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Security in Place of Fear
Question 1:
When have you had feelings of insecurity that later turned out to be unfounded?
THE POINT
Because of Christ, nothing will keep us from God and His work in our lives.
THE BIBLE MEETS LIFE
I was full of anxiety when I asked my girlfriend to marry me. Despite my fears, she agreed to be my wife. We were going to run toward Jesus together, but her “yes” didn’t quell my anxiety and insecurity. I was aware of what kind of woman she was and the flawed man I was.
Even on the day of our wedding, the dark cloud of insecurity continued. Maybe she had realized she could do better and would back out. But when she walked in with her dad, she had a pep in her step. She was walking toward me with intention and anticipation, and there wasn’t anything that was going to stand in her way. And with that, my insecurity was gone.
Many of us feel a similar insecurity about God. Is He going to choose me? Does He really love me? As we read Romans 8, all that insecurity can be set aside. God spared no expense to show His love for us through Christ. Nothing will keep us from God or the work He desires to do in our lives!
WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY?
Romans 8:28-30
28 We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God, who are called according to his purpose. 29 For those he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, so that he would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. 30 And those he predestined, he also called; and those he called, he also justified; and those he justified, he also glorified.
History doesn’t record how a church formed in the capital city of Rome, but in preparation for travel to the city, Paul wrote them a letter of introduction, a resume, if you will, of his theology, especially on the doctrine of salvation. The church in Rome was comprised of both Jews and Gentiles, two groups that might normally be at odds with each other; yet here they were, united in their belief in a risen King named Jesus. Paul was clear in his explanation of why both Jews and Gentiles need salvation, and how that salvation was made possible through Christ.
When we come to Romans 8, Paul turned his focus to the life-giving and freeing work of the Holy Spirit. We aren’t left alone to live for Christ; His Spirit indwells every believer to empower us to live the righteous life God calls us to. Even as we face life’s difficulties, we have the Spirit within us and interceding for us. In all this, Paul pointed us to the hope and security we have because of the completed work of Jesus.
Romans 8:28 is a beloved passage for many Christians, because it reminds us that none of the setbacks we face can thwart God’s good purpose for our lives. In fact, those very problems can be a part of bringing about God’s good purpose in us. No matter what may come our way, no matter what curveball life is about to throw at us, God will leverage it for our good. This doesn’t mean every life circumstance will be good, but God will bring good out of whatever situations we face.
Question 2:
When have you seen a difficult situation work for good in a Christian’s life?
Verse 28 tells us who this truth applies to: “those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.” The verb tense in the Greek language means those who continually love Him. As we continue to seek, follow, and love the One who saves us and calls us, God can—and will—work in all things for our good and His glory.
We may wonder how God can bring good out of a bad situation. We tend to define good by what we want or what we think is best. But the good—the ultimate good—that God will work in our lives is tied to His purpose for us. So, what is God’s plan and purpose that He seeks to accomplish in our lives? As much as we love to quote Romans 8:28, we often fail to read it with verse 29 in mind: God’s purpose is for us “to be conformed to the image of his Son.” God wants to use everything we experience to make us more and more like Jesus. Anything that brings us closer to Christ and Christlikeness is always beneficial.
We are creatures of time, and we often limit our perspective to the moment we’re in; however, God’s purpose and plan for us spans eternity. God foreknew us, predestined us, called us, justified us, and glorified us. His plan for us to be like His Son was known in eternity past, and in the future when we are glorified, we will be complete and totally conformed to the image of Jesus. “We know that when he appears, we will be like him because we will see him as he is” (1 John 3:2).
Romans 8:31-34
31 What, then, are we to say about these things? If God is for us, who is against us? 32 He did not even spare his own Son but gave him up for us all. How will he not also with him grant us everything? 33 Who can bring an accusation against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies. 34 Who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is the one who died, but even more, has been raised; he also is at the right hand of God and intercedes for us.
In the neighborhood I grew up in, I had a neighbor who was not excited about the kids who lived there. As a kid, you were encouraged not to walk near or breathe too hard in the direction of this neighbor’s property. That didn’t keep my brother from riding his bike near this person’s house. We could all hear an outraged scream coming from this neighbor. Thankfully, another neighbor witnessed all this, and with what seemed like superhuman courage, he stepped in and defended my brother. Our neighbor’s defense was ironclad, and nothing could be done to overturn his ruling!
