Lesson for December 15, 2024
The Law of the Spirit of Life
Lesson 6
Romans 8:31- 35
Verse 31
“What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us?”
Once again, the Apostle Paul used a Greek idiom to set up a debater’s technique. The rhetorical question is a debater’s way of making a direct assertion without appearing to do so. Paul used a rhetorical debater’s technique in order to force a correct conclusion. It is a reference to Romans 8:28-30 specifically. And the principle is that the plan of God is greater than any problem of adversity, including opposition. The plan of God is greater than its opponents.
If God is for us, who is against us? The question is a first-class condition as a conclusion from the previous paragraph (if and He is for us). The first-class condition recognizes that every believer is in the plan of God and therefore God has made provision for every believer, including any disaster or any difficulty. The plan of God is greater than any opposition a believer will ever face from Satan’s world system. No one has more power and ability than God.
Verse 32
“He Who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things?”
God sent His only Son into this world for the purpose of providing salvation to the human race. The virgin birth of Christ, that we celebrate on December 25 each year, fulfilled an unconditional promise from God to David that he would have a son who would reign forever. (II Samuel 7, Psalms 89, II Chronicles 21) The lineage of Mary can be traced to David. (Luke 3:23-38) The lineage of Joseph, Christ’s legal guardian, can be traced to David as well. (Matthew 1:1-17) Christ, therefore, has both a birthright and a legal right to the throne of David (a throne that will be set up during the Millennium upon which Christ will sit and rule the world for a thousand years).
Verse 32 is an “a fortiori” principle from God, which states that if God did the greater by not sparing His only Son, it follows that He will not hold anything back from advancing believers who have developed the capacity for divine blessings. The all things in this verse can refer to many things in the life of a believer, but it certainly includes the 40 spiritual assets we received at salvation.
Verse 33
“Who will bring a charge against God’s elect? God is the One Who justifies.”
The first one to bring a charge against believers is Satan. (Job 1:6-11; Zechariah 3:1-2; Revelation 12:9,10) The second source of bringing charges against believers is other people. (Matthew 7:1-2; Romans 14:4,10)
Only God has the ability to either bless or condemn from His perfect justice. There is no place for believers to judge or to bring accusations against anyone. This is the work of the justice of God. All judgment has been given to Christ and He is the only One Who has all the facts.
Verse 34
“Who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He Who died, but rather was raised, Who is at the right hand of God, Who also intercedes for us.”
Condemnation by another believer or making the statement that a person could not be a Christian and do certain sinful things is a false assumption. Since Christians possess a sin nature, there is no sin a Christian isn’t capable of committing.
The plan of God is greater than the legalistic opinion of some unbeliever, or some carnal or reversionistic believer. Our salvation does not depend upon human opinions, human observations, or human judgments from any legalist, any spiritual bully, any gossiper, or any maligner. Our salvation depends solely upon the grace of God and our faith in Christ.
Christ Jesus is He Who died. A lot of believers take it upon themselves to judge and condemn others and what they are allegedly or actually doing. Since Christ Jesus was the One judged for our sins, no one else has the right to judge us. Personal sin does not condemn us. Adam’s original sin is what condemns us. Therefore, personal sin is not the issue in salvation because Christ paid the penalty for our sins on the Cross. Therefore, when you make an issue out of someone else’s personal sins you are in a state of blasphemy, as well as being sinful by gossiping, maligning, and/or judging.
To imply or to say that a believer can lose their salvation because of some personal sin is the quintessence of legalism, ignorance, and arrogance. It is arrogance because it is setting oneself up as the judge, ignorance because the Bible does not teach this falsehood, and legalism because it is depending upon works for gaining salvation and keeping it. Furthermore, the grace of God is greater than the worst sin ever committed by a believer. The sins of believers are subject to divine punishment and discipline but do not include loss of salvation.
But rather was raised, Who is at the right hand of God, Who also intercedes for us. Christ was raised from the dead by God the Father and God the Holy Spirit according to Colossians 2:12; 1 Thessalonians 1:10; 1 Peter 1:21; Acts 2:24; Romans 1:4; 8:11 and 1 Peter 3:18. The fact that Christ has been resurrected also indicates that He will be the judge of believers at the Judgment Seat of Christ. (John 5:22-23; Romans 2:1-3; James 4:11-12)
Jesus Christ is our Great High Priest and He is also our Mediator. Therefore, what right does anyone have to judge us? The intercessory principle in this verse is the function of a lawyer who approaches the judge’s bench on behalf of His clients and petitions the court on behalf of His clients. Jesus Christ approaches the throne of God as our defense attorney. Satan accuses us and Jesus Christ defends us.
Verse 35
“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation or trouble, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?”
Separation from Jesus Christ and His love for us is impossible. Once we believe in Christ, we have God’s righteousness and eternal life, and we are secure forever in the mighty hand of God. (John 10:27-29)
Tribulation is the Greek word “thlipsis,” which means pressure or affliction. This was used for pressure due to the circumstances of life. Pressure from outside sources is inevitable. This does not mean that God does not love us. It means that we have an opportunity to utilize the Problem-Solving Devices to handle the situation.
Trouble is the Greek word “stenoxwria,” which is a reference to anguish or mental pressure. It means narrowness of place. It came to be used for a condition of being under extreme mental pressure. “Squeezed mentally” is the concept here.
Persecution is the Greek word “diogmos,” meaning to pursue or to drive away. It means that someone or some organization is pursuing you for the purpose of causing you harm.
Famine is the Greek word “limos,” which means being hungry. Once again, most of us will never experience this, but it can be a form of suffering and is in many parts of our world.
Nakedness is the Greek word “gumnotes,” which means to be deprived of sufficient clothing.
Danger is the Greek word “kindunos,” which means physical danger. This could mean a person is in jeopardy of losing their life.
Sword is the Greek word “machaira,” referring to military suffering, war related suffering or crimes of violence.
Nothing can separate us from our relationship with God!!!!