More than Conquerors
Romans 8:31-39
Online Sermon: http://www.mckeesfamily.com/?page_id=3567
How can God whom is indivisibly present, full of grace and ever-loving kindness allow His own to go through persecutions, trials and tribulations? How can an omnipotent God allow us to go through the dark valleys of life that crush our very souls and yet still state He is doing good to those who love Him? Surely God knows that even His ambassadors and royal priests are no match for the hardships, persecutions, famines and diseases of life much less the Devil whom seeks to devour them? And does not just thinking about our filthy rags of sin threaten to break the minds of these jars of clay whom cannot justify their thoughts, words and deeps based on their own merits? In Romans 8:31-39 Paul answers these questions by stating that God is just and good because He enables His children to be more than conquerors of persecution, life’s tribulations and even physical death. The simple but profound truth is that our sovereign God is good because His grace and love never ends! The following sermon is going to examine the testimonies of the biblical risk takers and martyrs with the intent of spurring today’s Christian to have faith that God has us in His hands and as such we can face any of life’s difficulties with unspeakable joy, knowing that the pain we feel in this life will be pail in comparison to the glorious riches we are about to receive!
The Testimony of the Martyrs
Think about the cloud of great witnesses whom risked everything for the kingdom of God. Who could ever forget Moses and Aaron who stood before Pharaoh and said “let My people go (Exodus 5),” David who bravely faced Goliath (1 Samuel 17), Esther who risked her life to save the Jewish people, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego whom faced the fiery furnace (Daniel 3) or Apostle Paul whom risked his life daily to testify about Jesus (Acts 20:24)? And who could ever forget the courage of the early church? They were imprisoned for mentioning Jesus’ name, buried alive, crucified, dressed in animal furs to be killed by dogs, set on fire to illuminate Emperor Nero’s courtyards and were torn apart by lions as entertainment in the Roman amphitheater. And yet in the face of Emperor Decius’ demand that they serve the emperor and multiple gods or be run through by the sword they replied with a resounding “No,” we will serve but one God! Despite being hard pressed on every side, perplexed, crushed and struck down (2 Corinthians 4:8) they remained faithful, their testimonies far more “sacred than any dome of gorgeous architecture” that has ever been constructed!
The motives to take big risks in God’s kingdom for these martyrs was not “heroism, the lust for adventure, the courage of self-reliance or the need to earn God’s good will” but was a mere by-product of “faith in the triumphant love of God” that while cannot be seen (Hebrews 11:1) will never end! Imagine facing the cruellest of deaths with rejoicing, “leaping and dancing at the thought of being counted worthy to suffer for Christ’s sake”! Because they allowed the word of God to shape their very lives (James 1:22-25) these martyrs were not scared of being persecuted by the enemies of the cross (Matthew 10:28) but in making friendships with this world (James 4:4) and becoming carnal and lukewarm in sight of their Savior! Despite their bleak circumstances they felt overwhelming joy because they knew their lives were “not in the hands of fortuitous circumstances but in the hands of a sovereign, benevolent God!” In their minds they were not taking a risk but merely serving faithfully to the one whom guaranteed their deeds would result in crowns of righteousness! The remainder of this sermon is going to review how today’s Christian can throw off the shackles of spiritual lukewarmness and according to Apostle Paul become more than conquerors over persecution, tribulations and even death itself!
More than Conquerors of Persecution
While those living in North America are unlikely to become martyrs for their belief in God, living for Jesus still invites plenty of persecution. While he who seeks to devour God’s own (1 Peter 5:8) pays little attention to the carnal, lukewarm Christian who is a chameleon and friend of this world; those who live and spread the Gospel message can expect to be “cast onto the threshing-floor to be beaten a heavy flail of trouble.” Living in a society that has great pride in their “inclusive” attitudes and policies that anything goes on the broad path as long as it does not harm another, to state there is but one God (Deuteronomy 6:4) and to let one’s light shine (Matthew 5:15) to expose their evil deeds (John 3:20) invites harsh criticism and exclusion from their presence! This should not come as a surprise for Jesus promised that the world would hate Christians (John 15:18) and that proclaiming His message would result in many of our relationships dissolving or worst yet becoming hostile (Matthew 10:35-36)! Lest the church becomes “bastards and not sons, tares and not wheat, hypocrites with fair vineyards,” we as His ambassadors (2 Corinthians 5:20) and royal priests (1 Peter 2:9) must become more than conquerors of this world by throwing off the shackles of the fear of external criticism and exclusion and let our light reveal the truth that He who bought us at a price (1 Corinthians 6:20) is offering the world reconciliation.
Sadly, the most intense persecution a Christian will ever face is from another Christian! Out of a sense of jealousy, pride or the desire to have authority or look better than others have led many “perpetrators” of the faith to viciously attack the credibility of other believers. Armed with the law that condemns (Romans 2:17-24) and a desire to elevate their own status at the expense of another, these “children” of God cut deeply into the souls of fellow Christians by claiming that a person’s hypocrisy is proof that his/her standing before God is weak or nonexistent and therefore disqualifies from serving God! While one would like to respond with retributive justice, doing so would mean conforming to the pattern of this world (Romans 12:1-2) that says don’t love your enemies and do good to them (Luke 6:35), hit them so hard they can’t get back up! If one truly wants to be as “innocent as a dove and shrewd as a serpent” (Matthew 10:16), does this mean the only option is to turn the other cheek (Matthew 5:38-40) and allow the perpetrator to destroy one’s reputation amongst fellow believers and those whom one is try to spread the Good News? If so, then how could one ever be effective in ministry or proclaim that God is just and full of mercy when He often chooses to not interfere?
