Sugar Land Bible Church

Guest (Male): As I mentioned during the announcements, our guest speaker this morning is Dr. Dennis Roxser, who was with us back in June. We're happy to have him back again. He has served in ministry for almost 45 years as a devoted pastor-teacher. He is known for his verse-by-verse expository teaching with a strong emphasis on grace and rightly dividing the word of God.

His messages are rooted in careful scripture reading, contextual interpretation, and practical application for believers today. From 1985 to 2022, Pastor Dennis led the Duluth Bible Church in Duluth, Minnesota. In August of 2022, he became the senior pastor of Grace and Truth Bible Church in Middle Georgia. He is now retired from full-time pastoring but continues to be very active teaching and speaking around the country.

In 1992, he founded the Grace Institute of Biblical Studies to equip believers within the local church for specialized ministries such as pastoral work, youth ministry, and mission. In 2000, he expanded his training efforts internationally by launching the Grace Training International Bible Institute, which offers free biblical training to national pastors and teachers.

This ministry now reaches countries including El Salvador, Nicaragua, Kenya, Zambia, and The Gambia. In 2012, Pastor Dennis co-founded Grace Gospel Press, now part of True Grace Books, to publish and distribute doctrinally sound grace-oriented literature, and his publications are available through True Grace Books, Amazon, and actually at a table out in our foyer. Pastor Dennis has been married to his wife Nancy for 48 years and they have three children. Please welcome Dr. Dennis Roxser.

Dr. Dennis Roxser: Well, good morning. I love the song, "May the Mind of Christ My Savior." Oh, may they forget the channel, seen only Him. Today, what I want you to be impressed, not with me, but with Jesus Christ as we open the word of God together. What a joy and a privilege to be back among the saints at Sugar Land Bible Church. We had an edifying and equipping time at the evangelism workshop last night. If you weren't able to attend, it is recorded and it is available.

One of the things I did utilize last night was a new gospel tract that came out, as well as a business card with a QR code on the back that has a seven-minute gospel video. If you'd like some of these cards, they're available at the table. These tracts are available at the table as well. You can take some of these and give them to some of your friends. There are also books and so forth if you're interested in that because having good, sound gospel tracts is important. They're hard to find because normally most gospel tracts I just pick them up, turn to the back to the punchline, read it, and throw it in the garbage, because normally the gospel is not clear.

Also regarding that workshop, there were a number of worksheets that were available. I think they're going to be available to you as well if you've missed that, and so I just want to mention that as well. This is my second weekend of three weekends filling in for your pastor, Andy Woods, while he is on sabbatical. During them, I decided to teach the last section of Romans 8, some of the most wonderful and assuring verses in the entire word of God. I'd like to briefly review from last time and then progress further in Romans Chapter 8 as we consider embracing God's promise, purpose, plan, and provision for your eternal security. Before we do, let's pause and pray.

Father, now as we open your word, we pray you would open our understanding through the ministry of the Spirit in one of the most encouraging, assuring sections in the entire word of God. May our hearts be open to receive what you have for us today. You know the need of everyone here, and I pray you would minister to them in their time of need through the teaching of your word. In Jesus' name we pray, Amen.

Let me invite you to open your Bibles with me to the book of Romans Chapter 8. When a lost sinner is saved from sin's penalty by God's grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone in His finished work alone, can he or she ever lose their salvation? Are they on spiritual probation? Can their salvation be forfeited due to personal sins or pattern of sin or a particular sin, such as departing from the faith or apostasy?

We are of the scriptural persuasion and conviction that whom God saves, He also keeps saved. He's given us eternal life which by its very definition must last forever. This is sometimes called "once saved, always saved." I prefer the phrase "once born again, always born again." Have you ever heard of someone being born again and again and again?

Let me define our terms for a minute. Eternal security is the biblical teaching that those who have been saved by God's grace alone through faith alone in Jesus Christ alone shall never be in danger of God's condemnation or loss of their salvation, but they are kept forever saved and secure by God's grace and power to the glory of God.

Now, this is not the same as the Calvinistic or Arminian doctrines of the perseverance of the saints. Arminian teaching teaches that in essence you have to maintain your salvation through maintaining a state of holiness, and in doing so, if you ever depart from the faith, you lose your salvation. On the other hand, consistent Calvinism will teach that if you ever lose your faith, you were never elect because the truly elect are given the gift of faith so that you persevere to the end.

