I sure do. Thank you for having
Emma and I here. And thank you, Todd and Lynn.
And thank you, Sherry and David. And thank you, preachers, for
the messages. Let's turn to Romans chapter
8. Romans chapter 8. Salvation is of the Lord. Salvation is of the Lord. That's
what we've been hearing here this whole weekend. And ever
since God gave us spiritual discernment, that's where we've rested. Salvation
is of the Lord. But we're sinners and we live
in a sinful world. We're surrounded by a sinful
world constantly and we have our own sinful flesh that troubles
us. And our Lord Jesus said in the
world, you shall have tribulation. In the world, you shall have
tribulation, but he didn't leave it there. He didn't leave it
there. He said, but be of good cheer.
I have overcome the world. John tells us whatsoever is born
of God overcometh the world. And this is the victory that
overcometh the world, even our faith. Who is he that overcometh
the world? He that believeth that Jesus
is the Son of God. So for a little while, I want
to turn us from ourselves and turn us from this world. And
let's behold our Lord Jesus Christ and what he's done for his people.
What I want you to see here is that the salvation of every believer
is certain because our salvation is entirely of the Lord. He asked in verse 31, Romans
8 31, what shall we then say to these things? What shall we
then say to these things? Now, the we here. Is you and
I who God's regenerated and given faith in Christ, he's talking
to his people. And the things that came before
are the things he's speaking about. Now, we could go back
to the first of the book or we could go back to the first of
the chapter. But let's go back to verse 28. And we know that all things work
together for good to them that love God, to them who are the
called according to his purpose. And that means all things. Here's
why they work together for our good. For whom he did foreknow,
whom he did forelove, he also did predestinate to be conformed
to the image of his son, that he might be the firstborn among
many brethren, that Christ might have all the preeminence. Moreover, whom he did predestinate,
them he also called, and whom he called, them he also justified,
and whom he justified, them he also glorified. I don't see anything in there
that we did. It's all him. From foreordination
to glorification, that's A to Z. And he just said it's all
of him. What shall we then say to these
things. Well, the unregenerate sinner
who doesn't know that he's completely, totally ruined in sin will say,
well, that's not fair. The antinomian who is wallowing in sin will just
say, well, then let's sin that grace may abound. And the self-righteous,
self-sanctifying man will say, well, what about the law? What
about my part? I have to do my part. What shall
we then say to these things? First of all, verse 31, we say,
if God be for us, who can be against us? If God be for us,
who can be against us? This is the true and living God
who's for us, the true and living God. This is our creator. This
is the Lord of hosts, meaning he has all the hosts of his creation
at his disposal to use as he sees fit. This is the Lord of
hosts. By him were all things created. in heaven, in earth, visible,
invisible, whether they be thrones or dominions or principalities
or powers, all things were created by him and for him. And he's
before all things and by him all things consist. God's holy
in his sovereignty. That means God only, he only
does what's right. If he exercises his sovereign
power over all, it's going to be what is right and just and
good. That's what he does. When he
raised Christ, I want you to listen to this power. We're talking
about the God-man who laid down his life for his people. Now
listen to the power that he has. Far above all principalities. and power and might and dominion
and every name that's named. Not only in this world, but in
the world to come. He's put all things under his
feet and gave him to be the head over all things to the church. His body, the fullness of him
that filleth all in all. We're talking about the all power,
powerful, omnipotent God. The God-man mediator, our Lord
Jesus Christ, is God. The inhabitants of the earth,
scripture says, are as grasshoppers before him. Christ Jesus, the
resurrected Redeemer, doeth according to his will in the army of heaven
and among the inhabitants of the earth, and none can stay
his hand or say unto him, what doest thou? This is the God we're
talking about. If this true and living God before
us Who can be against us? Who can be against us? The devil
can't be against us. Christ has bruised his head and
he's got him on a leash right now. He can't be against us. Death cannot be against us because
when Christ put away the sin of his people, he took the sting
out of death. The law can't be against us.
