Today pastor Choi talks about God’s adequacy. More specifically, he focuses on the truth that God is our sovereign Protector (Romans 8: 31). He is bigger than any fears we may have, greater than any challenges we may face, and able to see us through any hardships we may encounter in our daily lives. He exhorts God’s people to daily claim God’s promise in Romans 8:31: If God is for us, who is against us?
Following is a summary of the sermon:
If God Is for Us
Romans 8:31-39 New American Standard Bible (NASB)
31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us? 32 He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things?33 Who will bring a charge against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies; 34 who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us.35 Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?36 Just as it is written, “For Your sake we are being put to death all day long; We were considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”
37 But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us.38 For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Introduction
One of my favorite books is by J. I. Packer entitled “Knowing God.” Based on his book, for the next four Sundays, I am going to do a sermon series on the adequacy of God: God is sufficient for all human needs.
Here’s a brief overview. Today, part 1 of 4, we will focus on the truth that God is our sovereign Protector (v. 31). He is bigger than any fears we may have, greater than any challenges we may face, and able to see us through any hardships we may encounter in our daily lives. Next Sunday, we will discover that God is our sovereign Benefactor who withholds nothing good from us (v. 32). The following Sunday, we will see God as sovereign Champion and Judge who offers salvation based on grace. No one can condemn us when God justifies us (vv. 33-34). Finally, we will see God as our sovereign Keeper who keeps us eternally secure in Christ. Nothing will separate us from the love of God (v. 39).
I am convinced that at the end of my sermon series all of us will be blessed. We will grow in faith and be eternally grateful for our God who is sufficient for all our needs; physical, emotional, and spiritual.
Contents
If anyone is qualified to talk about life, I believe Apostle Paul is the one. He begins today’s text saying, “What then shall we say to these things?”(v. 31). What are ‘these things’ that he refers to? He is referring to all the things that he’s been through (moments of temptation and condemnation (Romans 8:2), moments of living in the flesh (Romans 8:9, 12), moments of fear (Romans 8:15), moments of suffering (Romans 8:18), moments of weakness and loss of directions (Romans 8:26), moments of disappointment and doubt (Romans 8:28). In fact, he himself lived through more hardships and life-threatening situations than anyone I know (even more so than Job).
Here’s the list of what he’s been through: afflictions, hardships, calamities, beatings, imprisonments, riots, labors, sleepless nights, hunger (2 Corinthians 6:4-5). Listen to him in his own words: 24 Five times I received from the Jews thirty-nine lashes. 25 Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, a night and a day I have spent in the deep. 26 I have been on frequent journeys, in dangers from rivers, dangers from robbers, dangers from my countrymen, dangers from the Gentiles, dangers in the city, dangers in the wilderness, dangers on the sea, dangers among false brethren; 27 I have been in labor and hardship, through many sleepless nights, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure (2 Corinthians 11:24-27). After living through such harsh environments for years, he says, “What can I tell you about life?”
Let’s think of the environment we are living in today. If you choose one word to characterize today’s world, what word would it be? Here is mine: fear. We are bombarded daily with message of fear, are we not? E.g. NY Times Headlines (8/5/2015): ISIS or Al Qaeda? American Officials Split Over Top Terror Threat.
Definition: Fear is “the bad feeling that you have when you are in danger, when something bad might happen, or when a particular thing frightens you” [Oxford Dictionary].
Fears are real, aren’t they? Having fears is also a common human experience. From ancient times, everyone with no exception has experienced fears and all of us currently have at least one or two. For instance, the fear of death, the fear of losing health, the fear of losing our job, the fear of losing loved ones, the fear of the dark, spiders, snakes, the fear of flying, the fear of being a failure, the fear of loneliness, the fear of depression, the fear of heights, the fear of the terrorist attacks, the fear of bullies, the fear of rejection, the list goes on.
All of us have fears. The real question is how can we handle them? How do we counter the forces of fear and circumstances that are massed against us? In today’s text, Paul points out an eternal truth that we can apply to our daily lives. With the greatest conviction, he declares that God is the solution to all of our problems including fears. Numerous times in the Bible, God says to His children, “Do not be afraid, for I am with you.” Therefore, when we are afraid, we must declare as Paul did, “God is with me. I am not afraid. If God is for me, who is against me?”
