Unmatched Salvation (Part B)

After all these things, still, still, he knows God, and he loves God, and he's serving God.

None of those things have moved him, have separated him from God. Well, Paul, if you can do it, then I can do it. Because you might be a better man than I am, but you don't have a better God than I am. We have the same God.

So whatever powers are made available to you to glorify God through these things, they'll be available to me. This is Cross Reference Radio with our pastor and teacher Rick Gaston. Rick is the pastor of Calvary Chapel Mechanicsville. Pastor Rick is currently teaching through the Book of Romans. Please stay with us after today's message to hear more information about Cross Reference Radio, specifically how you can get a free copy of this teaching.

On this edition of Cross Reference Radio, Pastor Rick will continue teaching for Romans Chapter 8. If I didn't have free will, I wouldn't be accountable to anything. It wouldn't be my fault. But I am a person who has free will just like everybody else, and I am accountable. But I'm also weak, people tell me.

And therefore, it's that weakness. Somebody's got to make up for that because that's the one that can damn my soul. And that's when the Lord steps in. I will justify you. I will save you.

I'll take care of this. And so Paul, knowing this, been preaching it for eight chapters, says, 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 me. Now, of course, I'm changing it from us to me because it's got to be personal.

We can lose, you know, some of the language by just not applying the strength, the force of the statement to feel all the weight of the statement pushed down. None can damn us if God is for us. By Christ's offering comes his intercession.

It is made for those who come to him. And so we look at the first verse of Romans, chapter 8, verse 1, There is now therefore no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus. Your theology says, And there's no salvation for those who reject Christ Jesus. And Satan will have the world say, You need to fight against that. But the believers submit. God, by definition, has the right to set the terms.

And I have the opportunity to submit to those terms. Matthew, chapter 10, verse 32, Jesus speaking, Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I also will confess before My Father who is in heaven. But whoever denies Me before men, him I also will deny before My Father who is in heaven. You can see why Peter was rocked by this one when he denied the Lord. And we look at the mercy of God on him. Because the Lord doesn't say, And there's no way out. Once you've denied Me, you're done. You can deny the Lord.

Just don't die that way. And that's to have separated the eternal destiny of Judas Iscariot, Simon Peter. It is Christ who died and furthermore is also risen. We are bought at the cost of Christ's blood.

It is a divine investment. He's known what he was doing the whole time through 1 Corinthians 15. And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile. You're still in your sins. And he goes on, verse 20, But now Christ is risen from the dead, not from the sleep, incidentally. There are those that, you know, well, he just was unconscious.

He was dead. I'll believe the Bible before I believe those who disagree with the Bible. Because I've been on both sides. And I know that that other side is not worth staying on. And it's not worth hearing them out when it comes to disagreeing with Christ. And so, emancipated, I no longer have to make bricks for Pharaoh.

I no longer have to believe that junk. I can enter into his fellowship with sweetness and song no matter what is hurled at me. Because if Christ is for me, then the main things are settled. Who is even at the right hand of God?

This expression says he's in the highest divine position. Why didn't they more often just come out and say, Jesus is God? Why didn't Jesus come out and just say it like that?

Because it's true. Because the Jews would not have waited to hear them out. They wouldn't have waited for the proofs.

It was a very complex situation. So the apostles treaded wisely. Notice that I did not say they treaded lightly. Because they do come out and say it.

But not recklessly. They give you that truth. When Paul comes out and says, he is equal with the Father. When Christ said, he who believes in me, as the scriptures have said. When you see the Son of Man coming with his angels.

I mean, it was sad, but they had to present it in such a way they wouldn't shut people off immediately. And we find ourselves doing the same thing. If you want to share the gospel with a Jewish person, walk up to him and say, Christ is God. You lost him right there. But if you begin to unfold the gospel for them, you got a better chance. And so that this would, you know, very important, I think, read about Stephen in Acts chapter 7. I see the Son of Man standing at the right hand of the throne of God. Yeah, because he's equal with God, because nobody else can stand there. Who also makes intercession for us? Now he alone, Christ, is to go between for salvation.

The Holy Spirit is go between between us and God as far as serving the Lord. But far as salvation goes, there's only one mediator. And that's Christ. And when Paul says Christ the man, he came in human form. He took on humanity.

