Lesson by Pastor John Skaggs

Sovereign Grace Baptist Church

P. O. Box 1173

Claypool, Arizona 85532

520-425-8345

Date: 06-4-00

Sermon Number: 045

Text: Romans 8:31

Topics Addressed in this Lesson

(The Security of the Believer)

During the course of my forty plus years of life I have been pleased to meet a number of reasonable people. By reasonable I mean folks who don’t think they know it all. They are teachable souls, not gullible, but teachable. They are interested more in finding, learning, and applying the truth than protecting old opinions and beliefs. When a difference of opinion arises the invitation is extended, "Come let us reason together" and these reasonable people come. They come to labor in the word and doctrine to see if the things that have been taught are indeed true. This is exactly how we must approach the scriptures each and every time we pick up the book. It is nice to find our beliefs confirmed when we listen to a sermon or study the Bible but we can’t expect this to be the case every time. Sometimes we discover that we have been wrong about something. When this happens we must be willing to tear down and rebuild that portion of our faith. If we do not approach the scriptures in this way we will not grow in grace and knowledge and peace. Let us all learn and determine to always approach the scriptures with this attitude.

Today we return to the eighth chapter of the book of Romans. God the Holy Spirit, by the hand of Paul, wrote the words of this chapter to comfort the Christian, described in the previous chapter by assuring him of his eternal security in Christ. In chapter seven Paul made it perfectly clear that there is much in the believers experience to make him doubt his salvation. His own personal weakness and propensity to sin, even though he would rather obey, is enough to drive him to despair. The inconsistencies of our walk with the Lord sadden us, for we long to be holy as He is Holy. Paul wants us to understand that this is the normal Christian experience and that our salvation is not put in jeopardy by our daily failures. So he writes chapter eight to explain why this is true. Like a good attorney, Paul makes his opening statement and then supports it with much evidence. In spite of our disappointing performance Paul declares that, "There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus." He then begins to present truths that support his contention. The information he sets before our eyes will convince any reasonable Christian that he is safe both in this life and in the next.

Paul’s is an inspired argument; therefore, it is perfect, and irrefutable. After working his way through the relevant material he finally asks his readers to come to a conclusion based on the evidence presented. {31} "What then shall we say to these things? (He speaks of the facts presented in chapter eight.) If God is for us, (in the many afore mentioned ways), who is against us?" What do you make of the truths I have set before you? Are you now willing to concede that when God saves one of his elect people that he is saved forever? Have you come to a place where you can rest, has your fear been dispelled by the truths I have set before you? "What then shall we say to these things if God is for us who is against us? This is the first of four questions he uses to press his readers to a conclusion.

In verse thirty-two we have the second question, {32} "He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things?" Verses thirty-three and thirty-four contain the third question. {33} Who will bring a charge against God's elect? God is the one who justifies; {34} who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us." And in verse thirty-five Paul asks the forth, {35} "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?"

Today we deal with the first question, "What then shall we say to these things? (How shall we respond to the evidence?) If God is for us, who is against us?" If what I have told you is true, if God is on your side, in the afore mentioned ways, shouldn’t you now feel safe from the loss of salvation? If I God is on your side, not just cheering you along but vitally involved in keeping you safe all the way to heaven can’t you now find peace and rest? If God is for you dear brother or sister then no one and nothing can be successful in removing you from the love of God in Christ. If God is for you, you need no other ally. For, there is no one and nothing that can finally oppose or overthrow God, is there? This is Paul’s first question by which he extends this invitation, "Come let us reason together."

The first of Paul’s arguments is found in verses one and two. There the apostle says that God, in Christ, has set the Christian free from the law of sin and death. He speaks of the law of God, which demands eternal death for sinners. Christians are no longer under this law, they are free from it through Christ. Hear the word of God. (Romans 8:2-4 NASB) "For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has SET YOU FREE FROM THE LAW OF SIN AND OF DEATH. {3} For what the Law could not do, (save you) weak as it was through the flesh, GOD DID, (GOD DID! GOD DID! GOD DID! GOD DID), sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for (our) sin, He condemned sin in the flesh, {4} in order that the requirement of the Law (which is perfection) might be fulfilled in us, (Christians) who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit." I hasten to add that since God the Holy Sprit indwells all Christians, all Christians walk according to the direction of the Spirit. The Holy Spirit never sleeps in us. He is always convicting and instructing us in the right and wrong of living the Christian life. All Christians walk according the Spirit of God or they are not Christians at all. Therefore, this wonderful statement is true of all Christians. Christ has fulfilled for us, and in us, the demands of the law. He was our substitute law-keeper, therefore, we are free from the law and its penalty, death. If this is true, if God is for us in this way, who can come successfully against us? If Christ fulfilled the law on our behalf then no one can accuse us before God of being law-breakers. Paul asks, can you not rest if God is for you in this way?

