If God Is For Us

Introduction

Well, pleasant, good morning to all. What a beautiful morning really it is. Although it’s cloudy and a little rain, it’s refreshing. After better than two weeks with dry weather, I think we needed the showers from the Lord, and we’re thankful for that. Refreshing last night, uh, those who gathered together at the armory with our cover dish, and to see the talent that so many of our young people have. It was indeed a good time together. Good to see each of you with us this morning, and if you’re visiting with us especially. I’d like to encourage you to take your New Testaments and be opening to the reading found in Romans chapter 8. Romans chapter 8. That chapter is truly one of the great chapters of the Bible.

If you’re familiar with it, you recognize that Romans chapter 8 and verse 1 opens with the fact that there’s no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus. And then it ends with how that there’s no separation from the love of God. Indeed, what a blessing it is to know these assurances from the Lord. In fact, in between these two passages, there are other assurances that, in fact, we, as we are led by the Spirit in verse 14, are sons of God and heirs together with Christ. And then in describing the fact that we have that assurance as being heirs together with Him, he speaks about the sufferings we may endure in this present life, verse 18, but he says they’re not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed.

What an uplifting chapter. But I want you this morning to particularly read with me and study with me four questions that this letter ends with, or this chapter that is, beginning in verse 31, where the apostle writes, 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 delivered them up for us all? How shall he not with him also freely give us all things? And then in verse 33, who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies, who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God who also makes intercession for us.

And then the fourth question in verse 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or peril or sword? As it is written, For your sake we are killed all day long, we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Yet in all these things, we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created things shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. When you look at these questions, and really for the most part, at least the first three are rhetorical, really in their nature, that it really the answer is pretty well understood.

When you start with the premise, if God is for us, if God is for us, actually, your view of God depends upon how you understand the answers to these questions. What does God mean to you? Frankly, if we talk about God, first of all, there’s so many characteristics of God that we should describe. He is indeed the creator of this world, the giver and sustainer of life itself. But among the many characteristics that the Bible describes God, I want us to think first of all about the majesty of God. The scriptures speak about his majesty in Psalm 93, verses 1 and 2, where the psalmist said, The Lord reigns. He is clothed with majesty. He has girded himself with strength. Your throne is established from of old.

You are from everlasting. When you speak about God being clothed with majesty, what does that really mean? Our word majesty really comes from the Latin. And it literally means greatness. In fact, when we speak about the majesty of someone, we we ascribe to that person our acknowledgement of that person’s greatness and of the reverence or respect that we ought to be giving. In England, for example, when they introduced the queen, they would say Her Majesty, the Queen of England. So we understand that in relationships like that, but describing God.

The fact not only is he clothed with majesty, but other scriptures, like in Psalm 145 and in verse 5, I will meditate on the glorious splendor of your majesty. Or in 2 Peter chapter 1, where the apostle Peter was recalling the time where on the Mount of Transfiguration He saw indeed Jesus transfigured and with Moses and Elijah. And then later when he wrote about it, he said, we did not follow cunningly devised fables when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty. Even in Hebrews, as the Hebrew letter opens, the Hebrew writer in verse 1 describing the Lord said, when he had by himself purged our sins, he sat down on the right hand of the majesty on high.

And then later in chapter 8 and verse 1, he said, Now this is the main point of the things we are saying. We have such a high priest who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the majesty in the heavens. Indeed, modern man, I think largely lacks this feeling or thinking about God Himself, or Jesus Christ, the Son of God. If God is for us, so you stop and think, well, He is the one who is so great, who is so powerful that we ought to honor and reverence him. Far too often in the flesh, there are many who honor men. You know, we may think of the greatness of men like, well, even the founding of our nation, George Washington, or later Abraham Lincoln, or even his force, Babe Ruth, yeah, we elevate names like that, but how many are they?

