GOD’S PRESERVATION OF THE SAINTS

Part 17

Rom. 8:31-39

Morning Meditation 1/22/17

Verse 31-39 says, “What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? 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 any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. 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. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

As we continue our study of this passage Paul asks, “Who is he that condemneth?” Questions are a way to provoke us to thought. I have met those and have read writings of those who seemed to think that they would be allowed at the judgment to bring charges against those who were not living according to THEIR concept of what a Christian should. They lead people through intimidation and threats which is totally foreign to the Spirit and teachings of Christ. The word “condemneth” translates “katakrino” and means, “to give judgment against, to judge worthy of punishment.” This word is a compound word and is made up of two words, “kata” meaning, “against” and “krino” meaning, “to judge in a judicial sense.” So it means to bring condemning judgment against a person that will stand up in court. This verb is a present active participle. This is referring to present condemnation. He has just told us at the beginning of this chapter that “There is therefore NOW no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus . . .” (Caps mine for emphasis).. There are enemies of grace and have always been. Christianity is so completely opposite from the man made religions of the world that people just cannot rationalize the concept of grace. Eternal security, or, the divine preservation of the saints, is rooted in the doctrine of grace. Apart from grace there could be no security. Because we would have to wait until the judgment so our good could be weighed against our bad to see how we came out. It is because the natural mind “receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God” that the unsaved world cannot fathom grace and therefore become self appointed judges of those who enjoy their freedom in Christ. And some Christian’s who began right but have gone wrong in their theology have done the same thing (Gal. 3:1-5). They try to bring other Christians in line by warning them about deserved impending judgment because of their violation of the Word of God as they perceive it to be.

Paul asks, “Who is he that condemneth?” It is obvious in Paul’s mind (and The Holy Spirit’s because this passage is verbally inspired by Him), there is no one of all those who will ever read this epistle who can raise their hand and say, “I can.” Then Paul gives the reason that no one can condemn in the words, “ .. . . 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.”

There ground of our freedom is the substitutionary death of Jesus on the cross.. “It is Christ that died,” says Paul. Christ the Anointed One, the true Messiah, sent forth from the bosom of the Father for the very purpose of paying the penalty of sin that we could not pay is the One spoken of here. He it is one that sets us free from the condemnation of the law. There is no question of our guilt. There is no question of our responsibility.. There is no question of the ultimate destiny of an unsaved man. Jesus said, “ . . . except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish” (Luke 13:3). Jesus came and stepped between us and the final judgement. When Barabas a man guilty of a crime that deserved capital punishment was set free and Jesus died on his cross, we have a perfect picture of the substitutionary atonement. Jesus died in the sinners (Mine and yours) place. Someone has already paid for the believer’s sins. Who can therefore condemn? How can one condemn another when the sin with which he is charging him has already been paid for? This is Paul’s line of reasoning.

Let me go a step further. How can one condemn another in the present? Remember the form of the verb is present tense. Much prayer is nothing but one Christian accusing another Christian to God. I have done it and the Holy Spirit grieved within me and let me know this prayer was not right. It is difficult if not impossible for us to live around people whom we are criticizing to the Lord in prayer without them picking up the judgment vibes that emanate from us. It is not our job to judge. God has relieved us of that responsibility. That does not mean that that other believer is always doing right. He may be failing God as badly as you think he is. It is our job to restore him and we can’t do that if we have a spirit of judgment. Jesus died as a substitute for the believer. There is nothing wrong you will ever do that has not already been paid for at the cross.

Then Paul says, “ . . . yea rather, that is risen again . . .” The gospel is not just the death of Jesus. Our sins would be paid for by His death but there would be no life if He were not raised to life. The eternal life that we receive as a result of His atoning death is based on our association with Him in His resurrection (Rom. 6:5; Rom. 5:10). The gospel is not only how Christ died but also that He was raised again. This is pictured in water baptism. The burial in water pictures His death and burial and the raising out of that watery grave pictures His resurrection and our new life in Him (Rom. 6:4). The resurrection of Christ justifies our faith (Rom. 4;25). It is proof that what Jesus did for us at the cross was accepted of God in our behalf.

Then Paul says, “ . . . who is even at the right hand of God . . .” The verb is is a present indicative verb. That means that He continues to be at the right hand of God. This is the place of His exaltation. Philippians 2:9-11 says, “Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” He is not paying for sin today. That is forever finished. He is there having already paid for sin and is now in His exaltation waiting until His foes are put under His feet (1 Cor. 15:25). Praise the Lord He is risen!

Paul then says, “ . . . who also maketh intercession for us.” The word “maketh intercession” translates one word, “entugchano” and is a compound word made up of “en” which is a preposition denoting a fixed position” and “tugchano” and means, “to hit the mark for another person.” It is a present active indicative verb. This means that the Lord’s present ministry is one of intercession for His people and that he continually does this. He will never go to sleep or take a brake. He is continually hitting the mark of our need on our behalf. We can pray for ourselves and we should. But we miss the mark so many times. Our prayers would never avail for us. They are mixed with leaven. His are pure and authoritative based on His finished work of the cross.

What is the present value of His intercession? This is crucial. Hebrews 7:25 gives the answer: “Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.” What does the word “able” mean? It speaks of His inherent power. Who is said to have this inherent power? It is “HE” and He is Jesus. What is He said to be able to do? He is said to be able to save. Salvation depends on His ability, not ours. Now I didn’t says that. This verse is saying that. I would have to believe that no matter what denomination I belonged to because I believe the Bible. Amen. Next, who is the “them” in this verse? It is obviously referring to the ones He has saved, i.e., those “that come to God by Him.” Are you saved? Then you are included in the “them.” Next, what does “to the uttermost” mean? "To the uttermost" is lit. "into the completely." The word "uttermost" (panteles) means "completely, perfectly, utterly." Our High Priest is able to save completely. The contrast here is between what the law could not do in verse 19, what the O.T. priest could not do because of his death in verse 23 and what Christ is able to do because of His eternal life and unchangeable Priesthood. Therefore this statement is one of security. Glory to God I feel a spell coming on. Someone hold my mules! Our salvation and security is based on His continual intercession and is stated in the words, “seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.”

Our security in Christ is based on His finished work on the cross. He lives and intercedes in our behalf continually. He accepts no charge brought against us. It is not that we are not guilty. It is because the sins with which Satan an others bring against us, He will not accept. We have diplomatic immunity from a charge that would lead to condemnation. Our sins have already been paid for. This does not relieve us from the responsibility of living holy lives. But right now our verse is speaking of the security of our relationship to Him.

May the Lord bless these words to our hearts.

In Christ

Bro. White