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TITLE: FIVE REASSURING QUESTIONS

TEXT: ROMANS 8:31-34

INTRODUCTION: (1) CAN ANY PERSON OR CAN ANY CIRCUMSTANCE CAUSE A TRUE BELIEVER TO LOSE HIS SALVATION?

* WELL, THAT IS A QUESTION THAT CAUSES GREAT DEBATE IN SOME CHRISTIAN CIRCLES.

** FOR THERE ARE TRUE SINCERE BELIEVERS WHO THINK THEY CAN LOSE THEIR SALVATION. THERE ARE CHRISTIANS WHO LIVE IN FEAR AND DOUBT AND WONDER WHETHER THEY CAN ENDURE OR HOLD OUT AND GO TO HEAVEN WHEN THEY DIE.

(2) BUT TRUE BELIEVERS DO NOT NEED TO LIVE IN FEAR AND DOUBT. FOR PAUL IN ROMANS 8 BUILDS AN AIRTIGHT CASE THAT PROVES BEYOND ALL DOUBT THAT ONCE WE ARE TRULY IN CHRIST, THERE WILL BE NO CONDEMNATION, THAT WE ARE SECURE IN THE SAVIOR.

* AND ONE WOULD THINK AFTER READING VV. 1-30, ESPECIALLY VV. 28-30, THAT PAUL HAD ALREADY SAID EVERYTHING THAT COULD BE SAID ABOUT THE BELIEVER’S SECURITY, CASE CLOSED.

** HOWEVER, PAUL WROTE NINE MORE VERSES IN ROMANS 8 ON THAT TOPIC. AND ALTHOUGH WHAT HE WROTE IS A PART OF HIS ARGUMENT EXPLAINING THE SECURITY OF BELIEVERS, IT IS ALSO A TRIUMPHANT HYMN OF SECURITY.

(3) COMMENTATORS HAVE CALLED THESE VERSES A “HYMN OF ASSURANCE”, “A TRIUMPH SONG”, “THE HIGHEST PLATEAU IN THE WHOLE OF DIVINE REVELATION”.

* AND BELOVED THIS FINAL PARAGRAPH IN CHAPTER 8 IS A MOUNTAINTOP PARAGRAPH. IT IS THE EVEREST OF THE LETTER AND THUS ACCORDING TO SOME IS THE HIGHEST PEAK IN THE HIGHEST HIMALAYAN RANGE OF SCRIPTURE. (IT IS A GREAT ENCOURAGEMENT).

** FOR NOTHING CAN SEPARATE US FROM THE LOVE OF GOD IF WE ARE IN CHRIST, GOD FORELOVED US, HE LOVES US NOW, HE’LL LOVE US IN THE FUTURE, HE LOVES ME WHEN I’M GOOD, HE LOVES ME WHEN I’M BAD, ALTHOUGH HE NEVER LOVES MY SIN.

*** BUT OUR SINS HAVE BEEN TAKEN CARE OF ON THE CROSS. ALL OF THEM! AND WE ARE JUSTIFIED BY GOD’S GRACE SO GOD’S LOVE IS UNCONDITIONAL AND ETERNAL FOR HIS PEOPLE.

(4) AND IT IS ASTOUNDING TO REALIZE THAT GOD’S PLAN OF SALVATION FOR HIS PEOPLE IS A PROGRAM THAT REACHES FROM ETERNITY PAST TO ETERNITY FUTURE, WHICH GOD WILL CARRY OUT PERFECTLY.

* AND PAUL CLEARLY COMMUNICATED THIS IN VV. 28-30 WHERE HE GIVES FIVE UNDENIABLE AFFIRMATIONS, 5 LINKS IN THE CHAIN OF SALVATION THAT ARE FORGED IN HEAVEN THAT ARE UNBREAKABLE.

** IN ETERNITY PAST GOD FORELOVED US AND PRE-DESTINED US TO SALVATION SO THAT WE WOULD BE CHRISTLIKE, TROPHIES OF HIS GRACE.

