GOD'S RIGHTEOUSNESS FOR MAN FROM START TO FINISH

Part IV: God's Righteousness Granted In Sanctification, Romans 6:1-8:39

I. The Unalterable Salvation Security Of Believers In Christ

(Romans 8:31-39)

 

I.                 Introduction

A.    After describing the justification and sanctification of those who trust in Christ for salvation, Paul knew that one might wonder if he could somehow lose his salvation, if God might decide to withdraw His salvation!

B.     Romans 8:31-39 describes the believer's salvation security as being unalterable, and we view it for our insight:

II.              The Unalterable Salvation Security Of Believers In Christ, Romans 8:31-39.

A.    In Romans 1:16-8:30, Paul had described the great truths regarding the believer's justification by faith through God's grace based upon Christ's atonement, and of the sanctification of the believer in all its major aspects.

B.     The Apostle Paul then asked the question, "What shall we then say to these things?" (v. 31a KJV), and he proceeded to explain that the believer's salvation security is unalterable in Romans 8:31-39 (as follows):

1.      Paul asked if God is for us as to our salvation, who can be against us in Romans 8:31b.

2.      He then proceeded to explain how God is for the justified believer in such a way that no one can possibly, successfully be against him to cause him to have his salvation security destructively lost, Romans 8:32-39:

                             a.         First, God the Father Who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up on the cross for all of us believers of necessity must logically therefore give us all things, including lasting salvation, Romans 8:32.

                            b.         Second, no one can effectively lay anything to the charge of the elect who are justified, for it is God Who justifies, and since God is omnipotent and infinitely righteous, His justification cannot be undone by any created entity, be it Satan, the demons, other people or even the believer himself, Romans 8:33.

                             c.         Third, no one can effectively condemn the justified believer, for Christ who died and rose again for him and is at the Father's right hand always intercedes for the believer; Romans 8:34 with Hebrews 7:25.

                            d.         Fourth, no one can separate the believer from the love of Christ so as to make Him cease interceding for the believer, a fact that is developed in Romans 8:35-39 ESV as follows: (1) Paul claimed that negative trials of life, including (i) tribulation, (ii) distress, (iii) persecution, (iv) famine,  (v) nakedness, (vi) danger or (vii) sword cannot separate the believer from the love of Christ (Romans 8:35), for Psalm 44:22 claimed that for God's sake, His people were being killed all day long, counted as mere sheep for the slaughter by their enemies, that God's people in this life "must face must affliction (cf. John 16:33) including even martyrdom for some" though not losing their identity as God's people by such trials, Bible Know. Com., N. T., p. 475.  Indeed, in such negative experiences of this life, believers "keep on being conquerors to a greater degree," the meaning of the Greek verb, hupernikomen, Ibid.; Romans 8:36-37.  Christ as the believer's intercessor makes him more than a conqueror through such trials of life, Romans 8:37.  (2) Paul added that neither (i) death nor (ii) life, nor (iii) angels nor (iv) earthly rulers, nor (v) things present nor (vi) things to come, nor (vii) powers, nor (viii) height nor (ix) depth, nor (x) anything else in all creation will be able to separate the believer from the love of God in Christ Jesus his Lord, Romans 8:38-39.

 

Lesson: The believer's salvation security in Christ is unalterable by any created entity, and it will NOT be altered by God or Christ, either: (1) God Who gave His own Son on the cross for the believer will then give him all things, including eternal salvation security. (2) No created being, including the believer himself, can effectively charge the believer with sin so as to undo his justification status, for God Who is omnipotent and perfectly righteous is the One Who justified him.  (3) No one can effectively condemn the believer, for Christ Who died and rose again for him sits at the Father's right hand constantly to intercede for the believer.  (4) Nothing can separate the believer from Christ's love so as to make Him cease interceding for the believer, be it any or all negative trials of this life through which Christ only causes the believer to be more than a conqueror, or be it earthly beings, angelic spirits, things present, things to come, powers, height, depth nor any other entity in all creation.

 

Application: (1) May we REST and REJOICE in the UNCONDITIONAL SALVATION SECURITY we believers possess in Christ.  (2) May we realize that absolutely nothing or no one in all creation, including we ourselves, can in any way destroy our salvation.  (3) May we realize that God the Father and God the Son will never undo our justified status, nor can anything make them change their minds on having us retain our justified status based on what it has already taken them to get us justified!  (3) If any party seeks to get us to doubt our salvation, may we rest the testimony of Romans 8:31-39 regarding God's unconditionally everlasting commitment to our salvation!