Who think casually about God’s name? It is said that the scribes of old, as they were, of course, before the printing press, writing from one manuscript, the word of God, making new manuscripts, that when they came to the name of God in Hebrew, say Yahweh or Elohim, that they would pause and have a prayer before they would even write his name, because they felt themselves unworthy in the presence of the majesty of God, even to so write his name. Indeed, how many are they today who use God’s name casually, even in vain? There are many. Maybe we would say none in the church, surely would do that. But maybe are we even sometimes where we wouldn’t use God’s name casually or cursing, yet do we sometimes forget that we’re in the presence of God when we come to an assembly to worship him?

1. If God Is for Us, Who Can Be Against Us?

And that it is important that we reverence him, our God and in his majesty. Indeed, as the psalmist would say in Psalm 48, verse 1, great is the Lord and greatly to be praised. Or in Psalm 95 and verse 6, oh come let us worship and bow down. Let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker. Now, understanding and just thinking about these thoughts, let’s come back to our text in Romans 8. If God is for us. Now think about that. Where the questions really that are asked, the answers seem rather, well, they’re self certainly asserting that we we know the answer already, don’t we? If God is for us, the first question, who can be against us? Well, understanding who God is, we would say no one has any ability to overcome.

If God is for us, as the Bible would say, one with the Lord is a majority, isn’t it? And so if God be for us, indeed, he’s proven he’s on our side. In the fact, by His grace, he’s provided the means of salvation through the gift of His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ. Indeed, God has proven that He is for us. The reality is, though, that the devil is certainly trying to be against us, isn’t he? Those who serve the Lord recognize that we have many adversaries. And certainly the chief one is the devil himself, Satan and his followers. Hate light. Jesus said in John chapter 3, 19 through 21 that indeed they hate, they love the darkness and they hate the light because their sins are exposed by the light.

And therefore, all who try righteously to serve the Lord can say, Well, yeah, we we have one who’s greatly against us, but he will not succeed, not if we serve the Lord. The fact is the assurance in this passage is that there is no opposition that can crush God’s people. He is our sovereign protector. He alone declares even the end from the beginning. Passages like in Isaiah 46, where the prophet, or God through the prophet Isaiah, is describing God in comparison even to the idols that many men were worshiping and serving at that time. And he said, Remember the former things of old, for I am God and there is no other. I am God and there’s none like me, declaring the end from the beginning.

Oh, we may lift up some men, but what great man can declare the end from the beginning? Who can foretell things that are to come? Prophecy. We have assurances from the Word of God of predictions that were made hundreds of years before they came to pass. It is only the Lord God who can say, Here’s the end, here’s what it’s going to be. Micah 5 and verse 2 declared Jesus would be born in Bethlehem. Who could have guessed that 750 years beforehand? And many other prophecies. So the prophecy, from the ancient times, things are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure. And in fact, the promise is that God, on our side, is one who can tell you the end from the beginning, and therefore who indeed can be against us if God is for us.

2. How Shall He Not Freely Give Us All Things?

Indeed, as the psalmist in Psalm 27 would say, the Lord is my light and my salvation. Whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life, of whom shall I be afraid? For when the wicked came against me to eat up my flesh, my enemies and foes, they stumbled and fell. God on our side. But again in Romans chapter 8, in verse 32, the scripture says, He who did not spare his own son, but delivered him up for us all. How shall he not with him also freely give us all things? Now, when you look at that question, if if you take it out of its context, you might misapply it. It might sound as to some, well, you know, all I gotta do is be on God’s side, and if I pray to God He’ll bless me with all things that I ask for.

But let me say, first of all, it is this text is not a promise of one saved, always saved. Neither is it a promise that anything. Maybe maybe some would pray out of greed and think God would give it. There’s a very popular religion today that sort of says, you know, here’s material prosperity. If you’ll just, if you’ll make your vow and send this certain money to the church or to the preacher asking for, you’ll be blessed with much. It’ll multiply. It’s sort of like the Lord’s treasury is a super savings account. And you know, if you give a hundred dollars, it’ll soon be worth a thousand, etc. Or if you’ll just come and you have some kind of sickness, you let us pray for you’re going to be healed by the miracles of God.

