Let's open our Bibles again to
Romans chapter 8. Romans chapter 8. The title of the message this morning
is this. Who shall lay anything to the
charge of God's elect? We read that here in verse 33. Who shall lay anything to the
charge of God's elect? It's God that justifies. What a question. What a wondrous question and
what glorious hope we have in that. Who shall lay anything
to the charge of God's elect? Are we chargeable? Absolutely. What does scripture say? In John
8 verse 24, our Lord spoke and he said, I therefore said unto
you that ye shall die in your sins. Why? For you believe not that I am
he. In John 10, 26, the Lord said,
you believe not. You believe not because you're
not my sheep. But here in Romans 8, it says,
who shall lay anything, anything to the charge of God's elect? God has an elect people. That's what Scripture clearly
declares. God has an elect people. What do we know about that people?
Well, we know they're sinful people. That's what, again, that's
what Scripture says. That's what God's Word says.
It says this, all, not most, not some, not a few, but all
have sinned and come short of the glory of God. Scripture says
this, there is none that doeth good. And what's our first thought
when we hear that? There's none that doeth good.
Really, none? And how did the apostle answer?
No, not one. Paul writing to the Romans. He
said this, just let me read this to you in Romans 7. Romans 7
verse 21. Paul said, I find then a law
that when I would do good. Now again, this is the apostle
Paul. He says, when I would do good,
evil is present with me. I delight in the law of God after
the inward man, but I see another law in my members, warring against
the law of my mind and bringing me into captivity to the law
of sin which is in my members." It's in me. Oh, wretched man that I am. He doesn't say wretched man that
I used to be. Wretched man that I once was.
Wretched man that I am. Who shall deliver me from the
body of this death? And then Swift comes to reply.
I thank God through Jesus Christ, our Lord. So with the mind, I
myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh, the law of
sin. Paul also said this, Jesus Christ
came into the world to save sinners of whom I am the chief. The Apostle Paul said, I am the
chief of sinners. Again, he didn't say, I was the
chief of sinners. He didn't say, I used to be the
chief of sinners. He said, I am. Present tense. As I stand before you, I am the
chief of sinners. A sinful people. Helpless. Helpless to save themselves. That's what scripture says about
God's elect. We're totally, totally depraved. What else do we read? Well, this is kind of stating
the obvious, all right? But His elect, what does it say
about His elect? It says just that, that they're
His. They are His elect, sovereignly elected by Almighty God. We see that word. That's not a made-up word, elect. It's clearly written in Scripture. Elect, chosen, foreordained,
appointed, His sheep. His people are described throughout
Scripture. Distinguish, it's a word of distinction
that distinguishes God's people from all the people of this earth.
Turn with me to John chapter 15. Look at verse 16 of John 15.
This is our Lord speaking. He says, ye have not chosen me,
but I have chosen you and ordained you that you should go and bring
forth fruit. and that your fruit should remain,
that whatsoever you shall ask of the Father in my name, he
may give it to you. These things I command you, that
you love one another. If the world hates you, men hate
election. Men hate God. If the world hate
you, know this, that it hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the
world would love its own. But because you're not of the
world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the
world hateth you." Now some, some will find fault. Some will
find fault with this message. But let me remind you, and all
who would hear this message, this is God's Word, right? This
is what God's Word declares. Romans 9, Romans 9 says this,
this is the word of promise. At this time will I come and
Sarah shall have a son, and not only this, but when Rebecca also
had conceived by one, even by our father Isaac, for the children
being not yet born, having done neither good or evil, that the
purpose of God according to what? Election. Election might stand,
not of works, not of what man does and what man doesn't do,
but of him that calleth, of God that calleth. It was said unto
her, the elder shall serve the younger. As it is written, we
know the rest, Jacob have I loved. Jacob have I loved, but Esau
have I hated. What shall we say then? Is that
an unfair statement? Is that unrighteous to say that?
That was anticipated here, wasn't it? What shall we say then? Is
there unrighteousness with God? God forbid. For he saith to Moses,
I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy. I'll have compassion
on whom I will have compassion. So it's not of him that willeth.
