Reformed Baptist Church in O'Fallon, Missouri
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The Certainty of God’s Love

Sermon Transcript

The following is a lightly edited transcript generated from the audio; it may contain small errors.

A Dying Man Preaching to Dying Men

Okay, I’m probably going to have to abbreviate my comments today, my sermon, because of time.

But I would like you to open your Bible to Romans chapter 8 if you don’t mind. If you recall last week we looked at Romans 828, and I wanted to talk a little bit more about that passage since it’s on my mind. So today you’ll get the abbreviated version of the whole chapter of Romans Think we can do that? We got all day. Sounds like somebody back there is already ready to go.

John Bunyan once said that he was a dying man preaching to dying men. Which means we all have our days numbered on the earth, amen? We only have so much time. And I was thinking if today was your last day, what would you want to say to people?

Today was my last day on the earth, what would I want to say to people? Now I suspect that if you knew today was your last day, you would gather your family and your loved ones together and you would tell them you loved them. you not? The last thing you would want them to hear from your lips is your great love for them. And so today I want to talk more about God’s love which we looked at last week and we talk a lot about it but I think we need to really learn to hear it with our hearts and not just our heads to walk in it to experience it with the old divine called experimental knowledge. We call it experiential knowledge. In other words, knowing it in truth and not just in theory. In Romans 8, Paul is basically concluding the first section of Romans in which he talks about the great plan of salvation where God gives us Jesus to save us from our sins. And he establishes the fact that we have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. Every one of us has sinned against God every one of us and we sinned we have sinned and unfortunately we do sin And we will sin. That is to say, that is not to diminish sin, but rather it is to magnify the grace of God Because the more we realize our sinfulness the greater God’s grace appears How he could save a wretch like me? As Paul said of himself, I am the chief of sinners. And because he understood that experientially, he also understood the grace of God. That’s why he said we’re sin abounded, grace did much more abound. Much more. So Romans 8 is the capstone of the Epistle Romans, Paul is trying to get us to understand our security in the love of God, no matter what. So he mentioned several things here and I just want to look at a few this morning that Paul tells us as a means to convince us or should I say persuade us of the reality of God’s love for us.

No Condemnation in Christ Jesus

And the first thing he says is that there is no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus. Verse one, there’s no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus. I want to say that again. There’s no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus. Amen. None. Now other people may condemn you. Your spouse might condemn you. Your children might condemn you. Your co-workers might condemn you. Your friends might condemn you. Oh no wait, those are called enemies. Your enemies might condemn you. But there’s no condemnation to you from God if you are in Christ Jesus his son. None whatsoever. None. I mean it’s an astounding fact when you think about it. An astounding fact that in spite of our many sins, our multitude of sins, our high-handed sins against God over the years, there’s no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus. None whatsoever. We are fully redeemed. We are fully justified. As a matter of fact, the very word justification It means, just if I’d never sinned. It’s true. God accepts me just if I’d never sinned. Because the penalty of my sin, the guilt of my sin, the shame of my sin, has been removed from the cross by the cross of Jesus Christ. And so whatever barrier sin erected between the Father and Myself or Yourself, That barrier has been removed by the blood of Jesus Christ. And so when you come to God, He does not condemn you. That’s why we can actually have a relationship with God. Which I’m going to talk about more in just a moment. So Paul talks about this being no condemnation of verses 1-4. Then he says further in Romans 8, the believer now has the gift of the Holy Spirit. verse 5 he talks about living in the spirit and not living according to the flesh. He says in verse 9, but you are not in the flesh, but in the spirit, if indeed the spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the spirit of Christ, he is not his. And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the spirit is life because of righteousness. So those who have the Spirit of God have Christ, and if you don’t have the Spirit, you don’t have Christ. You can’t have one without the other. Because the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Jesus dwelling in the heart of the believer and dwelling in his Church. The gift of the Spirit is a mark, if you will, of God’s great love for us. That he would give us his Holy Spirit, and through the work of the Spirit he fulfills the law in our hearts. And through the gift of the Spirit, the third thing he does, the third mark is he makes us his children. He makes us his children. Look at this in verse 12. He says, Therefore, brethren, we are debtors not to the flesh to live according to the flesh. For if you live according to flesh, you’ll die. But if by the, the Spirit you put to death or mortify the deeds of the body, you will live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are the children or sons of God. For you did not receive the Spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption, by whom we cry, Abba Father. Abba Father. The Spirit Himself bears witness with our Spirit that we are the children of God. And if children then heirs, heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together. The Apostle John says that he just marveled. Well, I want to read it. Go to 1 John 2. He marvels at God’s love as he contemplates it. And he says this about God’s love for his people. In 1 John, the end of chapter 2, he says in verse 28. Y’all there? And now little children abide in him, so that when he appears, we may have confidence and not be ashamed before him that is coming. If you know that he’s righteous, you know that everyone who practices righteousness is born of him. Behold, means look, pay attention, behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us that we should be called the children of God. He marvels at the thought that we could be called the children of God has made us His children.