And you know, there are people who are drawn by simply the immediate material gratification. The scripture does not promise all things in that sense. That anything we may ask for. Earlier in this same chapter in Romans 8 28, another favorite verse out of this chapter, where the scripture says we know that all things work together for good. To those who love God, to those who are the called according to his purpose. Even that verse, if you take it in this context, it’s not talking about all material things, as though really all you’ve got to do is just ask and you’ll be granted anything you want. But it has to do with those things that enable us to reach the salvation through Christ Jesus. He’s speaking in this whole chapter about the glory that shall be revealed.

No condemnation in Christ, verse 1, and no separation from the love of God, the very last verse. In between, he’s not talking about selfish desires being fulfilled, but about those things that will help us reach heaven. You mean sometimes there are troubles in this world? Absolutely. In fact, in James chapter 1, the inspired writer said, My brethren, count at all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. There may be trials and troubles that do come, and even in this context, the apostle speaks about sufferings and persecutions.

But James said, Count it joy when you fall into it. Why? Because when we are tested, even when the devil threatens and tests us, even at that point in time, really, as we turn to the Lord, and that’s what happens. Whenever we’re tested, we make a choice. You hear some people say, I can’t understand why good God lets this happen, and they want to blame God and turn away. Rather than understanding, many of the trials and testings come from the devil. You’re studying the book of Job in the auditorium. Who tested Job? Was it God or was it the devil that was causing the troubles on him? And yet at the testing, it comes a time where we learn to lean to God. The Lord giveth.

The Lord taketh away. Blessed be the name of the Lord, Job said. That ought to be our attitude. In fact, as James would say, count it joy because why? What happens? With him, he freely gives us all things. In the sense that he enables us to meet the test, and we grow stronger in the Lord by it. 1 Corinthians chapter, uh 1 Corinthians chapter 10 and verse 13, the apostle wrote that there hath no temptation overtaken you, but such as is common to man. But the Lord will, with every temptation provide a way of escape. That in fact you can indeed overcome. He wasn’t promised that there’s a hedge about you that you’ll never have any problems, but he’ll help you through every struggle and trial and promise.

You keep your sights set on where you’re headed, and don’t think in terms only of the physical and of this world. Some time ago I heard of a man who asked a preacher, said, Preacher, would you please play for uh pray for me that I may have more patience? And so the preacher said he would. And so they bowed their heads, and the preacher started saying, Dear Lord, give this man troubles. Dear Lord, give this man some trial. Wait a minute, he stopped the prayer. I said, I needed patience. He said, Yes. Well, do you not know that with the trials and with the troubles that you turn to the Lord and you will indeed increase in your patience and your perseverance? So it is that our attitude ought to be toward the Lord.

3. Who Shall Bring a Charge Against God’s Elect?

And it’s Matthew 6 and verse 33, seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things should be added to you. The things that are necessary to life, you will be sustained. But those things that have to do with reaching heaven as your goal, if indeed you seek God and his righteousness first and foremost. Indeed, the question in Romans 8 is the answer. Shall he not with Christ, whom he gave because he so loved the world? If he would give his only begotten Son, is it not obvious that he will freely give us all things that enable us and help us to reach that home in heaven that it’s prepared? But then the third question again in Romans chapter 8 and in verses 33 and 34, where he says, Who is he who condemns?

Verse 33 Who should bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore, it is also risen. Who is even at the right hand of God who also makes intercession for us? Again, it looks like it’s sort of a courtroom. It’s as though you’re standing there, and who would dare make an accusation against God’s children? This pictures, as I said, a judgment scenario is as though Christians are the defendants. Is there someone who will make a charge against you? Are you prepared to answer that charge that, say, in a courtroom? Really, the question is rhetorical. That is, the answer is obvious. For it implies that we do not need to fear what Satan or any other might charge against us.

The truth is all of us may stop in our own conscience. May remember some things that we’ve done in life that we seriously regret and we’re ashamed of.

And that may come back, you know, that may be the charge that we we might remember. But the promise of the scriptures in Hebrews 8 and 12 is that God doesn’t remember. That once he has forgiven us of those sins, then he will remember them no more. What a privilege and a blessing. But we ourselves still face the Lord. And is there one who’s going to be ready to give answer or against us? Well, the scripture really speaks about how that in Christ, as we continually repent and confess, we have forgiveness. Here’s the answer to the charges that may be made. If we say, 1 John 1, 8 through 10 says, if we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves. Truth is not in us.

