"Who Can Be Against Us?" (part 2) 7/11/10
IN ROMANS 8 PAUL ASKS THIS QUESTION IN V.31 “What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?”
PAUL’S QUESTION IS REALLY 2 QUESTIONS….
#1) IS GOD FOR US? selah #2) WHO CAN BE AGAINST US?
WE WOULD PROBABLY ALL AGREE THAT NO ONE COULD POSSIBLY STAND AGAINST GOD.
BUT THE FIRST QUESTION ISN’T SETTLED IN MANY BELIEVERS…
IS GOD REALLY FOR US? (SELAH)
LAST SUNDAY WE LOOKED AT SEVERAL OTHER VERSES IN ROMANS AND TALKED ABOUT THE WILL OF GOD FOR OUR LIFE & THE HOLY SPIRIT’S INVOLVEMENT IN HELPING US TO PRAY. CD
Say it together…ROMANS 8:28 “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.” (comment)
The key passage for this series is the next few verses…
Romans 8:29 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. Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified. What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?
WOW…If God has predestined us and called us and justified us and glorified us…HEY!…Who can be against us?
As we look at these 4 things notice…they are all past tense.
It has already been done! He has predestined us!
He has called us! He has justified us! He has glorified us!
No wonder Paul says “What shall we say to these things?”
Last week was #1) Predestined. I want to spend some time reviewing this part because there is some confusion about it.
This has been a controversial term in the Church for 400 years.
It’s the main separation between the Calvinists and Armenians.
And most denominations are divided under these 2 headings.
***Calvinism and Arminianism are two systems of theology that attempt to explain the relationship between God's sovereignty and man's responsibility in the matter of salvation.
Calvinism is from John Calvin. (1509 – 1564)
Arminianism is from Jacobus Arminius. (1560 – 1609)
Keep in mind…the Reformation which birthed the protestant movement away from the Catholic church began in Oct of 1517.
Calvinism holds to Unconditional Election. The view that God elects individuals to salvation based entirely on His will alone, not on anything inherently worthy in the individual.
Arminianism holds to Conditional Election which says that God elects individuals to salvation based on His foreknowledge of who will believe in Christ unto salvation, thereby on the condition that the individual chooses God.
Years ago when I was struggling with these 2 theories, the Lord showed me 2Peter 3:9 “The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.” (everyone say “ALL”)
So, If it’s totally up to God’s will, and man has no say in it… then everyone will be saved. But the truth is our will is involved in the work of salvation. We have a choice.
The key is, Predestination is based upon God’s foreknowledge.
That’s how Rom. 8:29 begins… “For whom He foreknew, He
also predestined …”
Speaking to Christians,1Peter 1:2 says…
“elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father…”
How does God elect or choose individuals to salvation?
It’s by His foreknowledge. (seleh) Foreknowledge of what??(selah)
Foreknowledge of who will believe in Christ!
Who will choose to put their trust in Jesus. So, it’s on the condition that the individual chooses God. Say it…free will!
(last week) Illustration of wide road…narrow path door “whosoever will…”
“Predestined from the foundations of the world.”
So, lets look at these 4 things again. Rom 8:30 Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.
#1 (last week) He has predestined us.
This morning… #2 He has called us.
You probably remember when you were a kid and wanting to play ball with the big kids in the neighborhood and they pick the 2 best guys to be captains and everyone lines up…(story)
Hey, God has a Team called The Church…and He picks YOU!
So today, I want look at 3 aspects of His calling.
1st is the character of our calling.
In other words, “Who” He has called us to be. (selah)
Romans 8:29 For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be …conformed to the image of His Son…” (2X)
(Message) God knew what he was doing from the very beginning.
He decided from the outset to shape the lives of those who love him along the same lines as the life of his Son. The Son stands first in the line of humanity he restored. We see the original and
intended shape of our lives there in him. After God made that
decision of what his children should be like, he followed it up by calling people by name.”
I like that, He knows my name. And 36 yrs ago He called “Rick”
Amp… “…to be molded into the image of His Son and share inwardly His likeness…” (2X)
A song I wrote says “I Love You The Way You Are.”
And that is the truth…you don’t have to fix up your life to come to Christ…He Loves you just the way you are….
BUT…He doesn’t want to leave you that way!
He wants to… shape the lives of those who love him along the same lines as the life of his Son.
