Likewise, the Spirit also helpeth
our infirmities. Now I want to give you this before
I quit. The Spirit, the word likewise here, seems to be not
only does hope lead us patiently to wait for deliverance from
this present world, but along with that hope, God gives us
some spiritual assistance. He gives us some spiritual aid.
to increase our hope and to give us patience. Listen to it. The
Spirit helpeth our infirmities. Now the word infirmities here,
and I've got a little light here, and this will help you and me
both. The word infirmities here does not seem to refer to moral
deficiencies at all. Not at all. Now if you'll just
hold on a minute, this will be helpful. Now let's look at the
verse 26. The Spirit And bear with me,
the Spirit helpeth our infirmities. Now the word infirmities here
is not moral deficiencies. But it's afflictions which arise
out of faith and which arise out of our profession of Christianity.
Now I'll show that to you. in two places. 2 Corinthians
11. Now listen to this. 2 Corinthians 11. Go over there
a minute now. Be patient. This is important.
This is as important as anything I've read. 2 Corinthians 11.30. Now listen to it. Paul said in
2 Corinthians 11.29, who is weak and I'm not weak? Who is offended
and I burn up? If I must need glory, I will
glory of the things which concern my infirmities." That's not moral
deficiency. He's not glorying in his moral
deficiencies. Now turn to 2 Corinthians 12. Paul's glorying in his infirmities. 2 Corinthians 12, verse 9. Now listen to this. And God said
to me, My grace is sufficient for you. For my strength, my
strength, my strength is made perfect in your weakness. Most gladly, therefore, will
I rather glory in my infirmities that the power of Christ may
rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in
infirmities in reproaches, in necessities, in persecution,
in distresses, for Christ's sake, for when I'm weak, then am I
strong. So these infirmities here, Cecil,
are not moral deficiencies. He's talking about something
else. He's talking about persecution and afflictions and trials and
straight places in which we are driven by the purpose of God
for the glory of Christ and for our good. In this present state of trial
and affliction and infirmities, we know not what we should pray
for. Let me try to think of an illustration. You are a Christian, you are
a believer. You got a pretty good job. And
you get sick and you lose that job. And your family begins to be
in need. Now then, You've learned in whatsoever
state you are to be content. That's what the Bible says, isn't
it? It said, avoid covetousness, which is idolatry, and be content
with what you have. Turn to 1 Timothy, chapter 6.
Listen to this. 1 Timothy, chapter 6. Listen
to this scripture right here. 1 Timothy, chapter 6, verse 6. Godliness with contentment is
great gain. We brought nothing into this
world. It's certain we can't carry anything out. Having food
and clothing, let us be content." All right. Verse 26 of Romans 8 says, "...the
Spirit helpeth our infirmities." We know not what we should pray
for as we ought, or what I do. Pray, God, make me well. Should
I? Or should I pray, Lord, make
me submissive? Should I pray, Lord, pay off
my house? Or should I pray, Lord, let me
lose my house? Should I pray, Lord, prosper
me? Or should I pray, Lord, make me poor? I don't know what to
pray for, do you? When I get in a trial, I don't
know how to pray. I don't know. Maybe it's God's
will that I stay there a little while. Maybe it's God's will
that, like he said the Apostle Paul had a thorn in the flesh,
and he connected this with infirmities. It's in that same chapter over
there that he said, I glow in my infirmities, and he prayed
that God might remove it, and God said no. Well, he wasn't
praying what he should pray for, was he? God said, but my grace
is sufficient. So that's what he's talking about
here. But the Spirit of God will help our infirmities, our trials,
our afflictions. The Christian is supposed to
be happy even when he's sad. That's a paradox, I guess. But
when we're empty, we're full. When we're weak, we're strong.
When we're poor, we're rich. When we're low, we're high. When
we're dead, we're alive. When we're naked, we're clothed
with His righteousness. And when I'm sad, I'm happy.
I know not the things for which I should pray, but the Spirit
Himself will make intercession for me with groanings which cannot be
uttered. That is, And he that searcheth
the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he
maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God."
What does that mean? This is what I think it means.
In my state of trial and infirmities, I know not what I should pray
for. I don't know how to pray. Lord, make my friend well or
take him to heaven. I don't know. Don't let me leave my child an
orphan. Maybe it'll be the best thing to ever happen to him.
