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28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who
love him, who have been called according to his purpose.
29 For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the
likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.
30 And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also
justified; those he justified, he also glorified.
31 What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can
be against us?
32 He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will
he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?
33 Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is
God who justifies.
34 Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died—more than that, who
was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for
us.
Romans 8 28-34
This morning I want to look at verses 28 to 34 which are the first part of
the paragraph titled “More than conquerors” in the NIV. This passage
begins with the ever popular reference Romans eight twenty-eight. It sets
out the basis for our confidence in the work of God’s grace.
This evening I hope to look at the remaining verses 35-39 in which the
statement about our confidence in Christ comes to it’s glorious conclusion
– NO SEPARATION.
The AV:
28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love
God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
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gives the force of the text with which we are most familiar. But who is at
work here is of greater importance than the “all things”.
This is not a fatalistic statement about everything working out in the end –
it is a statement about God’s sovereign plan for us and for all of His
people.
For that reason I want you to focus this morning on the repeated word
which appears in the NIV – also – for it draws us along until we appreciate
what a wonderful purpose God has, how full of promise it is; and that it is
guaranteed by the work of Christ in interceding for us.
Too often we contemplate the supreme plan of our Sovereign Lord in terms
of our own comfort and relief. We do not see beyond the present difficulties
and we hardly ever have any real regard for the Great Scheme of Things as
God has described it.
We see Romans eight twenty eight almost like a talisman – some kind of
often repeated refrain to offset the trials and tribulations of our mortality.
So we are deeply troubled if God does not answer our specific prayer –
finding that we have to make excuses for God, seeing as how He has not
given us what we asked for! To say that such a view is mistaken is a gross
travesty. What we have here in these wonderful verses is a statement of
our undeserved involvement in a plan so great and so marvellous that the
angels who stand in His presence would give anything to know what it is.
But we see it “through a glass darkly”. We focus on the material “all
things” and not on the “good” – and we are so blinkered by the influence
of a godless society that we think that the plan is only about the here and
the now.
If your life and mine does not seem to be “working for good” just now are
we to assume that there is a mistake? Are we to search for alternative
hopes and more accessible expectations? No! There is no plan so great
as God’s plan – no process so wonderful in its completeness, no promise so
full of hope, and no ministry like that of our interceding Lord Jesus!
So let us try to catch a glimpse this morning of the wonder of what Paul is
saying. Let us try to stand beside him as he peers expectantly into the
vision framed by these verses. Let us try to capture a better understanding
of what it means to have God on our side! The ALSO's of the passage
draw us inexorably to the Central Figure of our Faith – the One who
intercedes for us.
28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who
love him, who have been called according to his purpose.
It is expanded:-
Foreknew
Predestined
Called
Justified
Glorified
The work of God centres in the Son – the overruling purpose is for us to be
LIKE HIM so that His family will grow.
At last we see what God intends – and the “good” of which verse 28 spoke.
31 What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can
be against us?
32 He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will
he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?
For such a plan is unstoppable and this introduces the second great strand
here:
32 He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—
how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?
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Paul loves to state things in the negative so that the emphasis is clear:
If God didn’t hesitate to put everything on the line for us, embracing our
condition and exposing himself to the worst by sending his own Son, is
there anything else he wouldn’t gladly and freely do for us?
THE MESSAGE
If you place the reality of Christ’s work and God’s amazing grace against
any background whatsoever you are left with the incredible conclusion :
If God did that – then there is nothing He cannot provide for us.
2. It is amazingly costly
32 He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all
If God didn’t hesitate to put everything on the line for us, embracing our condition
and exposing himself to the worst by sending his own Son, is there anything else
he wouldn’t gladly and freely do for us?
3. It is altogether sufficient
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NO half measures
NO limit
33 Who will bring any charge against those whom God has
chosen? It is God who justifies.
34 Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died—more than
that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also
interceding for us.
Paul, having paused at the foot of the cross moves on to place our
confidence in CHRIST HIMSELF
He returns to one of his other favourite words JUSTIFY – to the one used in
v30
And declares the restatement of the opening verse of the chapter in this
verse 33
It is all in JESUS
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Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It
is God who justifies. Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who
died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand
of God and is also interceding for us.
God’s Great Plan is to make us like His Son – to declare us publicly where
all can see the evidence.
Who is the accuser that can stand against us?
What charge can be brought when God has Himself made righteous?
Christ Jesus, who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is
at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.
To be in His LIKENESS
we know that in all things God works for the good of those who
love him, who have been called according to his purpose.