*** IN TIME HE CALLS US TO SALVATION WHICH ENABLES US TO BELIEVE AND BE JUSTIFIED.

(5) AND THEN IN THE FUTURE WE WILL BE GLORIFIED. BUT IT’S SUCH A SURE THING THAT PAUL CAN WRITE ABOUT IN V. 30 IN THE PAST TENSE. THESE HE ALSO GLORIFIED.

* SO WE HAVE 5 UNDENIABLE AFFIRMATIONS IN VV. 28-30 OF OUR SECURITY AND RESPONDING TO THIS, PAUL THEN ASKS 5 REASSURING QUESTIONS IN VV. 31-34 TO FURTHER DRIVE HOME THE TRUTH THAT A BELIEVER’S ETERNAL SALVATION IS COMPLETELY SECURE IN GOD’S HANDS.

** AND 4 OF THESE 5 QUESTIONS CONCERN THINGS THAT MIGHT BE IMAGINED TO BE ABLE TO DEFEAT GOD’S PLAN OR HARM US.

*** ONE COMMENTATOR SAID: “THE APOSTLE HURLS THESE QUESTIONS OUT INTO SPACE, AS IT WERE, DEFIANTLY, TRIUMPHANTLY, CHALLENGING ANY CREATURE IN HEAVEN OR EARTH OR HELL TO ANSWER THEM OR TO DENY THE TRUTH THAT IS CONTAINED IN THEM.

- BUT THERE IS NO ANSWER, FOR NOBODY AND NOTHING CAN HARM THE REDEEMED PEOPLE OF GOD.” (END QUOTE)

(6) AND IT’S AS IF PAUL DEALS WITH QUESTIONS THAT OBJECTORS HAVE ABOUT OUR ETERNAL SECURITY. IN FACT HE’LL ASK TWO MORE IN V. 35.

* AND THOSE QUESTIONS AND THEIR ANSWERS ARE SO POWERFUL THAT WE DO NOT NEED TO FEAR THE PAST, PRESENT OR FUTURE BECAUSE WE ARE SECURE IN THE LOVE OF CHRIST.

** AND PAUL ASKS THESE 5 QUESTIONS TO PROVE THAT THERE COULD BE NO SEPARATION BETWEEN THE BELIEVER AND THEIR LORD.

(7) SO I’VE TITLED OUR MESSAGE THIS MORNING “5 REASSURING QUESTIONS” AND OUR OUTLINE TODAY WILL BE THE 5 QUESTIONS THAT PAUL ASKS IN VV. 31-34.

* AND WITH THAT IN MIND LOOK AT V. 31A WHERE PAUL ASKS QUESTION NO. 1.

I. QUESTION NO. 1, (READ V. 31)

A. NOW WHAT THINGS IS PAUL TALKING ABOUT HERE? WELL, THESE THINGS DEFINITELY REFER TO THE TRUTHS THAT HE HAS COMMUNICATED IN VV. 28-30.

* THAT GOD CAUSES ALL THINGS TO WORK TOGETHER FOR GOOD FOR HIS CHILDREN, THOSE HE CALLED ACCORDING TO HIS PURPOSE, PLUS THE UNBREAKABLE CHAIN OF SALVATION, VV. 29&30.

** BUT ALSO I BELIEVE THAT PAUL IS TALKING ABOUT ALL THE TRUTHS THAT HE HAS TAUGHT IN ROMANS 8, THIS GREAT NO-CONDEMNATION CHAPTER.

1. AND THESE THINGS REFER TO THE TEACHINGS THAT NOTHING CAN SEPARATE US FROM THE LOVE OF GOD, THAT WE ARE ETERNALLY SECURE IN CHRIST AND SINCE WE WERE SAVED BY GRACE, WE ARE KEPT BY GRACE AND BY GRACE WE WILL PERSEVERE.

* AND IN LIGHT OF THAT, WHAT THEN SHALL WE SAY TO THESE THINGS? AND MY ANSWER IS HALLELUJAH! PRAISE THE LORD! OR TO STAND IN OPEN-MOUTHED AMAZEMENT.

