Expound: Romans 8:28-9:6 - Part B

Now if God was willing to give his very best in Jesus Christ, if that was the demonstration of what he is willing to give to provide for your needs, that's his very best.

Then follow the rationale. How shall he then not freely give us all things? It can be troubling to know that the world at large is against us and our faith. But today on Connect with Skip Heitzig, Skip shares why you can still be confident and hopeful despite opposition you might be facing. But first, we want to let you know about a special opportunity you have to pursue biblical studies in a way that works with your schedule. Think taking classes in biblical studies can't fit your life? Here's Calvary College student, Cresta. After years of wanting training in ministry, I found Calvary College. Now I can deepen my walk with the Lord and I can go as little or as often as my schedule allows. The classes are great and the schedule definitely works around my work and family life. Learn more about God and the Bible on your schedule with Calvary College.

Apply today at calvarychurchcollege.com. Now we're in Romans chapter 9 as we dive into our study with Skip Heitzig. I don't know if you ever do this, try to figure out what would it be like to know everything. Well if you know everything then you can't learn anything. So God never learns. He's not in the process of learning like finite theism teaches that God is in the process of learning the human race as history goes on. No, God knows everything so he can't learn anything. So if you know everything, do you even need to think?

I won't get deeper than that, I'll stop right there. But because God knows everything, he knows that one day you're going to have a glorified body and to God it's as good as done. So he can write about it in past tense even though it is future to you and I, to God it's as good as done. That's why he can do prophecy so well. He speaks about future events as though they've already happened.

If you read Isaiah chapter 53, Jesus hadn't even been born yet and yet the prophecy is about what Jesus would do but it's written in the past tense. That's how sure God the Father is about the work that his son would do. Now he writes about you being glorified. You go, I don't feel it man, don't worry, you don't need to feel it, you just need to believe it.

If he called you and he did, he'll glorify you, he will. So what we have here is a panorama of God's work from eternity past to eternity future. These are five links in the golden chain of God's sovereign care for us from predestination, election, to calling, to justification, all the way to glorification. In verse 31 Paul says, what shall we say to these things? Well, first of all, what things is he referring to?

Well, let me answer it three ways. Number one, he's speaking about the entire book of Romans, all that he has set up to this point. He has described the gospel but then he went right into the wrath of God for chapter after chapter.

After the wrath of God, the wrath of God is eclipsed by the grace of God. So maybe he is just sort of following Romans and he stops midpoint here and he says, what shall we say to what I've written so far in the book of Romans? Maybe that's what he means by these things. Or perhaps he's just speaking about the truths that we find in the eighth chapter.

There's no condemnation in Christ, we're placed as adult children into his family, adopted, we cry Abba, Father. There's the work of the Spirit in our lives that guarantees that even though we suffer, we're going to be in heaven with him and enjoy his glory. Maybe he means those things. Or maybe he's just referring to what he just wrote about imminently, just in the paragraph. All things work together, he's predestined us, etc. So it means one of those three things.

Take your pick. But answer the question, what shall we say to these things? Here's something I can say, hallelujah! That's what I say. Awesome!

That's great! What shall we say to these things? This is what Paul says, but he answers it with a question, if God is for us, who can be against us? Now there are many against us. We live in a society right now, and the society is changing rapidly against the Christian.

I recommend a book to you I started reading on my iPad called Dark Agenda by David Horowitz. Subtitled America's War Against Christians Against Christianity. What's interesting about the book is it's not written by a Christian. It's written by a Jewish man who is an avowed agnostic. And he himself was very liberal in his thinking.

His parents were in the Communist Party. He started many liberal liberal causes, but he started noticing the agenda on American soil, especially against Christianity. So from an unbiased outsider's look, an agnostic Jewish author's look, he writes about the dark agenda. There's a lot of people against us, and that is concerning, but it shouldn't shake you from your faith. So when he says, if God be for us, who can be against us? You see, if God is for you, it doesn't matter who's against you, if God is for you. And I'm here to tell you, God is for you. And if God is for you, who cares who's against you? Well, there's a lot of people against me, so I'm here in Jesus' name. You know what I mean?

Just kind of like, oh, in your face, be there. Be who you are. Be salt.

Be light. Yes, there are those who are against you, but listen, Gideon knew God was for him. And that's what enabled Gideon to take 300 men and fight against 135,000 Midianites and win. How could David face Goliath only because he knew God was with him? How could Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego kind of thumb their nose at Nebuchadnezzar and say, we're not going to bow to your stupid image.

Throw us in the fire. Are God's able to deliver us? And even if he doesn't, so. The only way you could think that way is if there's God. The only way you could think that way is if God is for you and you know it. 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 freely give us all things?

Now follow his rationale. All things work together for good. You're part of God's plan from eternity past.

It happened in real time in the present. It's going to go all the way into eternity future. What shall we say to these things? Awesome.

Far out. Praise God. Hallelujah. If God is for us, who cares who's against us?

And then here's his rationale. He who did not spare his own son, but delivered him up for us all. How shall he not with him freely give us all things?

