Romans 8:33-34 33 Who will bring a charge against God’s elect? God is the
one who justifies; 34 who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who
died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who
also intercedes for us.
Message: Encouragement, no one can really charge anything against when we are in Christ
Time: This book was probably written between 56 and 57 B.C. Paul was in
Greece, probably Corinth when he wrote. It was sent to Gentile
believers, but also believers with a strong Jewish element.
What the Lord is Saying:
Review
Starting in verse 26, Paul seems to be
offering an encouragement to me and other Christians. Through these verses he is
confirming who I am in Christ so that I can rest on these objective
(not subjective) promises.
When I struggle in prayer, as I do often, I can be
reminded that God is there, providing his Spirit to intercede on my
behalf for me. So God is my help in prayer. And even more so I can have
the assurance, in verse 28, that He is working everything out in my life
for good. He is using everything and working it all together for good.
Why
would He do this? Because He chose me, as it says in verse 28, "that I
am called according to his purposes." My life therefore is lived for His
purposes. He knew me before there was me. He has a purpose in my life and
that is to conform me to the image of His son. It is like the Degarmo
& Key song, "Perfect Reflection."
Like a perfect reflection of You
In the heart of me
A perfect reflection of You
Is what I want to be
Make my life a portrait like a work of art
A living revelation of Your Heart
He is growing me and working things
together in my life so that I will reflect Jesus in a perfect way on
this earth and for all time.
When He justified me, He glorified me. So naturally through sanctification, He will make me holy.
I
can't help but think that the audience that he is speaking to, these
Roman Christians, though they are knee-deep in preaching the gospel,
they are also knee-deep in struggles and trials and difficult times
because Paul in these words of Romans 8, now specifically, continues to
re-affirm that God is on their side. The Spirit is with them. They are
chosen. God is for them. Paul speaks to them in many different ways,
repeatedly reminding them that God is there, He cares.
No charge against us
Though
it feels at times people or events are leveling blows at me, I can rest
assure that there is no lasting charge (verse 33) that can be made against me
because I am God's elect. This should produce in me all kinds of
comfort.
In life, I am so well trained in responding to difficult
situations or attacks or charges in an unwholesome manner. I am so
quick to react rather than to respond. I want could be slow to anger
or slow to react.
Only God condemns
In verse 34, it is God who justifies or
it is God who is the one that makes people right and acceptable and
true and worthy to receive honor and blessing.then also he is the one
who condemns, so please be reminded and hear this, Christian, no one can
bring a charge against you.
A God who intercedes for us
It
seems that in these last few verses of Romans 8,we have a Father
that intercedes for us, Jesus who intercedes for us, the Spirit
intercedes for us. We have God in three persons interceding for us. God
is once again on our side. We don't need to fret with the struggles that
we are experiencing.
Promise For those in Christ, the verdict of righteousness is already occurred and nothing can hurt us.
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