We’re not perfect, are we? But what do we do? Even though we may from time to time fail and fall and sin against God, verse 9, if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar. Then his word is not in us. What we have assurance of is that in Christ Jesus, his blood continually is present to help wash away our sins. As we repent, as we confess as we turn unto him. Notice in this passage, though, when it says, Who is who is he that condemns? It’s God who justifies us, isn’t it? So who is the fact is all of us will give account of himself or ourselves before God.

4. Who Shall Separate Us From the Love of Christ?

We stand before him. But did you notice in verse 34, where he speaks about the assurance that we have? When he says, verse 34, first of all, it is Christ who died. Furthermore, it’s Christ who is risen, who is at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. Think of the privilege that as children of God, the very Christ who died for us, continues to make intercession for us at the right hand of God. But then the fourth question in verse 30 35 through the end of the chapter. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? In verse 30 uh verse 35, shall tribulation, shall distress, persecution, famine, nakedness, peril, or sword. See, those things sound like, hey, they’re going to be troubles even on earth.

And we understand, looking even at the history of God’s people, there have been many who have suffered tribulation on this earth. The Old Testament is full of great characters of faith. When you go to the book of Hebrews and Hebrews chapter 11, it speaks about many of faith, and then it says, of whom the world is not worthy. What do they mean? It doesn’t mean that there’s heaven on earth, not at all. God’s people are tested and tried by the devil in many, many different ways. In fact, he just lists, you know. How about distress? How about persecution? How about famine? Or nakedness. You’re poor. Or peril or sword. And the answer to the question, of course, is that none of these things shall separate us from the love of Christ.

Now the love of Christ and the love of God are used interchangeably in this context. And actually, it’s not talking about our love for God, but rather God’s love for us. And what it’s really saying is that there’s nothing that can separate us from God’s love for us. Passages like 1 John chapter 1 and verses 4 through 10. In this, the love of God was manifested toward us. That God has sent his only begotten Son into the world that we might live through him. In this is love. Not that we love God, but that He loved us. And sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. God so loved us. And God wants all to be saved. But again, when you read through Romans chapter 8, there are those who read passages like this and say, oh, well, you see, there it must teach once saved, always saved, because nothing is going to separate us from the love of God.

Well, my friends, that’s that’s a misuse of the scripture. There are many passages that teach that there’s security of the believer. But it’s possible for us to stop believing. It’s possible for us to turn away. Parable of the sore as an illustration. What about those who who receive the word with joy, but they really soon find troubles and they turn away their faith. Even some who are described as being in the kind of soil that they have uh they take root, but they allow the pleasures of this world as indeed there are the various temptations that are around us, and therefore they’re choked. The word of God is choked out of their lives. How sad it is. There are some people who’ve obeyed the gospel, all right.

They’ve been baptized in the past, but they aren’t in faith with the Lord. Whether or not they come on a Sunday like this kind of depends on whether it’s convenient for them or not. This passage of Romans chapter 8 teaches there’s security of the believer. But it’s still possible for us to separate ourselves. What is not said in this passage is man’s part. Man can be the one who turns away. Passages like Hebrews chapter 3. In this text, the Bible says, Beware, brethren. Lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God. Now I’ve highlighted that word, departing. You cannot depart if you haven’t been there. I know there are those today who preach the doctrine once saved, always saved, try to say, well, anybody who’s quit serving the Lord, they never were really with him.

Well, that argument doesn’t hold when you read passages like Hebrews, this passage in Hebrews 3. You cannot depart from this auditorium if you haven’t been in this auditorium. And you cannot depart from God if you haven’t been in fellowship with God. So it’s possible for us to have once been saved in a relationship with the Father, and yet this verse says, Brethren, beware lest you depart from the living God. Instead, he said, exhort one another daily while it is called a day. Now notice another phrase highlighted, lest any of you be hardened. Happens gradually. It happens by quit reading, stop praying, stop being with other Christians. And over a period of time we lose, we become hardened by what? Deceitfulness of sin. It’s easy for us at a stage where we’re strong Christians, maybe say, oh, I’d never, I never do that.