** BELOVED, THERE IS NOTHING TO FEAR IN THE FUTURE, OUR ETERNAL DESTINY IS SET. WE ARE MORE THAN CONQUERORS THROUGH HIM THAT LOVED US, WE ARE INVINCIBLE IN CHRIST!

*** SO WHAT SHALL WE SAY TO THESE THINGS, THANK YOU LORD, AMEN. GLORY TO GOD, HALLELUJAH! AND THAT’S THE ANSWER TO PAUL’S FIRST QUESTION.

- NOW LOOK AT THE 2’D QUESTION FOUND IN THE LAST PART OF V. 31.

II. QUESTIONS NO. 2, (READ V. 31)

A. NOW FIRST UNDERSTAND THAT THE WORD IF IN THIS VERSE IN THE GREEK IS EI, AND IS A CONDITIONAL PARTICLE OF A FULFILLED CONDITION.

* AND THAT MEANS IT DOES NOT CARRY THE IDEA OF POSSIBILITY, BUT A FULFILLED CONDITION, MEANING BECAUSE OR SINCE. AND SINCE GOD IS FOR US, BECAUSE GOD IS FOR US, WHO IS AGAINST US?

** AND THE IDEA IS THAT IF ANYONE WERE ABLE TO ROB US OF SALVATION THEY WOULD HAVE TO BE GREATER THAN GOD HIMSELF.

*** THE REASON BEING HE IS BOTH THE GIVER AND THE SUSTAINED OF SALVATION.

1. AND TO CHRISTIANS PAUL IS ASKING, IN EFFECT “WHO COULD CONCEIVABLY TAKE AWAY OUR NO CONDEMNATION STATUS?”

* IS THERE ANYONE STRONGER THAN GOD, THE CREATOR OF EVERYTHING AND EVERYONE WHO EXISTS? AND THE ANSWER IS NO!

** AND THAT’S WHY JESUS SAID IN JOHN 10:29 (READ IT).

*** AND THAT’S WHY THE PSALMIST SAID IN PSALM 118:6 AND PSALM 27:1 (READ THEM).

2. AND BELOVED SINCE GOD IS FOR US, WE HAVE NOTHING TO FEAR, VICTORY IS CERTAINLY ON OUR SIDE.

* AND THAT DOES NOT MEAN THAT WE HAVE NO ONE AGAINST US. FOR WE HAVE 3 ENEMIES – THE WORLD, THE FLESH AND SATAN.

** AND SATAN IS ALWAYS AGAINST US, HE HATES US, BUT I JOHN 4:4 SAYS: (READ IT).

*** HE IS MIGHTY, BUT NOT ALL MIGHTY, HE IS POWERFUL, BUT NOT ALL POWERFUL, HE IS A CREATION, NOT THE CREATOR.

**** AND THEN I JOHN 5:4&5 SAYS ABOUT THE WORLD, ANOTHER ENEMY, (READ THEM).

- THEN GALATIANS 5:16 SAYS IN TALKING ABOUT THE FLESH ANOTHER ENEMY, (READ IT).

3. AND MY POINT FROM QUOTING ALL THESE VERSES IS SINCE GOD IS FOR US, THE THINGS THAT ARE AGAINST US, THE WORLD, THE FLESH, THE DEVIL, WILL NOT BE VICTORIOUS! WE WILL OVERCOME, WE WILL PERSEVERE, WE WERE GLORIFIED!!

* AND JAMES BOICE SAYS IN HIS COMMENTARY ON ROMANS AT THIS POINT, “IT IS AS IF PAUL IS CHALLENGING US TO PLACE ALL THE POSSIBLE ENEMIES WE CAN THINK OF ON ONE-HALF OF AN OLD-FASHIONED BALANCE SCALE, AS IF WE WERE WEIGHING PEANUTS.”