The law that was once against us because Christ laid down his
life and gave the law everything it required and established the
law for us, now the law is for us. And there's no sinner that can
triumph against us, not even our own sinful flesh. Sin shall
not have dominion over you, for you're not under the law, but
you're under grace. The life we're living now, we're living
by the faith of the Son of God. That same one who died for me
is living in me. And he's got the reins and he's
controlling each of his people. If God be for us, none can be
against us. Look at this next thing, what
else do we say to these things? 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? That's something you and I should
think about every single day. God spared not his only son,
but delivered him up for us all. How shall he not with him freely
give us all things? Why did God deliver him up? Well,
one, he did it because of his everlasting covenant. God's not
a man that he should lie. He chose a people and trusted
them to Christ from the foundation of the world. And he's promised
us throughout the scriptures, promise after promise after promise. And his counsel is immutable.
He's immutable. He's going to bring to pass whatever
he promised. and all the promises of God are
in Christ Jesus, yes, and in Him, amen, to the praise of the
glory of God. He will bring to pass all His
covenant promises. He spared Him not because God
the Father would give His Son all preeminence. This whole thing
that we've been hearing all weekend, who's had the preeminence? Christ. The triune God in the Lord Jesus
Christ is going to have all the preeminence. God will have his
son exalted. He'll have him high and lifted
up. This whole thing is for the exaltation of his son. No flesh
is going to glory in his sight. If we ever want to glory in ourselves,
we would have to steal the glory from Christ. And God won't let
that happen. The father won't let that happen.
He will have his son having all preeminence in the hearts of
those he saved. So we glory only in the Lord.
Scripture says in the Lord shall all the seed of Israel be justified
and in the Lord they shall glory. Well, he spared not his only
son and delivered him up because he loved his elect. And this
was manifested, the love of God toward us. God sent his only
begotten son that we might live through him. Us, God-hating,
sin-loving rebels. God sent his only begotten son
to lay down his life for us. That's love. That is love. And he delivered him up. He spared
him not, he delivered him up because he laid on him the iniquity
of all his people. The preeminent purpose, the purpose
above all other things for which Christ came forth is to declare
the righteousness of God. It's to declare that God only
judges according to what is right. That's why he came, to declare
his righteousness, that he might be just and the justifier. Abraham said, shall not the judge
of all the earth do right? Justice and judgment are the
habitation of thy throne, the psalmist said. Mercy and truth
shall go forth of thee. He keeps mercy for thousands.
This is his glory, this is what he showed Moses. He keeps mercy
for thousands. And he forgives iniquity and
transgression and sin. We serve a forgiving God. And he will by no means clear
the guilty. Not at all. Every sinner shall
die under the just judgment of God. Every sinner will. Every
sinner shall die under the just judgment of God. No exceptions. No exceptions. You and I who he shows mercy,
that includes us. We we have to die in order for
God to be just, for his law to be magnified and honored. We
have to die under the justice of God. The difference between
God's people in the world is God provided his son. To take our place. He provided
his son to take our place. And when God laid on him the
iniquity of us all. God is so holy and he's so just. He showed no respect of persons.
He spared not his own son. He judged justly. He delivered
him up. For us all. That's substitution. He spared him not, but delivered
him up for us all. I love that song that Chris and
Vicki sang last night, that was such a. Beautiful song. He was wounded for our transgressions. This is the sinless one who,
when he was made sin for us. God judged him justly. And he
was wounded, the scripture says, tormented, bruised for our iniquity. The chastisement of our peace
was upon him. And with his stripes we're healed. With his stripes we're healed.
Healed, completely healed. It pleased God to bruise him.
