"What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes 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 Your sake we are killed all day long;
We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.”
Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who 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 created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."
Dear Suzanne, Rebecca, Anna and Mikayla....
We will look at verses 8:31-34 in this study. Let's begin with verses 31 and 32. "What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?"
God is for us! That one makes me think of the Veggie Tale song...God is bigger than the bogeyman...He is bigger than Godzilla and the monsters on TV...God, the creator of the universe, who conquered Satan, the ruler of this world, at the cross is FOR US! He who is in me, is greater than he who is in the world. Girls, there are many times during the day when my eyes just fill with tears and I am overwhelmed by His goodness and kindness toward me. If God did not spare His own Son when I was still His enemy, I can be sure that He will not withhold His gift of salvation from me...I can be sure that He will not condemn me...I can be sure that He will give me everything I need to live for Him..after all He gave His life for me when I hated Him. How much more will He freely give to me those things that are for my best as His daughter.
"Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is he who condemns?"
GOD HAS JUSTIFIED US! THERE IS NO ONE WHO CAN CONDEMN US! (Sometimes it helps me to really hear it when I shout it by putting it in caps) We are declared righteous in Christ. It is just as if we never sinned....We are accepted in the Beloved. He died for us...He will not accuse us. I love what Warren Wiersbe says about this: "For Him to accuse us would mean that His salvation was a failure and we are still in our sins." Satan is the accuser. He is the one who condemns us. (Zec 3:1, Rev 12:10) We, however, stand righteous in Christ. The best thing about this, girls is that we are now secure in Him. Our position as justified in Christ never changes...there is nothing we can do or others can accuse us of that can change it. No one, not even us, can snatch us out of His hands. What peace this brings to my heart.
"It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us."
It tells me in Romans 8:26-27 that the Spirit intercedes for us. "Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God." Now we learn in verse 34 that Christ does also. Hebrews 4:14-16 tells us this "Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need." Christ is our Advocate....He is on our side...He is for us...He represents us before the Father...we do not. I hope you are hearing the good news in this.
Are you beginning to see what we have in Christ...what treasure we have in these earthen vessels of ours. We can boldly go into our Father's throne room...you know the One who created all that you see...the One who knows all about us because He has the blueprints...to find help, mercy and grace whenever we need it. Since Christ is for us who can dare to be against us. The Father is for us, girls...He proved it by giving us His Son.
Love
Mom who is looking forward to part 2 and the next 4 verses...
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