The answer to this conundrum Paul says can be found in answering one simple question: if God is for us who can be against us? “NO” one can question the impregnable position of the believer before a merciful God whose Son’s atonement on the cross took away the world’s sin and provided the means to be justified and reconciled with a holy God (John 3:16; 2 Corinthians 5:19)! The perpetrators of this world need to remember that they too are sinners (Romans 5:8) justified by grace and faith in a risen Savior and as such are like Job, foolish to question God’s wisdom by attacking those whom are justified by the blood of Christ! Since there is not one “single molecule outside of God’s sovereign control,” a Christian’s acceptance before God is the “strongest, most steady, firm, unbending, solid, substantial, constant known to humanity!” When it comes to justice the perpetrators should shake in fear of the day that is coming when they will be held accountable for the things done in the body (2 Corinthians 5:10)! Until that day YES we as victims are not only to turn the other cheek but are to become more than conquerors by using the attacks of the perpetrators to not only increase our faith but to identify and cut off “another part of our worldliness!” In doing so, ironically the perpetrator’s attempts to destroy our ministry becomes the foundation of confession and strengthening of our relationship to God to serve Him rightly!
More than Conquerors of Tribulation
If overcoming physical and emotional persecution was not difficult to handle, Paul goes on to describe how to become more than conquerors of the tribulations of life. We live in a fallen world and as such can expect both good and bad things to happen to us (Revelation 21:4; Matthew 5:45). “Looking out into the abyss and stark terror” of sickness, financial difficulties, depression, wars, earthquakes and the death of loved ones can leave even the strongest of Christians with feelings of despair and hopelessness. When our “own consciousness of feebleness and perplexity” makes us feel like there is no way to endure our suffering we become more than conquerors the moment we turn to Jesus who is not only our Savior but our friend (John 15:15)! Our sympathetic high priest Jesus (Hebrews 4:14-16), whom has gone through far worse than we have, is to be our resting place and firm foundation of which no wave or wind of affliction can ever shake! If we trust in Him He will give us the strength to not only endure but to feel unspeakable joy and soar like wings on an eagle to achieve new heights of faith and spiritual maturity (James 1:2-4; Isaiah 40:31)!
In order to become more than conquerors we must reconcile in our minds how a loving, sovereign God who is indivisibly present, full of justice and mercy would allow us to go through the tribulations of life and still fulfill His promise to do good to who love Him (Romans 8:28)! First, God is just to allow bad things to happen to us for we were the ones who chose to sin against Him (Romans 6:23)! Second, God did not promise an easy life the moment we believed in His Son but that our attachment to Him would bring suffering, especially in the hands of those who hate the light (John 3:20). Third, how would God be loving and true to us if He never allowed the crucible of affliction to force us to our knees to seek and be transformed daily (Romans 12:2) by He whom is always near (James 4:8)? And lastly, is it not selfish and disobedient for us to say NO to the very afflictions that endured in faith tends to be our best witness of God’s might and power that these jars of clay (2 Corinthians 4:7) cannot be broken due to their unshakeable foundation (Matthew 7:24-27)? If we want to more than conquerors, then we must have faith that He who carries us through our afflictions will use them to further His kingdom!
More than Conquerors of Death
Paul finishes this passage by stating that we can be more than conquerors if we have confidence in one day going to our eternal home! Seeing tribulation as “light and momentary troubles” that achieve for us eternal glory (2 Corinthians 4:17) is the key to being not only content (Philippians 4:11) but in feeling unspeakable joy in all circumstances (1 Peter 1:8)! Even in the face of the greatest unknown that tends to be feared by so many, Christians are more than conquerors for not even physical death can separate us from God’s love and our relationship with our Lord, Saviour and King! We are to “fear no difficulties, dread no tribulations!” We are to march into life’s battles as the biblical heroes and martyrs of the early church did and claim the crowns of righteousness that God has prepared in advance for us to receive (Ephesians 2:10; 2 Timothy 4:8)! Since neither death nor life “with all its allurements and dangers and trials” can separate us from the love of God, next time you face what feels like overwhelming circumstances run to Christ whom promises to justify and never let you go!
Sources Cited:
John Piper, Sermons from John Piper (1980–1989) (Minneapolis, MN: Desiring God, 2007).
C. H. Spurgeon, “More than Conquerors,” in The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit Sermons, vol. 13 (London: Passmore & Alabaster, 1867).
R. C. Sproul, The Gospel of God: An Exposition of Romans (Great Britain: Christian Focus Publications, 1994).
Craig S. Keener, Romans, New Covenant Commentary Series (Eugene, OR: Cascade Books, 2009).
Everett F. Harrison, “Romans,” in The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Romans through Galatians, ed. Frank E. Gaebelein, vol. 10 (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1976).
James R. Edwards, Romans, Understanding the Bible Commentary Series (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2011).
F. F. Bruce, Romans: An Introduction and Commentary, vol. 6, Tyndale New Testament Commentaries (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1985).
James Montgomery Boice, Romans: The Reign of Grace, vol. 2 (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 1991–).
