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Sermon Notes of Rev.Dr. Ivor J.W.Oakley
(Strandtown Baptist Church 4-12-1977)
Last week – beginning of great climax of Romans 8. Last
12 verses of chapter reach sublime heights without equal in the New Testament.
God’s eternal purpose. To cause us to be conformed to that purpose. Ensures
that all things work together for good to forward that end. Now Paul applies
previous fact to find safety of God’s children.
In present passage he insists on hurling a number of
questions at universe, defiantly, triumphantly, challenging any creature in
heaven, earth or hell to answer them or deny truth contained in them. But there
is no answer to challenge. Nobody and nothing can harm God’s predestined and
redeemed people.
If to understand these unanswerable questions, it is important to see reason why they cannot be answered. It is because the assertion implied in each is grounded on some immovable truth. Tremendously eloquent passage, deals with profound fact, expressed with force and beauty of great mind filled with love of God. Great paean of triumph.
Paul is too realistic to imagine that Christian life is soft option, or that there is nothing to it, something quite easy really. He never underestimated opposition. Nor, however, did he overestimate. Christian man faces many formidable foes: On a physical plane there is suffering, persecution, opposition of unbelievers, “sufferings of Christ” (2 Cor. 1), and death itself, the last enemy; On spiritual level there is indwelling sin i.e. flesh, world, all influences of people who are going in opposite direction to Christian, devil and all unseen supernatural forces. Ephesians 6:12 We wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
Samuel Rutherford said: “The wind is now in Christ’s face in this land, and if you are on Christ’s side you can’t expect to be on the lee side or the sunny-side of the brae”. Our enemies are strong, subtle and formidable. All arraigned against us. But what a hopeless situation!
However, listen to his question. If God be for us, who can be against us? If God is on our side it is not a matter of who is against us, however many or strong they may be. In Christ, by his divine human person and the power of his resurrection following his defeat of power of evil at cross, defeat is turned into triumph. The armour of God, power poured into us. “One with God is a majority” (Lloyd Garrison).
By descriptions within Bible, it is plain that Christian warfare is a stiff, trying, life-long battle. But not hopeless cause. Note of confidence, triumph and assurance. In the world ye shall have tribulation; but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world (John 16:33). Thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ (2 Cor. 2:14). Like a victorious Roman general, great procession through streets with officials, trumpeters, bearing his captured spoils and prisoners through crowds cheering his victories. So Christians are part of Christ’s conquering procession as he marches in triumph in the world. If God be for us, who can be against us? Since God is ours, nothing else in the world matters at all.
NEB translation renders this “With this gift how can he
fail to lavish upon us all he has to give?” Apostle has in mind Abraham’s
sacrifice of Isaac at this point. Just as Abraham was willing to sacrifice his
son, so God did not withhold his Son but sacrificed him for sinners. Abraham was
prepared to sacrifice his dearest possession, his only son; so God was prepared
to sacrifice his dearest possession, his own Son, and his only Son.
Closest intimacy binding Father and Son in eternal
relationship in highest and mysterious sense. Measure of Father’s surrender
has to be measured by tenderness and intimacy of that bond. Not only let him go,
but positively gave him over to shame and suffering and death.
When Hudson Taylor embarked on his first trip to the
Chinese in 1853, at Liverpool docks, the anguish of his mother’s heart cut him
to the quick. He leapt ashore to embrace her after they had said farewell and
whisper words of comfort. Said he would never forget that day. As ship passed
through dock gates, and separation really commenced, he said he never would
forget cry of anguish from his mother’s heart. “Through me like a knife. I
never knew so fully until then what “God so loved the world” meant, and I
was sure my precious mother learnt more of the love of God for a perishing world
in that one hour than in all her life before”.
Gave up son to suffering and
death – for us all. Sole purpose behind that costly surrender of Son – pure
desire for our blessing. Sheer self-giving and utter unselfishness. God
commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died
for us (Romans 5:8) is a perfect summary.
Now if that is the extent and
measure of his love, we can be sure that with him he will give us all things.
The greater gift implies the less. We would not expect a man who hands over a
million pounds to another to help him, will only offer a penny piece afterwards.
If we give a diamond, we may as well give a box to keep it in. Greater will
always be followed by the lesser. Whatever we may want is smaller thing for him
to bestow than gift of Son. Greater implies the less. Honour-bound to bestow the
less. Not begin to build and then unable to finish. Not to spoil giving of
greatest gift by withholding lesser gifts to complete his purpose. If he gave me
the best, will he not give me the rest? God sends his soldiers out fully
equipped, gives his commissioned workmen the best tools for the job.
He which hath begun a good
work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ (Phil. 1:6). When
he gave Christ to us he bound himself to give us every subsidiary and secondary
blessing to make Son’s work complete in us.
We need so many things, great and difficult, how can we be sure God will supply all our need? This great assurance banishes all our lingering doubts. The God whom we ask is the God who has already given us his own Son.
“Tis
this that silences the rising fear,
Tis
this that makes the hard thought disappear”
(Bonar)
That gift makes anything believable, reasonable and possible. These thoughts teach us to live by a very quiet and peaceful faith. Since he has provided greater, we may rest assured that he will provide lesser as and when they are needed. He gives us for tomorrow as readily as for eternity. He gives as quickly for earth as for heaven. Trust him for near as well as distant blessings.
Now into Law Court. Argument is that no prosecution can be of any avail if Christ is our advocate with God, pleading our cause, and if God our judge has already justified us. Who will accuse us? Accused by many things. Sin may accuse, past life, some particularly shameful and despicable act which comes to mind in moment of depression, Satan may charge us, Law of God also, critics and enemies. These things remind us of guilt, failures, awful weakness. We have four-fold protection in Christ.
· Christ has died. His death is propitiation and full satisfaction for our sins.
· Christ has risen again. His resurrection is proof that the Father has accepted his atonement. Sufficient and pleasing.
· Right hand of God. His ascension, and now our advocate in the presence of God.
· Who also makes intercession for us (8:34). His intercession and perpetual pleading secures our continual acceptance.
Surrounded by this perfect
provision there can be no possible condemnation. On grounds of these aspects of
Christ’s work, God has justified his elect. There is now no condemnation
for them that are in Christ Jesus (8:1). Case dismissed. Judge has
spoken, this is the end of the matter. All condemnations of the devil are idle
nonsense.
“When Satan tempts me to despair
And
tells me of the guilt within,
Upward
I look and see him there
Who
made an end of all my sin”
Believer’s security is as certain as God can make it.
“Do you believe in the perseverance of saints?” “No, but I do believe in
the perseverance of the Saviour.”
“Jehovah lifted up his rod.
O
Christ, it fell on thee.
Thou
wast sore striken of thy God,
There’s
not one stroke for me”
Brownlow North, Church in Aberdeen. Accusations were handed in to the vestry about his past activities in Paris, Liverpool and Manchester. Brownlow North’s response: “All are absolutely true but a day came when the Saviour said “Brownlow North, thy sins which are many are forgiven thee. Go in peace”.”
Have we taken this great gift of God? Offered to all the world. Only they have it who accept it by faith. Have we got Christ for our own? Then we are more than conquerors (8:37).
