Kingsport Sovereign Grace Church,
located at 905 Yadkin Street in Kingsport, Tennessee, would
like to invite you to listen to a message of sovereign grace
by their pastor, Gabe Stoniker. And now, Pastor Gabe Stoniker. I invite you to turn with me
this morning to Romans chapter 8. Romans chapter 8. And let's look at verse 31. It
says, what shall we then say to these things? What shall we then say to these
things? What a question. Two questions must be asked and
two questions must be answered. Here's the first one. What things
is he talking about? What things is he talking about?
Here's the second one. What do we say to them? What
shall we then say to these things? It matters what we say to these
things. Because what we say to them will
evidence what we believe. Matthew chapter 12 verse 34 says,
O generation of vipers, how can ye being evil speak good things? For out of the abundance of the
heart the mouth speaketh. What we say will evidence what
we believe. It will get out. Out of the abundance
of the heart. The mouth speaketh. Whatever
we truly believe or don't believe, it'll get out. It'll get out. It matters what we say because,
number one, it'll evidence what we believe, and it matters what
we believe because it's life and death. It's life and death. right here in Matthew chapter
12 verse 36, but I say unto you that every idle word that men
shall speak they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.
For by thy words thou shalt be justified and by thy words thou
shalt be condemned. Now here's our question, what
shall we then say to these things? Here's the first part of this.
What things is he talking about? What things is he talking about? Back over in Romans chapter 8,
he's talking about the things that he said right before verse
31. And he's talking about the things
he said before that. And he's talking about the things
he said way before that. He's talking about the things
he said all the way back to chapter 1 where he started this book. Now let's quickly look at some
of these things that he has written in this book. Romans 8 verse
29 says, For whom he did foreknow, know beforehand, he also did
predestinate. predetermined, to be conformed
to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among
many brethren. Moreover, whom He did predestinate,
them He also called, every one of them. And whom He called,
them He also justified. and whom He justified, them He
also glorified." Do you notice how it keeps saying He, He, He? These things say God did it all. God did it all. It was purposed
before anything ever existed. He started it. He finished it. Now what do we say to these things?
Well, I say I'm saved because I invited Jesus into my heart. Well, where does it say that
in these things? These things right here say God
did it all. What do we say? We say God did
it all. God did it all. Do you really
believe that? Do you believe God did it all? That's what this
word says, doesn't it? Look at verse 15 right here in
Romans 8. For you have not received the
spirit of bondage again to fear, but you have received the spirit
of adoption whereby we cry, Abba, Father. These things say, that
all the souls who have been adopted into the family of God by the
Spirit of Christ, they cry, Abba, Father. They cry out unto Him. They call on Him. Whosoever shall
call on the name of the Lord shall be saved. What do we say
to these things? Oh, I don't believe that. It's
only God who said it. That can't be true. Is that what
we say? No. What do we say? Abba. Father. We cry out. Look at chapter 7,
verse 24. It says, O wretched man that
I am, Who shall deliver me from the body of this death? Verse
19 says, for the good that I would, I do not. But the evil which
I would not, that I do. The good that I wish I did, I
don't do it. And the evil that I wish I didn't
do, that's all I do. These things say I'm wretched. I'm evil. It says my flesh can't
do good. It can only do evil. Look with me over at Romans chapter
3, verse 10. It says, as it is written, there
is none righteous. No, not one. There is none that
understandeth. There is none that seeketh after
God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become
unprofitable. There's none that doeth good,
no not one. Verse 23, for all have sinned
and come short of the glory of God. All have sinned. That's what these things say. That's what these things say.
Romans chapter 1 verse 22 says, professing themselves to be wise,
they became fools. You can count on it. Every man
who professes himself to be wise is a fool. Now if these things are true,
what do we say to these things? What do we say? Well, hold your place right here
in Romans 1 and turn over to 1 John 1. 1 John 1, verse 8, it says, if
we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth
is not in us. But verse 9 says, if we confess
our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and
to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. That's what his word says. If
we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins
and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. What do we say to these things?