To an infinitely greater degree, Jesus stands in our defense. Paul showed us that ironclad defense by asking a series of questions that bring us to our only conclusion: As God’s children, we are secure. Very secure.
- If God is for us, who is against us? No one is greater than God, and since God is on our side, we have no worries! Paul presented his case by arguing from the greater to the lesser. God is so much in our corner that He gave His greatest treasure—His own Son, Jesus Christ—as a sacrifice for our sins. God gave us His best so we could experience the best!
- Who can bring an accusation against God’s elect? The people of this world can try to make accusations against us because we do not follow their ways, but nothing they say has merit with God. Satan can try to discredit us, but all his accusations are unfounded.
- Who is the one who condemns? The only One who has the right to condemn us is Jesus Christ, yet He did just the opposite. He made it possible for all condemnation to be removed. “Christ Jesus is the one who died, but even more, has been raised” (v. 34). Jesus died in our place, and He continues to stand for us. “He also is at the right hand of God and intercedes for us.”
Question 3:
What are some accusations or condemnation Christians sometimes face?
Romans 8:35-39
35 Who can separate us from the love of Christ? Can affliction or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 36 As it is written: Because of you we are being put to death all day long; we are counted as sheep to be slaughtered. 37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Separating us from the love of Christ is impossible! What could possibly separate us from Christ and His love?
- Would persecution do it? What if you were beaten and thrown in jail? Could the political powers put you in a place where even Jesus couldn’t get to you? No.
- What about illness? Could pain or suffering blind you to the reality of Christ in your life? Nope. Not a chance.
- What about supernatural powers like angels and demons? Nope. Nothing or no one can pull you away from Jesus.
- What about death? No, not even death—long seen as the great thief of meaning and hope in life—can pull you away from Jesus Christ.
Question 4:
What kinds of situations might make us feel far from God?
These are all things that may happen to you, but what if it’s something you do yourself? What about your own stupidity? Can you do something so stupid that your failures simply become too gross for Jesus to hold onto you? The truth remains the same: Nothing can separate you from God’s love. Nothing you have ever done or ever will do can undo or outdo what Jesus did for you and me on the cross. His death on the cross was the ultimate final word of forgiveness for our sins.
Paul made it clear: Nothing is more powerful than Christ. Absolutely nothing. We can never be separated from Him and His love, and that love gives us the strength to endure whatever we might face. There is nothing that the people of God, who are planted on the firm foundation of Jesus, cannot overcome. We are more than conquerors because of Jesus.
Question 5:
When have you found God’s promise of unfailing love especially encouraging?
NOTHING IN THE WAY
Use the space below to illustrate things you have feared might get between you and the love of God. Beside each symbol or phrase, answer the fear with a Scripture we have studied. Then write a prayer thanking God for His love.
My Prayer:
“In God’s faithfulness lies eternal security.”
CORRIE TEN BOOM
LIVE IT OUT
Because of Christ, nothing will keep us from God and His work in our lives. Choose one of the following applications:
Memorize. Get your security in Christ ingrained in your mind. Memorize Romans 8:37-39. Recite it daily. Post it on a bathroom mirror. Keep it before your eyes and fresh on your tongue.
Encourage. Write an encouraging note to someone who may be struggling with insecurity in their relationship with Christ. Use what we’ve studied as a template to encourage this person.
Minister. You may be sensing God calling you to serve in some way, but a fear of failure makes you hesitant. Rest on your foundation in Christ and step out in trustful obedience. Trust Him to work in you and through you for your own good.
It’s easy to feel insecure in such an unstable world. But God has given us every assurance that those who are saved are secure in His love—in this life and the next.
Teacher Notes:
Video: Father Kelly “Britain’s Got Talent” –
Everybody Hurts
Hurt. Pain, Suffering. Storms. Crisis. Trials,
Cancer. Death. Divorce. Social Injustice. Poverty. Racial Inequality. None of
these words give us joyful thoughts. But they are realities in this world that
everybody faces sometimes.