Children and Heirs of God

Not just saved servants, not just redeemed aliens and strangers. God has literally put us into His intimate family. That’s why in Ephesians we’re told that we’re no longer aliens, no longer strangers, But now we are members of the household of God. Think about the love you have for your family, the love for your spouse, the love for your children. That’s the way God sees us, we are members of his family. And because of his spirit in us, the spirit gives us that affection for God as our Father. Now I don’t know about you, but before I knew the Lord, I went through this progression of not believing to kind of believing, to really believing.

And until I got to the point of really believing, when I thought, well really when I wasn’t believing, I was really believing, but I didn’t want to admit it. And what I mean by that is, what lurks behind many an atheist and agnostic is the fact that God is real, but the thought is too terrifying. Because a holy God without a holy Savior is a terrifying thought. To think that God really is real, that He is pure, He is holy, He is almighty, to think that we might be it, the mercy of a God who doesn’t love us is a terrifying thought. And so, that God doesn’t draw men. That God repels men. Because it’s fearful and it fills people with dread. But to see God in the, in the face of Jesus Christ, to see God on the cross, this is what woos men to God. To realize that this Almighty, all-holy, righteous God is a God of love and mercy. A God who will do anything, and as a matter of fact, a God who has done everything so that we might come to know Him in a personal way, to become His children. You know, we, in evangelical circles, we hear this phrase a lot, you know, Christianity isn’t a religion, it’s a relationship. You’ve heard it a lot. I’ve said it many times. But think about that for a minute. I mean, do you realize what we’re saying when we say that? Do you realize that we’re saying that the creator of the universe, and the universe continues to get bigger the more we learn of it, the Creator of the universe who is almighty, and all holy, and all righteous. This person, not a force, this person is someone that I can know as a child knows its Father. That I can not just know Him from afar, Abba, Father, I can be on intimate terms with this being, the supreme Almighty One.

And when I speak to him, he bows his ear to me. The one who rules the world, rules the universe pays attention to my cry because I am his child and you are his child. That’s why John said, Behold what manner of love is this, that we could be called the children of God. Paul goes on. Do you have any rich relatives that are going to leave you any money? I hope I do somewhere. I hope there’s some great aunt somewhere that’s going to remember me and her will. But we have an inheritance because we’re God’s children. We get to inherit all things in Christ. Stagger is the mind. But Paul tells us in Corinthians, all things are yours. He’s like, why are you fighting over this? Basically, while you’re fighting for crumbs, you, you Corinthians, all things are yours. You’re wealthy in Christ. You don’t need to act like you’re poor. You’re rich in Jesus. So then [audio unclear]

The Spirit Helps Us in Our Weakness

Paul goes on and we’re not going to read it all, but in 18-28 he talks about how the believer is sustained through trials and afflictions by the Holy Spirit of God. And he says in verse 26, likewise the Spirit helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know how we should pray as we ought, but the Spirit himself makes intercession, some version says intercession for us or some translated through us, with groaning which cannot be uttered.