But there was much more to him than what you were looking at. By his cross, a sacrificial substitution. In other words, it should have been me sacrificed.

He finished his work. Again, back to the mediator, 1 Timothy 2, verse 5. For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus. And built into that is, of course, the Trinity. Without saying another word, his blood cleanses us from sin, and that is the intercession that takes place.

God doesn't have to wait for you to die and then Christ stands in front of all of you. This one's with me. It's a done deal.

It's finished. The blood of Christ is on you. And we kind of think that way.

Maybe for illustrations, nothing wrong with that, but that's not what's going on. That intercession is based on what has already happened because the reason why it happens is ongoing. It is perpetual. If you're in Christ, the intercession has taken place and you are approved. That's what James was talking about. Once he is approved, he shall receive the crown.

That's that death. Hebrews 9, 24, for Christ has not entered the holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true, but into heaven. So he's saying, you know, the Old Testament illustrates for us greater things. It's a parallel that we should be very sensitive to, and Paul continues, but into heaven itself now to appear in the presence of God for us.

It is finished without speaking a word. The blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us from all sins, and that is our intercession. That is the go-between.

That is the bridge. That's what makes it work. And this is amazing, this salvation that we have.

Yeah, because impenitent people want to earn their salvation, and they can't. It ain't happening. Oh, look at me, God. Are you impressed? Watch this.

Is that origami? You're not going to like that. It's the blood of Christ. Somebody better than you has done.

Well, that's offensive. Mark chapter 12, verse 11. That I may retain my free will. God, again, has just given this Holy Spirit. Again, I don't believe you come to Christ, you lose your free will, and I'm not terrified by that. Many people are. They think, oh, if I keep my free will, that might backslide.

You need to grow up. You need that blessed assurance. Mark chapter 12, verse 11. This was the Lord's doing, and it was marvelous in our eyes. Do you think that the miracles Christ did was the best he had to offer?

The best he had to offer is the cross. You can't top it. There's nothing like it. Nobody's got anything close to this, not another religion on earth that can even begin to approach the things that God has done and the lessons that he has preserved and the insights that go with it and the power that is available in the midst of suffering.

Let me tell you something. Suffering for Christ would not be glorifying Christ if we didn't have the free will to say, Lord, I can't do this, but I want to do this. And then he fills in, well, I'll have you do this. And that is the story of martyrdom right there.

And just why it makes these stories so incredibly amazing. Not the martyr suffering, but the Lord Jesus Christ keeping them in his power through the suffering. Anyway, he continues to support my choice when I come to him. He doesn't just, you know, sell me the product and then leave it.

We have the most impressive customer service, if you can use it that way, that humanity has ever known. I am free to not budge away from Christ. I'm held by his mighty hand, but not without my participation.

That makes it fellowship. 1 Corinthians 1 9, God is faithful by whom you were called into the fellowship of his son, Jesus Christ our Lord. If he weren't God the Son, you couldn't say that about him, that he is the Lord, because you would have to protest, no, Yahweh is the Lord.

Well, Christ in the New Testament is Yahweh of the Old Testament. So the honor of the believer, choosing to believe, opens the gates of God's power. John chapter 20, verse 23, if you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them. That means you can share the gospel with that assurance.

If you receive Christ as your Lord and Savior, you will be saved. What gives you the gall to say that? Well, John 20, verse 23, now I've got the gall. I can say that. I can give an altar call at the end of this message and say, if you confess that you are a sinner and the only Savior is Christ and you come to him and he is now your Savior and Lord, you will be in heaven.

What gives me the gall? John 20, verse 23, is not the only one. Revelation 1, 18, Jesus speaking, I have the keys of Hades and death.

I unlock and I lock, but I've told you how that gate unlocks. Verse 35, who shall separate us from the love of Christ? So tribulation, distress or persecution, famine?

How about nakedness or peril or sword? No one can take my salvation. That's what he's saying. Apostates like Judas only have themselves to blame. Not God, not man. I don't even get involved with what was Judas saying? Well, he's doing miracles. He's preaching the gospel. What else could you say?

He chose to walk away. I know there's a big fuss over all that. Well, not in my heart. Far as I know, all I need to do is abide with Christ.

I'm good. And it is that simple. Interesting, the word faith is not mentioned here by Paul because it is a given. It is understood that without faith, it's impossible to please God.