How does a Christian live secure in a world that
feels like it’s caving in around them?
The message is simple: Father Kelly said to
hold on – you’re not alone. Paul tells us this morning the same, he says, even
in our darkest moments – we’re to hold on – we’re not alone – Jesus is always
working on our behalf for our eternal security.
THE POINT
Because of Christ, nothing will keep us from
God and His work in our lives.
Security in Place of Fear
Romans 8:28-39
Romans 8 is known as "the chapter of great
security."
Almost every single verse in Romans 8:28-39 has
something to say about our security as
believers in Jesus, which I’m
going to discuss with you in three parts.
The first part, found in Romans 8:28-30,
contains the eternal security chain.
The Eternal Security Chain
While faith in Jesus is the only “on ramp” to
this eternal security chain, there are no “off ramps.” Since the entire chain
is up to God, there is nothing that can break it.
Romans 8:28-30
We know that all things work together for the
good of those who love God, who are called according to his purpose. For those
he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, so
that he would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And those he
predestined, he also called; and those he called, he also justified; and those
he justified, he also glorified.
What is the assurance stated in verse 28? To
whom is the promised assurance given?
How has God been at work in the past, present,
and future on behalf of those who believe?
We can live in confidence that God is always
working for our good, even in difficult circumstances. God’s intention for us
is that we become more like Christ. Our destiny is under the control of God,
just as it always has been. Our glorification is already accomplished and will
one day be fully revealed. We need not fear the future, because we are secure
in the good work of God through Jesus Christ.
Paul looks at our future glorification in
eternity from the perspective of God in eternity past. Paul shows that all
those whom God foreknew from eternity past will ultimately and finally be
glorified with God in eternity future.
Justification is in the middle of this chain, which means that those who
believe in Jesus for eternal life, that is, those who are justified by faith
alone in Jesus Christ alone, are also those who have been foreknown by God from
all eternity and who will also be glorified by God in the future.
What this means is that there is not one single
person who can be justified by faith alone who will then fail to be glorified.
All who are justified will arrive at glorification. In other words, once a
person is justified, they cannot lose their justification. Justified –
Sanctified – Glorified
We say, “once saved, always saved,” Paul is proclaiming
“once justified, always justified.”
Note as well that the items which Paul mentions
in this eternal security chain are all God’s parts in eternal life. Human faith
is not mentioned anywhere, nor is the process of sanctification. Paul is very
aware of both ideas as he has written extensively about both earlier in this
letter (cf. Romans 4–7). So, by writing this chain as he has, Paul is teaching
that once a person is justified by faith alone in Jesus, there is nothing they can do to stop the rest of
the chain from occurring. Even if a person
stops believing or fails to make much progress in sanctification, such failures
do not stop God from bringing the person to glorification.
While faith in Jesus is the only “on ramp”
to this eternal security chain, there are no “off ramps.” Since the
entire chain is up to God, there is nothing that can break it.
Verse 28 is a favorite verse of many, though it
is not always quoted or understood correctly. It is a statement of assurance;
bringing comfort, courage, and hope to believers who are struggling or
suffering. The verse is a promise of
security to the redeemed, even as
they are facing threats.
The verse is not intended as a universal
promise. It is an assurance given to a specific people: to them that love God.
God intends for believers in Christ to become
like Him, not in physical form of course, but in spiritual essence or nature.
It is not that believers become equal with Christ, but they are brethren,
meaning members of the family — God’s family. However, Jesus is the firstborn.
To be the firstborn is a position of honor, supremacy, and privilege. In the family
of God, Jesus is the elder brother to all who believe.
How did this being conformed take place? God
accomplished His purpose in the lives of those who believed. To foreknow means
“to know beforehand.” The omniscient God knew in eternity past those who would
respond in faith in Christ and be saved. This
does not mean God chose some to be saved and some to be lost. To know something beforehand is not the same as
causing it.
Predestinate means “to limit or set a boundary in advance.” God decided
beforehand that the limit or boundary was Christ. Therefore, only those who are
“in Christ” will be saved. Every person is left free to choose whether to be or
not to be “in Christ,” embraced by Him or hedged about by His love. (Eph.