Lord, I'm a sinner. I'm a sinner. That publican wouldn't
so much as lift up his eyes, but smote upon his breast, saying,
God, be merciful to me, a sinner." Our Lord said that man was justified. That's what we say. Save us,
Lord, lest we perish. I'm a sinner. Now go back over
to Romans 1, where we just were. Romans 1 verse 16 says, For I
am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ. For it is the power
of God unto salvation to every one that believeth, to the Jew
first and also to the Greek. For therein is the righteousness
of God revealed from faith to faith. As it is written, the
just shall live by faith. These things say that the gospel
of Christ, this declaration of good news, is the power of God
unto salvation to everyone who believes it. That's what these
things say. Now what shall we say to these
things? Well, I don't know if I can go
along with that. No. We say, Lord, I believe. Help thou my unbelief. That's
what we say. We answer this word by the word. Now listen to this. This is good
news. Romans 2 verse 4 says, Despises
thou the riches of his goodness, and forbearance, and longsuffering,
not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance? It was the goodness of God that
led me. It is the goodness of God that
leads any sinner to repentance. It's the goodness of God. Chapter
3 verse 24 says, being justified freely by His grace. through
the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. That says that we're justified
freely by His gift, by His goodness, the goodness of God that leads
a sinner to repentance. We're justified freely by His
grace through the redemption, through the payment, that bloodshed payment. that
is in Christ Jesus. Romans 4, verse 2, it says, If Abraham were justified
by works, he hath whereof to glory, but not before God. For what saith the Scripture,
what do these things say? Abraham believed God, and it
was counted unto him for righteousness. Now to him that worketh is the
reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. But to him that
worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly,
his faith is counted for righteousness. Even as David also describeth
the blessedness of the man unto whom God imputeth righteousness,
righteousness. without works, saying, Blessed
are they whose iniquities are forgiven and whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man to whom the
Lord will not impute sin." What shall we say to these things?
These glorious things, what shall we say to them? Look at chapter
five, verse six. It says, for when we were yet
without strength in due time, Christ died for the ungodly. He died for the ungodly. It's so amazing that Christ would
die. But what's more amazing is that
he would die for the ungodly, you and me. Verse 7 says, for
scarcely for a righteous man will one die, yet peradventure
for a good man some would even dare to die. But God commendeth
His love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died
for us. He died for us. What shall we
say to these things? These glorious things, verse
18, Romans 5 verse 18 says, therefore as by the offense of one, judgment
came upon all men to condemnation. He's saying when Adam sinned,
every man in Adam sinned against God. When Adam died spiritually,
every man died spiritually. It says, even so by the righteousness
of one. The free gift came upon all men
unto justification of life by the righteousness of Christ.
Everything He did to accomplish perfect righteousness, that came upon every man in Christ. Verse 19 says, For as by one
man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience
of one shall many be made righteous. Moreover, the law entered that
the offense might abound, but where sin abounded, grace did
much more abound." Much more abound. Chapter six,
Romans chapter six, verse six, it says, knowing this, that our
old man is crucified with him, crucified with Christ, that the
body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not
serve sin, for he that is dead is freed from sin." He said,
we were crucified with Christ. And he that is dead is freed
from sin. Verse 14 says, for sin shall
not have dominion over you, for you're not under the law, but
under grace. Under grace. What shall we then say to these
things? Are we going to add anything
to these things? Salvation is of the Lord, but
I see what it says, but are we going to do that? Look at Revelation
22 with me. Revelation chapter 22 verse 18
says, For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of
the prophecy of this book. If any man shall add unto these
things," what things? Everything he said in this book.
If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him
the plagues that are written in this book. Are we going to say anything
in addition to these things? No. What shall we say? Are we going
to say anything against these things? Look at verse 19. If any man shall take away from
the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away
his part out of the book of life and out of the holy city and
from the things which are written in this book. He which testifieth
these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come,
Lord Jesus. What shall we say to these things? Here's the answer. Here are five
things that all of God's people answer to these things. After
understanding the things, that God has revealed in this book. Here is the conclusion every
sinner must come to. Go with me back over to Romans
chapter 8. Romans 8 verse 31 says, What
shall we then say to these things? Here's the first conclusion.