It's not of him that runneth, but it's of God that showeth
mercy. You know, some would say, well,
that's the God of the Old Testament. And they'd be right. But listen,
Almighty God does not change. He's the same yesterday, today,
and forever. Malachi 3.6, the last book of
the Old Testament, says this, I am the Lord. I change not. Therefore ye sons of Jacob are
not consumed. Well, let me ask you, have you
ever considered, have you ever considered, am I his? Am I his? Or am I not his? Am I one of
God's elect? Am I one of his sheep? You remember that story of the
prodigal son I can't help but think of him. Remember that?
He had spent everything he had. He had went away, he had left
his father, he had wasted everything he had in riotous living. And
he went and he took a job for a farmer. And he was out there
feeding the hogs. Imagine what a mess. Imagine
what a mess he had gotten himself into. That was all of his doing,
wasn't it? And as he sat there eating, watching
those pigs eat, he was so hungry that he would have eaten, he
just reached down there and grabbed some of those husks and took
from them and ate of them. So destitute, in such a terrible,
terrible position. He would have ate with the hogs.
That's us. That's us by nature. That's what
we are. But you know at some point, he came to himself. That's what scripture says, he
came to himself. The Lord revealed something to
him and he said, how many hired servants are in my father's house
and they have plenty to eat? Why do I sit here and perish
in hunger eating with these hogs, eating slop? Why would I do that? I'll arise. I'll arise and I'll
go to my father And I'll say unto him, Father, I have sinned
against heaven. And before thee, I'm not worthy
to be called a son." You know, this fellow was always
his father's son. And despite his wickedness, despite
his running away and living in that riotous living and wasting
away his substance, he never ceased to be his father's son. But he come to this reality,
I'm not worthy. I'm not worthy to be called a
son. I'll go to him, make me, he rehearsed
it, just make me a servant. Just make me a servant in thy
house. And he arose, and he went to his father. And this fellow didn't know this,
but his father saw him afar off. He knew he was returning. He
saw him afar off, and when his father saw him, he had compassion
on him, and he ran, and he fell on his neck, and he kissed him. Am I his? He's my Father. Has He revealed that? He's my
Father. I'm His son. What else would
I do but go to Him? Return to Him. I ask you, has
the Lord revealed your need? Has He revealed your need to
you? That you're a sinner? That you need a refuge? There's
only one thing to do. That's flee to Him. Go to the
Lord Jesus Christ. Another point of His elect. Scripture
says this, that Christ died to atone for the sins of His elect. Who did He die for? His elect. We use that word, limited atonement.
Not limited in power, but who's it for? Who did He die for? He
died for His sheep. It's the blood that maketh atonement
for the soul. Whose blood? Whose blood makes
atonement for the soul? Well, for as much as you know,
you were not redeemed with corruptible things, such as silver and gold
from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers,
but what with? With the precious blood of the
Lord Jesus Christ. as of a lamb without blemish
and without spot." Whose blood? His blood. The blood of the Lord Jesus Christ.