Another key passage on this process of being conformed or shaped into the image of His Son is…
2Cor 3:18 But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.
Notice it says…. “The same image!”
We’re “being” (Process) transformed…into the same image.
God’s doing it…we can’t change…But there is something we do!
“Beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord.”
See, It’s keeping our eyes on Jesus.
Looking at Him. Praising Him. Worshipping Him. Focus on Jesus!
Rom 12:2 “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”
We’re all triune beings. (tell someone)
1Thess 5:23 Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Spirit (pneuma) Soul (psche) Body (soma) 3 distinct parts!
In Him we are righteous. When the Father looks at you He sees perfection…because He sees Jesus in you. (Where?)
Well…It’s your spirit that has been born again.
But where the rubber meets the road…we’re a work in progress.
I’m talking about Our Soul (mind, will, emotions) are not perfect.
Our Thinker, our chooser, our feeler…is not perfect.
Philp 2:12 “work out your own salvation with fear and trembling”
Obviously, Paul is not saying “Work” for your own salvation.
But Christian, what God has done in your spirit, allow that, to work out in your soul… (mind, will, emotions).
Let people see Jesus in you by the way you live.
See, the Character of our calling is to be Holy.
He has called you with a Holy Calling, to live Holy for Him.
2Tim 1:9 “who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began..”
Holy is a real “spiritual” sounding word with images of somber people wearing robes and floating about 2 feet off the ground. But…in our backyard we have a “Holy” garbage can.
See, Holy means set apart for a specific use. I don’t take a bath in our garbage can, we don’t wash our clothes in it…NO, it’s set apart for garbage. It’s “Holy” unto garbage….and That’s it!
Even so, we need to set our lives apart for Jesus only!
Ephesians 4:1 “I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you
to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called…”
SEE…We do have a part in this thing…with our free will, we need to choose to “WALK” worthy of the calling. Amen?!
1st is the character of our calling.
2nd is our specific call to ministry.
Romans 1:1 Paul, a bondservant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated to the gospel of God.
Paul didn’t decide to be an Apostle…He was Called.
We see the evidence of his calling early on in his Christian life.
(story of Ananias) Acts 9:15 But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel.
(The church in Antioch) Acts 13:2 As they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, “Now separate to Me Barnabas and Saul (Paul) for the work to which I have called them.”
The 5 fold ministries are offices that God calls individuals to.
Eph 4:11,12 And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ,
PLUS…Within the specific call of ministry…God also gives a specific geographical calling…
Acts 16:6 Now when they had gone through Phrygia and the region of Galatia, they were forbidden by the Holy Spirit to preach the word in Asia. After they had come to Mysia, they tried to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit did not permit them. So passing by Mysia, they came down to Troas. And a vision appeared to Paul in the night. A man of Macedonia stood and pleaded with
him, saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” Now after
he had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go to Macedonia, concluding that the Lord had called us to preach the gospel to them.
God will lead us to the places that are fertile.
Even to people who He knows (according to His foreknowledge) are ready to hear and respond. We just need to be led by the HS
1st is the character of our calling.
2nd is our specific call to ministry.
3rd is our Call to be in the Family of God.
Romans 8:29 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.
You have been called to be His sons and daughters. God is our Father and Jesus is our Elder Brother.
1 Peter 2:9 “But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people…”
Another interesting word concerning the Family of God is the word…“Adoption.”
Eph 1:5 “…having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will…”
We were all orphans because of sin.
We were lost and alone in the darkness of this world.
And God the Father saw us, and predestined us to be adopted.
Romans 8:15 For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.”
Is Almighty God your Father?
Have you responded to His Call?
I know in my heart, He’s calling you today.
With your own free will…choose this day to put your faith in Him.
(salvation)
1st is the character of our calling.
Christian…are you walking worthy of your Holy calling?
Are you being conformed to the image of His Son?
Are you keeping your eyes on Jesus?
Are you being transformed by the renewing of your mind?
Are you hiding His word in your heart?
2nd Are you aware of your specific call to ministry?
Col 4:17 And say to Archippus, “Take heed to the ministry which you have received in the Lord, that you may fulfill it.”
No one can fulfill your ministry but YOU.
Are you being led by the Holy Spirit to wear God wants to use you? Or…To people who are ready!
3rd is your Call to be in the Family of God.
Do you have that Blessed Assurance that you belong to God?