It pleased God to bruise him. When thou shall make his soul
an offering for sin, he shall see his seed. He shall prolong
his days and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his
hand. He accomplished what he came
to do. How shall he not with him also freely give us all things,
since he spared him not? How shall he not with him freely
give us all things? It's with him that he's going
to give us all these things. Our Lord God has raised his son
to his right hand and given him power over all so that his son
has the glory of freely giving us everything that he purchased
with his own blood. He can give it to his people
and he will. He's going to make sure all his
people have all the blessings and enter into all the blessings
that that he procured for us. God the Father, we read there,
he predestinated us to be conformed to the image of Christ. Christ
is going to send the Holy Spirit. And we're going to be regenerated.
All his people for whom he died shall be regenerated. And he
will freely give a new spirit so that we know the things that
are freely given to us of God. A new spirit he gives. A new
spirit. Renewed in knowledge after the
image of him that created him. Created after God in righteousness
and true holiness. He gives that freely within his
people. God the Father called us from
eternity. He named his people from eternity.
How shall he not with him freely call us and die? He's going to
call His people in time. The Spirit, which is of God,
is going to be given to all His people. We're going to be made
to know Christ. All His people will. God the
Father justified us from eternity and the Lamb slain from the foundation
of the world. And so, it was an impossibility
that Christ wouldn't go to that cross. And it's an impossibility
that He shall not freely give us faith and bring us into the
joy of knowing we've been freely justified. God the Father glorified us in
Christ in eternity. When Christ said, Father, I pray
that you glorify me with the glory which I had with thee before
the world was made. We were in Christ then. And our
Lord Jesus Christ will not fail to send the gospel. And as he
said in John 17, the glory which thou gave us me, I've given them
that they may be one, even as we're one. He's not going to
fail to do that. And in the end, he will not fail
to glorify us together with him in glory. All these things that we have
in salvation, everything we have in salvation is free. It's free,
and it's all of God. If any man be in Christ, he's
a new creature. Old things are passed away. Behold,
all things are become new, and all things are of God. How shall he not with him freely
give us all things? He reconciled us to himself in
Christ Jesus. How shall he not with him freely
give us all things? So brethren, when it comes to
every lesser thing, I think it's an indication of what sinners
we are really. That we see what God's done for
us in Christ and we believe what he's done for us in Christ. And
we fret over a dime or over some pitiful little something that
we need in this life and act like we're just deserted. Of course not. Any lesser thing
that we need, he'll give that to us because he's already given
his son. How shall he not with him freely give us whatever we
need? Go to Luke chapter 12 and let's hear what our Lord said
about that. Luke 12, 29. Seek not ye what
you shall eat or what you shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful
mind. Don't be anxious and overly cared,
worried about things of this life and needs that you have
in this life. Look at this. For all these things do the nations
of the world seek after. That's the only thing this world's
going after. The lust of the flesh, the lust
of the eyes and the pride of life. That's all the world's
going after. We live in a generation that's
just, it's all about putting on an external show. Fake it
till you make it, you know. And just trying to put on a show
like people are wealthy and all this. And young people buy into
that. Don't buy into that. Look at this. The father, your
father, You who believe, your father, you have a father in
heaven, he knoweth that you have need of these things. He knows
exactly what we need. But rather, seek ye the kingdom
of God. Preeminently, this is, he is
first all the time, always. These other things will be added
to you. God, he spared not his only son. How shall he not with him freely
give us all things? Seek the Lord Jesus Christ. Paul
said, let no man glory in men. Oh, we wouldn't dare glory in
men. We do glory in men. If we think
that some man's gonna prevent us from having this, whatever
need it is, or we think, you know, we become afraid of our
circumstances in this life or whatever, that's glory in men.
