Whom Shall I Fear – Part1

for indulging me in that, praying for these ladies. We come again to this incredible chapter, Romans chapter 8, and if the Lord’s people would begin turning there. By way of a bit of a review here in chapter 8, Paul is telling us of God’s great provision for his children, And we’re still in the midst of this third section of the epistle, not only sin and salvation, but that third section that began in chapter six, sanctification.

We’re still considering progressive sanctification. And just as we cannot attain salvation by our own efforts, So also with sanctification, we need God’s enabling grace. God knows exactly what we need. We need his help. We have God’s law. We have the example of others. We have a great measure of instruction. But what we need more than anything is God’s help. We need God’s grace. We need divine assistance.

Paul outlines God’s provision for the sinner. What he or she needs more than anything else, Paul discusses this very thing. Divine assistance in the life of the Christian. That would be my kind of sermon title if I were to preach the entire chapter. All three members of the deity are here present. Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

As we saw, the Christian’s life is, first of all, established in Jesus Christ. In verses eight through 11. Following 8.1, which is, as I’ve argued, the greatest verse in the Bible, there is, therefore, now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. greatest verse of the Bible, greatest news ever proclaimed to sinners, the good news of salvation by Jesus Christ. And Paul then goes on in verses two through four to talk about the features of that great news, the eternal liberation of the gospel, that we are freed perpetually from the bondage and from the guilt and penalty of sin. the divine accomplishment of the gospel that it is God’s doing, not ours, the redemptive sacrifice of the gospel that it’s Christ who came as God’s own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and the spiritual triumph of the gospel.

We no longer walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. Well, that opens up to the ministry of the Spirit, the divine assistance that the Spirit renders in verses 12 through 27. We spent no little time on that section. It’s the largest section of chapter 8. where he details how the Spirit produces a mortification of sin that leads to life, 12 through 15. He gives an affirmation that promises inheritance, 16 through 25. And then astoundingly, he makes intercession on our behalf that helps us to overcome our inability. 28 through 30.

Well, Paul is extolling the excellencies of God, all three members of the Godhead, in his gift of salvation, where the sinner is justified simply by means of his or her faith in Jesus Christ. And here, in the entirety of this chapter, as we’ve seen, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit all contribute to that redemption. And so what do we do with all this information? Why has Paul told us all of these things? We understand that all three members of the Trinity have moved and granted us help, and that’s great to know, but what is our response to that?

This is what Paul unfolds for us here in verses 31 through 39, which really begin to serve as his conclusion to this great chapter and to the subject of sanctification. Paul makes application of this deep theological instruction that he’s provided regarding the deity. If you would follow along with me, Verses 31 through 39, Paul’s conclusion. What then shall we say to these things?

If God is for us, who is against us? 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? Who will bring a charge against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies, 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.

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or peril or sword Just as it is written, for thy sake, we are being put to death all day long. We were considered as sheep to be slaughtered. But in all these things, we overwhelmingly conquer through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. One writer called this verse, this passage of scripture, verses 31 through 39, the most majestic passage which has come to us from the Apostle Paul. Those are pretty strong words.

Another one referred to it as a sublime and triumphant conclusion expressed with passionate energy and with the most intense consciousness of the reality of a Christian faith penetrating and sustaining the mind. And it does indeed make the most practical application of the truths So that one faithful pastor referred to this section as the hymn of security, a crescendo of questions and answers. One 19th century theologian termed it the highest rung on the ladder of comfort. Isn’t that simple but sweet?

The believer’s security, or better yet, the believer’s confidence is clearly the focus of Paul’s conclusion here. Nothing could produce a greater confidence than a review of all that God is and all that God has done on our behalf as believers. We cannot come away from the greater portion of this incredible chapter without the overwhelming sense that God is indeed for us. The greatest chapter in the Bible would be incomplete without this conclusion. In this set of verses, Paul asserts a series of questions, and the questions are designed for the reader to contemplate. and ultimately for the reader to answer. He desires that his readers would make practical application of the truths already articulated in chapter 8, divine assistance.

And toward that end, he poses six questions in all, each successive question building upon the previous. We’ll begin this morning taking these questions one at a time. If you would, track back to verse 31. Back in verse 31, Paul begins this discussion with question number one. It’s a follow-up to the entire rest of the chapter.