Therefore, whether one is Arminian or Calvinist, they cannot know with 100% certainty till the day they die that they are going to heaven, because if they quit persevering, they either lose it or never had it. I want to assure you from the word of God that you can take God at His word. This book is still the final authority. Your thoughts and opinions really do not matter. It doesn't matter what theological school you came from. The issue is: What does the word of God say?

Every word of God is pure. He is a shield to those who put their trust in Him. It's not an issue of, "Well, I feel," or, "I think," or, "I knew a person once," or, "I'm a Calvinist and we believe," or, "I'm an Arminian and we believe." No, we need to know: What does God's word say? As I mentioned last hour and I repeat again, we want you to be Berean-like and listen to what is said today and then search the scriptures for yourself under the guidance of the Holy Spirit to make sure these things are true.

As we think of Romans Chapter 8, which is called sometimes the Mount Everest of scriptures, the ending of it is amazing. Last time I was here, I covered Romans 8:28 and some of 29. Today, I plan to get through verse 34, Lord willing. Though the first time I spoke here, Andy, because of the length of my message, just assured everyone that you will not beat the Baptists to the cafeteria today. Lord willing, I'm supposed to be back in October and I will finish this chapter.

We begin in verse 28: "And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. For whom He did foreknow, He also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover, whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; whom He justified, these He also glorified."

In verse 28, we have God's promise to every believer: "And we know that all things work together for good." What a wonderful promise. The Old Testament version of it is Genesis 50:20. But even in recent trials as I'm looking at hip replacement and been hobbling around for a number of months and other kinds of trials in my life, it is so good to remember to faith-rest in the Lord, to faith-rest in His promises, and to realize that all things are working together for good.

The connector of God's promise to the previous context of present suffering and future glory is found in the word "and." "And we know," and that underscores the certainty of God's promises. This is something we know. What is it we know by way of content? That all things work together for good. It doesn't say that all things are good, for they're not. But they work together for good.

What is the good referring to? It's generally for our spiritual good and the ultimate glory of Jesus Christ. Specifically, we will see it's for our good to make us more and more like Him. We know this based upon God's personal attributes, for God is good and does good. We know this based on God's promises, as God cannot lie. We know this based upon God's providence in human history as well as His personal workings in our lives. We know this because we have tasted by faith that the Lord is good.

Do you realize how important it is to believe this promise of God? For we know that all things work together for good. Let me clarify this one more time. The clarification of God's promise is that God, without violating your volition or negating consequences for wrong choices, has promised to work all things together for the believer's spiritual good and for God's glory in the outworking of His plan for you.

It's not as though you don't have volition yet. It's not as though you're not making choices. It's not at times you don't sin. But God has an amazing way of working it all out together for good. If you don't believe me, read the story of Joseph. An incredible story. Read the story of Job. On and on we could go. This promise is given precisely to believers only. Verse 28 ends with these words: "to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose."

There are some who want to tell us that those who love God are a select group of believers. I disagree because if that's true of them, who are the ones who are called according to His purpose? Isn't every believer called? This is a description of all believers. As a result, we love God. That doesn't mean we always love Him as we ought. It's just descriptive. We are called according to His purpose.

What is God's purpose for every believer? Verse 29 goes on to say: "For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren." As we think of God's purpose for your life, if you are a blood-bought child of God, God has several purposes, such as you being an ambassador for Christ. He's given you the message and ministry of reconciliation.

God's purpose as a child of God is He wants you to walk with Him in daily fellowship, and He wants you to spiritually grow by intensely desiring the word of God and then applying it in your life. He wants you to not be conformed to this world but to be transformed by the renewing of your mind that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God, Romans 12:1-2. He also wants you to redeem the time and buy out of time every opportunity to glorify Him in all you say and do instead of wasting your life on that which really doesn't matter in light of eternity.

If you are married, assuming you're married to another believer, God wants you to have a Christ-centered and Christ-honoring marriage that pictures Christ and the church. As a result, He has many purposes for you. If you are single and gifted for marriage, God wants you to eventually marry another believer in God's time in which you can serve the Lord together and not be a gruesome twosome that are self-consumed with each other.