Maybe that's God's will. I don't know, but the Holy Spirit
knows, and the Holy Spirit will make intercession for me according
to the will of God, and the Holy Spirit will excite the right
desire in me, and he'll enable me to utter it, if not in eloquent
terms, If not in words of human language, at least the Holy Spirit
will enable me to utter God's will be done in earnest groanings. And when He makes intercession
for me, it means He enables me to make intercession for myself
agreeably to the will of God. Now that's where I want to be,
so badly. I want to be in the will of God.
And there's only one way for me to be in the will of God.
The flesh is going to rebel, the flesh is going to chafe at
the bit, the flesh is going to resent the sufferings that were
called upon to bear? There's only one hope I have,
and that is that the Holy Spirit, who knows the mind of the Father
and the will of the Father, will so fill me and so completely
possess me that He will excite me to desire what God wants me
to have and where God wants me to be. And that He'll lead me
to, if not in eloquent terms of human understanding, well,
Lord, I know this is what you want. I don't know. But the Holy
Spirit who lives within me will so excite that desire agreeably
to the will of God that with groaning which cannot be uttered,
I can say, I will be done. Whatever it is, I will be done. Our Father in heaven, teach us
to pray. conform our minds so perfectly
to Thy Holy Self that we can think upon Thee and commune with
Thee in peace of mind and heart and satisfaction of soul, that
we can say with the Apostle Paul, I have learned, I have learned,
I have been taught of the Holy Spirit and whatsoever state I
am in, be content. And we know that the human body
doesn't know anything about this, and we don't have the words to
express it, and the flesh rebels against it, and there's covetous
desires that are in our hearts at all times because of that
flesh. But how we long for him that
is in us, greater than the world, to so possess us in whatsoever
state we're in. We can say, with groanings which
cannot be uttered, understood only by the Lord, We're satisfied. Do with us what
you will. It's the Lord. Let him do what
he will. May thy presence fill us and possess us for the glory
of thy dear Son who loved us and gave himself for us. In his
name we pray. Amen. Now, verse 28 of Romans
8 is a verse that almost has to be studied word by word, and
we know that all things work together for good to them that
love God, to them who are the call according to His purpose. The first three words, and we
know, this is not a matter of opinion. This is a matter of
absolute certainty. We know, as certain as we know
that we're not redeemed with corruptible things such as silver
and gold, but with the precious blood of Christ. We know that.
We know that Christ hath come and given us eternal life. We
know that we have passed from death unto life. We know that
the Lord is our shepherd. We know that God is our refuge
and our strength, the very present help in time of trouble. We know
those things. We also know this. We know that
all things work together for good to them who love God. We
know that. It is as sure and as certain
as the throne of God, because God has said it. This is the
source and foundation of our knowledge, the Word of God. Back
several years ago, we had a visiting speaker at Pollard. He was Dr. D.B. Estep from Covington, Kentucky. And he had one phrase that he
quoted over and over and over again. I remember very little
of Dr. Estep Priest except this one
phrase, but it was a blessing to me. He read over in the latter
part of the New Testament. I can't tell you exactly where
it's found, but it goes like this. He hath said, I will never
leave you nor forsake you, so that we may boldly say, The Lord
is my helper." And he said, leave after, I will never leave thee
nor forsake thee, and read it this way. He hath said, so that
we may boldly say. So whatever we say, we say what
he hath said. Whatever we believe, we believe
what he hath said. Whatever confidence we have,
it's because he said it. And we know, that's the reason
Paul can say this, we know that all things work together for
good to them that love God. How do we know that? Because
we feel it? No. Because it's our opinion? No. Because he said it. He said
it. Now notice the next few words.
And we know that all things, Dr. John Gill says, created and
uncreated. And divided it this way. God
the Father. in all his perfections, in all
his purposes, in all his promises, in all his provisions, works
for our good. God the Son, as the mighty God,
as the Mediator, all that He is and all that He has done and
all that He will do, works for our good. God the Spirit, in
His holy person, in His offices, in his operations works for our
good. And these, God the Father, the
Son, and the Holy Spirit work together, working together in
the counsel of peace, working together in the covenant of grace,
working together in the great work of redemption, working together
in the work of glorification, all work together for our good. And then all things, not only
uncreated, but created. All good angels, all good magistrates
and rulers, all good ministers of the gospel, all these good
leaders work together for our good. But also, it doesn't say
that all good things work together for our good. It says all things.