Okay, now hold that thought. What do you need tonight? What things do you really need? Do you need a job? Do you need hope? Do you need God's peace? Do you need direction?

You've been praying about direction? I just need rent. I just need to pay my rent for this month.

I'm subsisting day-to-day, week-to-week, month-to-month. Now God knows that you need that. Now if God was willing to give his very best in Jesus Christ, if that was the demonstration of what he is willing to give to provide for your needs, that's his very best. Then follow the rationale. How shall he then not freely give us all things?

I mean, what do you really have to worry about with that kind of care? If God's for us, who can be against us? If God didn't spare his son, don't you know he'll also give you whatever else you need? It's pure logic.

It's logical and theological all at the same time. If you were to walk into a jewelry store and you're looking around at diamonds for your fiancée, what if the owner of the jewelry store just had a big heart, an unlimited budget, and said, you know, I just have something in my heart for you as a young couple. I see how you dote over her and how she dotes over you, and I know you're trying to get the best you can for the money that you have, but you know what? Let me show you this diamond.

It's a few carrots. It's quite expensive. You would never ever be able to pay for it in your lifetime. I own it. I'm going to give it to you for nothing, for free. I'm giving you the very biggest, best diamond in my store. It's yours. I'm giving it to you. Now, if he was willing to give you that diamond, would you him and haw and feel really guilty to say, well, do you think I might have a little piece of brown paper to wrap it up in?

He would look at you like, what are you, are you, it's an insult. I was willing to give you the best. You don't think, I'm going to give you a velvet case with it, not just a little piece of brown paper.

You get the analogy. If he's willing to give you that, anything short of that, I'm sure he'll toss in. You know, it's like when you buy a car. You buy a car and they'll say, look, you buy the car, we're going to throw in the rubber mats for free. We'll even tint the windshield. We'll give you your first tune-up for nothing. There's things they throw in because if you're willing to pay the price for the car, there's certain things that come with it. If God was willing to pay the price for your salvation in sending his son, the very best heaven could afford, then God will give you everything else that you need.

So that's why when you pray, you go, oh God, I'm going to ask you for something. It's really big. It's a really big request. Big. He gave you Jesus.

Everything's small compared to that. Oh, but I don't know if you can heal me. I don't really want to, I know we're going to I don't know if you can heal me. I don't want to, I'm not worthy.

I can't. Just ask him. Ask him.

You have not because you ask not. Won't he freely give us all things? Who shall bring a charge?

He continues his question and answering. 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. Now he says, who can bring a charge against God's elect? Well, I can think of a few. I've been accused of a number of things over the years. I've even kept, believe it or not, a file of certain letters and accusations that I've received. Every now and then I'll pull them out. It's not, you know, so it's sort of like that's depressing and punishing.

No, actually I go, God thank you for delivering me there and thank you Lord for delivering me there. But I have been misunderstood and misquoted and improperly judged on a number of issues by a number of people over a number of years. After a while it just gets to be expected.

And honestly after a while I just don't care. So he asked the question, who shall bring a charge against God's elect? Well, I have a file Lord I could show you if you're asking the question. But that's not the intent of the question. The question is actually written in a legal format. Who can sustain charges against God's elect? If you go to court and you file charges, who can bring charges that will be sustained before God? Well, since God freely gave his only son to cover my sins and to pay for my sins and to wash my sins away, again it really doesn't matter who's bringing the accusation. It could be the devil himself and believe me he has plenty of ammunition to use. So there's the devil, there's demons, there's people who don't care to understand the whole truth and will make an accusation.

But so what? It is God who justifies. God has made a declaration concerning me. So because God has made a declaration concerning me that I'm righteous in the sight, it doesn't matter who brings an accusation against me. Because God has made a declaration. God justifies. Who is he who condemns?

It is Christ who died, furthermore has also risen. Who is even at the right hand of God who also makes intercession for us. I want you to think about that just for a moment. Have you ever been encouraged when somebody has walked up to you and said, I've been praying for you lately, or the Lord laid you on my heart this morning in my quiet time I lifted you up in prayer. Does that make you feel good? Does that encourage you? I get awfully encouraged when somebody says that. Imagine Jesus saying, I've been thinking about you lately and I've been talking to the Father about you.

How does that make you feel? Well, honestly better than anybody else saying they've been praying for me. Jesus Christ died, has risen from the dead, ascended to heaven, knows my every need, is willing to meet my every need, and talks to the Father on my behalf. He intercedes for me.

He prays for me. I can't tell you what a, well you, it's a monumental truth. He makes intercession.

So here's the summary paragraph. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? And he lists several experiences that could make a person feel separated from the love of God.

Several, seven to be exact, painful experiences. Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword. Well certainly if these things happen, somebody pulls out a sword to kill me, or I'm in deep distress because he mentions distress here, or I get persecuted, or I don't have enough food to eat, famine, or no clothes to wear, or peril.

Any of those experiences in life will cause you to pause and question. God, do you really love me? Because if you love me, wouldn't you take better care of me?