If God be for us, who can be against us? If God be for us, who can be
against us? That's the only conclusion we
can come to. After we learn these things, here's what God has graciously,
lovingly revealed to us in these things. If God be for us, who
can be against us? Is that not our conclusion? How glorious is that? This is what we say to these
things. Here's the next thing, look at verse 32. 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? He spared not His own Son. Do you believe God punishes sin?
We'd better. He spared not His own Son. Why did He spare not His own
Son? Because God was for us. He was for us. And He killed His Son in the
place of us. He delivered Him up for us all. And if He did that, how shall
He not with His Son also freely give us all things? All things. Based on everything
I've seen in these things, if I have Christ, I have all things. I have all things. Here is what these things convince
God's people of. Look at verse 33. Who shall lay
anything to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifies. What more can we say? God justified
us. Nothing can be laid to the charge
of us. Are we sinners? Yes. Are we wretched? Yes. But verse 1, look at chapter
8 verse 1, there's therefore now no condemnation to them which
are in Christ Jesus. Who shall lay anything to the
charge of God's elect? God justified me. Christ justified
me. All of my sin was laid on Him.
And He paid the debt in full. And after He paid that debt,
the Father said, justified, clear, no sin. How glorious, what shall we say
to these things? Verse 34 says, 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." What's your hope? What is your hope? Christ. My hope is in nothing but Christ. Well, I changed my ways. No,
that's not my hope. I can change right back. Well, I made a decision. No,
that's not my hope. I can change my mind. My hope is Christ, the unchanging
one, Christ. He said, I am the Lord, I change
not. That's why you sons of Jacob
are not consumed. My hope is Christ. What do you
plead? Well, when I stand before God,
I'm just gonna tell Him about all the good things I did. No,
I plead Christ. The only thing I plead are all
the good works that Christ did. I plead Christ. What more can we say? Christ. Christ, that's what we say, Christ.
When we stand before that great judge, that holy judge that punishes
sin, the only thing to say is Christ, Christ, Christ. Verse 35 says, who shall separate
us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation or distress
or persecution or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, for thy sake
we are killed all the day long. We're accounted as sheep for
the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are
more than conquerors through him that loved us." Conquerors in Christ. Why are
we conquerors? because He is. He has won the
victory. He has conquered death. He conquered sin. He conquered
me. And if God the Father has put
me in Christ, in Him, I'm a conqueror through Him that loved us. Here's what God's Spirit convinces
a sinner to say. After a sinner sees all of these
things, all of these glorious things, here's what he says. Romans 8 verse 38 says, I am
persuaded. I am convinced that neither death nor life nor
angels nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor
things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature
shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is
in Christ Jesus our Lord." Paul said, I am persuaded that He
is able. And every sinner whom God causes
to see these things in His Word, they're all glorious things.
They're all glorious things. They will say, I am persuaded
that nothing else is able. Christ alone is able. Nothing can separate us from
the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Now what
shall we say to these things? Amen. Amen. That means, so be it. What do
we say to these things? Thank you, Lord. Thank you, Lord. Until next Sunday morning, may
the Lord bless His Word. You have been listening to a
message by Gabe Stoniker, pastor of Kingsport Sovereign Grace
Church in Kingsport, Tennessee. If you would like a copy of this
message or to hear other messages of Sovereign Grace, you can write
to our physical mailing address at 905 Yadkin Street, Kingsport,
Tennessee 37660 or log on to our website at kingsportsovereigngracechurch.com. If you would like to come and
worship with us, our service times are Sunday morning Bible
study at 10 o'clock a.m., worship at 10.45 a.m. and 6 o'clock p.m.,
Wednesday evening at 7.30 p.m. Please tune in next Sunday morning
at 8.30 for another message of God's free and sovereign grace.