rom 08v31 If God
Be For Us Who Can Be Against Us
"IF
GOD BE FOR US, WHO CAN BE AGAINST US?"
Rom. 8:31
Child of God, let no
spiritual enemy, earthly foe, or worldly care and trouble disturb your peace.
GOD IS FOR US IN HIS SAVING PURPOSE. In old
eternity God made a covenant of grace with his Son, our Surety, ordered in all
things and sure, by which he secured the everlasting salvation of his people.
So sure and certain is the salvation of every believer that it is spoken of as
a thing completely accomplished in the mind of God. "For whom he did
foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son,
that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. 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" (Rom. 8:29-30).
GOD IS FOR US IN HIS
SUBSTITUTIONARY PROVISION. "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? Who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect? It is God that
justifieth" (Rom. 8:32-33). Our
heavenly Father gave his own dear Son to die for us, to redeem us from the
curse and penalty of the law. Surely, we must know that if he gave his Son to
redeem us, he will give us every bounty of his grace and keep us from all real
harm. Since God has justified us by the death of Christ, imputing to us his
perfect righteousness, there is no reason for us to fear anything or anyone.
Satan, our enemies, our own consciences, and the very law of God itself can lay
no charge of evil against us. God declares us to be innocent! "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." (Rom.
8:34). "There is therefore now
no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus" (Rom.
8:1). Christ died as our Substitute, satisfying the offended justice of God for
our sins. He rose again and ascended into heaven as our Representative, in our
name. And now he makes intercession for us as our High Priest. We cannot doubt
the success of his blood's atonement or is prayers to the Father. Our eternal
inheritance is safe. Not one of God's elect shall perish. Until God rejects the
blood of his Son and throws our Substitute out of heaven, every believer is
safe. Once we see the certainty of God's purpose, the merits of his blood, and
the efficacy of his intercession, our hearts are compelled to be at peace in
this world.
Being assured of God's purpose
of grace and of Christ's substitutionary work, we are confident that GOD IS
FOR US IN HIS SOVEREIGN PROVIDENCE.
By the instruction of the Words the witness of the Spirit, and the confidence
of faith - "We know that all things work together for good to them that
love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose" (Rom. 8:28). "All things" includes all
things. All things spiritual and temporal, all things good and bad, all things
pleasant and painful, all things in time and eternity are ordered by God's
purpose and sovereignly dispensed in his providence for the spiritual and
eternal good of God's elect. No evil shall happen to God's elect. Much that
happens may appear evil at the time. But in God's time it will prove to be
good. This is a promise made to all who love God, being called to life and
faith in Christ by the power of his grace.
GOD IS FOR US IN HIS
SECURING PROMISES – (Rom. 8:35-39).
"Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? I am persuaded that
(nothing and no one) shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which
is in Christ Jesus our Lord." And "in all these things we are more
than conquerors through him that loved us." Let this blessed fact cheer
your heart today – God promises all believers his unfailing love, both for time
and eternity. And he promises that in the end we shall be triumphant.
"What shall we then say to these things?" We can say neither more nor
less than this – "If God be for us, who can be against us?"