So that includes not only good angels, but evil angels. That
includes not only good rulers, but bad rulers. That includes
not only good ministers of the gospel, but heretics and false
teachers. We know that all things work
together for our good. And then all things such as peace,
prosperity, and happiness, and all bad things such as war, famine,
trial, sorrow, sickness, sin, and even death. All these things,
God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit, all good
angels, good rulers, good ministers of the gospel, all evil angels
and evil rulers, and heretics and false teachers, and all good
things such as peace and happiness and prosperity, and all bad things
such as sin, and sickness and sorrow and death, all these things. Now look at the next word, work
together. These things not only operate
for our good, but by God's sovereign power, they cooperate for our
good. I'll give you an illustration
of that. Now you might take any evil action or evil deed, and
taken by itself, it wouldn't produce anything good for me
or for you. Taken by itself. For example,
when Joseph's brethren through envy were going to sell him as
a slave, just taking that alone, that would have destroyed him.
We would have heard no more from Joseph if they had thrown him
in the pit and then sold him to the traveling Midianites who
came through. If that's all that happened,
we'd never heard of Joseph again. Or, when he was cast into prison,
we would never have heard of Joseph again if he'd been left
there, if something else hadn't happened. But we have not only
the envy of his brethren, and the selling of Joseph into slavery,
and the casting of Joseph into prison, But we have the lives
of Potiphar's wife, we have the dreams of the baker and the cook,
we have the purposes of God, and all of these things working
and cooperating together brought Joseph to the throne. See, Joseph
would have never gotten to the throne just by his brothers selling
him into slavery. He would have never gotten to
the throne just by Potiphar's wife having him cast into prison.
He would have never gotten to the throne only by one act of
evil or one act of good. It took all of these things working
together according to God's purpose to bring to pass the glory which
Joseph was to enjoy. So you and I find it difficult
to make one thing work out for good or to produce good, but
God takes the good things and the bad things, God takes innumerable
evil things and so modifies them with each other that out of them
he brings us to the throne. So he says we know that all things
work together for good. Now here's where we hit a snag
sometimes. For good. temporal good, there is spiritual
good, and there is eternal good. Now, we're talking about here
one of those, and we know that all things work together for
good. Are we talking about temporal
good? What is that? Well, that's what all the men
of this world seek after. That's health, that's possessions,
that's success, That's power, that's fame, that's carnal happiness. Do all things work out for that
temporal good? No, that's not true, is it? Well,
what about spiritual good? What is spiritual good? Well,
spiritual good is a strong exercise of grace in the heart that we
experience now and then. Spiritual good is that time when
we have a personal, intimate communion with God. Spiritual
good is that time when peace and joy, like a river, seems
to flood our souls. We feel close to God. We feel
close to heaven. We feel the warmth and the power
and the person of the Holy Spirit in our hearts. We feel the defeat
of inward passions and the defeat of evil desires, and we feel
that we're growing in the fruit of the Spirit. That's spiritual
good. Well, you can say all things
do work together for our spiritual good some of the time. Some of the time. But there's
nobody here that experiences that all the time. But what we're
talking about here is these things working together for a good that
is sure and certain and cannot be defeated and cannot fail.
So I say we're talking about eternal good. What is eternal
good? Our goal is to be with and like
Christ. Our goal is the day when we shall
see Him and be just like Him in character, in glory, and even when our vile
bodies shall be made like unto His precious, spotless, holy
body. And what I'm saying is this,
while it is true that all things work together, not for our temporal
good, because many children of God have been hungry and naked
Many of them have suffered the loss of all things. Many of them
have spent time in prison, under persecution, and even died as
martyrs at the stake. And so all these things that
we mentioned before do not work together for our temporal good.