Remember when Adam and Eve put their marriage before their relationship with Jesus Christ, they created a disaster. If you remain single, God wants you to use your singleness to serve the Lord without the distractions and responsibilities of marriage. There's more and more that we could say. But as we think of this here, God's purpose for every believer is sovereignly directed for your good. It's graciously intended with a definite purpose or plan in mind according to His purpose.

It's predetermined with all the facts at hand for believers, for whom He foreknew—proginōskō, it means to know beforehand, not to determine beforehand. That's a very important distinction to make. He also predestined. In light of having all the facts at hand, He then determined a direction for your life. Ultimately, it's to be conformed to the image of His Son. God wants to in time transform the believer by the renewing of his mind.

Then ultimately He will conform you—not transform you, but conform you—into the image of His Son so that you receive a new glorified body to enjoy a glorified state minus a sin nature. Won't that be glory? That's why Paul could say in Philippians 3:20-21: "For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself."

The older I get, the more groaning I do. One of the groans is for a new body. I have a daughter with special needs. She's challenged with speech and mobility. She's in a wheelchair. Cognitively, she understands most everything. One of the things we say from time to time is, "You know, Sarah, when we get to heaven, I get the first dance." She is so excited to get to heaven one day and have a body that's functional to the full degree.

Frankly, whatever issue you're going through today, the rapture will solve it in a moment. When people pass on to glory, always just keep in mind there's nothing better. It can't be improved upon. There's not one person in heaven today saying, "I wonder how the heat is in Houston, Texas." As we think of that, we're reminded also of a similar passage in 1 Thessalonians Chapter 4, in which we read: "For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up—harpazō in the Greek, where we get the word 'harpooned'—shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and thus we shall always be with the Lord."

The word "rapture" comes from the Latin Vulgate version of that verse, raptō. We're talking about the next event on God's prophetic calendar in which Jesus Christ returns to catch away His bride, because right now He's not establishing His kingdom; He's building His church. Once the church is removed, all focus goes back on Israel in fulfillment of the Old Testament covenants that haven't yet been fulfilled, because God always keeps His word.

It is at that time that we will receive glorified bodies. It's at that time, at the rapture, which is then followed with the judgment seat of Christ. As a result of that, we'll give an account of our lives. When people say, "You people who believe in once saved, always saved, it means that you can just go out and live like hell," this is what I hear people telling me. I say, "Oh, that's how I lived before I got saved. Now I have a purpose to live for Him who died for me."

It is true that one day we will give an account as believers. But the issue is not salvation. The moment we were saved, our destiny was guaranteed. The issue is one of reward or no reward at the judgment seat of Christ. Why is God doing all of this? We see "that He might be the firstborn," Jesus Christ, "among many brethren." The word "firstborn" is the Greek word prōtotokos, and it means first in priority, first in preeminence, and therefore the heir.

In Jewish culture, obviously the firstborn was the one who normally inherited everything. The firstborn was the one that was elevated. The firstborn was the one that uniquely represented the dignity of the family and carried the name. He was the supreme one, the eminent one, and that's exactly what he's saying here. All these things are going on so that Jesus Christ would receive the honor and the glory due His name. It refers first in position or rank, not first in time.

As we think of what God is doing, I love Ephesians Chapter 2 verses 7 through 9: "That in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His law." Is that what it says? No, "the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus." When anyone challenges you that grace means undeserved kindness, just take them to this verse. That's found in Christ Jesus, for by grace you've been saved through faith, that not of yourself, it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.

So we've seen God's promise. We've seen God's purpose for our lives. Now let's embrace God's plan for every believer in Christ to accomplish what He just told us He is going to do. We read in verse 30: "Moreover, whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified." If you take in verse 29 as well, there are five elements here, five links in God's golden chain of salvation.

As we think of God's plan, number one, we see that as a believer, you are foreknown. Proginōskō means to know beforehand. Sometimes I've had Calvinists who have told me, "Well, the reason God knows beforehand is because He chose beforehand." But I would ask you a question. In Matthew 11, when the Lord Jesus said, "If the miracles had been done in you, Tyre and Sidon, as had been done in Sodom and Gomorrah, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes."

