Because the apostle Paul concludes Romans 8, he affords a form of closing argument within the trial of the Christian believer. The uncertain Christian has questioned, “Will I be capable to persevere to the top?” Paul, with all of the finality of Perry Mason revealing the true killer, has affirmed the believer’s acquittal, displaying that God is for us and can give us the fullness of our salvation by carrying us on to completion (vv. 31–32).
However the prosecuting legal professional, so to talk, has made some persuasive arguments on this case. The guilt of sin is nothing to snort at, and the persistence of struggling would appear to indicate that we’re on God’s unhealthy facet.
To those arguments Paul now applies his case in verses 33–36. God’s favor, he says, will not be challenged by these realities. They’re immaterial proof, because the grace of God by way of Jesus Christ cancels guilt and belies struggling.
Accused however Not Condemned
Having already proven that since God is for believers, no one among any account can rise up in opposition to them, Paul then makes utility to the query of our guilt earlier than God’s regulation: “Who shall carry any cost in opposition to God’s elect?”
There are those that carry expenses. Our personal hearts accuse us, our pals generally oppose us, our enemies undermine us, and the Evil One—whom the Bible calls “the accuser of our brothers” (Rev. 12:10)—comes repeatedly to say, “You’re no Christian. Take a look at the way you discuss. Take a look at the way you deal with your partner. Look how little you pray.” The accuser stands earlier than the Father and says, “How will you presumably declare this one justified?”
But earlier than God’s throne there may be an legal professional for the protection: “Christ Jesus is the one who died—greater than that, who was raised—who’s on the proper hand of God, who certainly is interceding for us” (v. 34). Jesus can maintain up His wounded palms, put ahead His wounded ft, reveal His wounded facet, and say, “The sentence has already been served. I used to be made sin in order that they could change into righteous.” (See 2 Cor. 5:21.)
The case, then, is closed. God is the Decide; the Evil One will not be. And the Decide has banged His gavel. The prosecutor could make no matter accusation he likes, however there isn’t a double jeopardy. Nobody can increase once more the fees God has dismissed on Christ’s account. “It’s God who justifies,” so “who’s to sentence?” Nobody!
Our Advocate with the Father
Importantly, the risen Lord Jesus right this moment will not be nowhere (nor in all places) doing who is aware of what; He’s someplace, and He’s doing one thing. Jesus, in His bodily physique, has ascended to “the precise hand of God,” and there He “is interceding for us” (v. 34). In Jesus, now we have the very best lawyer doable—one who is aware of the Decide intimately, who’s ever current on the bench for us, and who, certainly, has already handled our penalty by paying it Himself.
The ebook of Hebrews teaches us that the clergymen of the previous covenant “have been prevented by loss of life from persevering with in workplace.” Jesus, however, “holds his priesthood completely, as a result of he continues ceaselessly.” And “consequently, he is ready to save to the uttermost those that draw close to to God by way of him, since he at all times lives to make intercession for them” (7:23–25). In His place as our Priest-Advocate, He’s each ready and keen to complete what He has begun.
We could do some check in our minds: Think about the query “Why do you assume you’ll go to heaven?” With what pronoun are you tempted to start your reply? Is it “As a result of I…”? Or is it “As a result of He…”? After we look to ourselves, we’ll solely discover motive to doubt. However once we look to our trustworthy Advocate, we are able to relaxation assured. He has accomplished it for us!
Retained for Us, Perpetually
Moreover, we needn’t doubt the faithfulness of our Advocate. He’s retained for us, ceaselessly. The self-doubting Christian shouldn’t be discouraged by struggling, as a result of the Savior loves us with an unfailing love.
As Paul asks, “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?” we’re to grasp that not one of the forces he names—“tribulation, or misery, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or hazard, or sword” (v.35)—can ever achieve this. Certainly, removed from being an indication of God’s abandonment, struggling could also be an indication of our participation in Christ. It’s for the Lord’s sake, Paul says (quoting Psalm 44), that we endure.
With no correct theology of struggling, we will probably be tempted to import what God guarantees for the then into the now. We’ll hear the promise that God will wipe away each tear from our eyes (Rev. 21:4) and marvel, “Why are my eyes nonetheless so stuffed with tears?” Or else we’ll stay in denial, pretending that every one is properly to reassure ourselves we’re in God’s graces.
However we all know that Christians actually do endure. There isn’t a suggestion that the threats Paul names aren’t actual, even anticipated. “Right here,” Paul says, “are a number of the enemies of our happiness. They’ll afflict you now for a short time, however they can not separate you, finally.” The correct perspective on our sufferings, as he has already informed us in verse 18, is to recollect how wonderful our eventual vindication will probably be: “The sufferings of this current time will not be price evaluating with the glory that’s to be revealed to us.”
Paul knew tribulation, misery, persecution, famine, nakedness, hazard, and sword (2 Corinthians 11:16–29 ). Paul skilled intense opposition to his Gospel ministry. But he additionally knew the faithfulness of his Advocate—sufficient in order that he might guarantee himself and each Christian that none of those sufferings or persecutions “will be capable to separate us from the love of God that’s in Christ Jesus our Lord” (v. 39).
Holding, or Held?
There was a time not so way back when mother and father might pile their young children into minivans and station wagons in all types of positions―a few of them looking of the again window like a canine, a few of them sitting up in between the gear stick and the emergency brake, a few of them hanging excessive—and drive off to wherever they have been going. In distinction, right this moment’s mother and father—maybe correctly—can’t drive ten ft with out securing their kids in a five-point harness.
The image we generally have of the Christian life like that previous manner of doing issues: We expect we’re on prime of the station wagon, holding on for pricey life as Dad propels the machine to Florida at seventy miles per hour. However this isn’t in any respect the case! Jesus Christ has buckled us in, with all of the care of a mom for her toddler. Within the phrases of the previous hymn, “He’ll maintain me quick”—and He’ll carry us securely to our vacation spot.
This text is the second in a three-part sequence analyzing Paul’s closing argument in Romans 8. You possibly can learn the primary half right here. Keep tuned to the Reality For Life weblog for the third half, coming quickly!
This text was tailored from the sermon “Case Closed!” by Alistair Begg.