I’d never commit adultery. I never lie. I never go get drunk. And yet, gradually, slowly, day by day, week by week, we quit worshiping. We quit reading our Bible and studying God’s Word, and we depart through the deceitfulness of sin. And yet the passage says, Beware, brethren. We are, verse 14, partakers of Christ. If, you know, there’s another word highlighted. If we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end. So the apostle, as writing in Hebrews, again, there’s the warning. And in our text of Romans chapter 8, notice on the positive side of it, that if we do our part, if we continue to be faithful serving him, notice what he says. Verse 36, as it is written, For your sake we are killed all day long.

We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. That’s a verse that’s really quoted from Psalm 44 and verse 22. And yet he says, In all these things, we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. We become super conquerors, so to speak. We have assurance that through Christ Jesus there’s victory. Through Christ Jesus. When the sufferings of this world are compared to the glory that shall be revealed, indeed, they’re hardly even worthy to be compared. Look at verse 18. And that’s the very words that are used. Romans 8 and verse 18, where the apostle said, For I consider the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. I’ve often described, you know, there’s sufferings now.

The apostle Paul is one who could certainly write about the many sufferings he’s gone through as an apostle. And yet he said, you know, they’re not even worthy to be compared. The glory. Look at the two. Compare them. He said, they’re not worthy to be even compared. And then notice how he closes this chapter. When he says in verse 38, I am persuaded that neither death nor life, angels nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us. When you look and compare those, neither death nor life, he’s speaking about every conceivable condition of men. When he says, neither angels nor principalities, perhaps the word principality stands for demons or Satan’s influences.

Every possible spiritual being. Neither present nor things to come, every period of time. Neither height nor depth, every special sphere. And finally, nor any other creature. Literally, it’s just simply says, not anything. So what he’s listed here, you might say, every conceivable condition of men, every possible spiritual being, every special sphere, every period of time, not anything shall separate us from the love of God. And then, of course, which he says, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. As you look at this chapter, it is indeed one of those great chapters. Because not only does it speak about God’s love for us because of it. If God is for us, then who can be against us? If God is for us, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things that enable us to live faithfully even and have that spiritual reward in heaven?

Conclusion

Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? Who is he who condemns? Indeed, no charge that the devil can make will stand if we stand on God’s side. Or finally, who shall separate us from the love of Christ or the love of God? Not anything. What a blessed privilege. It should give us cause to have encouragement and to press forward. It’s hard for me to understand how anyone who looks at these kind of blessings and privileges that are upon Christians who can see these and not want to be a Christian. So as we close this morning, I’m going to ask you are you a child of God? Are these promises and these blessings for you or to describe someone else? Have you obeyed the gospel? Jesus Himself, who died for you, said, He who believes and is baptized shall be saved.

He who believes not shall be condemned. These promises are made only to those who walk according to the faith of the Christ. So as we as we continue in our worship this morning and studying of His Word, if you’re not a child of God, I hope that you will be thinking even now that you’re going to obey the gospel. And certainly in our next service, particularly, there will be an invitation song sung. We’d love to have you this morning commit your life to Jesus Christ. Before we go to our classes, though, let us bow together now in a word of prayer. Our Father in heaven, we are truly grateful for the fact that you have loved us and prove it in so many ways. In a wonderful creation, the privilege of even living here now, the fact that you’ve given us life and every needful thing for this physical life.

But more importantly, Father, we are thankful that you’ve so loved us that you gave your only begotten Son. That through Jesus Christ, by your grace, through faith in Him, we might have the promise of life everlasting. Help us to look unto you and find that kind of strength, that no matter what temptation may come our way, we will resist the devil and that we will always turn faithfully unto you. Keep us now and bless us even as we continue in our study and our worship this morning, that all will be done unto your glory. For we pray in the name of the Christ and amen.

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