God knows things that did not happen. He knows all the options. He is omniscient. He knows who will trust in Christ or not. In fact, I ask this question of you: Did God foreknow before He created Adam and Eve that they would sin? Yes. Did He make them sin? No. But in light of His foreknowledge, did He not design a plan of redemption? Yes. If that's true there, can't God foreknow whether you will trust in Christ or not and make a plan for your life as well?

Then He has predestined, called, justified, and glorified. Again, God's golden chain from eternity past to eternity future. If you look closely at them, He foreknew you, He predestined you in light of that knowledge, He called you through the gospel, He justified you by faith, and one day He will glorify you. What is missing from this chain? There is a sixth link normally that's expressed in Romans Chapter 6 through 8, and it is the link of sanctification. Usually between justified and glorified is sanctified.

Why does He not mention it? It's not because He's not concerned; He devoted Romans 6:1 through Chapter 8 verse 17 to the issue of sanctification: positional sanctification, practical sanctification, powerless sanctification, powerful sanctification. But that isn't guaranteed practically because it involves your volition. You have to choose. By the way, for those who would believe that faith is a gift from God, which I don't—salvation is the gift, not faith—why is it if God is the one who gives you faith that some believers trust the Lord more than others?

Shouldn't it be uniformly? Shouldn't they all succeed? Why do they ever fail? Because they have a choice in the matter. You had a choice in the matter today to come and hear the word of God or do something else. You have a choice every day. By the way, the best choices in life are by-faith choices when you respond to the Lord and by faith step out on what God has said.

What's also very interesting as we look at verse 30 is the fact that the "whom" and the "these" refer to the same group without exception or dropouts. If you look with me at verse 30 again, it says, "Moreover, whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified." No dropouts, no exceptions. Christ isn't going to be counting His sheep in heaven and saying, "92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 99, 99. Where's that Roxser?" Oh no. 100% of those He justified, 100% of those He will glorify.

By the way, the word "glorified," as you notice in the English and this is brought out as an aorist in the Greek, is in the past tense. Yet glorification is future. This is called a prophetic past in which God says your glorification is so guaranteed that one day you will be with me in glory and all that that involves, that I'm going to write it down as if it's already happened. That's how certain it is. When you're justified, it is impossible not to one day be glorified because you can never lose your salvation. Yet it's a future reality. The word "glorified" is in the past tense because it's absolutely guaranteed by God.

No dropouts. We're going to see in a moment in the following verses why that is the case. I wrote a book called *Shall Never Perish Forever*. In doing so, I gave verse after verse after verse after verse after verse in context why when someone is saved, they're saved forever. Then I devoted a section on: If you can't lose your salvation, what *can* you lose? Like your fellowship, your joy, your reward, your testimony, and so forth.

Then I devoted the last part of the book to problem passages, like what about Hebrews 6, what about Hebrews 10, what about 2 Peter 2, and these passages people try to use to deny eternal security. I want you to know that Paul just nails the last nail in the coffin here to remove all doubt, as it were, that when you have been justified, it is guaranteed you will be glorified. There is no such thing as "I used to be saved."

Look with me at verses 31 through 34 as we look at embracing God's provision of eternal security for every believer in Christ. We read in verse 31: "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."

To underscore the means and magnitude of God's provision for our eternal security and future glorification, Paul raises seven questions. There are five of them mentioned here; two will follow in verses 35 through 39. Some of these questions are rhetorical in nature; in other words, the answer is obvious. While others are not rhetorical in nature and the answer is stated. Five questions here. We will cover them one by one, for these questions continue the train of thought on the heels of the truths of verses 28 through 30.

Question number one: "What then shall we say to these things?" What things? The things we've been talking about in this entire section, verses 18 through 30. The suffering of this present time is not worthy to be compared with the glory that's going to be revealed. That glory we're going to be part of because one day we will be glorified. What do we say to these things? This is a rhetorical question. The anticipated answer is: Amen! Bring it on! Hallelujah! Wow! Praise God! Awesome! Yowza! Whatever word you use.