And follow-up question number one is, what is our response to divine assistance, essentially? Verse 31, what then shall we say to these things? The question that Paul asks at the head of verse 31 is the most general of the six. What shall we say to these things?

It’s that little word then that tells us that Paul is beginning his conclusion. And if you know Paul, it’s going to take him a while to conclude. The question itself is somewhat rhetorical. Paul is not looking for a great quantity of different answers.

He’s drawing his readers to the one explicit conclusion to all that he has said. He draws our attention to that which he has proclaimed and articulated throughout this chapter. He refers to them as these things. What then shall we say to these things? And he provokes his students’ thinking by asking this question. And so we might respond, what things, Paul?

We could, if our time was unlimited, track all the way back to the opening chapter of this book, reviewing all the incredible things that God has done, revealing his righteousness, 117. A righteousness apart from the law, but by faith, 322. A faith exemplified by Abraham, 423, which bestows upon the believer peace with God, 5-1. Salvation from God’s wrath, 5-9. Raised with Christ to newness of life, 6-4. Eternal life, 6-22. Set free from the body of sin and death, 7-24.

But we’re not going to go back and review all of that. Generally, we could look back over the outline of this chapter. That’s enough right there. We can look back over the outline of this chapter, a chapter devoted to telling us about divine assistance rendered to us as believers in Christ. All three members of the Trinity, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, are pictured as giving profound spiritual aid to the Christian. But to make things clearer, let’s look back at some of the truths that Paul has declared here in chapter 8.

And we might as well start at Romans 8.1, what I’ve argued is one of the greatest statements in all the Bible. There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. This would surely be one of the things, one of the spiritual truths, that Paul would have his students to ponder. Verse 2, likewise.

What is our response to the fact that the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and death? What is our response to that? And what should we do with Romans 8 10? If Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, yet the Spirit is alive because of righteousness. And who can forget the implication of Romans 8 12? That as believers, we are under obligation no longer to the flesh, but to the spirit to live according to the spirit.

What do we do with that? And what about everyone’s favorite, Romans 8 28, that amazing promise that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to his purpose. One more. What would we do? What should we do with the fact that God moved first in our salvation? He took that immeasurable, giant step in our direction. He foreknew us. He predestined us. He called us. He justified us. He glorified us.

What do we say to that? At minimum, in all of these things, Paul is calling us to a humble gratitude and an unshakable confidence in God. in the assistance that all three members of the Godhead have rendered. This is Paul’s starting point, his initial question, what can we say? What can we say to all the spiritual truths that we’ve uncovered in this chapter? That’s Paul’s angle, that’s his intent, and he wants his readers to think about an appropriate response. And so, still in verse 31, he asks now a second question. Not only what is our response to divine assistance, but secondly, is anyone more powerful than God? Look at verse 31 once again, if you would. If God is for us, who is against us?

Paul is not expressing any measure of doubt here when he uses the word if, if God is for us. Throughout this entire letter, he has declared again and again the ways that God has proven that he is for us. And so the if does not express doubt, but it forms the first portion of an equation.

We might think of it this way. If God is for us, and we know that He is, what then? If God, in His unfolding plan of redemption, has sent His Son as payment for our sin, if He has fully accepted Christ’s sacrifice, if we stand before Him forgiven of our sin, adorned in Christ’s righteousness, then our fiercest and most deadly foe is defeated. If we are established in Christ, and we are, if we are sustained by the Holy Spirit, and we are, if our entire lives are ordained by the Heavenly Father, and they are, then we can enjoy the utmost confidence. Paul completes his verbal equation this way, if God is for us, who is against us? question is profound in its simplicity.

It doesn’t mean that we won’t have any spiritual enemies or adversaries, we will. It doesn’t mean that we won’t face temptation or persecution, we will. But as we are talking about Almighty God himself, there isn’t a being in all the universe who can contend with him. John said it this way, 1 John 4, 4, greater is he who is in you than he who is in the world. The Christian has no real adversary. He or she has no real spiritual foe. As believers, there is no enemy that we need to fear. This brings to mind the same truth that is echoed throughout the Psalms. Listen to a few. Psalm 23, which was quoted a moment ago. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil. For you are with me, your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

Psalm 27, verse one, the Lord is my light and my salvation, whom shall I fear? The Lord is the defense of my life, who shall I dread? When evildoers came upon me to devour my flesh, my adversaries, my enemies, they stumbled and fell. Though a host encamp against me, my heart will not fear.”

