the authority of death—>Jesus submits to that authority and w/His resurrection defeats death illustrating His authority over death

Northing too hard: Genesis 18:14

Genesis 18:14 NASB95

“Is anything too difficult for the Lord? At the appointed time I will return to you, at this time next year, and Sarah will have a son.”

Not saying that nothing is difficult—>nothing is so difficult that God can not accomplish

Someone were to offer me a $1,000 to run a mile in my dress shoes—>It would be difficult, but not too difficult that I couldn’t accomplish it

Idea: that God just nonchalantly delivered His own over to be crucified

His own son

own-particular, unique, private, one’s own, show’s emotional attachment

God’s very own, private, unique, possession…infinitely dear to Him

“My beloved Son, whom I am well pleased”

“Me and My Father are One.”

Easiest

God gives us freely all thing

“All things” every promise of God made to the believer after the point of salvation

Predestined to conform to Christ

II. God Has Acquitted Us (Vv. 33,34)

We have seen that God is for us.

But can anyone overturn His ruling? His mind? That is the next question Paul explores.

Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect?

Bring charge- summoning someone to court to bring about indicting accusations

Who can bring up accusations against believers in Christ? The answer: many can and many will.

Jesus warned us of this:

Matthew 5:11 ““Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me.”

Satan—>accuser Revelation 12:10 “Then I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, “Now the salvation, and the power, and the kingdom of our God and the authority of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren has been thrown down, he who accuses them before our God day and night.”

Book of Job—>Satan is allowed into heaven and in the presence of God and brings accuses Job of not truly fearing God.

What Paul is saying that nobody can make any charge stick against God’s elect in the courtroom of heaven.

Bring charge-summoning someone to court to bring about indicting accusations

God being for us means: God has already justified us. God is the Only one who justifies as Paul reminds us.

Paul restates: God has already justified us. God has declared us innocent and has freed us from the wrath we deserve. God has forgiven for all wrong doings we committed against Him.

God justifies-to render innocent, to acquit of charges

Who condemns? It is Christ

Christ died, rose, sits at the right hand of God, makes intercession for us

III. God Has Made Us More Than Conquerors (Vv.35-39)

Romans Romans 8:31–38

In 8:37 Paul makes the audacious claim that we prevail—that we are more than conquerors. How can this be? It is not because the trials and suffering disappear in the short term; they don’t and won’t. Rather, Paul’s claim is based on the bigger picture outlined in Romans 8. All things work together for good—not by avoiding the hardships—but by God guiding all things to accomplish His purposes.

God is for us. Who can be against us? Does that mean we’ll have a worry, stress-free life? Just like we’ll have many accuse us falsely. There will be many things in this life that are against us.

Idea: these things will not be successfully against us.—>In order to conqueror, there must first be an opponent.

List of possibilities

Tribulation, distress, persecution, famine, nakedness, peril, sword

Paul gives an excerpt of Psalm 44:22 “But for Your sake we are killed all day long; We are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”

If God is for us than how can we fall to sword, persecution, tribulation?

They are against you. Make no mistake about it. But can not be successfully against you. They can not succeed in their mission of separating you from the love of Christ.

Understand the plan of the enemy. Satan’s plan was to cause separation between man and God. Succeeded in Eden. But what God did through Jesus—>reconciliation

Illustration: wrestling match w/7 yr old son. Cheep shot me. Injure me. But he will never be successful in defeating me.

c. Jesus conquered the grave—>since we are in Christ, things may take our lives but we are more than conquerors

More than conquerors-two greek words are combined

Huper- idea of above or beyond

nee-kay-sounds like Nike—>Nike was the greek goddess of victory—>overcome, to be victorious

combined words—>beyond victorious, or completely victorious

Opposite is true: what the devil meant to separate us from these things can not bring defeat but make us more than conquerors

interesting choice of words because the Romans were known as being conquerors

List of extremes or polar opposites of spectrums

Death nor life

Angels nor principalities nor power

Things present nor things to come

Height nor depth

What Do I Do?

“Paul did not write Romans 8 as an exercise in theology, but as instructions for how to live free from the fear of being separated from the love of God—regardless of what test may come.”

Romans Romans 8:31–38

Since nothing can separate us from the love of God, and since no one can make an accusation stick against one of God’s elect, the short term doesn’t matter. We may suffer, be imprisoned, even be killed. But the God who was faithful enough to us to send His only Son will remain committed to finishing the job. Present

Our security is kept in the workings of Christ

Christ was delivered for us.

Christ makes intercession for us.

Through Christ, we are more than conquerors.

Give us boldness to live for Christ.