That the above promise is applicable to all Christians is further proven when, in the following texts, Paul shows that all Christians walk according to the Spirit and not the flesh.

(Romans 8:5-10 NASB) "For those who are according to the flesh (born only once, not saved, not born again, not believers in Jesus) set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, (born of the Spirit or born again, these all set their minds on) the things of the Spirit. {6} For the mind set on the flesh is death, (If you are born only once you have a worldly, fleshly, mind-set and are, therefore, are dead to God. Such a person will also die the second death which is eternal separation from God.) but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace, (To be joined to God by faith in Christ is to have life eternal and peace with God forever. It is to have a new mind-set that inclines one toward spiritual things and away from worldly things.) {7} because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, (The person born only once is not perfect as the law requires neither can he be. Why not?) for it (the person with his mind/heart set on pleasing his flesh) is not even able to do so; (The person without Christ has no righteousness of his own and cannot produce it.) {8} and those who are in the flesh cannot please God. (Because God requires absolute perfection, perfect obedience to every demand of the law. There is no man who can meet these demands! Therefore, one born only once cannot please God.) {9} However, you (Paul is writing to Christians.) are not in the flesh (you are not born only once) but in the Spirit, (You are born again.) if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him. (If God the Holy Spirit does not live in you then you are not a Christian.) {10} And if Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, yet the spirit is alive because of righteousness." The body will die physically because of the curse of sin. But the Soul/Spirit of those who trust in Christ will never die because of the perfect righteousness imputed to us, not earned by us, but imputed to us by Christ!

Exactly whom did Christ fulfill the law for? Who is Paul talking about when he says they are no longer under the law? Who is it that walks according to the Spirit and not according to the flesh? The answer ought to bring joy to the hearts of all lovers of Jesus for he speaks of Christians. All Christians, every believer in Jesus for these all move through life by the direction of the Holy Spirit. Our souls are alive to God and will be for all eternity because the righteousness of Jesus has been given to us through faith. He fulfilled the law for us. He did this by God’s direction. God is on our side and has given His dear Son for us. Paul therefore asks, If God is for us in this way who can do us any harm now or in eternity?

Consider verse eleven, "But if the Spirit of Him (the Spirit of God) who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, (The Christian) He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who indwells you." The statement is clear and wonderful. Anyone in whom the Spirit of God dwells will be raised from the dead to eternal life. This is true of all those who walk after the Spirit and not after the flesh. In other words all true believers in Jesus will have everlasting life and their bodies will be raised from the grave, changed, and taken to heaven. Why, because God is on their side. God is determined to take all His elect people all the way to Glory and to insure this He put His own Holy Spirit in every one of His children. This divine presence keeps us safe all the way to glory. Hear the word of the Lord.

(Ephesians 1:11-23 NASB) ". . . also we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will, {12} to the end that we who were the first to hope in Christ should be to the praise of His glory. {13} In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation-- having also believed, you were SEALED (secured, sealed up, made safe) IN HIM (in Christ) WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT of promise, {14} WHO IS GIVEN AS A PLEDGE (an earnest, a promise and guarantee) OF OUR INHERITANCE, WITH A VIEW TO (looking forward to) THE REDEMPTION OF GOD'S OWN POSSESSION, TO THE PRAISE OF HIS GLORY. (The final salvation of those purchased by the blood of Christ, will bring God much glory. Therefore, He gave them His Holy Spirit to keep them safe till He comes back for them.) {15} For this reason I too, having heard of the faith in the Lord Jesus which exists among you, and your love for all the saints, {16} do not cease giving thanks for you, while making mention of you in my prayers; {17} that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him. {18} I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, SO THAT YOU MAY KNOW WHAT IS THE HOPE OF HIS CALLING, WHAT ARE THE RICHES OF THE GLORY OF HIS INHERITANCE IN THE SAINTS, {19} AND WHAT IS THE SURPASSING GREATNESS OF HIS POWER TOWARD US WHO BELIEVE. These are in accordance with the working of the strength of His might {20} which He brought about in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead, and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, {21} far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age, but also in the one to come."