** “THEN, WHEN WE HAVE ALL THE PEANUTS ASSEMBLED ON THE SCALE, HE THROWS AN ANVIL ONTO THE OTHER SIDE OF THE BALANCE, AND THAT SIDE COMES CRASHING DOWN AND THE PEANUTS ARE SCATTERED.” (END QUOTE)

4. AND SO THE ANSWER TO QUESTION 2 IS, SINCE GOD IS FOR US, WHO CAN BE AGAINST US? WHO CAN STAND AGAINST GOD? THE ANSWER IS NOBODY. NOTHING CAN DEFEAT US SINCE THE ALMIGHTY GOD OF THE UNIVERSE IS ON OUR SIDE.

- WHICH LEADS US TO ANOTHER QUESTION, AND THE THIRD QUESTION IS FOUND IN V. 32. LOOK AT IT PLEASE.

III. QUESTION NO. 3, (READ V. 32)

A. NOW THE TRUTH OF V. 32 IN SHORT IS THIS, HE WHO HAS DONE SO MUCH, IS CERTAIN TO DO MUCH MORE.

* IN OTHER WORDS, HOW COULD IT POSSIBLY BE THAT GOD WOULD SACRIFICE HIS OWN SON FOR THE SAKE OF HIS OWN AND THEN CAST SOME OF THOSE BLOOD-BOUGHT BELIEVERS OUT OF HIS FAMILY AND HIS KINGDOM?

** I MEAN WOULD GOD DO LESS FOR BELIEVERS AFTER THEY ARE SAVED THAN HE DID FOR THEM PRIOR TO SALVATION? WOULD HE DO LESS FOR HIS CHILDREN NOW THAN HE DID FOR US WHEN WE WERE HIS ENEMIES BEFORE?

1. IF GOD LOVED US SO MUCH WHILE WE WERE WRETCHED SINNERS THAT HE DELIVERED HIS OWN SON FOR US ALL, CONTEXTUALLY ALL BELIEVERS, WOULD HE TURN HIS BACK ON US AFTER WE HAVE BEEN CLEANSED FROM SIN AND MADE RIGHTEOUS IN HIS SIGHT?

* AND THE ANSWER IS NO WAY! THAT IS RIDICULOUS! IT IS INCONCEIVABLE, AND PAUL’S ARGUMENT GOES FROM THE GREATER TO THE LESSER. HE SAVED US WHEN WE’RE SINNERS, DON’T YOU THINK HE’LL KEEP US AS SAINTS, OUR POSITION IN CHRIST ABSOLUTELY!

** AND GOD THE FATHER THE SUBJECT OF THE VERB IN THE FIRST PART OF V. 32, THE ONE WHO DID NOT SPARE HIS OWN SON, BUT DELIVERED HIM UP FOR BELIEVERS, HIS CHILDREN, THEN HOW WILL HE NOT ALSO WITH CHRIST FREELY GIVE US ALL THINGS?

*** AND THE PHRASE ALL THINGS MEANS ALL SPIRITUAL BLESSINGS, ALL THINGS PERTAINING TO AND LEADING TO OUR ULTIMATE SANCTIFICATION, OUR ULTIMATE GLORIFICATION.

2. AND II PETER 1:3 EXPLAINS THIS TRUTH WHERE IT SAYS: SEEING THAT HIS DIVINE POWER HAS GRANTED TO US EVERYTHING PERTAINING TO LIFE AND GODLINESS, THROUGH THE TRUE KNOWLEDGE OF HIM WHO CALLED US BY HIS OWN GLORY AND EXCELLENCE.

* AND THEN ON TOP OF THAT EPHESIANS 1:3 SAYS, WHICH WE’VE JUST STUDIED, “BLESSED BE THE GOD AND FATHER OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST WHO HAS BLESSED US WITH EVERY SPIRITUAL BLESSING IN THE HEAVENLY PLACES IN CHRIST.”

** AND THE IDEA FROM THESE VERSES AND ROMANS 8:32 IS, GOD HAS GIVEN US ALL THINGS TO PERSEVERE, TO LIVE VICTORIOUSLY, ALL THINGS THAT WE NEED SPIRITUALLY, NOT ALL PHYSICAL THINGS THAT WE WANT, BUT ALL SPIRITUAL BLESSINGS.