What confidence the psalmist has in his God. Psalms 56, verse nine, my enemies will turn back in the day when I call, this I know, for God is for me. Psalm 56, 11, in God I have put my trust. I shall not be afraid. What can man do to me? Psalm 118, verse six, the Lord is for me. I will not fear. What can man do to me?

We as Christians, we reside safe in the arms of God. I love that image where God, as it were, puts his wing over us like a little bird. If we’re in Christ, we already know that we face no condemnation, no person, or even the devil himself can do anything to us outside of God’s permissive will.

Paul has only just told us, right? Romans 8, 28, that God causes all things to work together for good. That prompts a third thought-provoking question from Paul in verse 32. Not only what is our response to divine assistance generally, secondly, is there anyone more powerful than God? Thirdly, God has given us the greatest. Will he not give the lesser? Would you look at verse 32? He who did not spare his own son, 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?

This question, if you will, is really the quintessential question among all the others. It’s like the most beautiful flower in a bed or field of similar blossoms. They all look the same, but this one is perfectly ripe. It’s at the peak of its beauty. This one summarizes all the facts and details that lie behind what all of the other questions are probing for. The groundwork for Paul’s question is set forth first.

He who did not spare his own son, but delivered him up for us all. We recognize it immediately as an argument from the greater to the lesser. God has addressed our greatest need, that of sin. He’s done so, John 3, 16, by giving his only begotten son. He did not spare even his own son.

There’s a tiny little two-word, what we call a particle there in the original in the Greek. And unfortunately, the translations tend to gloss over it. It’s the little word ge, if you will, G-E, which serves to intensify a statement. Really, indeed, surely, or even even. That same emphasis is captured in that dramatic moment as Isaac, remember, rather Abraham, prepares to slay Isaac.

God recognized Abraham’s faith, acknowledging that you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me. Paul is amplifying here what God has done for us. And we tend to downplay this reality that by sending his son, it was just something that God would do. But the heavenly Father not sparing him but delivering him was a real sacrifice for the Father. But God’s justice system was so perfect, so precise, that he could not ignore even his own son. bearing the world’s sin in his substitutionary atonement. Peter declared the same thing in his first sermon.

To a Jewish audience, Acts chapter two, Jesus was delivered over, he said, by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God. Who put Jesus on the cross? God did. Listen to the perspective that a Scottish theologian, John Murray, They explained, who delivered Jesus up to die?

Not Judas for money, not Pilate for fear, not the Jews for envy, but the Father for love. As Isaiah says in 53.6, the Lord has caused the iniquity of us all to fall on him. Four verses later, Isaiah 53 10, the Lord was pleased to crush him. In pursuit of our redemption, God did not spare even his own son. Further though, God did not go easy on Jesus just because he was his son. Instead, Jesus would bear the full brunt of God’s wrath against sin. That wrath, you remember, would make Jesus cry out to his father, my God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Psalm 2.

God delivered up his son, the Lord Jesus, as our substitute. And Paul’s point, of course, is that if the father did this, the greater thing, he surely will do the easier thing, that of caring for our physical needs, in the midst of a lifetime of trial and suffering, if he did not spare but delivered his own son to the cross on our behalf, then surely he will not abandon us in the course of our lives here on earth. Paul expresses it this way.

How will he, not also with him, that is with Christ, freely give us all things? God provided his own son for our salvation, he will surely provide for our sanctification. He will grant us the necessary grace. The apostle Peter, in the opening chapter of his second epistle, assures us that God, in his divine power, has granted to us as believers everything pertaining to life and godliness. As God has made our redemption and salvation sure, He will complete our sanctification and our glorification. And as grand and as powerful as this question and answer is, Paul asks yet another in verse 33. Not only. The first question, what is our response to divine assistance?

Second, is anyone more powerful than God?

Third, God has given us the greatest, will he not give us the lesser? The fourth question, can anyone indict us before God? If you look at verse 33, who will bring a charge against God’s elect? There’s a sense in which this question is an echo of that second question, the second of the two in verse 31. If God is for us, who is against us? But here, our foe is the one who is against us.

