I preached this sermon in the spring of 2001 and again that fall.
Proposition: Christ’s work is the basis for the believer’s confidence.
Introduction: This past week was Bible conference at BJ, and we heard some excellent preaching. One message that God used in my life specifically was on John 19:30, Christ’s 6th recorded utterance from the cross, “It is finished.” The preacher emphasized that our confidence lies in the finished work of Christ, a work that he completed successfully. In meditation on this very thing my mind went to Romans 8:34, which is the verse that I would like for us to focus on this morning. Let us read together Romans 8:28–39.
Can believers have confidence in this life and approaching death and the life thereafter? Can one really be assured of the state of his soul and know that he possess life eternal? In my experience with door-to-door visitation, probably one of the most common responses I get when I ask someone about their eternal destiny is, “I hope so.” As I proceed further, I come to find out that they believe one cannot know for sure his eternal destiny. He cannot be assured of where he will go when he dies. But I believe Paul teaches differently on this issue. In Romans 8:1 “There is now no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus.” For the believer, there need be no fear of future judgment or wrath. Romans 8 deals with this very subject, especially verses 28–39. But what is it that a believer rests upon as his hope and confidence? Where is it that he is to look to find the assurance that he longs for? Paul here points believers to Christ and His work as the sure foundation for full assurance of faith. Surely there belongs no confidence to those whose faith is not resting in Christ’s atoning work, but here the emphasis is not on our faith itself, but on its object. One of my former professors at school has often said, “The value of faith is determined not by its amount or by its intensity, but by its object.” Paul in this passage points us to the object of our faith, Jesus Christ and His work for us. This is where our faith must rest, and this is where our confidence comes. Here in this passage I believe we learn from Paul that Christ’s work is the basis for the believer’s confidence.
· Our Confidence lies in the God’s work for us in His Son.
Notice how many times Paul in this passage points us to what God has done for us to give us confidence in the midst of trying circumstances and confidence for the future.
1. God work all things for our good (28)
2. God called us (28)
3. God foreknew us (29)
4. God predestinated us to conformity to Christ (29)
5. God called us (30)
6. God justified us (30)
7. God glorified us (30)
8. God is for us (31)
9. God gave us his son (32)
10. God will give us all things (32)
11. God elected us (33)
12. God justifies (33)
13. Christ died for us (34)
14. Christ was raised for us (34)
15. Christ sat down for us (34)
16. Christ intercedes for us (34)
17. Christ loved us (35)
18. Christ loved us (37)
19. God loved us (39)
· Four questions:
Here in these few verses, Paul asks 4 question that deal with this issue of the believers confidence.
1. Who can be against us?
2. Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect?
3. Who is he that condemneth?
4. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?
· Four answers:
To ask these questions it to answer them. The implies answer in each occasion is that no one can successfully be against us, bring a charge against us, condemn us, or separate us from the love of Christ.
1. No one can successfully be against us, because God is for us.
2. No one can successfully bring a charge against us, because God justifies us.
3. No one can condemn us, because Christ died, was raised, sits and intercedes for us.
4. No one can separate us from the love of Christ.
· Four Unshakable Grounds for Acceptance With God – Powerful Pillars of Assurance
I would like for us deal look specifically at Paul’s 3rd question found in verse 34 and consider the answer that He gives us: “Who is he that condemneth?” And Paul implied answer is, “NO ONE.” He points us immediately to the work of Christ as the basis for having such a confidence. Let us consider together these four powerful truths.
1. Christ died for His people. (The performance of His work)
Romans 8:32 “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?”
a. Sins have been forgiven.
i. Ephesians 1:7 “In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;”
ii. Colossians 2:13–14 “And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;”
Where sins have been forgiven, there no longer remains any ground for condemnation.
b. Wrath has been removed (Romans 3:25; 1 John 2:2).
i. Christ drank the full cup of the wrath of God so there is no longer any wrath for us to bear.
c. A relationship of peace has been established.
i. Romans 5:1, 10 “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life”
d. We have been purchased.
God has purchased us with the price of Christ’s blood. In 1 Corinthians Paul tells us that we are bought with a price. In Galatians 3:13 “Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree.” We are His, and He will not turn us away.
2. Christ was raised for His people. (The acceptance of His work)
Christ death without his resurrection would be worthless. If Christ had remained in the tomb, we would have no hope and have a dead religion. This is what Paul argues in 1 Corinthians 15. This is what the gospel rises and falls on. If Christ had not been raised, it would demonstrate that He was not who He claimed to be, and that His death did not satisfy the requirements of God. But praise God that that was not the case. Christ was raised by the Father. Romans 4:25 “was raised because of our justification.” The resurrection of Christ shows us the acceptance of the sacrifice and the successfulness of His work.
3. Christ sits for His people. (The completion of His work)
This probably makes reference here to Psalm 110:1 “The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool.”
a. Shows the finished work of Christ
i. John 19:30 “When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.”
ii. Hebrews 1:3 “When he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;”
iii. Hebrews 9:12 “By his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.”
iv. Hebrews 10:14 “For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.”
b. Shows his present reign and control of the affairs of this world.
It is not possible that the circumstances of this life should work toward any other end than our good.
4. Christ intercedes for His people. (The continuation of His work)
a. Romans 8:34 “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.”
b. John 17:20 “Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word;”
c. Hebrews 7:25 “Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.”
d. Hebrews 9:24 “For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us:”
e. 1 John 2:1–2 “My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:”
It is absolutely inconceivable in the mind of the apostle that one could perish for whom Christ makes intercession. Why is this so? Because it is inconceivable that Christ would fail in having His prayers answered. The Father always hears the Son and will answer his prayers (John 11:42). Christ has perfect communion with the Father. And what he asks of the Father, He will most surely have.
Conclusion: What a great Savior we have, who has shown his love for us by dying for us, who has been raised because of our justification, who is seated demonstrating the completion of his work and his kingly rule over the world, and who intercedes for us guaranteeing for us continual acceptance before God. These four pillars of Christ’s work are unshakable. To you who have come to this Christ belongs confidence. In Christ we have a sure foundation in which our faith can rest. His work is the basis for full assurance of faith. I pray today that Christ will be your confidence. Let us close together with the words of the hymn writer, “My faith has found a resting place, not in device nor creed; I trust the Ever-living One; His wounds for me shall plead. I need no other argument. I need no other plea. It is enough that Jesus died and that he died for me.”
Jesus Thy Blood and Righteousness
My Hope Is In The Lord
And Can It Be v5
No Other Plea v1