We may be called upon in later years to suffer for Christ's
glory. And all things, in a way, do
work together for our spiritual growth and our spiritual good
and our spiritual happiness right now. But what we're talking about
mainly here is that we know that all things, created and uncreated,
principalities and powers, even rulers of the darkness and rulers
of the light, all these things, good things and bad things, even
sin and death, work together for our eternal good, for that
day when we shall be just like our master. Now the next line,
to them that love God. And we know that all things work
together for good, eternal good. Now, this is not a blanket promise. This is not a promise to all
men. This promise is limited. It says
that all things work together for good, for the eternal good
of them who love God. The only man who has a right
to this promise is a man who loves God. The only woman who
has a right to this promise is the woman who loves God, who
is justified by faith, who believes on Christ, who is led by the
Holy Spirit, who is sanctified by the Spirit of God, who really
loves God. And then, and this is further
identifying these people, and we know that all things, from
the eternal counsels to the eternal future, All these things are
cooperating together and working together for the eternal good
to them who love God, who are the called, who are the called. God called Abraham. He called
him out of Ur of the Chaldees. God called Israel. He called
Israel out of Egypt to enjoy Canaan. God calls you. He calls
by a divine invitation. And that call is accepted under
divine influence. Let's read a few verses. 1 Timothy,
chapter 6. Turn over there with me. 1 Timothy,
chapter 6. He says we are the call, the
call, the call of Christ Jesus. In 1 Timothy 6, verse 12. Fight the good fight of faith.
Lay hold on eternal life whereunto Thou art also called." You have
been called, just as Abraham was called out of the Ur of the
Chaldees, just as Israel was called out of Egypt. Every believer,
everyone who loves God, has been called, called by divine invitation,
called by the divine Holy Spirit, called through the preaching
of the Word of God. Turn to 2 Timothy, chapter 2 Timothy 1, verse 9, "...who hath
saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according
to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which
was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began." This
promise, all these things are working together for the eternal
good of the man and woman who loves Christ, who has been called,
not because of who he is or what he's done or because of his works,
but according to God's own purpose and grace, which was given to
us for the children being not yet born, neither having done
any good or evil that the purpose of God, according to election,
might stand. It was said, the elder shall
serve the younger. And He hath called us, not according
to our works, not based upon what we shall do, but He called
us according to His own purpose, which was given us in Christ
Jesus before the world began. Turn to 2 Thessalonians, 1 Thessalonians. 1 Thessalonians, chapter 2, verse
12. Listen to this Scripture. that you should walk worthy of
God. Your conduct, your conversation,
your attitude, your behavior should be worthy of God, who
hath called you into His kingdom and glory. Look at 2 Thessalonians,
chapter 2. 2 Thessalonians 2, verse 14,
"...whereunto he called you by our gospel." That's how men are
called. He says back in verse 13, 2 Thessalonians
2 verse 13, We are bound to give thanks always to God for you,
brethren, beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning
chosen you to salvation, not whether you believe or not, not
whether you hear the gospel or not, not whether you receive
Christ or not, but He chose you to salvation through sanctification
of the Spirit and belief of the truth. whereunto he called you
by our gospel to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus
Christ." All things. We know this. It's a certainty. It's as sure as the promise of
God. We know this, that all things, past, present, and future, in
heaven and earth and hell, all things, good and bad, work together,
cooperate together, are controlled and brought together by the purpose
of God, and work together for our eternal good, who love God,
who have been called according to His
purpose. Our calling is not the result
of anything God sees in us. Our calling is not the result
of anything God hopes to get from us. Our calling is not the
result of something God hopes to do by us, but our calling
is the consequence of His eternal purpose for reasons known only
to Himself in His eternal wisdom which He purposed in Himself. Now, men might rebel against
that. They may deny it. There has been
blood shed over it. There's kingdoms that have fallen
because of it. There's churches that have been
organized, denominations raised up, and whole denominations split,
and churches divided, and families severed over what I've just taught. But it's true, and we know that
all things, all things work together, cooperate together, united by
the purpose of God for eternal good to everyone who loves God,
who is called according to God's purpose." Now look at verse 29, "...for whom he did foreknow."
Now brethren, this word, turn to I Peter chapter 1, I Peter
chapter 1, this word foreknow, has been translated by some to
simply mean foresee. In other words, they read this
this way, for whom he did foresee. He foresaw what they would do.
He foresaw what they would be. he foresaw what their response
would be. That's the way many people interpret
it. Others interpret it just love, for whom he did for love,
or love beforehand. But most of the best Bible writers
or commentators say that in 1 Peter chapter 1, verse 2, and in Romans
8, 29, The word for-know or for-knowledge is for-appointed or for-ordained. That's what it is. That's the
word that's used in both of these places. For whom he for-appointed,
appointed beforehand, for whom he for-ordained. Turn to Acts
13, Acts chapter 13. Now Paul turned to the Gentiles.
