You are safe and secure

Good morning, everyone,

Our theme for this month: “Sound doctrine, strong faith”

Our Bible verse for today: “If God is for us, who can stand against us? … Who can bring an accusation against us? … Who is the one who condemns? … Who can separate us from the love of God?” Romans 8:31;33;34;35 (CSB)

Our thought for today: “You are safe and secure”

We have been spending several months exploring the important truths contained in Paul’s letter to the Romans because Romans is the most concise exposition of foundational Christian doctrine found anywhere in the New Testament. We are then spending extra time in chapter eight because it is the most important chapter in Romans. Sound doctrine leads to strong faith. We must know what we believe and why we believe it.

In the last part of this chapter Paul asks and answers five rhetorical questions which are designed to drive home some key realities about our relationship with God. We considered the first one yesterday, “If God is for us, who can be against us?” The second question is found in verse 32 and it flows naturally out of the first. “Since God did not even spare His own Son but offered him up for us, how will He not also with him grant us all things?”

In other words, God sacrificed His own Son so that we His people can experience victory over sin and evil. So why in the world would we look at the events of the world all around us and cower, or be intimidated in any way? What more could God have done to encourage and embolden us, to convince us and to prove His own good intentions for us, than to have His Son come to earth to rescues us?

The third question also has to do with our courage and confidence as we navigate this broken world of ours. He asks us to consider “Who can bring an accusation against us?” If God has forgiven you and declared you righteous in His sight, does it really matter what anyone else says? Do the lies of Satan ringing in your head really carry any weight at all if God has already declared, “You are mine. I forgive you; I love you; and you are fully accepted by me.” Does it then matter what Satan or any person in the world says if you already have that full and total acceptance from God? Rhetorical question! The answer is “no!” The only opinion that really matters is God’s.

The fourth question is found in verse 34, “Who is the one who condemns?” He has just affirmed for us that there is no condemnation for us because we come to God in Christ. So, the condemnation comes from Satan, and Satan is a liar and the father of lies. You have heard the old children’s limerick, “Liar, liar, pants on fire”? For Satan that is literally true. His pants are on fire. He is a liar, and the father of lies, the source of lies. So, base your belief on what God says is true about you, not what Satan or the world says.

The fifth question is found in verse 35, “Who can separate us from God’s love?” Now remember, these are rhetorical questions. The answers are supposed to be obvious. When Paul asks, “Who can separate us from the love of God in Christ,” the answer is “Nobody and nothing.” This is a critical understanding that requires further discussion, so we will return to it tomorrow.

For today I encourage all of us to spend some extra time prayerfully considering just how deep and secure we are in our relationship with God.

God bless,
Pastor Jim

(If you like what you are reading in these daily devotionals and if you would like more content from Oak Hill Baptist Church, join us on Sundays at 10:00 – in-person if you are nearby or, if you are geographically distant or if you just can’t make it, online at www.YouTube.com/@oakhillbaptistcrossville

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