You can't get to this level. What their faith is there. And so is tribulation going to separate me from Christ? That's affliction. You know, as I'm speaking, you know how many times I offend people because they disagree with a small point? It's not a key doctrine, but it's not what they like. That could be exposing immaturity.

I'd be careful about that. That is something that causes unnecessary contention amongst Christians. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall affliction do this? How about distress? This is a compound word in the Greek here for distress. It means narrowness of room.

That would include forms of depression, which is a part of life which should be, I think, faced head on. 2 Corinthians 4 verse 8, We are hard pressed on every side, yet not crushed. We are perplexed, but not in despair. Persecuted, but not forsaken.

Struck down, not destroyed. So the next one is all persecution. That means they've been hunted. They've been targeted.

We should know something about that. We shouldn't be surprised when it's our turn. So they persecuted the prophets that were before you. Count it all joy, Jesus said. Paul said in another place, all those who are in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution in some form.

You're going to be targeted if you are adhering to the gospel. How about famine, starvation? Habakkuk chapter 3 verses 17 through 19. Habakkuk deals with that one straight out. The harvest could fail. Internet trucking can go away. I'm still going to love the Lord.

I don't want it to come to that, just to be clear, but that's what we're mentally ready for. Famine is starvation, nakedness, exposure. Where did Paul deal with these things? He dealt with all these, incidentally.

Philippi, they stripped him and beat him, locked him up in a jail. 1 Corinthians 4, and actually we have 1 Corinthians chapter 4 verse 11. To the present hour we both hunger and thirst.

We are poorly clothed and beaten and homeless. So if anybody in the New Testament can tell us about persecution as a finite being, the apostle Paul can. Others were suffering too, but we have more on record from Paul. Peril is next.

That's danger. 2 Corinthians 11. He says, In journeys often, in perils of water, in perils of robbers, of my own countrymen, perils is in each clause, perils of the Gentiles, in the city, in the wilderness, perils in the sea, and perils amongst false brethren. Well, that last one is the most spiritual one because those characters were entering churches and they were spreading lies about Christ, and Paul knew it. And he also knew it wasn't a matter of just throwing a bucket of water on it and putting that fire out, that it would oftentimes be a long, drawn-out, knock-down, drag-out fight because of the spiritual involvement.

Satan, two influences. And to see a Christian begin to lean towards heresy is a very painful thing. And he dealt with that and he's mentioning that. And he goes on in this section to say not to mention all of the concerns I have for the church. Or sword, to be cut to death.

That's violence. After all these things, still, still, he knows God, and he loves God, and he's serving God. None of those things have moved him, have separated him from God. Well, Paul, if you can do it, then I can do it. Because you might be a better man than I am, but you don't have a better God than I have.

We have the same God. So whatever powers are made available to you to glorify God through these things, they'll be available to me. And I do believe, based on Jesus' words, don't think about when you get in front of them, the Holy Spirit will give you the words. Based on that, I believe when it comes to persecution, God will give us the courage.

But if you're sitting home, comfortable in your desk, at your desk, sipping on something, you're more conscious of your inability to face such things because you're not facing them. But when you do, Christ will be there, and God is glorified, having those who love him so much that they refuse to live without him in spite of torture. Verse 36, as it is written, for your sake we are killed all day long.

We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Well, he's quoting Psalm 44. And in those days, the Jews were often persecuted by the Jews. Just look at the lore story of Jeremiah. Because they weren't separated from God, they were persecuted by men. God's people have always encountered opposition to the Thessalonians. Again, that Thessalonian church started on the foundation of persecution. Paul and Silas arrived there. They had just been persecuted in Philippi. The church grows, they get chased out of Thessalonica, but the church stays, and they reject idols, and because of that, they become a target, and they are persecuted. And Paul is worried about them, and he writes these two letters to catch up, fill in blanks, and deal with this.

He even dispatches his attendants to go check on Thessalonica. He writes in 1 Thessalonians 1, and you became followers of us and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction with joy of the Holy Spirit. You became believers in the midst of affliction. There weren't happy days when you came to Christ. Well, suffering may be the price of loyalty in a world which is at war with God. Be strong, Christians.