You remember the Jews refused his message. He turned to the
Gentiles and preached Christ to them. And Acts 13, verse 48
says, And when the Gentiles heard this, that is, the gospel, that
Paul should be a light to the Gentiles and salvation to the
ends of the earth, they were glad and glorified the word of
the Lord. and as many as were ordained
to eternal life believed. John Gill says that in verse
29, For whom he did foreknow, this refers to the everlasting
love of God, the particular everlasting love of God to his people. He loved them He delights in
them. When Christ said, I know my sheep,
he means I love my sheep, as Adam knew his wife, and Isaac
knew Rebecca. And Christ said, I know my sheep.
It's a love of complacency. It's a personal, intimate union. I know my sheep. To the unsaved,
Christ said, I never knew you. He knew their birth. He knows
all men. There's a sense in which He knows
all men. He knows their birth date. He knows their death date.
He knows their life. He knows their sins. But He does
not know them in this sense. He said, I never knew you. I
never loved you. I never appointed you. I never
ordained you. I never set my affections upon
you. Never were you in my love. Never
were you in my affection. in Romans 8, 29, for whom he
foreordained. I'll take that foreappointed. I'll take that foreloved. I'll take that, because I think
they mean the same thing. Whom he foreknew, foreloved. He also did predestinate to be
conformed to the image of his having loved us, having set his
affections upon us in Christ. Now, brethren, never out of Christ.
God doesn't pick a man here and say, I love him and I hate him.
He loved that man in Christ. There's nothing in that man to
merit God's affection or merit God's love. There's nothing that
that sinner can add to God. He chose us in Christ, He loved
us in Christ, He redeemed us in Christ, He accepted us in
Christ, and right now we're seated in Christ. Never are we regarded
by the Heavenly Father out of Christ, for out of Christ our
God is a consuming fire. So having loved us, He predetermined
in His eternal purpose and decree that everyone whom He loved and
everyone whom He saved and everyone whom He called would be just
like Christ, just like Him in His character, just like Him
in His happiness. just like Him in His glory. And
even these vile bodies shall be changed and made like unto
His glorious body. And as we have borne the image
or the likeness of the earthy Adam, we shall also bear the
image and the likeness of the heavenly Jesus Christ. God has
predetermined that everyone whom He foreappointed and foreordained
and foreloved would be just like His Son. perfectly conformed
to the image of Jesus Christ. Now watch this statement. That
He, Christ, might be the firstborn among many brethren. Christ is
the firstborn of the Father. The Scripture says He is God's
only begotten Son. The Scripture says He is the
express image of God's person. Now, the Trinity is difficult
to handle. I'm not willing to throw up my
hands, though. I expect someday to understand
the Trinity. God is a spirit, and they that
worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth. The Bible
says no man had seen God at any time, and yet men saw Christ. Jesus Christ is the firstborn. only begotten of the Father.
When the Heavenly Father, who is a spirit, wished to express
His person, He expressed His person in the person of Jesus
Christ. Christ is the brightness of the
Father's glory, the expressed image, the exact image of His
person. So when the Father manifested
Himself, it was in Christ. When the Father revealed Himself,
it was in Christ. He's the firstborn of the Father.
He's the first elect. We were chosen in Him. He's the
firstborn of Mary. She had other children, but none
before Him and none like Him. There was no birth ever like
His. He's the firstfruits of them that slept, the first one
to die and come forth from the tomb. He's the firstborn of all
creatures, for He was before all things, and all things live
and move and have their being in Him. He's the firstborn of
all the elect. And God says that He has predetermined
that He'll have a people, all of them conformed to the image
of Jesus Christ, that He might be continuous. in this preeminent,
exalted position of being the firstborn among many brethren. And this regards not so much
a birth as a privilege that the Scripture has given to the firstborn
son. There's something about being
the firstborn son. that carries with it a preeminence,
that carries with it a privilege, that carries with it an exaltation. And Christ is the firstborn among
many brethren. If you don't think much of Christ,
you will have no place in the kingdom of God, because God has
highly exalted Him and given Him a name which is above every
name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow and every
tongue should confess that He is Lord. And that's what that's
talking about here. God foreordained some people
and predestinated them to be conformed to the image of His
Son, but not ahead of His Son. Predestinated them to be conformed
to the character of His Son, and the happiness of His Son,
and the glory of His Son, but He's still the firstborn among
many brethren. And our glory will be to enjoy
His glory. and our happiness will be to
share his happiness, and our eternal praise will be to wear
his name. All right, read on. Moreover,
whom he predestinated to be like Christ, he called, he justified,
he glorified. Now, most of you will immediately
notice that these words are in the past tense. Whom he foreknew,
he predestinated, he called, he justified, he glorified. Why does the apostle use the
past tense? The past tense here is to be
accounted for on this principle, that what God Almighty's purpose
is to do, no matter what point in time or history It is as certain
as if it had already taken place. That's why he uses the past tense.
