Romans 8
UNDERSTANDING WHO WE ARE AND WHAT WE HAVE IN CHRIST
INTRO:
Review- Romans 8 is about:
 Security of believers in Christ,
 The work and ministry of the Holy Spirit in the life of the believers in Christ that
pertains to sanctification and security.
 Suffering is part of Christian living but it is ok because we are waiting for glory
and God is using suffering for our sanctification. God’s desire is we become
Christlike. That’s why all things work for good… Christlikeness is God’s will and
desire for those whom He foreknew, predestined…
v.30, tells about the redemptive blueprint and plan of God: that those whom He
foreknew, He predestined, He called (gospel call), He justified and will glorify.
This is the process of the application of redemption: Election> Gospel call>
Regeneration> Conversion> Justification> Sanctification> Perseverance of the saints>
glorification.
-This is a powerful and comforting truth for those who are in Christ.
ISSUES: Is it possible to lose my/your salvation? Is there any possibility that
somebody or something will interrupt the process, God will revert His judgement and
forfeit my salvation? Should I worry that somewhere along the way I would fall out of
God’s redemptive plan and end up in hell?
-In this world full of uncertainties that causes us to fear and anxious, one of the things
that believers should know for sure is that God will bring to completion His work of
redemption.
Phil. 1:6, “I am sure of this, that He who began a good work in you will bring it to
completion at the day of Jesus Christ.”
BIBLICAL PRINCIPLE: Romans 8:31-39. Closing statement, adding weight to v.1, the
crescendo/finale of the chapter.
v.31, “What shall we say them to these things?” After discussing and understanding all
these wonderful and blessed realities with regards to our salvation, what else can we
say?
-Here are the reasons why “there is therefore now no condemnation to those who are
in Christ? How can we say with certainty and be convinced with this truth that we are
eternally secure? These are the answers in a form of a question- rhetorical questions.
 v.31, If God is for us, who can be against us?
“If”- is not – condition or doubt, but it should be translated “since”- certainty. “Since
God is for us”
“God is for us”- God is on our side or better, we are on God’s side now.
-We were once enemies of God and God is against us, but we were reconciled and we
become not just friends but children of God, and God will protect His children and we
know that no one can defeat Him. So, who can be against us.
 v.32, He who did not spare His own Son but deliver Him up for us all, how
will He not also with Him graciously give us all things?
-If He did not withhold His Son to die on the cross to pay for our sins when we were
sinners and enemies, how much more now that we are His children, He will graciously
give us all things.
-“all things” doesn’t mean “all things”, but it refers to whatever is necessary to
complete the purpose he had in choosing us.
-meaning- if He did what was necessary to accomplish the initial step to make the
plan of redemption a reality (Jesus’ death on the cross… calling us… regenerate, we
respond in faith… justified…) will he not also do the necessary step to protect us and
empower us to persevere until we are ushered into heaven?
 v.33, Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies
-court room scenario.
-“charge”- means to make a formal accusation in court; to press charges.
-Satan is the accuser of the brethren, and most of his accusations are true.
-But God has already justified us on the basis of our faith in Jesus, Rom. 3:22.
Justification means- “declared righteous.”
This verdict includes: pardon from the guilt and penalty of sin, and the imputation of
Christ’s perfect righteousness to the believers account, which provides for the positive
righteousness man needs to be accepted by God. The reason why we can enter
heaven and be accepted by God even though we can still commit sin as Christian is
because of this imputed righteousness.
-So, will God, who already made the verdict of justifying those who trusted in Jesus
for salvation, revert His judgement and condemn us instead?
 v.34, Who is to condemn? Jesus Christ is the one who died – more than that,
who was raised – who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding
for us.
-to “condemn” means to declare guilty and sentence to punishment.
-He points us to Jesus- who died, he was condemned for our sin; he rose again to seal
the deal, to make our claim legit; He is at the right hand of God- exalted, position of
power and authority; and is interceding for us. Stands as our defense attorney. Every
time Satan accuse us, Jesus would defend us.
  v.35, Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?
-shall suffering, spiritual forces or things we can’t control and beyond our human
capacity to even comprehend can take us away, divorce, would cause to stop the love
of God for us in Jesus?
-For I am convinced that… no one and nothing can separate us from the love of God
in Christ Jesus!

CONCLUSION: The great thing about salvation in Christ…

o it’s not of works. It is by grace through faith, Eph. 2:8-9. You do not work
hard, seriously and sincerely to earn it. It is freely given. An undeserved gift.
Eternal life, forgiveness of sins, justification, to be included in the family of
God is received by faith alone in Jesus alone.
-the same is true with our glorification, eternal security. It is not by works but
by the finish work of Jesus and the promise of God that we have the
Romans 8
assurance that we will be saved completely. UNDERSTANDING WHO WE ARE AND WHAT WE
-We do not strive to live the Christian life (obey, serve, submit, flee from sin)
to make sure that we will make it to heaven, it’s as if the assurance of the
HAVE IN CHRIST
final step of redemption is dependent on our performance and perseverance
as Christians
-The reason why we strive, we work out our salvation, we obey, serve, and
submit to God every day is not to be secure, but because we are secure- it is DISCIPLESHIP LESSON
the characteristic of a person who is heaven-bound.
o It’s worry-free. God did not call us to salvation and leave us anxious, fearful
and uncertain for our eternal destiny.
What if God said, I’ve done my part, now you do your part and make sure
that you will reach heaven, then we should worry.

3
Not only God assures us with His promises that he will bring to completion
the work of salvation that he started for us, that He is preserving us with His
power, He also enables and empowers us to persevere until the end.

That’s why we have the peace of God, we praise and worship God with our whole
heart, we come to Him with a pure heart. The motive for coming, worshiping, serving
and honoring is not self-serving, not so that we will get something (eternal security)
but to give glory and exalt God for what He has already done and given to us.