The Holy Spirit is given to each and every believer in Christ. He is given to keep, preserve, and to guard the Christian. He is a down payment promising the final salvation of those purchased by the blood of Jesus. He is God the Holy Spirit who cannot fail to do that which is the will of God. The will of God is that all his elect children be eternally saved. Therefore, if God is for us to the extent He lives in us and seals us by His Spirit then who can do us any eternal harm?

Returning to Romans eight we find that Paul is not through yet. In verses fourteen through seventeen we find these words. "For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, (every true Christian) these are SONS OF GOD. {15} For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a SPIRIT OF ADOPTION AS SONS by which we cry out, "Abba! Father!" {16} The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that WE ARE CHILDREN OF GOD, . ." The apostle’s argument is this, "If God is for us to the extent He has adopted us as His very own children then we should have no fear of the future. If we are really the sons and daughters of God, brothers of Christ, we are saved, not for time only, but forever. The same Spirit who indwells us convinces us that we are in fact the children of God by faith in Jesus. He convinces us that God is our Father and makes us comfortable addressing Him as such. "WE ARE THE CHILDREN OF GOD." There are no un-adoption proceedings that can be carried out to remove us from the family! Therefore, we are safe. But that is not all. As God’s children, sealed by the Spirit and safe from all lasting harm, we are Heirs of God.

{17} ". . . and if children, heirs also, HEIRS OF GOD AND FELLOW HEIRS WITH CHRIST, if indeed we suffer with Him in order that we may also be glorified with Him." What belongs to our Father belongs to us. What belongs to Christ belongs to us. As Christians we are fellow heirs with Jesus! I know it’s hard to believe but it is true nonetheless. I call upon you to rejoice with me in the truth that we are heirs of God and fellow heirs with Jesus! It is not because of our good performance but because of Christ’s. He, by order from His Father, has fulfilled the law on our behalf. He has imputed His righteousness to us through faith. Then God the Holy Spirit came to dwell in us for the whole of our stay on Earth. He came to comfort, teach, convict, but most of all to seal us, to keep us safe till Jesus comes to take us home! This is why we are heirs of God and of Christ. It is because of the great salvation with which He has saved us and made us clean!

In verses seventeen through twenty-five the apostle proves that suffering can’t separate us from God and is in fact evidence of our son-ship. Suffering is not, as many believe, an indication of God’s rejection and wrath. In verses twenty-six and twenty-seven we are told that we don’t know what to pray for. That, however is not a problem since the Holy Spirit, who lives in us, communicates with the Father in accord with His will. God is for us to the extent He even guards our prayers! In verse twenty-eight the most amazing revelation is made. Our Father, the one who determined to save us in the first place, governs the whole of creation so that everything that happens does us good in some way. (Romans 8:28 NASB) "And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose." If you believe that God is capable of doing this, of controlling everything He created. And, if you believe that this is the word of God, the truth, beyond any shadow of doubt, then you must rejoice, for, even when our experience is that described by Paul in Romans seven, even when I suffer, God is ordering all things to work for me, for my good, my preservation, my sanctification, my eternal salvation. My Father, His Son, God the Holy Spirit, the three in One, are all on my side and the apostle asks, "If God is for us in all these ways should you not have peace in your heart if you are one who has trusted in Christ for salvation?

What has been said is surely enough but Paul is not finished. Consider the content of verses twenty-nine and following. Here we are told of God’s intent to conform all the saved to the image of Jesus so that in glory He might be surrounded by many brethren. He, of course, is to be the preeminent One, but it is God’s intent to glorify His Son by surrounding Him with every person for whom His blood was shed. This is the will of God. He is for us and intends that we be conformed to the image of His Son for the glory and honor of the Son. Do you, for one moment, believe that God would allow Jesus to be humiliated in Heaven? Do you think that God will allow Jesus to be proven a failure by failing to finally save those given to Him for salvation in John chapter six? This cannot happen beloved! God will see to it that all for whom the Son shed His blood will be conformed to His likeness and will be with Him in glory. If God is for us to this extent why should we spend one night doubting our place in heaven?