By the way, Paul utilizes the same technique in Chapter 3 verse 4, Chapter 4 verse 1, Chapter 6 verse 1, 7:7, 9:17, and 9:30 in the book of Romans. What shall we say to these things? The anticipated answer is Amen. Question number two: "If God is for us, who can be against us?" You may be familiar with the fact that the word "if" in the Greek can be in one of four class conditions. The first-class condition is "if" and it's assumed to be true, either because it is true or for the sake of argument. In this case, it is true.

If God is for us as believers—and He is—whether you are a spiritual believer or a carnal believer, whether you are a babe in Christ or mature believer, God is for you. Whether you're an ignorant believer or an intelligent believer, God is for you. Do you believe that? Or are you led astray like Satan led astray Eve in the garden in which you think God is a cosmic killjoy, loves to rain on your parade, takes good athletes, breaks both legs, and makes them play the flute. Is that how you view God? That He's just waiting to squash you somehow?

He's for you. The word "God" here is in reference to the Father. If God is for us, who can be against us? The anticipated answer is: No one! Who compares with God? Who is stronger than God? Who is greater than God? No one! This assurance comes because we know what God has said in His word and what Christ has done, as we'll see in a moment.

He then goes on to say: "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?" The "He" is in reference to God the Father. I always try to make a point when I see a personal pronoun to find what it's modifying, because sometimes you have to think a little in the passage. It's not in reference to Christ here; it's in reference to God the Father. He did not spare His own Son.

The word "spare" means to spare, to abstain, to forgo, to refrain from doing something. You see, the penalty for sin is death. Yet God did not spare His Son suffering that punishment even though He didn't deserve any of it. He who did not spare His own Son, Jesus Christ, but delivered Him up. The word "delivered" is an interesting word. It points us back to the cross. It's in the aorist tense. He's talking about something that transpired prior to Paul writing this; it's bringing us right back to the cross. The active voice means that He chose willingly to do this. God the Father willingly chose to deliver up His Son. That's a fact.

He did it for us all. That's pretty amazing, isn't it? If I was God and I looked down upon human beings including myself, would I be motivated due to attraction to do great things for them? No. For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. There is none righteous, no not one. There is none that understands. There is none that seeks after God. They have all gone astray; together become unprofitable. There is none that doeth good, no not one. Does that sound attractive?

But you know what's so incredible is that while God hates our sin, He loves the sinner. He loves us. We are of great value, being created in the image of God. He has said, in essence, "I'd rather die than be without you." Therefore He did not spare His own Son for us all. How shall He, the Father, not with Him, the Son, also freely give us all things? You see that phrase "freely give"? You can see there it's the Greek word charizomai. What's the word for grace? Anyone know? Charis. This is the verb form of grace, of giving you something you don't deserve. That's why it's called freely give.

There are no strings attached to what God has done on our behalf. There are no strings attached in order to be saved by God's grace apart from the condition of receiving it as a gift by faith in Christ alone. So 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? The anticipated answer is: Yes, He will! Or, yes, He has! Amazing. Did you know we are blessed as believers with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ? How many of those did you deserve? I've got a good friend who says, "You know, it was a good day today." I said, "Really?" He says, "Yeah, I'm not going to hell. It's a really good day today."

He didn't do this because we deserved it, but because of God's amazing grace. Remember, grace is not leniency. That's what some people think grace is. It's God's willingness to bless the undeserved knowing full well they don't deserve it. It's all because the payment for our sin was paid by another, namely the Lord Jesus Christ. Do you see that "for us all" there? In this context, he's talking to believers. Every time you see some mention of the substitutionary work of Christ, you need to ask yourself: What is the context here? Because there are a number of nuances to this reality.

For whom did Christ die? Jesus Christ died first of all for all. 1 Timothy 2:6: "who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time." Isaiah 53:6: "All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned everyone to his own way; and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all." That means on the cross, Jesus Christ died for you. In Hebrews 2:9, we read He died for everyone. Crowned with glory and honor, He by the grace of God should taste death for everyone. You know what "everyone" means? Everyone. Unless you have a MacArthur study Bible that says "everyone who believes," as he believes in limited atonement.

For whom did Christ die? Well, we know from John 3:16, He died for the world. "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." He died according to 1 John 2:2 for the sins of the world. "And He is the propitiation for our sins, and not ours only but the sins of the whole world." You might ask, "Well, how does a person who believes in limited atonement, that Christ only died for the elect, get around that verse?" They'll say it means the whole world of the elect.

