Divine Immunity In Jesus Christ Series

Introduction: I read this past week about diplomatic immunity and how it shield perpetrators of crimes from prosecution, from almost any law on the books. Reports of sexual abuse, slavery, extortion, and every imaginable crime. That is not to mention 150,000 parking tickets in N.Y. City in a 5 year period. This is the protection given to foreign diplomats and they are totally immune.

As believers, we have a protection far greater than that and our is based on righteousness, the righteousness of Jesus Christ.

Many are those who argues that once is a person is saved that he can be lost. And added to that is the teaching that not only can he be lost, he can be saved over and over again. Then there is the argument that if he is saved, then lost , he can never be saved again under any circumstance. We must be interested in this subject because the answer to the question “Can a Saved person ever be lost?” impacts our mind and our emotion right now but it dramatically impacts our eternal state.

I Know Whom I Have Believed

I know not why God’s wondrous grace

To me He hath made known,

Nor why, unworthy, Christ in love

Redeemed me for His own.

But I know Whom I have believed,

And am persuaded that He is able

To keep that which I’ve committed

Unto Him against that day.

Spurgeon: Jesus Christ struck his hands in sacred suretyship long ere the first of the stars began to shine and it was in Him that the elect were ordained unto eternal life. Thus in the divine purpose a most blessed covenant union was established between the Son of God and His elect people, which will remain as long as the foundation of their safety – when time shall be no more.

Our great text in Romans today brings us before

God’s courtroom. We are there in the presence of God, Christ, angels, redeemed ones, and are allowed to see what God sees and hears. Many voices are raised to accuse and to condemn those who are the elect, the redeemed, the born ones.

The two questions of Romans 8:33 & 34 are:

Who shall accuse? (Who shall bring a charge?)

Who shall condemn?

Text: Rom 8:33 Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. 34 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.

Lenski: It could not and should not be that God acquits, as though nobody will then dare to condemn. Almighty judicial authority does not thus squelch condemnation. It does not stand on power and might where the question is one of right and wrong, of just and unjust judgment. No person can condemn, every person must assent to God’s acquittal for the overwhelming reason that Christ Jesus has taken our part: he died, arose, sits at God’s right hand, even intercedes for us. What Christ has done not only answers all condemnation, it makes every condemnation on the part of any person impossible.

1. Who is he who condemns? v.34

Jesus Is Our Judge and Defense Attorney

Rom 8:34 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.

Murray: The phrase “It is Christ who died” is not the answer to the question “ who is he that condemns?”

It supplies the basis for the question and challenge of verse 35 (who shall separate).

MacArthur: It is not that the accusations made against believers by Satan and the unbelieving world are always false. The fact that we are not yet sinless is obvious. But even when a charge against us is true, it is never sufficient grounds for our damnation, because all our sins——past, present, and future——have been covered by the blood of Christ and we are now clothed in His righteousness.

It was the Father who ““so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life”” (John 3:16). If anyone could take away salvation, it would have to the One who gave it. We might argue theoretically that, because God is sovereign and omnipotent, He could take away salvation if He wanted to. But the idea that He would do that flies in the face of Scripture, including the present text.

Bible Knowledge Commentary: Who is He that condemns? The Greek participle ho katakrinon can have a future sense, "will condemn," - seems preferable here.

Calvin: As no one by accusing can prevail, when the judge absolves; so there remains no condemnation, when satisfaction is given to the laws, and the penalty is already paid. He who seeks hereafter to condemn us must bring back Christ himself to death again.