And who was it shed for? For whom did Christ die? For whom did He shed His blood? For whom did He lay down His
life? Did He die for every son of Adam? That's what the world says. But
you know the world says a lot of things. Doesn't mean it's
right, does it? What does God's Word declare? Scripture declares this, that
he died. Romans 5, 6 says he died for the ungodly. We read
this, that he died the just for the unjust. Scripture declares
that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners. He came not to call the righteous,
but sinners to repentance. The Lord Jesus Christ said this
Himself. He said, I lay down my life for the sheep. He lays down His life for His
people. Again, limited, limited atonement,
but not in power, limited in who it's for. It's for His elect. It's for His sheep. Here's another
point. The elect of God are irresistibly
called by His Spirit. John 6.44 says, No man can come
unto me except the Father which hath sent me draw him, and I
will raise him up at the last day." John 6, 37. All that the Father giveth me
shall come to me, and him that cometh to me I will in no wise
cast out. Consider just a few of these
words. All. All. Not one, not two, not a
hundred, not a thousand, not a million, but all. All that the Father hath given
me. John wrote in Revelation 7 verse 9, he said, After this
I beheld, and lo, a great multitude which no man could number. How many is that? All. All. A multitude which no man
could number of all nations and kindreds and people and tongues
stood before the throne and before the Lamb clothed with white robes
and palms in their hands. How many is that? All. All. All given to the Son. all purchased
with His own blood, with His precious blood. Psalm 110.3,
they shall come to me. When? Thy people shall be willing
in the day of thy power. All that the Father hath given
me shall come to me, and him that cometh to me Listen to this,
I shall in no wise, in no wise cast out. Am I worthy to come
to him? No. Am I deserving to come to
him? No. But what's the command? Come. What's the promise? Him that cometh to me, I will
in no wise, no wise cast out. All, all of his sheep irresistibly
called by his grace. And listen, his elect are eternally
secure in him. Eternally secure in him. Paul writing to the church at
Philippi, he said this in Philippians 1. He said, being confident of
this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you
will what? Finish it. Finish it. He'll perform it till the day
of Jesus Christ. All of our sin put away, all
of our sin atoned for. The Lord Jesus Christ is all
to his people. He's wisdom, righteousness, sanctification,
redemption. He is all to his people and he
paid it all. Not only is he all, he paid it
all, all the debt I owe. We sing that hymn. Sin had left
a crimson stain and he washed it white as snow. Well, look back at our text here,
Romans 8. Romans 8, verse 33. Who shall lay anything? to the charge of God's elect. Let me read that again. It almost
sounds too good to be true. Who shall lay anything to the
charge of God's elect? You know, I can see my sin, not as I should, I doubt I could bear, I know
I couldn't bear to see my sin as it is in the sight of Almighty
God. I can see my sin. Sadly, I can see the sin of others. And that's probably far too easy
for us to see, isn't it? If truth be told, we probably
spend more time looking at the sins of others than that of ourselves. It's easy. Isn't it easy to see
the faults of others? But listen to this. There's much
I don't see, but Almighty God sees all things. There's nothing
hid. There's nothing hid from Him. But what a glorious thought,
he does not see the sins of the believer. Scripture says he doesn't even
remember our sins. And that's not because of old
age or just forgetfulness. Hebrews 8 verse 12, Turn there with me. Hold your
place in Romans, but turn to Hebrews 8. He says, I'll be merciful to
their unrighteousness and their sins and their iniquities will
I remember no more. No more. They've been cast into
the depths of the sea. Who shall lay anything, anything
to the charge of God's elect? You know, if nothing can be laid
to my charge, if there's none to accuse me, there's none to condemn me. If
God sees me to be righteous, righteous through the righteousness
of His Son, if He's clothed me in His own righteousness? Where
is there anything to be brought against me? Where is there anything by which
I can be condemned? And if I'm not accused, and if
I'm not condemned, I must be saved. I must be saved in Him. Turn with me to just a few passages
of scripture here where I believe this is illustrated. Just a few
quick scriptures here and then I'll close. Turn to Daniel chapter
6. Daniel chapter 6. Now, we looked at this a few
weeks ago, I believe on a Wednesday night. Maybe you recall the story
of Daniel. Those men convinced the king
to establish a law to which anyone who would pray to anyone but
the king for 30 days after that law was established would be
cast into a den of lions. He broke that law, didn't he?
He willingly broke that law. He knew what the law was, he
knew what the law said, and he broke the law. And the charge
for that is to be placed in the den of lions. And Daniel said this, look in
chapter 6, verse 22. The king had come to check on
him that next day and he said, and hath shut the lion's mouth,
and they've not hurt me. For as much as innocency was
found in me, and also before thee, O king, have I done no
hurt." How could Daniel say that? How could Daniel say that he's
innocent? He broke the king. I mean, it was a foolish law,
but he broke the king's law. How can he say he's innocent? Only by the blood of the Lord
Jesus Christ. Only by Jesus Christ who was
made sin for us. He was made sin and what happened
to us? His people were made righteous.