That God is your Father and Jesus is your elder brother.
That…you are a friend of God… (sing)
PAUL’S QUESTION IS REALLY 2 QUESTIONS….
#1) IS GOD FOR US? selah #2) WHO CAN BE AGAINST US?
WE WOULD PROBABLY ALL AGREE THAT NO ONE COULD POSSIBLY STAND AGAINST GOD.
BUT THE FIRST QUESTION ISN’T SETTLED IN MANY BELIEVERS…
IS GOD REALLY FOR US? (SELAH)
LAST SUNDAY WE LOOKED AT SEVERAL OTHER VERSES IN ROMANS AND TALKED ABOUT THE WILL OF GOD FOR OUR LIFE & THE HOLY SPIRIT’S INVOLVEMENT IN HELPING US TO PRAY. CD
Say it together…ROMANS 8:28 “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.” (comment)
The key passage for this series is the next few verses…
Romans 8:29 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. Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified. What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?
WOW…If God has predestined us and called us and justified us and glorified us…HEY!…Who can be against us?
As we look at these 4 things notice…they are all past tense.
It has already been done! He has predestined us!
He has called us! He has justified us! He has glorified us!
No wonder Paul says “What shall we say to these things?”
Last week was #1) Predestined. I want to spend some time reviewing this part because there is some confusion about it.
This has been a controversial term in the Church for 400 years.
It’s the main separation between the Calvinists and Armenians.
And most denominations are divided under these 2 headings.
***Calvinism and Arminianism are two systems of theology that attempt to explain the relationship between God's sovereignty and man's responsibility in the matter of salvation.
Calvinism is from John Calvin. (1509 – 1564)
Arminianism is from Jacobus Arminius. (1560 – 1609)
Keep in mind…the Reformation which birthed the protestant movement away from the Catholic church began in Oct of 1517.
Calvinism holds to Unconditional Election. The view that God elects individuals to salvation based entirely on His will alone, not on anything inherently worthy in the individual.
Arminianism holds to Conditional Election which says that God elects individuals to salvation based on His foreknowledge of who will believe in Christ unto salvation, thereby on the condition that the individual chooses God.
Years ago when I was struggling with these 2 theories, the Lord showed me 2Peter 3:9 “The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.” (everyone say “ALL”)
So, If it’s totally up to God’s will, and man has no say in it… then everyone will be saved. But the truth is our will is involved in the work of salvation. We have a choice.
The key is, Predestination is based upon God’s foreknowledge.
That’s how Rom. 8:29 begins… “For whom He foreknew, He
also predestined …”
Speaking to Christians,1Peter 1:2 says…
“elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father…”
How does God elect or choose individuals to salvation?
It’s by His foreknowledge. (seleh) Foreknowledge of what??(selah)
Foreknowledge of who will believe in Christ!
Who will choose to put their trust in Jesus. So, it’s on the condition that the individual chooses God. Say it…free will!
(last week) Illustration of wide road…narrow path door “whosoever will…”
“Predestined from the foundations of the world.”
So, lets look at these 4 things again. Rom 8:30 Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.
#1 (last week) He has predestined us.
This morning… #2 He has called us.
You probably remember when you were a kid and wanting to play ball with the big kids in the neighborhood and they pick the 2 best guys to be captains and everyone lines up…(story)
Hey, God has a Team called The Church…and He picks YOU!
So today, I want look at 3 aspects of His calling.
1st is the character of our calling.
In other words, “Who” He has called us to be. (selah)
Romans 8:29 For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be …conformed to the image of His Son…” (2X)
(Message) God knew what he was doing from the very beginning.
He decided from the outset to shape the lives of those who love him along the same lines as the life of his Son. The Son stands first in the line of humanity he restored. We see the original and
intended shape of our lives there in him. After God made that
decision of what his children should be like, he followed it up by calling people by name.”
I like that, He knows my name. And 36 yrs ago He called “Rick”
Amp… “…to be molded into the image of His Son and share inwardly His likeness…” (2X)
A song I wrote says “I Love You The Way You Are.”
And that is the truth…you don’t have to fix up your life to come to Christ…He Loves you just the way you are….
BUT…He doesn’t want to leave you that way!
He wants to… shape the lives of those who love him along the same lines as the life of his Son.
Another key passage on this process of being conformed or shaped into the image of His Son is…
2Cor 3:18 But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.