The problem with that is it now it contradicts many verses. But in that same book of 1 John Chapter 5 verse 19, it says that the whole world lies in the lap of the wicked one, clearly in reference to the unsaved. He died for our sins as believers, but not ours only, but for the sins of the whole world. Why? Because God is not willing any should perish. God wants all people to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth. That's why Romans 5:6 makes it clear that He died for the ungodly. "For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly." How many people qualify to be ungodly? Everybody.

In fact, it's interesting that Jesus Christ was willing to die even for unsaved false teachers that were not redeemed. We know in 2 Peter 2:1: "But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who secretly shall bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction." You know the word "bought" is the word for redeemed.

That doesn't mean those who deny the Lord—these false teachers who, by the way, later in the passage have the blackness of darkness reserved for them forever—in this passage he's referring to unsaved false teachers who, though a redemptive price was paid for them, they didn't receive it and they denied the Lord that actually provided it for them. We also see that He died for many. Matthew 20:28: "Even as the Son of Man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister and to give His life a ransom for many." By the way, how many? While everyone, but in the context here he's driving at the point of many.

You see as you think of who Christ died for, all, sometimes biblical writers identify subsets of that all. For many, here, how about for Israel? John 11:50 and 51: "Nor consider that it is expedient for us that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation of Israel perish not. And this spoke he, the high priest, not of himself but being high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus should die for that nation." In addition, we know in Ephesians 5:25 that Christ died for the church. "Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for it."

Now, those who believe in limited atonement like to kind of hunker down on this verse. He died for the church. He did. They were part of the all. One I really like is this one: He died for me. Galatians 2:20: "I have been crucified with Christ; nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me." That means whether you are saved here or not, I have good news for you: Christ died for you.

That's why when Paul went to Corinth the first time, before they were saved in his evangelistic crusade there, he shared with them a message that he repeats to the Corinthians when he writes 1 Corinthians 15 verses 3 and 4 to remind them of what the gospel was. "For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received: how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; he was buried and he rose again the third day according to the scriptures."

Now, I have heard some say He said "our sins" because they were believers. No, if you read verse 1 carefully, he's reminding them of what he told them before they were saved. By the way, when one does not believe in the unlimited atonement of Christ's finished work, they cannot share the gospel, did you know that? What do you mean? Can't they say that Christ died for the elect? That's not the gospel. The gospel is Christ died for our sins. Therefore you cannot go up to someone with certainty and say that is not saved and say, "I've got good news for you: Christ died for your sins," because if they're not elect, He never did. Either you're leading them astray or lying to them. Can't be both. For our sins.

That's why when John the Baptist saw Jesus coming, what did he say? "Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world." Thus on the cross, Jesus took the punishment we deserve for our sin. He did not deserve to die but He willingly took our place and experienced death for us. Jesus' death was a substitution: the righteous for the unrighteous, the innocent for the guilty, the perfect for the corrupt. That is why when the Holy Spirit was sent into the world in keeping with Christ's promise in John 16 verses 7 through 10, He says, "When the Holy Spirit comes, He will convict the world of sin and of righteousness and of judgment. Of sin, because they do not believe in Jesus Christ. Of righteousness, because I go to the Father and you see me no more. And of judgment, because the ruler of this world, Satan, is judged." Notice who is He convicting? The world of this.

For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which is lost. That does not sound limited. Jesus Christ knows the worst about you; nonetheless, He's the one who loves you the most. That's amazing. Sometimes I talk to believers who have a high view of themselves. Sometimes they act as if they're the fourth member of the Trinity. When they come off pious and arrogant, I always like to say, "Hey, can I talk to your wife?" And now we know the rest of the story, right?

Let me just clarify this for a minute. Turn to 1 Timothy Chapter 2 with me. 1 Timothy Chapter 2. Just help you understand where the difference lies with a Calvinistic perspective regarding the death of Christ. All Calvinists don't believe in limited atonement. There are Calvinists who believe in unlimited atonement. Praise the Lord. But here's the difference. See, the Calvinist views this circle as the elect. That everyone God has chosen to salvation and gives them irresistible grace and the gift of faith so they find themselves believing. Inside of that is the word "world," the world of the elect. Inside of that is "everyone," everyone who's elect.