Cease ye from man whose breath is in his nostrils. Where is
he to be accounted of? Sanctify the Lord of hosts. He'll
be a refuge. He'll be a refuge. Let no man
glory in men. Why? All things are yours. Everything is yours. Everything
God's bringing into your life is yours. Everything you're encountering
day to day is yours. Everything's yours. Paul, Apollos,
Cephas, all the Lord's ministers are yours. The world, life, death,
things present, things to come, all are yours. And you're Christ. And Christ is God. You know what
that's called? That's called security. You can't
get more secure than that. That's security. This world thinks
that great gain is money and temporal possessions. Paul said
this, godliness with contentment is great gain. I was talking
to Melinda about this the other day. I know godliness is when,
just simply put it, it's when Christ has taken up abode in
you, and he has the preeminence in your heart so that you want
to live for him. You want to arrange things around
him, around the gospel, around your brethren, and you don't
want to just live for self anymore. This is what he gives his people
a new heart. He makes you want to follow after
him. And when he does this, I was
telling Melinda, I said, isn't it amazing how all these things
would be going on and we get troubled? We're sinners. We're
going to have trouble. We face a lot of trouble. And
sometimes. We act like we don't even know
the Lord when we face trouble. But the Lord won't ever let his
child. Lose that. Contentment. I know when it's all said and
done. Crisis got me. He's got me. and I don't have
to worry about it. And it's so good having that
contentment. I'll show you what it is. Go
with me to 2 Corinthians 9. The word is translated contentment. Let me show it to you right here
in 2 Corinthians 9 verse 8. And this is it right here. This
is our contentment right here. 2 Corinthians 9 verse 8. God
is able to make all grace abound towards you. that you always
having all sufficiency, that word sufficiency is the same
word is translated in 1 Timothy 6 as contentment. You always
having all sufficiency in all things may abound to every good
work. Now that's sufficiency. That's
where we get our contentment from God, from God. So he says, now, go through this
life and conduct yourself without covetousness. Because he said,
be content with what you have. He said, our father knows what
we need. If I have it, he gave it. If I don't have it, I obviously
don't need it. Or he would give it. And he says,
I'll never leave you nor forsake you. There's what we need. We
need him. And he said, I'll never leave
you nor forsake you. All right, thirdly, look back now, Romans
8, what shall we say to these things? Verse 33, who shall lay anything
to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. You know, the only one to whom
anybody could make a charge against us would be to God. If anybody would make a charge
against us, they're going to have to make it to God. Well,
God's the judge. He's our judge, and He's the
one that justified us. You know, even in an earthly
court, if an earthly judge declares somebody just, it doesn't matter
who accuses the man of that same crime. The judge says he's just. Scripture says the world should
be judged out of the books. And those books just help us
understand things. Those books will be open and
all the sins of thought and the sins that that that a man didn't
even know about. Will be there, everything will
be there. But it says of God's people,
they'll be judged out of the book. And you open this book
of the lamb slain, the book of his elect, of his people where
it's written there, all his names of his people written there in
this book. And you open this book, and it's just a blank page. There's no sin there. That's
justification. God said, I, for my own sake,
have blotted out your sins. They're gone. And I remember
them no more. There are no sins there whatsoever. That's why God says no weapon
that's formed against you will prosper. Every tongue that shall
rise against thee in judgment, you shall condemn it. It won't
condemn you, you'll condemn it. This is the heritage, this is
the inheritance of the servants of the Lord. Their righteousness
is of me, saith the Lord. That's why we won't be judged,
it's His righteousness. All right, here's the fourth
thing. Who is He that condemneth? This is what we say to these
things. Who is it? Who is He that condemneth? It's
Christ that died, yea rather that's risen again, who's even
at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for
us. The wages of sin is death. We are paid up in full, brethren,
because Christ paid it. He died and he was paid the wages,
death. And it's all over with for his
people. Death has no more dominion over us. Look at Romans 8 verse
1. Who's going to condemn us? Nobody. Therefore, there is therefore
now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk
not after the flesh, but after the spirit. Because the law of
the spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the
law of sin and death. For what the law could not do,
in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son
in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in
the flesh. He condemned our condemnation.