Made the very righteousness of God. Turn to John. Chapter 8, John chapter 8. Here in John 8, Jesus had went to the Mount of
Olives. Look at verse 1 of John 8. Jesus went unto the Mount of
Olives, and early in the morning He came again into the temple,
and the people came unto Him, and He sat down and taught them. Imagine this scene. The Lord of Glories is teaching. Can you imagine to be sitting
in that crowd and to hear our Lord speak? And look what happened
here in verse 3. And the scribes and the Pharisees, these men had no regard for God. They had no regard for the Lord
Jesus Christ. They despised Him. And this obviously
to them was something that could not wait, could not wait until
after he had finished teaching. They interrupted that. And they
brought unto him a woman taken in adultery, taken in the very
act. And when they had set her in
the midst, they said unto him, they said, Master, verse 4, this
woman was taken in adultery in the very act. Now Moses, in the
law, commanded that such should be stoned. But what sayest thou? And they said this, not desiring
to know the truth. If they desired to know the truth,
they'd have just sat down and listened to begin with. But they
asked this, tempting him, looking for an opportunity to accuse
him. Jesus stooped down, and with
his finger he wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not,
So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself and
he said unto them, he that's without sin, he that is without
sin, let him cast the first stone. And again, he just stooped down
and wrote on the ground. And when they heard it, these
men heard it. being convicted in their own
conscience. They went out one by one, beginning at the eldest,
even into the last, and Jesus was left alone with this woman
standing in the midst. Think about who's left here.
I know there's other people standing around, but listen, there's just
two people right here. a sinner and a savior. And when Jesus, verse 10, lifted
up himself and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, woman,
where are those thine accusers? Hath no man condemned thee? Who do we have to condemn us?
Sin? Are we condemned by sin? The Lord Jesus Christ has put
away the sin of his people. Will the law condemn us? He's
taken care of that as well, hasn't he? The Lord Jesus Christ answered
the law in all of its demands. How about justice? What does Scripture say? It's
God. It's God that justifies. How
about death and hell? Do they have claim on the believer,
on his elect? No. Christ hath conquered both
death and hell. Look at her response. Woman,
where are thine accusers? Hath no man condemned thee? And
she said, no man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, neither
do I condemn thee. Go and sin no more. Let me ask you, was this woman
a sinner? That's a pretty easy question.
Yes. Huh? Yes. She was taken in the
very act of adultery. Was she guilty? Was she deserving
of condemnation? Yes. And I believe she knew that.
Can you imagine how fearful she had to be being drugged by these
men into the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ? She'd broken God's law. That
was clear. The law had been broken. Would
the Lord have been just in condemning her? But listen to his words. Listen
to these words. Neither do I condemn thee. Neither do I condemn thee. Go
and sin no more. Does that mean she's never going
to sin again? No. But don't continue in that lifestyle. She's got
a new tenor of life. The Lord's been merciful. The
Lord's saved her. Neither do I condemn thee. Go
and sin no more. Turn back to Romans 8 quickly. Romans 8. Who shall lay anything to the
charge of God's elect? See that Romans 833. Are we chargeable? Yes. Original sin, our own sin, my sin, What's it say? Who shall lay
anything to the charge of God's elect? It's God that justifies. God was in Christ justifying
the world unto himself. Who is he that condemneth? It
doesn't matter because Christ justifies. That's what it said.
It is Christ that justifies. We're justified freely through
His blood. It's Christ that died. Back there
in the Old Testament, He was wounded for our transgressions.
He was bruised for our iniquities. The chastisement of our peace
was upon Him and by His stripes, what? We are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray. We've turned everyone to our
own way and the Lord laid on him. He laid on his son, the
Lord Jesus Christ, the iniquity of us all. It's Christ that died. Yea, rather, that is risen. He's risen. The work accomplished. God satisfied with his offering. who is even at the right hand
of God. Place of prominence, exalted,
seated at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession
for us. For who? For His elect, for His
people. Well, let me just read the rest
of this chapter in closing. Romans 8, who shall separate
us? Verse 35, who shall separate
us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation? distress,
persecution, famine, nakedness, peril, sword, as it is written,
for thy sake we are killed all the day long. We are accounted
as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are
more than conquerors through him that loved us, for I'm persuaded
Oh, I wish I could just grab this and keep hold of it. I'm
persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities,
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. And don't lose these last seven
words. which is in Christ Jesus our
Lord. It's in Him. It's all in Him. With that said, who shall lay
anything to the charge of God's elect?