Our view is the opposite. We think the circle represents the entire world. Inside of that phrase "world," "everyone," and so forth, is the church as a subset. Me, Israel, and the elect. So which view is correct? I think 1 Timothy Chapter 4 verse 10 really nails it shut. But before Chapter 4, there was Chapter 2. He said this in Chapter 2, by the way—I should have just had you stay there: "For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved."

The word "men" is anthrōpos. He's talking about all people to be saved. Saved from what? From hell. Spiritual salvation here, not physical. "And to come to the knowledge of the truth," the truth of the gospel. "For there is one God and one mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time." Did you notice this? He desires all men to be saved and Christ came and gave Himself a ransom for all. For what value would it be for Christ to want everyone to be saved but not provide a means by which they could be?

But now you go to 1 Timothy Chapter 4 and verse 10. "For to this end we both labor and suffer reproach because we trust in the living God who is the Savior of all men, but especially those who believe." Now if the all men are the elect, who are those who believe then? Because those who believe *are* the elect. And so if He's the Savior of all men, but especially those who believe, the subset of believe doesn't make sense. Therefore we see that their paradigm for this is not consistent with scripture.

We go back to Romans 8 as we bring this to a close soon. We've been looking again at the fact that whom He foreknew and He predestined and He called and He justified and He glorified, that that's God's plan and this is why we can be certain of it. Verse 32 again: "He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all"—in this context, all believers—"how shall He, the Father, not with Him, the Son, also freely give us all things?" The anticipated answer is: Yes, He will.

So how should this impact us in our daily lives? First of all, that we should want to love the Lord Jesus Christ more and more because of His great love for us. I love Him because He first loved me. The love of Christ compels us because we thus judge that if one died for all, then all died, and that He died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again. Thus this love should motivate us as believers to live for Christ out of gratitude for the great things He has done for us.

Now, that gratitude is a great motive, but it's not the means. Just because you are impressed with God's love and motivated to live for Him doesn't mean you are able to do this apart from the power of the Holy Spirit which He's explained earlier in Chapter 8. No one and nothing can prevail against the believer for Christ died for us and God has given to us along with Christ all things by His grace.

We next see in verse 33: "Who shall bring a charge against God's elect?" Now he goes back to judicial language. Justification is a judicial term in a courtroom of God in which God declares you righteous because the righteousness of Christ has been put to your account the moment you trusted in Jesus Christ alone. Who now, since God declared you righteous, who shall bring a charge—used of successfully bringing a charge, accusation, or indictment—in the future in a courtroom against God's elect, those who have been saved? The anticipated answer is: Well, no one! Why? "It is God who justifies." It's God who declared me righteous.

Who can condemn the believer when God, who is the perfect and righteous judge who always makes the right verdict, has declared the believer righteous in the courtroom of God? Well, no one. This provision that God has made has been accepted by God the Father. To charge us is to impeach the judge who cleared us of every charge and declared us righteous in Christ. If you have a problem with this, your problem is with the judge and the judge is God.

"Who is he who condemns?" Now we see some other legal language here again. The anticipated answer is: Well, no one. The word "condemn" means to pass sentence upon someone. Not only does Paul anticipate the problem of future accusation, but he anticipates the problem of present condemnation. Dear friends, I've got good news for you: No angel can successfully condemn us, no man can successfully condemn us, no demon can successfully condemn us.

Why is this the case? It is Christ who died, that's why. Furthermore is risen, who is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, the place of honor and authority, which also indicates the acceptance of Jesus Christ in His finished work. Fourthly, and who, Christ, also makes intercession for us. Notice he doesn't say the reason you're not condemned is because you just live such a second-tense godly life, that's why. Not that we shouldn't. All of this is because of Jesus Christ. The spotlight's all on Him. We're the beneficiaries, but He is the provider of this all.

It's Christ who willingly died and paid the full penalty of your sin. That's why you're not condemned. He rose from the dead as proof that God has been propitiated or satisfied with what Christ has done. It's Christ who died, who was risen, who is at the right hand of God, that place of honor, that place of acceptance, the command post of the universe, who also makes intercession for us. He prays for believers and pleads their case as their defense attorney, thwarting every accusation of the past, present, and future against them.