Finally we come to the text that concerned us when we last studied the book of Romans. (Romans 8:30 NASB) "and whom He predestined, these He also called; and whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified." Here, beloved, is the unbreakable, most glorious, chain of redemption. It is a chain, a crimson chain, which reaches from eternity past to eternity future where time shall be no more. In the beginning God predestined or predetermined to save a people for Himself through the blood and righteousness of His Son. Those about whom He made these determinations are referred to by different names in the Bible. They are the elect, the sheep of His pasture, the given ones, the chosen, and the apple of His eye and so on. These He determined to save and these, in time, He calls, and whom He calls to faith in Christ, these He also justifies. And whom He declares just by faith in His Son, these he also glorifies." It is, dear ones, a done deal. It is a chain with unbroken links. It is the revelation of the will of God for His elect people. Those He predestines to salvation He also takes to glory! It is at this point that Paul can’t stand it any longer and therefore asks, "If God, this God, be for us in all these ways then who, who can possibly be a threat to our eternal salvation? Who can stand against this God? Who can overthrow His will? Who, I ask you again, can endanger our eternal future? If God is for all who have and do now trust in Jesus for salvation who can be against us? Who can remove us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord?

What is your conclusion dear friend? What do you make of the apostles arguments and evidence? Do you believe that Paul spoke the words of God? Do you believe that this book is God’s word and infallibly so? Then I urge you, let these truths fill you with joy, peace, and rest so far as you have tuned to trust in Jesus for forgiveness of sins and acceptance with the Father. Here is your resting place. Not in the works of your hands or your daily performance but in the finished work of Jesus on the cross which was accepted by God on behalf of all who come to Him by faith in His dear Son.

God is not for you if you are not one who trusts in Jesus. The Bible tells us that He is angry with the wicked everyday. That every person who dies outside of faith in Jesus Christ the Lord with live in eternal torment for eternity. So, if you are not one who has confessed and turned from sin to trust in and serve Jesus according to the scripture then you are and enemy of God. You must turn from your sin to trust in Jesus for forgiveness and eternal life. However, this chapter was not written to expose the sin of the unbeliever. Rather it was written to remind the Christian of what it is that has secured his place in heaven. He needs this assurance because he is like Paul in chapter seven. The Christian is always disgusted with his performance. He never feels worthy of the love of God. He never feels like God ought to love and care for him. It is a rare thing indeed that the real Christian feels like a Christian. For his sin is ever before him. To will is in him but the power to be like Jesus is not. What does this mean? Does it mean he will not see heaven? No, it means that in this life we will never be perfect. It means that just as we were saved by grace apart from our works so we must continue. We are kept by grace irrespective of our feeble performance. The apostle elaborates on this in Galatians 3:2-3 NASB. "This is the only thing I want to find out from you: did you receive the Spirit by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith? {3} Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?" The required answer is no, I am not, I cannot be perfected by the flesh. I must continue as I began, by trusting in Christ for my salvation, now and forever.

It is in Christ and His finished work that we must learn to rest, not in our performance for that will always be lacking. The Christian is perfected by the Spirit working within him to will and to do of the Father’s good pleasure. He is always guiding and directing the children of God. We will work, we will strive and press toward holiness of life and thought and speech, and we will always be frustrated to one degree or the other, just like Paul in chapter seven. But just like Paul we must look away from our selves for assurance. We must look to God and His Christ, God the Holy Spirit, for by them we were saved and kept. If God be for us who can be against us? The answer is implied and clear. No one and nothing can rob a true child of God of his salvation and hope of heaven. No one! This is the hope and truth of Christianity. Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners and that is exactly what He did. He saved them to the uttermost, not because of their goodness, but because of His. We are saved and kept in spite of and not because of us. For it is by grace we have been saved not of works lest any man should boast. May God grant us each the confidence of the Apostle Paul when he said, (Philippians 1:6 NASB) "For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus."