Let's take our Bibles again and
turn with me to the book of Romans, chapter 8. Romans, chapter 8. Let's ask our Lord for a blessing once again. Father, thank you.
Thank you for the time that we just had. Lord calls us to think
on these things, muse upon them. And Lord, would you bless this
word. Would you bless it to our heart, bless it to our understanding,
and to our comfort, and to the calling out of your sheep. Lord,
I pray. Lord, save, save those. Lord, comfort your people. We
ask these things for Christ's sake. Amen. I'm going to look in Romans chapter
8. We'll begin in a few minutes.
I want to look at verses 31 to 35. We know that the Holy Spirit has gloriously
and lovingly revealed to the regenerated saint, the absolute
truth concerning God's will and God's purpose in redemption and
salvation. We know that. We know that God
Almighty loved the order of man. We know that. John 3.16 clearly
sets forth, for God so loved the world. He loved the arrangement. That's
where men, they sit right there. They look at that word world
and they say, well that means everybody. And as soon as you
say everybody, then you're going to have to deal with Jacob, have
I loved? And Esau, have I hated? And I've
looked at that word hated and this is what it means. It means
hated. We know that God Almighty loved
the poor earth man. I marvel at that. We know that
man fell in the garden. And we know that when man fell
in the garden, something happened. God told Adam, in the day that
you eat of the fruit, the forbidden fruit, you're going to die. Now
we know that. And man fell and he, the very
presence of God Himself, the image to save and know Him. He died, nobility, and nobility
in Himself to reinstall that which He lost. We know that the Father chose
a people. before the foundation of the
world that they should be holy and without blame before him
in love. We know that because God told
us that in Ephesians 1-4. We know that everyone that the
Father has chosen in Christ, everyone that the Son has stood
as their eternal surety, Everyone that the Lord Jesus Christ was
given in electing grace, we know that he redeemed them and paid
their debt owed to the Lord. We know that. He said, I lay
down my life for the sheep. And we know that. Now, this is
a, these are truths. Based upon the word of Him who
cannot lie, He did not lay down His life
to make it possible that His people might live and hope that
those that God eternally loved would come. Can you imagine that
the Father would eternally love a people and give them to Christ
Carl and I were just talking a moment ago. We were talking
about the truths that we hold to. We talked about the five
points of Calvinism. John Calvin didn't come up with
that. John Calvin set forth that truth, that scripture. But can
you imagine God electing a people, loving them eternally, and the
Lord Jesus Christ going to the cross, and laying down his life
in hopes that those that God had eternally loved and that
he died for, hoping that they would execute a dead will. Left it up to a dead man. Left
it up to a dead man to accomplish God's purpose. You know that sounds more and
more ridiculous the more I look at it. Yes it does. We know that
all that the Father chose, all that the Son redeemed, we know
that the Spirit of God is going to quicken them. We know He will. The Lord said that, all that
the Father giveth me shall come to me. How do they come? Thy people. Psalm 110.3. Thy people. You know, those first two words
right there ought to tell us something. Thy people shall be
willing. Boy, doesn't that sound like
it's pretty certain? When? In the day of thy power. Almighty God is going to save
His people. We know that. We know that all
that come to Christ by faith, we know that they absolutely
possess eternal life. My sheep hear my voice, I know
them, they follow me, I give unto them eternal life, and they
shall never perish, neither shall any man, not even themselves,
pluck them out of my hand. We know that every believer,
everyone that's truly been regenerated by the grace of God, everyone
that follows Christ, everyone that has a heart for his son,
for his gospel, everyone that walks, longing, listening, praying,
asking, a believer is consistent in hungering after Christ, wanting
to learn more of Christ. Lord, teach me. Scripture says
they'll all be taught of God. And a believer says, Lord, teach
me. Everyone that God Almighty calls
out of darkness, here's one thing that you know about them. They
don't have any confidence in their flesh. I didn't redeem myself, and I
can't keep myself. Lead me to myself, and I'm telling
you, I know, as I told you before, I know just enough about myself
in trying to pray. It would embarrass me to no end,
it would embarrass me to no end if you could listen in when I
try to pray. If you actually could see how
my mind just, you know, oversees, it is so insignificant. No confidence in the flesh. All the righteousness that is
possessed before God Almighty is His righteousness that robes
us. I marvel at that. Or, or, looking in Romans 8, oh, just
look at it. Just look at this. Just look
at verse 28, 29, 30, etc. And we know that all things work
together for good to them that love God. To them who are the
cause. according to his purpose, for
whom he did foreknow." Now, let me just stop right here. What
do you mean, for whom he did foreknow? Now, I've heard men
say that God looked and He saw what men would do. I want you
to turn 1 Peter 1.2, for whom he did foreknow. Just turn to
Peter 1.2. 1 Peter 1.2, here's what it says. chose to show mercy and the Spirit
of God set apart, sanctified, set apart to be holy through
sanctification of the Spirit unto obedience, sprinkling of
the blood of Jesus Christ, grace, peace be multiplied. So back in Romans For whom he
did foreknow, for whom he did in electing grace, he knew, he chose. For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestine. What do you mean predestinated?
Turn to Ephesians 1.5. Ephesians 1.5. He did predestinate. What do
you mean predestinate? What? To determine the destination
before. Now, we understand that. Having
predestinated us unto the adoption of children, by Jesus Christ
Himself according to the good pleasure of His will. Almighty God, the Scripture
says that He, in electing grace, I know you, I chose you, I've
always loved you, and predestinated you unto the adoption of children. I predetermined, I determined
your destination. in His eternal presence beforehand,
and everything else involved, every other movement, every other... you did not get here by luck. You didn't show up today just...
well, I'm just... mom and dad goes there, you know,
that's where my husband goes, my wife goes, well, it's kids,
you know, God Almighty, after the counsel of His own
will, and He moves heaven and earth in the salvation of His people. For whom He did foreknow, He
also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of His Son. What
do you mean conformed to the image of His Son? What does that
mean? Turn to 2 Corinthians. 3.8, 2 Corinthians 3.8, what do you
mean conform to the image of His Son? I'm sorry, 3.18, 2 Corinthians
3.18. But we all with open face, beholding
as in a glass, the glory of the Lord are changed into the very
image from glory to glory even by the Spirit of the Lord. We're going to be like Him. Lord, if we do not marvel at
that, we will see Him as He is and be like Him. Like in Romans
8, for whom He did foreknow, He also did predestinate to be
conformed to the image of Son, that He might be the firstborn,
among many brethren, moreover," verse 30, whom he did predestinate,
then he also called, he named them. That's what that word means.
That's not the word that means affectionately called, though
he did affectionately call them. But that word right there, he
named them. Good mind. Good mind. Sons of God. Heirs of God. Joint heirs. He
named them. Whom he did predestinate, then
he also called. And whom he called, then he also
justified. Declared them no guilt. God's law, look, no
guilt. Saw them in Christ before the
foundation of the world. Slain from the foundation of
the world was the Son and Almighty God. choosing them, predestinating
them, naming them. He justified them before the
foundation of the world. How do you know He did it before
the foundation of the world? Because He does it now, and God
don't change. He justifies. And whom He justifies, they'll
be also glorified. What do you mean? They'll be also glorified. I
want you to turn to John 17.22. That's an amazing John 17.22.
That's an amazing statement right there. John 17.22. Now listen
to this. Now, this is our Lord speaking,
John 17, 22. And the glory which thou gavest
me, I have given them, that they may be one, even as
we are one. You say, okay, I see that scripture. What does that mean? The glory
which thou gavest me, I have given them that they may be one,
even as we are one. Let me tell you what I think. And if I err here, I pray, Lord,
forgive me and teach me, but I'll tell you what I think it
means. 1 Peter 4.14. 1 Peter 4.14. And we read these scriptures,
you know, You read them and then the thing is, what does it mean? If you be reproached for the name of Christ, happy
are ye for the spirit of glory and of God. resteth on you. On their part he is evil spoken
of, but on your part he is glorified. Here is the glory that I believe
the Lord Jesus Christ spoke of, the glory that thou hast given
me. As being God, what glory could
he be given? But as the Son of Man, the Spirit
was given to Him without measure. And right now, we know in part,
we see in part, but let me tell you the glory that was given
Him and He's given us, the Spirit of glory. The Holy Spirit has
been given God's people. The Scripture sets forth back
in Romans 18, Moreover, whom he did predestinate, called him,
justified him, he glorified him, gave him the spirit of glory. Here's how we know what we know. God has taught us by the spirit
of glory, the Holy Spirit of God. This is how we learn. This is how we proceed. Now,
knowing all these things, we know that all things work together. We know that He did foreknow
us in electing grace, predestinated us to be conformed to the image
of His Son. Who He predestinated, He called
Him. Whom He called, He justified.