He hauls us into a courtroom. That terminology, God’s elect, it hearkens back, doesn’t it, to verses 28 through 30. We’re because of God’s foreknowledge, his divine choice, his predestination, his calling of those whom he has chosen, God’s elect. And even if we have not mastered the deep concept of divine election, we know this much, God moved first. God moved first. And it was a giant step in our direction. Our salvation is not of our own inclination, but God’s.

The nature of the question here, who will bring a charge? It even suggests that there’s not one, but many. There’s a line of people waiting to bring a charge against us. A long line of accusers, a courtroom full of legal opponents, a myriad of dark forces arrayed against us. The word charge is a legal and technical word referring to an indictment, a formal accusation.

And this points directly at Satan, doesn’t it? Revelation 12, 10 speaks of him as the accuser of our brethren, who accuses them before our God day and night. The devil knows us, and he would need all day and all night to bring all of our accusations before God, wouldn’t he?

And so this presents a powerful image, suddenly a hushed courtroom, where the devil as prosecutor rises to level his charge, only to be rebuked and overruled, silenced before the holy and great judge. The case against the believer is tossed out of court. And when the devil’s own case is thrown out, all other accusers fall silent in shame. When Paul asks the rhetorical question, who will bring a charge?

It is, of course, already on shaky ground since the first line of this chapter declares that we are not, nor can we be brought under condemnation. Our greatest enemy, sin, has been vanquished. We need not fear anything else. The courtroom falls silent. God, we must recall, moved first in the matter of our salvation, setting his affection upon us in eternity past, calling us in real time. He will not abandon us now. Our heart exalts in the confidence that we have in God’s salvation. And yet everyone in the courtroom now remains seated.

There is yet another consideration to this unfolding legal drama. And Paul poses a fifth and related question. He lingers on this courtroom scene to drive home the point of our acquittal before a holy judge. Lance, please again at the second half of verse 33, our fifth question.

What is our response to divine assistance? Is anyone more powerful than God? God has granted the greatest, will he not give the lesser? Can anyone indict us before God? And number five, can anyone override God’s judgment? Would you look at what is a translational difficulty? Because this question actually begins in verse 33 and courses into verse 34.

God is the one who justifies. 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. It is as if someone in the courtroom, a defensive attorney, the judge himself, renders an additional commentary on the exoneration of the accused. God is the one who justifies, who is the one who condemns? This is a near echo of Isaiah 50 verse 8 and 9. He who vindicates me is near. Who will contend with me? Let us stand up to each other. Who has a case against me? Let him draw near to me. Behold, the Lord God helps me. Who is he who condemns me?”

Effectively, Paul tells us that in the courtroom of Almighty God, there are no additional motions that can be filed. There are no appeals by the prosecution. God has rendered his decision and the matter is ended. When Paul says God is the one who justifies, he points unmistakably to the great means of salvation. Justification by faith. Justification is more than just acquittal. Not guilty. The case against us has been satisfied in full, and that by Christ’s atonement. It is a declaration by God that we are righteous, that we now stand in the righteousness of Christ.

And if God himself has declared us as such, the legal case against us is closed, ended forever. And so Paul asks, And again, rhetorically, who is the one who condemns? No matter who it is that seeks to call us down, accuse us, indict us, condemn us, God, whose character is infinitely purer and whose judgment is infinitely more righteous, has already rendered a judgment on the case. Who is it that could possibly supersede God’s judgment? The holy and almighty judge himself has mercifully declared us to be righteous.

There is therefore now no condemnation. Unlike the first four questions, Paul does provide an answer to question number five. All of the other questions, the apostle just lays the question out there for the Christian to contemplate But here, here Paul provides the answer. The one who justifies is Christ Jesus. And Paul proceeds to further identify Jesus under four characteristics.

First, it is he who died. Everyone dies.

Hebrews 9.27, it is appointed for men to die once. After this comes judgment. But this is not just any death. Christ’s death was not just any death. It is Christ’s sacrificial death on the cross. His was not just any death. His death was our condemnation. And God’s wrath fell on him completely.