It is as certain as if it had already taken place. All right,
let's look at these three words quickly. Whom he called by the
word of the gospel, sending his Holy Spirit to convict, to reveal
Christ, to give repentance and faith, whom he called, he justified.
That is, he pardons them. He receives them into his favor.
He deals with them as if they were righteous, as if they were
holy. He deals with them as he deals with Christ. And then,
now watch this carefully, whom he called he justified, whom
he justified he glorified. Now, glorification is just another
name for the heavenly state, but it's by no means confined
to the heavenly state. The glorification of a believer
is what? It's being conformed to the image
of Christ. Isn't that what our glory is?
To be like Him is to be glorified. To be like Him is to be glorious.
Now, even in this world, there's a sense in which we are glorified
because we are already taking on the likeness of Jesus Christ. And we're like mirrors reflecting
His glory. So the work of glorification
has already begun. And the work of conformity to
the image of Christ has already begun. Verse 31, what shall we say to
these things? Or what shall we say to all this? What shall we say to all this
that I've just said? We know that all things work
together for good to them who love God, who are called according
to His purpose, whom He forepointed, predestinated to be like Christ,
in time called to faith and repentance and justified and pardoned and
redeemed them and glorified them. What shall we say to all this?
There are three different directions taken here by different writers.
You'd be surprised how many interpretations there are of just one verse of
Scripture. But one writer interprets it this way, "'What shall we
say in addition to all these things?'' Well, nothing can be
said. What more could you say? Somebody
else says, "'Well, what can you say against these things?'' Well,
you can certainly say nothing against them. But here is the
translation I like best. Shall we learn from all this? Or what can be inferred from
all these things? Well, we've just said, all things,
God the Father, Son, Holy Spirit work together for our good, who
love Him, who are called according to His purpose, these other things.
What are we going to learn from all this? What can be inferred?
Well, here's the first thing. Here's the first thing the Apostle
said he learned from this. If God be for us, who can be
against us? Remember old Brother Shelton
quoting that years and years and years ago? I must be getting
old. I remember things that happened 25 years ago and I can't remember
what happened yesterday. They tell me that's the mark of it.
You remember way back then Brother Shelton read this verse? He read
it this way. If God is for me in substitution,
who can be against me?" And that's the first thing that Paul said
he learned from this. If God's for me in everlasting
love, if God's for me in eternal grace, if God's for me in eternal
purposes, if God's for me in divine calling, If God's for
me in the sacrifice of His Son, if God's for me in justification,
in substitution and redemption, if God's for me in glorification,
who can succeed against me? The law? The law doesn't stand
a chance. Christ has fulfilled the law.
The law can lay nothing to my charge. Can the justice of God
require anything that Christ didn't pay? Can Satan or sin
demand anything that Christ didn't satisfy? Their opposition is
to no avail and to no purpose. What have I learned from these
things? I've learned this. If God Almighty
is for me in His eternal purpose and plan and promises, then nobody
this side of heaven or hell can be against me. No use. No use. And this verse 32, here is the
evidence that God is for us. And this is what old man Shelton
was meaning. What shall we say to these things if God is for
us in substitution? Who can be against us? And Brown
says this is the evidence that God is for us. What evidence
do you have that God is for us? We don't just have words. Brethren,
let us not love in word, but in deed. God doesn't just love
in word. He spared not his own son. That's how we know God loves
us. That's how we know God's redeemed us. That's how we know
God's for us. He spared not his son. He did
not withhold him. But He freely gave him, for God
so loved us that He gave His only begotten Son to undertake
our hopeless cause. He gave His Son, He spared not
His Son, but He delivered Him up to the crucifixion, to the
cross and the shame of it. He delivered Him to be our representative
and our sacrifice. How shall He not with Christ
give us what Christ bought for us, huh? You think God Almighty is not
going to give us freely what Christ purchased? That wouldn't
be right, would it? What do you learn from these
things, Paul? I learned if God's for me in redemption that nobody,
law, Satan, heaven, hell, can be against me. How do you know
God's for you? He spared not his own son! He
took the jewel of heaven and sent it down here into the mire
of the earth, and let it be trampled under the foot of men. And Christ
bought our redemption, and God Almighty will give us what Christ
bought for us freely. All right, watch this verse.