3. BUT ALSO THERE IS ANOTHER POSSIBILITY HERE AND THAT IS THE PHRASE FREELY GIVES IS A GREEK WORD WHICH MEANS TO GIVE OR BESTOW GRACIOUSLY OR OUT OF GRACE.

* AND IN SOME OF PAUL’S OTHER LETTERS THE SAME WORD CARRIES THE IDEA OF FORGIVENESS. SO INCLUDED IN THIS GREEK WORD IS NOT ONLY GRACIOUS GIVING BUT GRACIOUS FORGIVENESS.

** SO PAUL MAY ALSO BE SAYING, AND THIS MAKES A LOT OF SENSE IN THE CONTEXT OF CHRIST’S DEATH WHICH PURCHASED OUR REDEMPTION, TO PURCHASE OUR FORGIVENESS, PAUL IS SAYING GOD FREELY FORGIVES US ALL THINGS.

*** NOT ONLY GIVES US ALL THINGS, BUT FORGIVES US ALL THINGS.

4. AND IN LIGHT OF THAT PAUL IS SAYING THAT NO MATTER WHAT SIN WE MIGHT COMMIT, GOD WILL FORGIVE IT.

* WE CAN NEVER LOSE OUR SALVATION BECAUSE THERE IS NO SIN THAT GOD WILL HOLD AGAINST US, BECAUSE CHRIST DIED FOR ALL OF THE BELIEVER’S SINS, PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE.

** BUT WHAT IF WE REJECT OR DENY OR TURN OUR BACKS ON CHRIST? NO. 1 WE CAN’T IN A SENSE, BUT NO. 2 WE DO EVERY TIME WE SIN.

*** AND BELOVED WE THAT ARE IN CHRIST CAN NEVER BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR A SIN THAT OUR SAVIOR BORE.

**** SO THE ANSWER TO QUESTION NO. 3 IS, GOD WILL NOT TURN AGAINST US, FOR HE GAVE HIS SON FOR US AND FREELY FORGIVES US AND GIVES US WHAT WE NEED TO PERSEVERE, TO GO ON, TO ENDURE.

- WHICH LEADS US TO A FOURTH REASSURING QUESTION FOUND IN V. 33. LOOK AT V. 33 PLEASE.

IV. QUESTION NO. 4, (READ V. 33)

A. NOW THE LAST TWO QUESTIONS FOUND IN VV. 33&34 ARE LEGAL QUESTIONS. IT’S AS IF WE MOVE TO A COURT OF LAW. AND THE QUESTION IN V. 33 IS, WHO WILL BRING A CHARGE, A FORMAL ACCUSATION IN COURT, LIT. PRESS CHARGES AGAINST GOD’S ELECT, THOSE WHOM GOD HAS CHOSEN.

* AND YES THERE WILL BE PEOPLE WHO TRY TO ACCUSE GOD’S ELECT. HOWEVER, WHO CAN SUCCESSFULLY DEMAND A RE-TRIAL?

** WHO CAN GO BEFORE THE COURT OF GOD AND SAY, “I WANT TO BRING THIS CASE UP AGAIN. I THINK THIS BELIEVER OUGHT TO BE CONDEMNED?

1. AND NO DOUBT SATAN TRIES TO DO THIS, BECAUSE IN REV. 12:10 AND ZECH. 3:1 HE IS IDENTIFIED AS THE ACCUSER OF GOD’S PEOPLE, THE ACCUSER OF THE BRETHREN AND DID THIS AGAINST JOB IN JOB 1&2.

* AND GET THIS, MANY TIMES HIS ACCUSATIONS ARE TRUE OR VALID, BECAUSE THEY ARE BASED ON THE BELIEVER’S SINFULNESS AND DEFILEMENT.

