Title: God Is For Us Text: Romans 8:18-39
Introduction:
I have a friend who was married not long ago to a man she had been acquainted with in high school. The man was very shy. The woman had a lot of personality, vivaciousness and energy.
After graduating from high school, she had many problems---she took drugs for awhile, got married at least once, had children by a couple of different men, and raged her way through life. She eventually came to Christ.
She went to her twentieth high school reunion and there met the man she would later marry. He had been raised in a Christian home and had taken his faith seriously over the years since high school. They realized they were both Christians, began to develop a relationship, and eventually were married. Early in the course of their friendship, he told her, "I fell in love with you when I was sixteen. I have loved you and I have thought of you every day since." She was unaware, during twenty years of unhealthy relationships, that someone could love her.
What the end of the eighth chapter of the book of Romans says, to put it briefly, is that God thinks of us every day. And not just every day, but every minute of every day. We fill his thoughts. He is enthusiastic about us and committed to us. As we go through the passage before us this week, we will see that the Lord God of the universe has thought about us before anything else was created. He knows everything that is true about us. He is bringing about our glorification. We will also find that when evil assails us the Lord Jesus intercedes for us, speaking to the throne of heaven on our behalf, defending us from accusation. In every expression of himself---Father, Son and Spirit---God cares for us.
I. Freedom from Discouragement – No Frustration v18-30
Paul in this section deals with the very real problem of suffering and pan. The best way to understand this section is to note the three groans that are discussed.
A. Creation Groans (v18-22)
1.When God finished His creation, He declared it as a good creation. Genesis 1:31 And God saw all that He had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.
2.But today it is groaning creation. There is suffering and death, there is pain, all which is of course the result of Adam’s sin.
3.Verse 18 Paul describes creation as suffering, verse 19 vanity, verse 20 in bondage, verse 21 decaying, and in verse 22 pain.
4.Paul illustrates it to a woman in labor, there is pain but the pain will end when the child is delivered. One day creation will be delivered, and the groaning of Creation will become a glorious creation.
5.As believer our focus should not be on today’s sufferings, but on tomorrow’s
2 Cor. 4:15-18 For all things are for your sakes, that the grace which is spreading to more and more people may cause the giving of thanks to abound to the glory of God. [16] Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day. [17] For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, [18] while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.
B. We believer’s Groan v23-25
The reason we groan is because we have experienced the firstfruits of the Spirit: A foretaste of the glory to come. This causes us to want to see the Lord, receive a new body, and live with Him and serve Him forever. That’s what he meant by eagerly awaiting for the adoption the redemption of our body.
For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ; [21] who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory, by the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself. Phil. 3:20-21 looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus; Titus 2:13
3. We know that what we are suffering right now will one day give way to eternal glory.
C.The Holy Spirit Groans v25-30
Today the Holy Spirit groans with us and feels the burdens of our weaknesses and suffering.
But the spirit does more than groan, He prays for us in His groanings so that we might be led into the will of God.
We do not always know God’s will, we do not always know how to
pray, but the Spirit intercedes so that we might live in the will of God in spite of Suffering. The spirit shares the burden.
As believers should never faint in times of suffering and trial because he knows that
•God is at work in the World (Sovereign over all) verse 28 In the original manuscript it say’s we know that God causes all things. It just tells us that it is God who orchestrates every event in life – even suffering and temptation to accomplish both our temporal and eternal benefit.
•God has a perfect plan verse 29. Paul tells us here that God predestined (determine beforehand) to be conformed to the likeness of His Son. That is the Upward Call that Paul was talking about in Phil 3:14.
The New Testament Scripture gives us glimpses of what being conformed to the image of Christ will be like.
First of all, we will be like Christ bodily. One day the Lord will transform our body. Philip. 3:21 who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory, by the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself. In 1 John 3:2 Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we shall be. We know that, when He appears, we shall be like Him, because we shall see Him just as He is. 2 Cor. 3:18 But we all, with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.
Being like Him does not mean that we will become deity, but we will be like Christ spiritually. Our incorruptible bodies will be infused with the very holiness of Christ, and we will both outwardly and inwardly perfect just as our Lord.
That’s the reason why Paul say’s “that He might be the first born among many brethren.” To make Christ Preeminent Col. 1:15-18 And He is the image of the invisible God, the first-born of all creation. [16] For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities-- all things have been created by Him and for Him. [17] And He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. [18] He is also head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the first-born from the dead; so that He Himself might come to have first place in everything.