Who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect? Now, the elect he's talking about
are those we've been talking about, verse 28 through 30. All
right, let me ask two questions. Who can lay anything to the charge
of God's elect? Two questions. Are the elect
not chargeable? Are these people chargeable with
nothing sinful? That's not true. They are chargeable. We're charged with Adam's sin.
We're charged, every one of us, with a lack of righteousness.
We're charged, every one of us, with multitudes of sin before
conversion. We're charged, every one of us,
with many evil thoughts and evil attitudes and backsliding since
we've been converted. Are we not chargeable? Yes, we're
chargeable. All right? Does anyone charge
us? Think now. It says, who can lay anything
to the charge of God's elect? Who can successfully charge them? It doesn't say nobody charges
them. It doesn't say they're not chargeable. Somebody charges
us all right. You know who does? Well, number
one, Satan does. He's the accuser of the brethren.
He went before God the Father, and he does the same thing to
you and me that did to Job. He went before the Father and
said, Job the hypocrite. The only reason Job loves you
is because you're so good to him. Satan does that every day. He accuses the brethren. He goes to and fro, seeking whom
he may devour. Yes, sir, he charges you. And
I'll tell you, someone else who charges you, you charge yourself,
don't you? Come on now, sure you do. Don't
you ever bow your head in disgust and say, Lord, why am I like
I am? Why do I do what I do? Why do I say what I say? Why
do I think what I think? What makes me like I am? You
charge yourself, don't you? Don't you charge yourself with
guilt? Don't you charge yourself with sin? Of course you do. We
ought not, but we sometimes too frequently charge each other,
too, don't we? If I'd have been in his place,
you know what I'd have done? In the first place, you're not in his
place. You don't know what you'd have done. But don't we say that?
I tell you what I'd do. In other words, you disapprove
of what he did. We charge one another. The law charges us.
But this is what this is saying. It's not saying we're not chargeable.
We admit that. It doesn't say that we are not
charged by someone. We are, ourselves chiefly. But what it's saying here is
all these charges avail none. Absolutely nothing. Let Satan
rant and rave. Let Satan stomp his feet and
scream. Let the law accuse. Let us charge
one another. But we're safe from all condemnation
in Christ. Who can lay anything successfully
to our charge? Why can't they? Two reasons. Number one, the Supreme Judge
of the universe cleared my name. You let all the lower courts
and all the earthbound juries and all the little prosecuting
attorneys and all the demons in hell raise their voice at
the same time in unison, and they can't charge me because
the Supreme Judge of the universe has cleared my name. He's the
highest court. He's the highest court. It is
God that justifies. It is God that justifies. In
verse 33, Paul said, ìWho can lay anything to my charge?î In
verse 34, he said, ìWho can condemn?î Now, Paul states and argues the
security of every one of the elect, the security of every
believer on Christ who loves the Lord, who is called according
to his purpose, on two grounds. Do you know what they are? On
two grounds. This is vital here, this is important. In verse 33, he says, who can
lay anything to the charge of God's elect? In verse 34, he
says, who is he that condemneth? And he gives two reasons why
we cannot be charged and cannot be condemned. You know what they
are? Number one is in consideration of the one who did it. Verse
33, it's God that justifies. Now, if you were going to say
it's the church that justifies it, about anybody could whip
that. Or you could say he made a decision.
That won't hold water either. He might unmake that decision
someday. Well, he's good and faithful.
Someday he may be sorry and unfaithful. But you can't go any higher than
this right here. Who can lay anything to my charge?
