Skip to main content

Questions


What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. (Romans 8:31-34)

          If God is for us, who can be against us? The world, the flesh, and the devil, that’s who. Or, at least, the devil, since the other two are more “what” than “who.” In fact, they not only can be, they are. However, if God is for us, ultimately, what does it matter who or what is against us? It might seem like a big deal to us now, but God is God. There’s no question about who wins in the end. I know, it always feels like it matters.
         He who did not spare is own Son…how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? So why aren’t I living in a mansion, driving a fancy car, hiring personal coaches and secretaries? A verse comes to mind: “Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.” (Psalm 37:4) If you are delighting in the Lord, what is the desire of your heart? The Lord. He gives Himself, which is more than all those lesser things that we desire. When God gives “all things” is not the first and foremost – the only thing that matters – God, Himself? How quickly do we think, “Uh, God, I was really hoping for the mansion and at least the secretaries”?
         Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? The adversary, the devil will bring charges. That’s his self-appointed role. There may be others, including ourselves, but not God. God is the judge. He doesn’t bring charges, He rules on those charges. God isn’t the one who condemns. He is the one who justifies. Jesus stands as our defense attorney and our kinsman redeemer. We stand condemned because we are guilty, but He has already paid the price to redeem us. It doesn’t matter who brings the charge, or what the charge is, if He is our defense attorney and kinsman redeemer, it’s covered.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Saved?

  I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.” (John 10:28-30) “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, “I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’ ” (Matthew 7:21-23) Not at all! Let God be true, and every human being a liar. As it is written: “So that you may be proved right when you speak and prevail when you judge.” (Romans 3:4)   What conclusion do you draw when someone who was raised in a Christian family and church, perhaps even playing a significant role in a chur...
Post a Comment
Read more

A Virgin?

           Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel. (Isaiah 7:14)           This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit. (Matthew 1:18)           But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end.”            “How will this be,” Mary asked the...
Post a Comment
Read more

Meditations of the Heart

  May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer. (Psalm19:14)           As I started writing this post, I noted that the meditations of my heart are all over the mental landscape, from a hub where eight superhighways come together to a lunar or nuclear landscape. Do you see my error? The moment I read the word meditation , I think about thoughts. But what’s described here is the meditations of our hearts ; our wills.           While the meditations of our minds may be all over the place, the meditations of our wills tend to be a little more stable by the time we are adults. We no longer tend to want to pursue the ten separate careers we did in any given day as children. Part of this is humble acceptance of reality. We come to understand that we can’t do it all. I think another part of it is disappointmen...
Post a Comment
Read more