1:3-11)
Having set the boundary of salvation, God
called all people to receive Christ as Savior. Those who responded favorably to
His call in Christ, he also justified, a word from the world of law. It means
“to be declared righteous and to be given right standing.” Those who have been
called in Christ are declared to have right standing before God. Those who are
justified, he also glorified. Glorification is the final event of
salvation in heaven where believers enter into the blessed heavenly abode for
eternity with the Lord. Though this is a future event, Paul spoke of it as if
it had already happened. Since God promised it and He is the one who makes it
reality, it is as if it had already happened, for He does not lie or retreat on
His promises.
Silencing the Critics
Paul knows that there are always some who
cannot accept or understand such amazing grace. There are always grace
critics. Paul goes on in Romans 8:31-34 to silence the critics.
Romans 8:31-34
What, then, are we to say about these things?
If God is for us, who is against us? He did not even spare his own Son but gave
him up for us all. How will he not also with him grant us everything? Who can
bring an accusation against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies. Who is
the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is the one who died, but even more, has been
raised; he also is at the right hand of God and intercedes for us.
On what grounds can we be assured we are safe
from those who would oppose us, falsely accuse us, or condemn us? At what cost
have we been declared righteous? What did Christ do on our behalf? What does He
continue to do?
Critics of grace always like to ask questions
like, “But can’t Satan accuse us of sin before God? What about that really bad
sin of murder and adultery? God can’t just cover those by grace, can He? Won’t
Jesus be offended by certain sins I commit and remove Himself from me, so that
God no longer sees Christ when He looks at me?”
These are all good questions, but to answer
them, Paul has several questions of his own.
His first question is, “If God is for us, who
can be against us?”
In other words, is God greater than Satan, or
isn’t He? Is God greater than the demons, or isn’t He? Is God greater than all
your sin, or isn’t He? Do you really think that God is shocked by some sin you
commit? He knew and saw this sin from eternity past and forgave it anyway out
of His grace. Do you think now that you have actually committed the sin God has
second thoughts about His love and forgiveness toward you? With this kind of
God on your side, who can possibly be against you? Who or what do you have to
fear?
The next question of Paul is even more pointed.
He says, “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?”
Paul says that since God freely delivered up
His Son to die for us, won’t He also give us everything else freely too? Of
course He will! This is the same truth Paul already mentioned back in Romans
5:8-10. Which is harder? To love and forgive a wicked, rebellious, wayward,
wretched sinner, or to continue forgiving somebody who has been declared
righteous by God and who has been identified with Jesus Christ in His death and
resurrection?
But what about when we sin willfully? What
about when we do something really bad?
Or what about if we keep sinning over and over and just cannot break a
bad sinful habit? Won’t that make God give up on us and hand us back over to
Satan?
This is the next question Paul asks and
answers: “Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who
justifies.”
In other words, he is saying, “You’ve sinned really
bad? You’ve sinned repeatedly? Who is going to
charge you? The only person in the
entire universe who could possibly bring a charge against you is God Himself,
and He’s not going to do that, because He already justified you.”
All sin is ultimately against God, and
therefore He is the only one who can bring charges against us. But when we sin,
God says, “Yep, I saw that one from before the foundation of the world, and I
already forgave it. I will not bring charges against it.” And if God doesn’t charge you for the sin you
commit against Him, nobody will.
What about Jesus though? He is God too, and
He’s the one who went to the cross for our sin. Won’t He get tired of us
sinning, and eventually just throw up His hands in disgust and give up on us?
Paul answers this too in Romans 8:34: “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.” Many people
read this text completely backwards. They read the question, “Who is he who
condemns?” and think that the following words, “It is Christ” provide the
answer to the question. When read this way, Romans 8:34 is thought to be saying
that it is Jesus Christ who condemns us.
But this is not at all what Paul is saying.
When the verse is read in context and the rest of Paul’s thought is read as
well, we see that Jesus does not condemn us, but intercedes for us, which is
the opposite of condemnation. Paul is saying is that the only person who could
condemn us, namely Jesus, not only does not condemn us, but intercedes for us!