** BUT YOU KNOW WHAT? SATAN’S ACCUSATIONS WILL BE THROWN OUT OF COURT BECAUSE IT IS GOD WHO JUSTIFIES, THE END OF V. 33.

*** AND THAT MEANS THE JUDGE HIMSELF DECLARES THE ACCUSED PERSON RIGHTEOUS ON THE BASIS OF FAITH IN THE FINISHED WORK OF CHRIST.

2. AND AS A RESULT ALL ACCUSATIONS ARE DISMISSED AND NO ONE CAN BRING AN ACCUSATION THAT WILL STAND UP IN GOD’S COURT.

* BELOVED, WHEN GOD JUSTIFIES A BELIEVER, ALL ACCUSATIONS AT ONCE LOSE THEIR POWER, THEIR VALIDITY, WE HAVE BEEN ACQUITTED BY THE SUPREME, SUPREME COURT.

** AND THE WORLD AND SATAN ARE CONTINUALLY BRINGING CHARGES AGAINST GOD’S CHOSEN ONES, BUT THOSE CHARGES AMOUNT TO NOTHING BEFORE THE LORD, BECAUSE HE IS THE ONE WHO JUSTIFIES, THE ONE WHO DECIDES WHO IS RIGHTEOUS BEFORE HIM.

*** BELOVED, WE THAT ARE IN CHRIST HAVE BEEN DECLARED ETERNALLY GUILTLESS AND ARE NO LONGER UNDER THE CONDEMNATION OF GOD.

3. AND IS GOD GOING TO CONDEMN SOMEONE HE HAS ALREADY RENDERED RIGHTEOUS? THAT IS IMPOSSIBLE. HE CAN’T DO BOTH TO ONE PERSON AT THE SAME TIME. TO JUSTIFY AND CONDEMN, YOU’RE RIGHTEOUS AND CONDEMNED.

* AND CHRISTIAN WE DIDN’T BECOME SAVED BY OUR GOODNESS, WE CAN’T STAY SAVED BY OUR GOODNESS, AND WE CAN’T LOSE OUR SALVATION BY OUR LACK OF GOODNESS.

** IF WE WERE ABLE TO DO THAT, WE WOULD NEVER HAVE BEEN ABLE TO GET SAVED IN THE FIRST PLACE!

4. BUT WE THAT ARE SAVED ARE CALLED WHAT IN THIS VERSE? GOD’S ELECT. AND THE WORD ELECT MEANS CHOSEN ONES. AND SINCE GOD CHOSE US IN CHRIST BEFORE THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD, EPHESIANS 1:4, WE ARE SECURE.

* I MEAN WHY WOULD GOD CHOOSE US THEN TURN AROUND AND DAMN US? DID HE MAKE A MISTAKE AND MISS SOMETHING? NO WAY. THAT’S ONE OF THE COMFORTING THINGS ABOUT ELECTION.

** GOD’S CHOSEN ONES ARE JUSTIFIED. COMMENTATOR MARCUS LOANE SAID, “THOSE WHO STAND AT THE BAR (THE BAR OF GOD) ARE NOT OUTLAWS BUT GOD’S ELECT.” END QUOTE

5. SO THE ANSWER TO QUESTION NO. 4 IS, NO ONE CAN GO INTO GOD’S COURT AND ACCUSE HIS ELECT SUCCESSFULLY. WE’VE BEEN JUSTIFIED, PRAISE GOD!!

- WHICH LEADS US TO OUR 5TH AND LAST REASSURING QUESTION FOR TODAY, LOOK AT V. 34 PLEASE.

V. QUESTION NO. 5, (READ V. 34)

A. NOW THE QUESTION IS “WHO WILL CONDEMN US? WHO WILL PASS A SENTENCE OF JUDGMENT AND CONDEMNATION ON THE BELIEVER? NO ONE.

* THE REASON BEING IN SCRIPTURE WE SEE THAT JESUS IS GOD’S APPOINTED JUDGE. AND ONLY THE ETERNAL JUDGE OF THE UNIVERSE CAN CONDEMN A PERSON, CARRY OUT THE SENTENCE OF ETERNAL CONDEMNATION.

