Not Ashamed To Be Assured Romans 8:31-39
Introduction
Romans 1:16-17a For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes—the Jew first and also the Gentile. This Good News tells us how God makes us right in his sight.
The Good News is that though we all sin, God provides forgiveness.
Romans 3:23-24 For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. Yet God, in his grace, freely makes us right in his sight. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins.
God calls upon us to put our faith in his son Jesus Christ.
Romans 4:24-25 …God will also count us as righteous if we believe in him, the one who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. 25 He was handed over to die because of our sins, and he was raised to life to make us right with God.
We receive a new life when in baptism we act in faith to identify ourselves with Christ. Romans 6:3 For we died and were buried with Christ by baptism. And just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, now we also may live new lives.
But why do we continue to struggle with sin? Does that mean we are not really saved?
Romans 7:21-25 I have discovered this principle of life—that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is
Wrong. 22 I love God’s law with all my heart. 23 But there is another power within me that is at war with my mind. This power makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me. 24 Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death? 25 Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord.
The Accuser wants us to believe that we are not really saved because we still struggle against sin in our minds, our lives. The Savior wants us to hear a different message. He died BECAUSE we couldn’t save ourselves. Can we really trust that we are saved? An ultimate question in life because we all face the end of our lives. Can I really believe that God would save a sinner like me?
Romans 8:1 So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus.
Paul spends the rest of chapter 8 addressing the work of Christ, the power of the Holy Spirit, and the purpose of God. Our text is verses 31-39, a victorious proclamation that God is not only able but willing to save all those who have faith in Jesus.
1. GOD IS FOR YOU (Romans 8:31)
Wiersbe: Sometimes, like Jacob, we lament, “All these things Are against me” (Gen. 42:36), when actually everything is working for us.
We need to enter each new day realizing that God is for us. In everything we face we recognize that God wants the best for His children.
2. GOD’S LOVE IS PROVEN (Romans 8:32)
You must go to the Garden of Gethsemane, Pilate’s Hall, and the cross to understand the depth of love in the words, “spared not his own Son.” When we were sinners Christ died for us. Now that we are God’s children, He certainly loves us no less! In our hearts we need to move beyond “God so loved the world” to know God loves ME.
3. GOD IS NOT ACCUSING YOU (Romans 8:33-34)
Satan is an Accuser - and we can feel condemned because he accuses us of our past mistakes, sins, and behavior. We can become our own Accusers - allowing ourselves to dwell on our past errors and bad behavior.
In the courtroom before God - who can level these charges Against us? No one that matters. God has declared us Righteous.
Christ is interceding for us! Earlier in 8:26-27 we read that the H Spirit prays for us. Here Jesus - The only One who should be condemning us and judging us is praying for us. He intercedes for believers, serving as our Advocate in the royal court of heaven (1 John 2:1-2).
God’s children are not subject to “condemnation” because our sins, past, present, and future have been cleansed and forgiven by the blood of Jesus Christ.
4. GOD IS NOT LETTING YOU GO (Romans 8:35-36)
Is there any force, anywhere, that can come between the believer and Christ?
Christ will never fail us, but will we fail Him? Paul lists seven common enemies of Christians. Paul himself faced them all and knew they did not have the power to separate a soul from Christ. None of these dangers can destroy the work of Christ in you.
Another Reason we should have assurance of our salvation…
5. GOD HAS GIVEN YOU VICTORY IN CHRIST (Romans 8:37)
No matter what we face in our lives, take courage in the fact “we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.”
Not just conquerors - MORE than conquerors! - A word that conveys the idea of being “hypervictors.” Even when we feel defeated, we are winners, not losers. We do not merely hold our own in the face of “all these things,” but “through him that loved us” we are drawn closer to Christ and become more conformed to His image.
6. GOD WILL NOT BE SEPARATED FROM YOU (Romans 8:38-39)
A great doxology of praise for the security of our salvation! The contrasts in words and worlds in this verse is amazing.
Death … life - addresses our mortality.
Angels…Demons - spiritual realities. Neither good spiritual forces nor evil ones have any capacity to sever our
connection with the love of Christ.
Present…future - Separation from a time perspective - Nothing in this present time period and nothing in a future
time period can separate us from Christ’s love.
Height … depth … There’s nothing too high, no place too low… that can cause us to lose our connection with Christ.
Conclusion
No one but the Lord knows what challenge you are facing today or What grief weighs heavy on your heart.
“God knows” about your life - a biblical fact. He knew us before we knew Him. Once Christ has saved us, we need to never fear being lost again.
Take time and read Romans 8 again. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you And teach you to trust the purposes and promises of God. Know this, you are safe in God’s love.
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LifeGroup Questions
1. What is a home project, craft or hobby that you tried that didn't go so well? Today’s text is about our lives and
the mistakes, failures and bumps - and how they relate to our relationship with God.
2. Verses 33-34 picture a courtroom scene. Who might we identify as the judge, the attorney, and the prosecutor? What do you think is the verdict? Read 1 John 2:1. What perspective does this give you in your life of faith?
3. In vs 35-36 Paul lists seven common enemies of Christians. Paul himself faced them all and knew they did not have the power to separate a soul from Christ. Can you give a contemporary example of each one? Below is the list with a brief definition:
- Trouble / Tribulation - “squeezed or placed under pressure.
- Hardship/Distress - “confinement, tight place, hemmed in.”
- Persecution - any form of harassment.
- Famine - “things withheld because you are a believer.”
- Nakedness - “vulnerability, unprotected, exposed”
- Danger / Peril - is “danger from mistreatment.”
- Sword - “victim of a murderous plot.”
4. Verse 36 As it is written: “For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” This is a quote from Psalm 44:22 - Paul magnifies how God’s people shall endure affliction even as the faithful did in the Old Testament. What would you say is his message in quoting this Psalm?
5. What does Paul mean by stating, “in all things we are more than conquerors’ in verse 37? Conquer what? What is against us? Conquer with what result?
6. In Vs 38 Paul mentions many things he thought his audience might believe could separate them from God’s love. What might you add to this list, in your personal life or in your Christian community?
7. Paul says that “nothing” can separate us from the love of God. Do you think this includes “ourselves?” Can you
separate you from the love of God? Carefully reflect on this question.
8. What else did you see in this text that you wanted to talk about?
*Discussion questions for this lesson were taken from numerous online resources.