Jesus is not our accuser but our advocate.
Jesus is on our side.
So if Jesus, the only person who could condemn
us, is actually defending us, then there is no accusation against us which can
stand. With Jesus as our intercessor, there is no way we can ever be condemned
of anything before God. If Jesus won’t condemn us, nobody can.
No one can condemn us before God.
God is on our side; therefore, no one can
successfully oppose us. God sacrificed His own Son on our behalf that we might
be saved. No one can bring an accusation against us, for God has declared us righteous
in His sight. Christ’s atoning death, victorious resurrection, exaltation, and
eternal intercession frees us from condemnation and gives us the assurance of
salvation.
No Separation Anxiety
This is how Paul closes out his thoughts on the
matter of eternal security.
We have nothing to worry about!
Romans 8:35-39
Who can separate us from the love of Christ?
Can affliction or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or
sword? As it is written: Because of you we are being put to death all day long;
we are counted as sheep to be slaughtered. No, 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 rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor
powers, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing will be able to
separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
How certain was Paul that believers are secure
in the love of Christ? What threatening experiences did he mention that might
have the potential to separate believers from Christ’s love? Where is the
victory over all these things?
Since God has forgiven us and Jesus intercedes
for us, there is nothing which can separate us from the love of Christ. Neither
“tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril,
or sword” can separate us from God’s love in Jesus Christ.
Quite the contrary, rather than being defeated
and overcome and condemned by such things, “we are more than conquerors through
Him who loved us.” These things cannot defeat us, because in Jesus we have
defeated them.
The reason Paul mentions this specific list of
items is because he knows that when these things happen to us, we believe it is
because God has rejected us, is punishing us, or has stopped loving us. When we
go through tribulation, distress, persecution, famine, nakedness, peril, or
sword, our natural instinct is to believe that such things are evidence that
God has abandoned us.
But Paul wants his readers (and us) to know
that nothing could be further from the truth. Nothing can separate us from the
love of Christ. Bad things happen to us because we live in a sinful world; not
because God has withdrawn His love from us.
Romans 89:38-39 is the conclusion of the matter
and are some of the most beautiful verses in the entire Bible.
Paul piles phrase upon phrase to include
absolutely everything within the entire universe. There is nothing that does
not fit within this description. Nothing in death or life can separate us from
God. Not even angels, demons, principalities, powers, or Satan himself can
separate us from God. Nothing in the height or the depths of creation, or any
created thing can separate us from God.
This description also includes ourselves.
Are we not also a created thing? Of course! Yet
there are many people who teach that although nothing else in the universe can
separate us from God, we can separate ourselves. Paul begs to differ. He says
no created thing can separate us from God. If you are a created thing, then not
even you can separate yourself from God.
In the end, Paul’s message in the first half of
his letter to the Romans points to one single truth: Because God has done
everything necessary as far as our eternal life is concerned, there is
absolutely nothing we (or anyone or anything else) can do to lose our eternal
life once we have it.
Eternal life is eternal.
Those who are justified by faith in Jesus are
eternally righteous in God and 100% of them will be glorified.
If you have believed in Jesus for eternal life,
there is nothing you can do to lose it, and so there is nothing you need to do
to keep it.
Nothing can separate us from God’s love.
Close: No one can separate us from the love of
Christ. No experience can separate us from His love. We live as overwhelming
victors because of Christ.
Conclusion
Our love for our children doesn't mean we can
protect them from the dangers of this world. We can’t prevent them from going
through hurt, suffering, and sadness. And, at times, our children will do
things that cause these situations. But, as parents, we still love them. Sins,
circumstances, and doubts can make people think that their relationship with
God is no longer secure. But we have seen today that nothing can separate us
from God’s love and our relationship with Jesus Christ.
Recall a time when you struggled with the
certainty of your relationship with God. How did you overcome that fear of loss
and reaffirm the certainty of being secure in Christ?
As you look back at events in your life, do you
see places where God was at work to bring to pass His purpose for you in ways
that you could not see at the time?
What are some threats you currently are dealing
with that could cause you to live in doubt but are unable to do so because of
the assurance you have that no one nor any one thing can separate you from the
love of God?