** AND JESUS THE JUDGE WILL NOT CONDEMN THOSE WHO ARE IN HIM, HIS ELECT. FOR WHAT DOES ROMANS 8:1 SAY? (READ IT). ALSO READ JOHN 3:16-18.

*** AND BELOVED, JESUS THE JUDGE IS NOT GOING TO CONDEMN HIS OWN, HE DIED FOR US. AND WHEN HE DIED, HE PAID FOR THE PENALTY OF OUR SIN AND PURCHASED OUR SALVATION.

1. AND IF HE ALREADY BORE JUDGMENT FOR US, THEN THERE IS NOTHING TO CONDEMN US FOR. IN FACT, IF JESUS CONDEMNED A BELIEVER TO HELL, HE WOULD BE SAYING THAT WHAT HE DID ON THE CROSS WAS NOT SUFFICIENT, INADEQUATE, AND THAT COULD NEVER HAPPEN.

* YET PAUL CONTINUES THE ARGUMENT BY POINTING OUT NOT ONLY DID JESUS DIE FOR US, HE ROSE AGAIN, IS SEATED AT THE RIGHT HAND AND INTERCEDES FOR US.

** AND WHAT A CASE PAUL HAS BUILT. PAUL SAYS YES, RATHER LIT. WHAT IS MORE, AND BUILDING HIS CASE CHRIST ROSE FROM THE DEAD.

*** AND CHRISTIAN, CHRIST’S DEATH PAID THE PRICE FOR OUR SINS AND HIS RESURRECTION PROVED THAT THE PRICE WAS PAID, ROMANS 4:25 SAYS: (READ IT).

2. AND WHEN JESUS ROSE FROM THE DEAD HE SHOWED THAT SUFFICIENT PAYMENT, ATONEMENT, WAS MADE BY HIS DEATH. SO HIS WORK ON THE CROSS WAS THE ULTIMATE SACRIFICE AND PROVES TO BE COMPLETE BY HIS RESURRECTION.

* AND THAT’S WHY HE IS AT THE RIGHT HAND OF THE FATHER, AND ACCORDING TO HEBREWS 1:3 IT SAYS: “WHEN HE MADE PURIFICATION OF SINS, HE SAT DOWN AT THE RIGHT HAND OF THE MAJESTY ON HIGH.”

** AND THAT IS THE SEAT OF EXALTATION AND HONOR AND HE IS SEATED BECAUSE HIS SACRIFICE IS COMPLETE, IT IS FINISHED!!

3. AND THE HIGH PRIESTS OF ISRAEL NEVER SAT DOWN, BECAUSE THEIR WORK WAS NEVER DONE. IN FACT THERE WAS NOT A SEAT TO SIT ON IN THE TABERNACLE AND TEMPLE WHERE SACRIFICES WERE MADE BECAUSE THE PRIEST’S WORK WAS NEVER DONE. HEBREWS 10:10, 12-14 (READ THEM).

* AND BELOVED, OUR HIGH PRIEST SAT DOWN FOR HIS SACRIFICE IS COMPLETE.

** BUT GET ONE LAST THING, AT THE RIGHT HAND OF THE FATHER SEATED, JESUS INTERCEDES FOR US!! AND THAT MEANS ALTHOUGH CHRIST’S WORK OF FORGIVENESS AND ATONEMENT IS FINISHED, HIS CONTINUING MINISTRY OF INTERCESSION FOR THOSE SAVED THROUGH HIS SACRIFICE WILL CONTINUE WITHOUT INTERRUPTION UNTIL EVERY REDEEMED SOUL IS SAFE IN HEAVEN.

4. FOR HEBREWS 7:25 SAYS (READ IT) AND I JOHN 2:1 SAYS: (READ IT).

* AND FOLKS, JESUS IS OUR ATTORNEY, HE IS OUR ADVOCATE. AND SATAN IS OUR ACCUSER AND THE LORD JESUS DEFENDS US AND ALWAYS WILL.