Don't be thin-skinned. You can sit in a sermon, and there can be 500 things that are spot-on and helpful, but you've still stuck on one that you didn't like. That's the devil doing that to you, saying, you're in the flesh. Don't swallow camels and gag on gnats. Try to line up with whatever the Holy Spirit is saying. You know, maybe you're wrong about something.

Maybe you're right. How you handle those things has everything to do with the level of your maturity or immaturity, as the case may be. Well, we give men purple hearts for wounds suffered on the battlefield. The Christian, of course, suffers out of love, and the heart that they're interested in is the heart of God, verse 37. Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. So that yet in all these things, he says, no matter what.

Again, I love reading Hannah's words. He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the beggar off the dung hill and makes him inherit the throne of glory. There's the microcosm of the Gospel, the effects of the Gospel. 1 John 3, verse 8, For this purpose the Son of God was manifested that he might destroy the works of the devil.

Well, guess what? We're part of that process. Okay, he destroyed as far as keeping people from heaven, but now to get them into heaven, that's where we are, have been deputized. We're part of that.

Some don't make it that far. Matthew 13, verse 22, Now he who receives seed among the thorns is he who hears the word, and the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful. Forboding words. We are more than conquerors, he says here in verse 37. Well, as Paul spoke of the victory through Christ, he ran out of sufficient words to describe it. And the best he could say was we're not conquerors.

We're more than conquerors. Well, salvation leaves us with more than what we've lost. Salvation leaves us with far more than what we have ever lost. Verse 38, I am persuaded that neither death nor life nor angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come, pause there. He's persuaded, this is not the persuasion of debate. You make better points than I make.

I'm changing teams. This is the persuasion of God's presence in his life. This is the persuasion of the lights turning on and he's seeing the Lord and getting out of the way so that the light can shine. I am persuaded that neither death. Well, that's the final curtain, and it might not be your death that is highlighted here.

It might be the death of somebody you love. That's not going to separate you from Christ. It may be very difficult, will be, but that won't do it, nor life.

Well, this cursed world, I think, can separate people from Christ like Judas, but it won't separate the one who doesn't want to be separated from Christ, no matter how weak they are. Because, again, you'll be kept by the power of God, nor angels. Now, he says this speaking about false angels because the true angels of God are our allies and they're not going to try to separate us, nor principalities, intelligent, hostile, spiritual forces, nor powers, the capabilities of those forces.

They're very real. Nor things present, current events, at the moment, you can fill in the blanks, nor things to come, future events. Satan's hearing this, he's got to be, he'll say, well, what can I do? Well, I'll tell you what Satan can do. If Satan's looking at you right now and saying, well, you know, right now you're impregnable. You're pretty strong. After good preaching like that, not much I can do, except I can wait. I can win a war of attrition against you. I'll come back 10 years from now, maybe, 15 years. When life has thrashed you a little bit, I'll be back.

I did that with Christ, failed again, I can fail with you. Just because he has those tactics doesn't mean that we're shaken by these things. We know we're not ignorant of them.

We're fortified against them. Verse 39, 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. He could have ended the Roman letter with that. Life's highs and life's lows, nor height, exalted things, nor depth, hidden things, nor any other created things. That leaves nothing out.

That's comprehensive. So by his love, we have outperformed Satan, the world, in personal sin. It's called perseverance. You will take some of your personal sins will go with you to the grave, but they've been washed away in front of the throne. We began this chapter with no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus.

Well, how do we end it? No separation from those in Christ Jesus. It's the same thing. It's like justified and saved.

It's the process and it's the outcome. To close with this verse from Matthew chapter 28, and ask yourselves if you believe this or not, and ask yourselves, does the title to this message mean anything? Unmatched salvation.

Who else has this? I am with you always, even to the end of the age. Thanks for joining us for today's teaching on Cross Reference Radio. This is the daily radio ministry of Pastor Rick Gaston of Calvary Chapel Mechanicsville in Virginia.

We're currently going through the book of Romans. If you're in need of hearing this message again, or want to listen to others like it, head over to CrossReferenceRadio.com. We encourage you to subscribe to our podcast too, so you'll never miss another edition. Just go to your favorite podcast app to subscribe. On our website, you'll be able to learn a little more about the ministry of Cross Reference Radio, so make a note of it, CrossReferenceRadio.com. That's all we have time for today, but thanks so much for listening. Pastor Rick will be back next time in the book of Romans here on Cross Reference Radio.