Notice it says…. “The same image!”
We’re “being” (Process) transformed…into the same image.
God’s doing it…we can’t change…But there is something we do!
“Beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord.”
See, It’s keeping our eyes on Jesus.
Looking at Him. Praising Him. Worshipping Him. Focus on Jesus!
Rom 12:2 “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”
We’re all triune beings. (tell someone)
1Thess 5:23 Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Spirit (pneuma) Soul (psche) Body (soma) 3 distinct parts!
In Him we are righteous. When the Father looks at you He sees perfection…because He sees Jesus in you. (Where?)
Well…It’s your spirit that has been born again.
But where the rubber meets the road…we’re a work in progress.
I’m talking about Our Soul (mind, will, emotions) are not perfect.
Our Thinker, our chooser, our feeler…is not perfect.
Philp 2:12 “work out your own salvation with fear and trembling”
Obviously, Paul is not saying “Work” for your own salvation.
But Christian, what God has done in your spirit, allow that, to work out in your soul… (mind, will, emotions).
Let people see Jesus in you by the way you live.
See, the Character of our calling is to be Holy.
He has called you with a Holy Calling, to live Holy for Him.
2Tim 1:9 “who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began..”
Holy is a real “spiritual” sounding word with images of somber people wearing robes and floating about 2 feet off the ground. But…in our backyard we have a “Holy” garbage can.
See, Holy means set apart for a specific use. I don’t take a bath in our garbage can, we don’t wash our clothes in it…NO, it’s set apart for garbage. It’s “Holy” unto garbage….and That’s it!
Even so, we need to set our lives apart for Jesus only!
Ephesians 4:1 “I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you
to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called…”
SEE…We do have a part in this thing…with our free will, we need to choose to “WALK” worthy of the calling. Amen?!
1st is the character of our calling.
2nd is our specific call to ministry.
Romans 1:1 Paul, a bondservant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated to the gospel of God.
Paul didn’t decide to be an Apostle…He was Called.
We see the evidence of his calling early on in his Christian life.
(story of Ananias) Acts 9:15 But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel.
(The church in Antioch) Acts 13:2 As they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, “Now separate to Me Barnabas and Saul (Paul) for the work to which I have called them.”
The 5 fold ministries are offices that God calls individuals to.
Eph 4:11,12 And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ,
PLUS…Within the specific call of ministry…God also gives a specific geographical calling…
Acts 16:6 Now when they had gone through Phrygia and the region of Galatia, they were forbidden by the Holy Spirit to preach the word in Asia. After they had come to Mysia, they tried to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit did not permit them. So passing by Mysia, they came down to Troas. And a vision appeared to Paul in the night. A man of Macedonia stood and pleaded with
him, saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” Now after
he had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go to Macedonia, concluding that the Lord had called us to preach the gospel to them.
God will lead us to the places that are fertile.
Even to people who He knows (according to His foreknowledge) are ready to hear and respond. We just need to be led by the HS
1st is the character of our calling.
2nd is our specific call to ministry.
3rd is our Call to be in the Family of God.
Romans 8:29 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.
You have been called to be His sons and daughters. God is our Father and Jesus is our Elder Brother.
1 Peter 2:9 “But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people…”
Another interesting word concerning the Family of God is the word…“Adoption.”
Eph 1:5 “…having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will…”
We were all orphans because of sin.
We were lost and alone in the darkness of this world.
And God the Father saw us, and predestined us to be adopted.
Romans 8:15 For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.”
Is Almighty God your Father?
Have you responded to His Call?
I know in my heart, He’s calling you today.
With your own free will…choose this day to put your faith in Him.
(salvation)
1st is the character of our calling.
Christian…are you walking worthy of your Holy calling?
Are you being conformed to the image of His Son?
Are you keeping your eyes on Jesus?
Are you being transformed by the renewing of your mind?
Are you hiding His word in your heart?
2nd Are you aware of your specific call to ministry?
Col 4:17 And say to Archippus, “Take heed to the ministry which you have received in the Lord, that you may fulfill it.”
No one can fulfill your ministry but YOU.
Are you being led by the Holy Spirit to wear God wants to use you? Or…To people who are ready!
3rd is your Call to be in the Family of God.
Do you have that Blessed Assurance that you belong to God?
That God is your Father and Jesus is your elder brother.
That…you are a friend of God… (sing)