** HE INTERCEDES FOR US TO THE FATHER, WHO ALWAYS REPONDS. AND LIKE THE HOLY SPIRIT, OUR INTERCESSOR ON EARTH, THE LORD JESUS IS OUR INTERCESSOR IN HEAVEN.

*** AND WE ARE SECURE BY HIS HIGH-PRIESTLY WORK FOR US EVERY TIME WE SIN. SO THE ANSWER TO QUESTION NO. 5 IS WHO WILL CONDEMN US? THE ANSWER IS NO ONE, CHRIST DIED, WAS RAISED, IS AT THE RIGHT HAND OF THE FATHER, INTERCEDING FOR US. AND ON TOP OF THAT HE IS JUDGE AND JURY.

AND AS I WRAP UP THINGS TODAY (1) PRAISE, THANKSGIVING, WORSHIP AND PEACE FLOW FROM MY HEART AS I THINK OF THESE GREAT TRUTHS.

* WHAT SHALL I SAY TO THESE THINGS? HALLELUJAH, GLORY TO GOD, PRAISE THE LORD.

** AND IF YOU ARE IN CHRIST TODAY AND EVER DOUBT GOD’S LOVE, GO TO THIS PASSAGE. FOR GOD’S LOVE FOR US IS EXPRESSED IN AN ETERNAL WAY.

(2) AND SOMETIMES WHEN THINGS ARE GOING WRONG AND IT APPEARS THAT THINGS ARE CRUMBLING, GO TO THE ROCK. REMEMBER SINCE GOD IS FOR US, WHO CAN BE AGAINST US.

* AND WHAT A TREMENDOUS TEXT TO MOTIVATE US TO LIVE WHOLLY AND TOTALLY FOR CHRIST. WE SERVE CHRIST OUT OF LOVE NOT LAW. THE LOVE OF CHRIST THAT SAVES US, KEEPS US, AND ONE DAY WILL TAKE US HOME COMPELS US TO KEEP ON KEEPING ON.

** AND I ASK A QUESTION I ASKED AT THE OUTSET TODAY. CAN ANY PERSON OR CAN ANY CIRCUMSTANCE CAUSE A TRUE BELIEVER TO LOSE HIS SALVATION? THE ANSWER IS AN EMPHATIC NO, NOTHING!

*** AND IF WE UNDERSTAND WHAT CHRIST DID ON THE CROSS TO SAVE US FROM SIN, WE UNDERSTAND WHAT IT MEANS TO BE SECURE IN HIS SALVATION.

(3) AND IF WE BELIEVE THAT GOD LOVED US SO MUCH WHEN WE WERE WRETCHED AND UNGODLY THAT HE SENT HIS SON TO DIE ON THE CROSS TO BRING US TO HIMSELF, HOW COULD WE BELIEVE, THAT AFTER WE ARE SAVED, HIS LOVE IS NOT STRONG ENOUGH TO KEEP US SAVED?

* IF CHRIST HAD POWER TO REDEEM US OUT OF BONDAGE TO SIN, HOW COULD HE LACK POWER TO KEEP US REDEEMED? THAT IS ABSURD. PERISH THE THOUGHT!

** AND THROUGH OUR REMAINING DAYS ON EARTH AND THROUGHOUT ALL ETERNITY, OUR GRACIOUS LORD WILL HOLD US SAFE IN HIS EVERLASTING LOVE BY HIS EVERLASTING POWER. AMEN. II TIMOTHY 4:18.

- LAST OF ALL, ARE YOU IN CHRIST? REMIND THEM THE PURPOSE OF CHRIST’S DEATH HAS BEEN PRESENTED. THE GOSPEL HAS BEEN COMMUNICATED. IT IS OUR SIN THAT SEPARATES. REPENT AND RECEIVE CHRIST.

* NO SECURITY IF THERE’S NO FRUIT. JUST BECAUSE YOU MADE A PROFESSION DOES NOT MEAN THAT YOU ARE SECURE.