Whom He justified, He gave them the Spirit of God. But then I've got four questions
for you. Knowing those things, look at verse 31. What shall we then say to these
things? If God Almighty has borne on us an electing grace,
If Almighty God has predestinated us to be conformed to the image
of His Son, if Almighty God has called us, justified us, given
us His Spirit, has promised us by the word of our precious Lord,
they shall never perish. I give unto them eternal life. Here's my first question. If
God be for us, Who can be against us? What conclusion can be drawn
from an answer to any question about His sovereign will, His
purpose, His love, His compassion to His people? The One who has
made all things, the One who orders all things, the one who
shall surely judge all things according to his sovereign justice,
since he has chosen to show mercy to a people, and conform them
to the image of his Son, and glorify them with the glory that
was given the Son, since he has provided himself
a lamb. to be the substitutionary provision
in the putting away of the guilt of all that he's everlastingly
loved, since he took their guilt, made it his own, paid their debt,
robed them in righteousness, and made them in him to be holy
and without blame before him in love. Since he's called them
to be his people, justified them by grace, Justified them by the
blood of Christ, proved their justification, because they believed
in faith, justified by faith. Faith doesn't justify, faith
is the evidence of justification. Justified them by words, out
of the abundance of their heart, their mouth speaks. Here's the question. If God be
for us, Who can be against us? Who's going to override Him? Who can injure or destroy us? No one has any power but God. Verse 32 says, He that spared
not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall
He not with Him also freely give us all things? God Almighty, by the eternal
purpose, made sin and calvary before our iniquity in His body,
ate our dead, took our sin, cast it as far as the east is from
the west. Scripture says, cast it into the depths of the sea.
Here's my second question, verse 33. Who shall lay anything to
the charge of God's will? It is God that justifies. God
justifies. Who shall lay anything to the
charge of God's elect? If God Almighty has borne the
guilt in His precious Son, if God has put away our iniquity, If he, as the holy spotless Lamb
of God, has borne the debt owed to his own law, and put it away,
and if he said, and he did, it is finished. If God Almighty
said in Romans 8 verse 1, there is therefore now no condemnation,
to them that be in Christ Jesus. If God Almighty had pronounced
His people justified, shown to be innocent before God's law,
no guilt, no charge, who is going to call them into account? Who can demand that payment be
made? when Almighty God is justified. Here's my third question. Who
is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea,
rather, that is risen again. Who is even at the right hand
of God, who also maketh intercession for us? Who can pass the sentence of
condemnation and consigned one to eternal perdition, when the
judge himself has justified us. Who condemned him? Christ himself, who stood in
the place of his sheep. Christ himself, who was raised
for, or because of, their justification. God justified them. And Christ
was raised from the dead, showing that God Almighty accepted what
He did, absolutely satisfied. Live for, die for. He raised
Him from the dead because of their justification. He's even at the right hand of
the Father, making intercession for us right now. I'm standing here trying to preach. And even in trying to preach,
my mind is just searching, asking. Even right now, in the frailty
of what I'm doing, He makes intercession. Father, I pay for that frailty. I put that guilt away. I bore
that. That infraction that Marvin just
committed against you, I made that my own. Accept him as you
accept me. Forgive me for my sake. Let me
ask you this. Who's going to condemn? Christ
I am. Yea, rather, he's risen again,
accepted of the Father, at the right hand of the throne, the
majesty on high, pleading his own merit concerning my guilt. Here's the last question. Verse
35. Who shall separate us from the
love of Christ? The tribulation of distress,
of persecution, of famine, of nakedness, of peril, of sorrow.
Who shall separate us? Who or what has the power or
ability to put us under the bond of safety? Of love? The assurance of Christ from
His people. He's our Christ. He's our husband. He's our maker. He's our king. He's our God. He's our friend. Our redeemer. Our love may appear
often because of the presence of sin, but thanks be unto God
we're kept by the power of God through faith. His love is perfect. Maybe tribulation, affliction,
or distress, calamity, persecution, famine. Thank you, Mr. Terrible
Sword, His power to put us asunder. Knowing all these things, things
that we know, things that He's set forth clearly that He's the
purpose. his word, that his word, he said,
they shall never perish. Lord, I will, you said. Father, I will. Those that you've
given me, be with me where I am, that they may behold my glory. May Almighty God settle our hearts
today, these precious, precious questions. Who can condemn God's own hand?
Who shall separate us from the love of God? May the Lord comfort
us for the blessing's sake.