Now, why would there be accusations? "Well do you know, you're saying that person's saved, do you know what he did?" "Yes, but I died for that sin. I paid for it completely. I have forgiven him. I have declared him righteous. He is accepted. He walked out of my courtroom declared righteous. If you have an issue with that, you have an issue with me," God would say.

Now you say, "Well, what if I am unfaithful?" The question is not if, but when. God will not condemn you for it's God who justifies. What if I commit a terrible sin or a pattern of sin in the future? God will not condemn you for it's God who justifies. Well, what if I do not persevere to the end? God will not condemn you for it's God who justifies. Why? Not based on our innocence or guilt, but on the fact of what God has done for us.

What does all of this mean to you? If God is for us—and He is—and Christ died for all our sins—and He did—and God raised Him from the dead as proof of His acceptance of Christ's substitutionary sacrifice on our behalf—and He did—and if God has declared us righteous in Christ, and if no one can properly bring an accusation against us in the future or rightly condemn us in the meantime, how could you ever lose your salvation? God saved you and God keeps you; you don't do that. You're the recipient, not the provider.

That's why in God's plan, there are no dropouts. Those whom He has justified, He also will glorify. This is eternal security. This is our guarantee of glory. To sum it up: If you've trusted Jesus Christ alone to save you, you're eternally secure and guaranteed future glory because of the purpose of the Father to save and secure you and to glorify you, because of the provision of the Father which includes the past death, the past resurrection, past ascension, and present intercession of Jesus Christ. Is that not good news? Wow!

The Book of Revelation, which many people have great interest in, tells us many things about the future. But you know it ends with a gospel invitation. What value is it to know the rapture could happen pre-trib if you don't know you're going to be part of it? What value is it to know what's going to happen in the future and you're not sure you're going to heaven, or you've never trusted in Christ? The Book of Revelation ends by saying: "I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify to you these things in the churches. I am the root and offspring of David, the bright and morning star. And the Spirit and the bride say, 'Come!'"

Come to who? Come to Christ! Isn't that interesting? It assumes you can come. It doesn't say, "Wait until the gift of faith comes upon you." No. "Come!" And let him who hears—you've been listening to this—"Come!" And let him who thirsts—are you thirsting for a relationship with God because you've never been saved?—"Come!" And whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely. You know why it's free, dear friends? Because it's been paid in full by another: the Lord Jesus Christ. For you are all the sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. That's the way you get ahold of the benefits. Thanks be unto God for His unspeakable gift. Let's pray.

Our Father, thank you again for your wonderful word and the opportunity to look into it. We see the spotlight in the scriptures is clearly on Jesus Christ. Not that there aren't exhortations and admonitions given to believers—there are—but it's in light of who you are. It's in light of what we have now in Christ. It's in light of the promises you have made. We do so, we grow in knowing that we're eternally secure, for indeed children grow best in a secure home where they're unconditionally loved. Such is the case with us.

We can know we're eternally secure because again, you said it, Christ did it, we believe it, that settles it. We can know it. If there's anyone here who's not sure that they've ever been saved, they've never trusted in Christ alone—it's been Christ plus, not Christ period—may today be the day they decide to trust in Jesus Christ and His finished work alone to save them. Believe that when He died, He died for them and paid for their sin, and rose again to give them the gift of eternal life, no strings attached, but a gift that must be received by faith in Christ alone.

For those who may have struggled with assurance as a result of believing, but maybe not being clear in sound doctrine, may today be the day they realize that their security doesn't rest in their walk or their works or their fruit, but in Christ's finished work and your unfailing promises, as you cannot lie. For those of us who know Christ, we know we're eternally saved, we know we're going to heaven, we're not concerned about this at all, may we now redeem the time. May we not waste precious moments.

May we now live lives in light of who we are in Christ and what He's done: lives that are holy, lives that bring honor and glory to you, lives that reflect our Savior, not through our own strength, but through the strength of the Spirit of God and in keeping with the word of God. It's our way to say, "God the Father, Jesus Christ, we just want to thank you for what you've done for us, what you've done now in us, what you want to do through us. To you be the glory for great things you have done." In Jesus' name, Amen.