My testimony: twenty some years ago, I was gripped with the fear of the future for my daughter. God promised that He will be there for my daughter and take care of her, even long after her parents are gone. Ever since He has kept His promise and He will do so until the Day of the Lord.
Let me read verse 31 one more time to you: If God is for us, who is against us?
What does it mean—God is for us?
It means God is committed to be our Protector. It means that God is on our side. It also means that no humans or fears can mess us up because God is with us. When we are afraid, we can turn to and cry unto Him. When our enemies see God with us, they will flee away from us; our fears will melt away within us. God is the perfect answer to human fears. He is the best solution that works always and forever! As long as God is our sovereign Protector, no fear can crush us. Don’t believe in a lie that no one can protect you from fears. God can and He will as long as you trust Him in faith.
Remember this: not everyone in the world can claim this promise that God is for them. You have to be in relationship with God to be able to say, “God is for me.” Why? Because this promise of protection is only (let me repeat only) meant for God’s elect (v. 33), not for all. God is only committed to those who worship and serve Him as the Lord. God’s protection comes through His commitment to the covenant between Him and His people made. The words ‘covenant’ and ‘covenantal relationship’ deserve our attention here. In fact, the Bible is all about covenant relationship between God and His children.
Covenant Relationship
A little bit of historical information on the suzerainty covenant clause here would help us understand our “covenantal” relationship with God: A typical ancient suzerainty document begins with identifying the two parties in the covenant. One is the suzerain and the other is the vassal state. One is the more powerful state and the benefactor and the other is the weaker state and the beneficiary. It declares that “the suzerain is for the vassal state…..”
In Genesis 17: 1, 7-9, we see the same type of covenant declared by God to Abraham. “I am God Almighty,…. I will establish my covenant ….between me and you…to be your God and the God of your descendants after you….I will be their God…You must keep my covenant.”
Who is ‘God’ here?
He is God the Almighty. He is God the Creator who created the universe and everything in it. He is God the Sustainer. All-powerful God. All-knowing God. All-present God. He is God who cannot deny Himself (2 Timothy 2:13). He remains faithful even when we are not (2 Timothy 2:13). He cannot lie and keeps His promises for His children (Titus 1:2). He is God who predestined us to be His children and to inherit the Kingdom of God for eternity (Ephesians 1:5). He is God who loves the world so that He sent His own Son to the cross on our behalf (John 3:16). He is God who began a good work in us, and will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus (Philippians 1:6).
Who is ‘us’ here?
We are God’s covenant people in Christ. We are His children redeemed by the blood of Christ. We are heirs of His kingdom: Gentiles or Jews, women or men, all who have faith in Jesus.
You see, we become children of God through our repentance of sins and believing in Jesus as our Savior and Lord. That is how we become the covenant people of God. Once established, the covenant between God and us abides for eternity, for God keeps it in being (p. 261, Knowing God, J.I. Packer). In this covenant, God declares that He would uphold and protect us when people and circumstances are threatening to us. In this covenant, God promises that He would provide for us as long as our earthly pilgrimage lasts. To this covenant, God commits Himself that He would not leave us until we become more like Him in our character. In this same covenant, in turn, we declare our faithfulness and loyalty to God in Heaven. We promise that we would obey Him and keep His commandments.
What it means to be able to say “God is for me”?
I believe Paul got the idea of “God is for us” from Psalmist who says, “God is for me.” Listen. Then my enemies will turn back in the day when I call; This I know, that God is for me (Psalm 56:9).
To say that God is for me means:
- God will not forget or overlook our needs.
- When we cry unto God, He listens and the enemies turn back.
- It gives us the basis for the trust that quells panic (Ibid., p. 262).
Conclusion
Remember the story of David and Goliath? David said to the Philistine, “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the LORD Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied” (1 Samuel 17:45) .
When the Goliath of fears, worries, and doubts assails you, don’t run away. Instead, walk straight toward him and counter with God’s truth: if God is for me, who is against me? Claim this powerful promise of God every day. Nothing can crush you, because for you is God the Sovereign Protector. Amen.