Secondly, Paul refers to Christ as he who was raised. God raised Jesus from the dead as a declaration of the acceptance in full of his atonement on our behalf. That our penalty has been satisfied. In Christ’s resurrection, we are assured that he has secured our redemption and our forgiveness. Thirdly, this is so beautiful, Christ is he who is at the right hand of God.

A very likely allusion to Psalm 110, which prophetically is said of the Messiah, the Lord said to my Lord, sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet. Spoken of Christ. It is God, the Father, speaking to his Son, promising him that exalted place of glory and sovereignty at the Father’s right hand. A verse is quoted or alluded to numerous times in the New Testament, Matthew 22, 44, and the parallels in the synoptics. Peter cites it in his first sermon, Acts 2. The writer of Hebrews quotes it twice. Beyond those citations of Psalm 110, Christ is repeatedly spoken of as seated at the right hand, a place of honor.

Ephesians 1.20, the Father seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places.

Colossians 3.1, keep seeking the things above where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. And the writer of Hebrews mentions it three additional times. 1.3, 8.1, and 12.2. Paul’s point is that Jesus has been exalted to a place of dominion and glory and sovereignty. Sitting down presents this image of rest and repose. The work is finished. Paul has a fourth description of our Savior.

Christ Jesus is also he, and this one is astounding, he who also intercedes for us. This idea of intercession we learned just briefly recently from Romans 8 26. One of the many things, one of the many ministries of the Holy Spirit praying on our behalf. But here Jesus too is said to be praying, interceding for you and I. Apostle John assures us that in our Lord Jesus Christ, we have an advocate with the Father. That word was often used of a lawyer.

1 John 2.1, that advocacy or intercession is not so much a defense on our behalf as it is a plea for grace. Grace to persevere. Grace to remain steadfast. Grace to remain joyful. Grace to be fruitful. It’s a plea for grace.

And Jesus Christ knows exactly how to pray for you and I. The writer of Hebrews shows us the applicability of this ministry of Christ. Would you turn to Hebrews chapter four? Hebrews chapter four will be there just for a moment. We’ll probably end there. Speaking of Christ in verse 14, the writer of Hebrews says, therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the son of God, let us hold fast our confession. That’s the one great thrust. of the book of Hebrews.

Don’t quit on Christ. Don’t give up on your faith. Don’t walk away. Don’t succumb to the world’s wiles and treasures. Let us hold fast our confession 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.

Jesus knows exactly how to pray for you. Therefore, let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” He’s our advocate. He’s interceding on our behalf. And Paul’s point, of course, is that if Jesus died and was raised and sits at the Father’s right hand, interceding on our behalf, who’s going to barge into that throne room to condemn us? In Christ Jesus, God has rendered his judgment and there are no appeals. There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. There is a sixth and final probing question in verse 35.

We’ll take that up next Lord’s Day. Would you humble yourself before the throne of grace? our holy and our merciful God. We who, by your incredibly giant step in our direction, have come to know you. You awakened us from the dead, the sleep of death. We were walking around like so many zombies, and yet you awakened us from that death, showed to us our sin, And concurrent with that showed to us a Savior who had already paid for that sin.

How could we not put our faith in Christ? How could we not believe in Him and in what He had accomplished on the cross? Lord, You moved first and You brought us to repentance and we rejoice for that. We thank You that there is no condemnation for us if we put our faith in Christ. And what great confidence we begin to draw from this chapter as it poses all of these challenging questions, our response to God’s assistance in the life of a believer. No one more powerful than you. We do not face the indictment of anyone, not even the devil himself.

You have pronounced us righteous. the righteousness of Christ. Father, this is such a profound truth that if there are any in this room who do not know their Savior and of this truth, that are still perhaps trying to work their way, be faithful enough, be a good enough person to earn God’s favor, God, make them aware that that will never work. No one has ever lived up to God’s holy standard. It is only through Christ, otherwise Christ died needlessly.

So we come before you pleading for those who do not know our Savior. And Lord God, we pray that you would open their eyes, bring them to life, help them to see the Savior that died for their horrible sin. Lord, we thank you. Those of us who know Christ, we thank you for moving in our life, for that giant step in our direction. Lord, grant us the confidence that Paul urges here. We pray these things in Jesus’ name.