You could translate this as the Spirit makes intercession with secret sighs too deep for words. But he searches the hearts and he knows what is the mind, what does mind of the Spirit because he makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God. So whatever trials the believer may endure, whether they are the common lot of humanity through the curse, that’s earlier in chapter 8, or whether it’s the afflictions that we experience because of our faith. In either case, God has given us a helper called the Holy Spirit, and he sustains us through whatever trials God may permit. And as I shared last week, they’re not just permitted, they’re designed. They’re tailor-made for each one of us. He’s molding us and shaping us. And he brings difficulties into our life for the purpose of what? Conforming us with the image of Jesus. Conforming us… Thank you, dear. I’m glad we practiced that. No, we really didn’t. We’re told in verse 28, for the purpose of conforming us to the image of His Son, Jesus Christ. So when things are happening, you’re like, Lord, what is this happening? It’s because He’s conforming you to the image of Jesus Christ. Now at the time, you might be like, I don’t really see how that work out for this, or how this produces that. Listen, if you understood it all at the moment, guess what? It wouldn’t be a trial. No, I’m serious, think about it. Part of the trial is that you don’t understand the trial. Otherwise, it wouldn’t be a trial. It’d be easy. But you see, part of the trial is that at the moment, you’re baffled. At the moment, you’re confused. At the moment, you may be shaken. But that’s where you, through the Spirit’s aid, you walk in faith. You walk in faith. and you may not know what to pray but the Spirit does. So as you lean on the Holy Spirit and yield to Him, He prays through you. He knows the mind of God. He knows the purpose of the trial. And even if you don’t say the right words, the secret size of the Spirit come through you to God. And He hears those prayers. But it’s all working for good. It’s all working for good. You know, sometimes little footnote on reading your Bible. When you read the Bible, especially the narrative, and much of the Bible is narrative, meaning history, and just accounts of things that the Gospels are narrative, the actual narrative, yes there’s teaching in it, but a lot of story, and by story I don’t mean fiction, I mean historical narrative. So when you read the narrative in the Bible you have to pay attention to what’s not said as well as what is said. Okay? Because we read the Bible sometimes and somebody does this and then two verses later here’s the consequence. But what we don’t pay attention to is that might be 50 years later. In some cases somebody does this and hundreds of years later their descendants experience this and the word tells us they’re connected. So God’s working to shape us into Jesus’ image, and as we respond he does that, but God is doing many things in many lives all at the same time. And God is working out purposes that further his end, some of which we can’t see now, some of which you may understand five or ten years from now, some of which you may never understand until you’re in glory. But what’s cool about glory is then you won’t care. You won’t care. You won’t need an explanation because faith will be given over to sight and you’ll know him face to face. Speaking of which, the next mark of God’s great love for us is that he’s predestinated us for glory. In Romans 8:28 through 30 he says, we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to his purpose, for whom he foreknew, he predestined to be conformed to the image of his son, that we might be the first born among many brethren, moreover, whom he predestined, these he called, and whom he called he also justified, and whom he justified, these he also glorified. Paul speaks of glorification, which is the ultimate consummation of her salvation. He speaks of it as if it’s in the past tense. Do I look glorified? No. How can he do that? Because it is so certain. Because we have been predestined to this, Paul says, God’s purpose for you will be fulfilled. I’m so certain, I’m just gonna say it now. You have been glorified. That’s what he’s saying. It’s an established fact. And it’s really in some ways the consummation of God’s great love for us. That when we get to heaven, not only will we have been delivered from the penalty of sin, we will also be delivered from the power of sin, and then we will be delivered from the very presence of sin. the very presence of sin. It will be fully conformed to the image of Jesus.

That’s what it means to be glorified. We will be like Him because we will see Him as He is. Then Paul goes on and says two more things I want to mention quickly and that is that believers have all in having Jesus Christ. What then shall we say to these things, verse 31, what things? The things that are our glorification is guaranteed.

What Shall We Say? He Has Given Us All Things

What shall we say to the fact that God has redeemed us? What shall we say to the fact that God has given us the Spirit? What shall we say to the fact that God has made us His child and made us heirs? What shall we say to the fact that we even have now the Spirit of God? What will we say to these things? Paul says, 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, listen, how shall he not with him, with Jesus, also freely give us all things? Freely give us all things. Everything the believer needs for life and godliness has been given to the believer in Christ Jesus. Hear it. Hear it. Everything that you need for life and godliness, everything you need to prosper in this life, and I mean prosper according to the biblical, everything you need to have victory over sin and over the devil and over the world, everything you need has been given to you in Christ Jesus. So you know what my advice is? Go get it. Go get it. Now what if I said to you, Jordan, I set up an account for you and it has a million dollars in it. Here’s the account number. And you walk out of church and you never go to the bank. Never go to the bank. Well of course, Of course, the reason you wouldn’t go to the bank is because you don’t believe the money’s there. Did you ever go to the bank and the money wasn’t there? Put the ATV in? Oh, a dog. Overdrawn. That’s a faith that’s kind of not really faith. What do you call that? Presumption. Well, we have an account and it’s full of riches. And the unsearchable riches are where? No, it’s not Bank of America. It’s not First Bank. It’s not Fifth Third Bank. It’s not any bank. The treasure that has been given to us, the riches that we have, the Word of God tells us, are hidden in Christ Jesus. And if you want to know what God has given you, then you find it in Jesus. And I mean that in a literal sense. A literal sense.

You have wealth, unbelievable, in Jesus. But you’ve got to go get it. You’ve got to seek it out. You’ve got to seek Him out.