That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us
who walk not after the flesh, but after the spirit. Look at
verse 10. If Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin,
but the spirit is life because of righteousness. But we're still
sinners, aren't we? We're still sinners. Yeah, but
Christ is risen. And he's ever living to make
intercession for his people. And as he is, so are we in this
world. As he is, so are we in this world.
Nobody can condemn a sinner who's robed in the righteousness of
Christ. It's impossible. You take the
devil, for example. He's the accuser of the brethren.
Christ took all the devil's power away. If you have no sin, then
the devil has nothing to accuse us with. The scripture says, John said
he heard a loud voice in heaven and heard it say, now is come
salvation, strength, the kingdom of our God, and the power of
his Christ, because the accuser of the brethren is cast down,
which accused them day and night. to God. And it says, and they
overcame him. How in the world can helpless
sinners overcome the devil? By the blood of the Lamb. By
the blood of the Lamb. And by their testimony, which
is, we're just overcome by the blood of the Lamb. By the blood of the Lamb. The
devil thought he could charge Joshua. He was going to charge
Joshua, God's high priest, you know, and the Lord interceded for him.
The Lord rebuked thee, O Satan. Even the Lord that's chosen Jerusalem
rebuked thee. Is not this a brand plucked out
of the fire? And then you know what he did? Then he took off his dirty garments.
The Lord did. The Lord took Joshua's dirty
garments off and clothed him in clean garments. Scripture
says if we confess our sin, He's faithful and just to forgive
us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. John
said, I'm writing these things to you that you sin not, brethren,
but when you do, we have an advocate with the Father. Jesus Christ
the righteous, and He's the propitiation for our sins. And not for John's
only, and not for those brethren with John only, but for ours
too. right here today. The judge is our Father, who
only does what's right, who Himself justified us. Our lawyer, our
advocate is the Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord, our Savior, our Elder
Brother. And He perfectly put away our
sin, and the righteousness we're coming before the judge with
is His righteousness. That's security. That's security. That's assurance. We don't find
assurance looking at us. We look here to him. That's where
we find assurance. This is our assurance. Listen
to this. The wicked watcheth the righteous
and seeketh to slay him. Don't you hate being under the
eye of a Pharisee? I hate it. I hate it. And every
now and then it happens, you know, but the wicked watcheth
the righteous and seeketh to slay him. The Lord will not leave
him in his hand, nor condemn him when he's judged. He shall
stand at the right hand of the poor to save him from those that
condemn his soul. If there's a sinner here, you
know, and you've sat here all weekend and you've heard Christ
preach and you find yourself that you're a sinner. You find
that you can't do anything to please God. You find yourself
needing mercy, that depravity is not just a doctrine, it's
you. You cast all your care on Christ Jesus the Lord. Cast all
of it on Him. You can't hold on to a little
righteousness, or a little holiness, or a little goodness, or your
will, or anything. Cast it all on Him. and he saves to the uttermost.
All that come to God by him, he ever lives to make intercession
for his people. He'll never lose one. Look at
this last thing, verse 35. Who shall separate us from the
love of Christ? This is Christ's love for us.
Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation? We have a lot of trouble. but
it won't separate us. Distress or persecution, famine,
nakedness, peril, sword, as it's written, for thy sake we are
killed all the day long. We're counted as sheep for the
slaughter. Yes, we are defenseless, helpless sheep. But you know
what? We got a mighty strong shepherd. a mighty strong shepherd. And
here's what it said, knowing all these things, we are more
than conquerors through him that loved us. More than conquerors
through him that loved us. For I'm persuaded. There's some
people here I know, some brethren here, you're persuaded of this.
Are we persuaded of this? When we come into trouble and
we start to doubt and have fears or whatever, You brethren that
are at that time persuaded, you remind them. And when they get
in that shape, you remind them. Persuade one another. We can't
be separated from Him. I persuaded 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.
That just covers it all, don't it? Nothing shall be able to
separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus,
our Lord. Nothing. Nothing. Thank you,
brethren.