Now God just said he didn't spare a son. He's going to give you everything else you need. So with that in mind, what can separate us from his love? Well, yeah, but you know, why would he allow me to experience hunger? Why would he allow me to experience distress? Or why would he, again, all things that can be done, all things that allow me to experience distress? Or why would he, again, all things work together for good.

See, we're all always thinking about our comfort, our need, our well-being right now, but God's got something in the future. And think of an artist, an artist that has a canvas, who's painting a picture, has something in his mind, the finished product in mind. If you're an onlooker, you're not the artist, you don't know what he has planned.

Even though he tells you in advance, you know, he starts laying stuff out on the canvas, you know, putting outlines, penciling, and then, or she, and then adds color and forms. At first, it just looks like a blob or several blobs converging. And if you, if the artist was painting a portrait of you, and you went and looked at it right in the middle of the portrait, you would probably say, thanks a lot. This is what you think of me. I'm a blob. I'm a convergence of several colored blobs. And the artist would be a little crestfallen at your reaction because the artist knows what it's going to be in the end.

Just get out of here. Go back there and get in the light again and let me finish up here because it's going to be beautiful. So God is working on your life. He is sketching out what's perfect. And He knows the end from the beginning. That's part of omniscience. And He's working it all out together.

And, but this blob and that blob, yeah, but the synergism is going to work out. And He knows what it's going to be like in the end. So what will separate us from the love of God?

All of these things might hurt temporarily, but they are working eventually for something much better. As it is written, and it's quoting Psalm 44, one of the sons of Korah's psalms, 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. I love the faith-filled words of the Apostle Paul. Paul the Apostle, writing from experience, he's gone through nakedness, famine, distress, peril, sword. Went through it a lot. That was his normal experience, kind of Paul's daily life.

Ask the question, what will separate us? And then, in all these things, we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. Let me explain that. The word more than conquerors, we have to have three words in English to translate a single word in Greek. The Greek word is hupernikomen or hupernikau. That's the one word.

One is the actual form, the other is the lexical form. Forget that. So one word, hupernikau, hyper-conquerors. So hupern, hyper, or super, or more than, and then nikau. So some of you are Nike shoes.

It's from the Greek god Nike. That's the Greek word conquer. So hupernikau, hyper, super conquerors.

That's what Paul says. We aren't just conquerors. We're more than conquerors. We're hyper-conquerors.

We're super conquerors. So that's what it means. But what does it really mean now?

Translated, what's the idea of this? Well, you can have an automobile, for an example. You have four cylinders in that car. Not a lot of power. It's a small engine, small four cylinders. It'll get you around town. It'll get you up to speed on the freeway. It'll give you great gas mileage. But there's not a lot of power to spare in that thing. So you can't really tow much with it. If you try to tow anything and you go up a hill, like Lavahata Hill, good luck, you'll take it down from 65 down to about 35, floored.

But if your car has a fuel-injected, turbo-charged V8, you have power to spare. Now you're a hupernikoumen. You're a hyper-conqueror. You can not just go places. You can go places. You can tow things.

And you've got extra power just in case you want to do 120, which you shouldn't, but you could. So if you're a conqueror, you rejoice when you win the battle. If you're a hyper-conqueror, more than a conqueror, you rejoice in the midst of the battle.

See the difference? You're fighting the battle. There's distresses and nakedness and famine and sword, and you rejoice. Because I know how this battle is going to end. I know how this battle is going to end. I know the outcome.

I'm okay. That's more than a conqueror. more on this bundle. In Don't Tempt Me, I hand you the keys to unlock the thoughts, circumstances, and fears that can cause you to give in to temptation. And in Speak No Evil, I encourage you to avoid setting fires with your words, and instead, use them to bring showers of blessing. Lenya Heitzig's booklets, Don't Tempt Me, Speak No Evil, and Happy Trials, provides help, hope, and encouragement in dealing with life's challenges. This bundle of three booklets are yours for a gift of $20 or more to help keep this Bible teaching ministry on the air. Get yours when you give today by calling 800-922-1888, or give online securely at connectwithskip.com slash offer. That's connectwithskip.com slash offer.

The Bible is full of God's promises to you, and since He is faithful, you don't have to fear, because you can know that He will carry out those promises. You can help share the promises found in scripture with even more listeners by giving a gift today to keep these encouraging messages going out. Just call 800-922-1888 to give now. That's 800-922-1888, or visit connectwithskip.com slash donate. That's connectwithskip.com slash donate.

Thank you. Tune in tomorrow as Skip Heitzig helps you see how the nation of Israel fits into God's plan. God revealed Himself through the Old Testament prophecies, the Old Testament scriptures. Before the New Testament was written, that was the Bible. So God used Israel to reveal Himself, to reveal His plan, because Jesus is predicted, world history is predicted in the Old Testament, and to reveal His Son. Connect with Skip Heitzig is a presentation of Connection Communications. Connecting you to God's never-changing truth in ever-changing times.