God’s Love Is Immutable

Lastly, God’s love for us, Paul says, is immutable. That’s a big word for it. It doesn’t change. In 35 through 39, he says, “…who shall separate us from the love of Christ?” Some versions say what? shall separate us. Tribulation, distress, persecution, famine, nakedness, peril, sword. As it is written, for your sake we are killed all day long. We are counted as sheep for the slaughter. Yet 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 principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth nor any other created shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is where? Tell me where it is. Where is God’s love for me? Go get it. It’s in Jesus. It’s in Christ Jesus. Everything the Father has done for us, everything the Father wants to give to us. His great love, his great power, his great comfort, his great healing, everything the Father wants to give to His children comes to them through the Lord Jesus Christ. The Lord Jesus Christ is to have preeminence in all things. The thing that’s cool about the Trinity is that the Trinity loves to honor the other members of the Trinity. The Father loves to honor the Son. The Son loves to honor the Father. The Spirit loves to honor them so much that He just kind of hides a lot. No, I’m serious. So often, He’s not spoken of when it’s clear that He’s operating. But Jesus says that when I leave, I’m gonna send you another paraclete, another comforter, another counselor, and He’s talking about the Holy Spirit, the spirit, the world cannot receive. And he’s going to show you all things. He’s going to take my things. This is what he says, the Father gives him things. He’s going to take my things and he’s going to show them to you. And so they honor one another because of their great love for one another. So one minute you’re reading the Bible and it talks about the love of Jesus. The next minute it’s the love of God. Then it’s the love of the Spirit. Which is, it’s all of them. They all plan together the great scheme of redemption and they’ve all worked together in various aspects of bringing us back to God through Christ by the Holy Spirit.

God’s love for His people is immutable. It cannot change. Now, you may have a great day today. You might read your Bible for five hours. You might witness to 10 people. You might lead 3 of them to Jesus. You may have mystic experiences. And tomorrow you might go to work and cuss out your boss. God loves you no less tomorrow than today. And if you think otherwise, then you don’t understand grace. The gospel of grace is God’s love for you is unchangeable because of the finished work of Jesus. Jesus said, It is done, not it will be done when my children obey me perfectly. Then it’s done? No, it’s done when I finish the payment for their sin it’s done when I fulfill their redemption for them now I’m not saying God isn’t displeased when we sin or fail And I’m not saying God doesn’t chasten us, but the Word of God tells us that chastening is a mark of love, not anger. God loves His children. Now parents, it’s time for truth. Have you ever, ever, ever just been your children’s anger, right? Everybody but Dave Wilson. Man, one perfect person. No, he raises him. How many of you, same parents have ever felt guilty for disciplining your children in anger? Well the reason is, is because you know what’s wrong. You know that at that moment when you were mad, that passion was sinful. But God doesn’t sin. And as His children, His wrath is removed. It’s completely gone. So yes, we can say God is displeased toward His people at times, but He never deals with us in a sinful way, in a way that we might deal with our children or with other people.

God always loves His people and that love never changes. That’s the heart of the Gospel. We are saved by grace. Grace means unmerited favor. Grace means you don’t work for it. It means you can’t work for it. Grace means you can’t buy it. You can’t bribe it out of God. It is given to us freely, not based upon our works. For by grace we are saved what? Through faith the means of receiving it, and not of yourselves, not of works, lest anyone should boast. No one’s going to be in heaven bragging because none of us get there by our works.

This Love Is Personal

Now most of you in this room are better people than me. You’re probably holier than I am. You probably pray more. You probably read your Bible more. But I’m going to heaven. I’m going to heaven. And I trust that many of you are going to heaven. But when we get to heaven, you’re not going to be able to say, God, I prayed more than David. I read my Bible more than David. I witnessed more than David. Can’t do that. Because otherwise, you wouldn’t be in heaven. No one’s going to come into heaven boasting of what they’ve done. Because otherwise, that means they’d be there by works. We don’t get in by works. It’s all of grace. It is a gift. And that gift is found where? In Jesus Christ, our Lord. If you want to know God, you find Him in Jesus. If you want victory in your life, you find it in Jesus. If you want joy and comfort, you find it in Jesus. He is the unspeakable gift of God to us. Amen? Let’s stand and pray.

We thank you. We contemplate Your great love for us. It truly is staggering. The human mind can’t understand how a holy righteous God would set His love on us, would invite us into His family, [audio unclear] would fellowship, would commune with us, would have a relationship with us. But Lord, You have done this for no other reason than You have chosen to set Your love on us. It’s your sovereign grace. And we acknowledge your sovereign grace. We thank you for your sovereign grace. And I pray that, Lord, Your Holy Spirit would truly enable us to understand Your great love. Lord, as your Apostle Paul prayed, Lord, I pray that we might know the love of Christ. We might know its height, its depth, its breath, its width. the illuminating work of your precious Holy Spirit that dwells in us and among us.

Thank you God for who you are. Thank you Jesus for what you’ve done. Thank you for spirit for what you are doing. We give you all the honor and glory. We pray in your name. Amen.