As high as you can go. infinite distance, the supreme,
last court, highest appeal, God justified him. And nobody else
down here can say anything. God justified him. All right,
here's the second reason. First of all, the consideration
of the one who justified him. Secondly, the grounds on which
we're justified. Verse 34, Christ died. Christ died, yea, rather is risen
again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh
intercession for us." Boy, you talk about two reasons why we're
secure. You talk about two reasons why
nobody can charge us and nothing can condemn us. It's God that
justified us. It's God that threw the case
out of court. It's God that says He's acquitted.
It's God that says He's innocent. And He did it on the basis of
what Christ did on the cross and in the tomb. And He's even
at the right hand right now, who also this moment represents
us. My soul, how you talk about falling
from salvation and losing salvation and God's children being lost,
that's stupid, that's silly. Who can condemn them? Who can
charge them? Not when God's justified them.
When God does something, it's done. Not when Christ bought
them. When He buys them, they're His.
Now, here's the third question. There are three questions, a
series of questions in verse 33, 34, and 35. Who can lay anything
to our charge? Who can condemn us? Who can separate
us from the love of God? And none of these things can
be done for two reasons. God justified us and Christ died
for us. Now then, verse 35. Who can separate
us from the love of Christ? Tribulation, trial, solace, burdens,
falls, stumbling, distress, whether in body or soul, persecution
from the world, famine, want of food or drink, nakedness,
peril, or sword, which has been the lot of many believers, no
sin. As it is written, for thy sake we are killed all the day
long. We are counted as sheep for the slaughter. That's the
quotation from Psalms 44, 22. And it means this, for the sake
of God and for the sake of true worship. The saints of God in
the Old Testament were often put to death. And New Testament
saints have been exposed to persecution and death all the day long, every
day, all the time, even now. Even now. All their lives and
all these days. Why, they are looked upon as
nothing but animals. They are looked upon as fit for
nothing but to be slaughtered like a sheep. They're counted
as sheep for the slaughter. There's no weeping in their death.
There's no tears of sorrow over their slaughter. The world despises
them and hates them like they did his Lord, and they can rejoice
and make fun while they die. You're looking for sympathy,
you won't find it among the sons and daughters of men. Nay, but
in all these things, watch this now, you'll like this right here.
This was a blessing to me. In all these things, what things?
tribulation, distress, persecution, famine, nakedness, peril, or
sorrow. In all these things, whatever
trial comes your way, whatever offense, whatever dark valley,
whatever doubt and fear and difficulty which is overcome by the glory
of God for the sake of Christ through the strength of the Spirit,
in all these We're more than conquerors. What does that mean?
That means that we're more than conquerors. That is, we've overcome
these trials, and we were not defeated by them. We've overcome
these sorrows. We've come through it, and we
weren't defeated. We've overcome. But more than
that, we're made better by them. We're more than conquerors. We
not only just won the battle, we've not only overcome the difficulty,
we've not only have engaged the enemy and come out on the other
side, but we've come out stronger, and we've come out better, and
we've come out with more faith, and we've come out with more
confidence. We are better because of the battle. I am persuaded
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 can separate me from the love
of God. I foreknew them, I foreappointed
them, I foreordained them, I foreloved them, and I can't be separated
from that love which is in Jesus Christ my Lord." And then we
come back to where we started. We come back to the cross. We
come back to Him. All things are ours in Him. We're
still nothing. We start out as nothing, and
we'll be nothing at the end of the road. We start out, Christ
was everything. He's everything now. He'll be
everything then. He was everything before we were
ever created, before we were ever born, before we ever fell,
before we were ever renewed, before we were ever restored,
before we were ever redeemed. He was everything, and He'll
be everything when God sends us all in His likeness. He's
going to get all the glory. Any stars in my crown? I won't
have one. They'll be at His feet, the crowns
on His head, on His head. Our Father, take the Word and
strengthen every believer in Christ. Don't let any of us hide
in presumption, in the false refuge of our own righteousness
and works. But let every one of us hide
in Christ and be found in him, not having our own righteousness.
Let us be wrapped in his, covered by him, in Christ. That's the key. Redeemed by him,
justified by him, sanctified by him. He is our delight and
our joy. Let our minds be set upon Him,
our affections upon Him. For in His name we pray, Amen.