II. Freedom from Discouragement v31-39
The emphasis in this final section is on the Security of the Believer. We do not need to fear the past, present, and future because we are secure in the Love of Christ. Paul in these eight verses presents five arguments to prove that there could be no separation between the believer and the Lord.
A.God Is For Us (v31)
The Greek construction is better translated “Since God is for Us.”
The Implication here is that if anyone were able to rob us of salvation they would have to be greater that God Himself, because He is both the giver and the sustainer of Salvation.
David declared with unreserved confidence,
In Psalm 27:1 The Lord is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear?The Lord is the defense of my life;Whom shall I dread? Psalm 46:1-3 God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble. [2] Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change,And though the mountains slip into the heart of the sea; [3] Though its waters roar and foam, Though the mountains quake at its swelling pride. Psalm 46:11 The Lord of hosts is with us; The God of Jacob is our stronghold. Selah.
Note: For I know the plans that I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ’plans for welfare and
not for calamity to give you a future and a hope. Jeremiah 29:11
B. Christ Died For Us (v32)
Surely our griefs He Himself bore, And our sorrows He carried; Yet we ourselves esteemed Him stricken, Smitten of God, and afflicted. [5] But He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; The chastening for our well-being fell upon Him, And by His scourging we are healed. [6] All of us like sheep have gone astray, Each of us has turned to his own way; But the Lord has caused the iniquity of us all To fall on Him. 10 But the Lord was pleased To crush Him, putting Him to grief; If He would render Himself as a guilt offering, He will see His offspring, He will prolong His days, And the good pleasure of the Lord will prosper in His hand. Isa 53:4-6,10
Jesus sacrifice on the cross not only is the foundation of our salvation but also of our security.
Because the Father loved us so much while we were still under condemnation. He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. 2 Cor. 5:21
C. God Has Justified Us (v33)
The setting of these verses is the divine courtroom.
God has Justified you means that He has declared you righteous in Christ. No one can successfully accuse you because God Himself has declared you righteous.
Some people believed that Satan can take away our salvation, because he is our most powerful supernatural enemy. Some say if anyone other than God could rob us of salvation, it would surely be the devil.
Rev. 12:10 And 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, who accuses them before our God day and night.
Zech. 3:1-3 Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord, and Satan standing at his right hand to accuse him. [2] And the Lord said to Satan, "The Lord rebuke you, Satan! Indeed, the Lord who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you! Is this not a brand plucked from the fire?" [3] Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments and standing before the angel. Although Joshua was still living with the sinful flesh, he was one of the Lord’s redeemed and was beyond Satan’s power to destroy or discredit.
We are God’s elect chosen in Christ and accepted in Christ. Once we accepted Him we automatically declared righteous and that declaration never changes. Our Christian experience changes from day to day, but justification never changes. We may accuse ourselves, and men may accuse us; but God will never take us to court and accuse us. Jesus already paid the penalty and we are secure in Him.
A.Christ Intercedes for Us (verse 34)
Again the setting of these verses is the divine courtroom.
Paul here gives us four reasons the believer can never be found guilty; Christ Death, Christ Resurrection, Christ Exalted Position, Christ Continual Intercession
Verse 26-27 tells us that the Spirit intercedes for us, here in verse 34 Christ intercedes for us. Christ represents us before the throne of God and we do not want to represent ourselves.
Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. [15] For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. [16] Let us therefore draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and may find grace to help in time of need. Heb 4:14-16
Hence, also, He is able to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them. 7:25
B.Christ Loves Us (verses 35-39)
1)After establishing the fact that it is impossible for any person to take away our salvation, Paul anticipates a similar question that some will ask: Is it possible for circumstances to rob a believer of his salvation. The apostle now tells us that too is impossible. Because of the Love of Christ (referring to Salvation)
Not from Tribulation = adversity (outward difficulties & emotional distress)
Not from Distress = being helpless (1 Cor 10:13)
Not from Persecution = Affliction suffered for the sake of Christ.
Not from Famine = lack of Food
Not from Peril = being exposed to danger. (Mistreatment)
2)Verse 36 tells us that we endure trials for His sake.
3)Verse 37-38 tells us that God gives us the power to conquer. We are more than conquerers, literally, we are superconquerors through Jesus Christ. He gives us victory and more victory.
We need not fear life or death, things present or things to come
We need not fear principalities (demons & fallen angels), powers
We need not fear height nor depth, nor any created things .
Conclusion:
Nothing can Separate us from the Love of God. Let’s believed it and rejoiced in it.
