MORE THAN CONQUERORS

Romans 8.35-39

April 29, 2018, SUN a.m.

Andres C. Guevara Jr.

Introduction:

This is the victorious conclusion of Romans 8. What else could we have confidence than these verses?

If we are genuine believers in Jesus Christ we are more than conquerors. We want victory not over other people but victory over self and over sin.

That should be the great desire of every Christian not a defeated one.

True Christian despaired as they struggles with law, self, and sin.

But our lessons for today talks about Christian triumph as a man in Christ victory is sure and secure.

This topic is worth to be repeated over and over for we all need to hear it.

Christian victory comes when we walk by faith brought by the Lord Jesus Christ.

I- PAUL’S CONFIDENCE ON HIS PERSONAL EXPERIENCE (v.35-36)

Romans 8:35-36“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? ³⁶As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.”

A. Confident Question--v.35

This is a question which do not demand and expect an answer. We experienced the love of God when we heartily believed the Gospel of Christ. When He sends His only begotten Son Jesus Christ at the cross and the Son sheds His blood and gave His life for our redemption and forgiveness of our sins. This shows how confident we are in Christ’s love for us. Nothing can separate us from the love of Jesus Christ. We have our weakness being in the flesh that our love for Christ can fade and fail. However, Christ’s love abides forever. His love remains faithful and unchangeable.

B. Causes of a Fading love--v.35

Paul enumerates some experiences of the God’s people which has a tendency for the fading of Christian love. Paul mentioned tribulation which are pressures that hardly pressed us, distresses that constraints us, persecution, famine, nakedness, peril and sword.

C. Confirmation of the Experience of All Believers--v.36

In verse 36 of our passage Paul quotes Psalm 44:22 “Yea, for thy sake are we killed all the day long; we are counted as sheep for the slaughter.” because he wants to explain that this is the regular experience of all God’s people from the old and new testaments saints.

D. Comparison of Paul’s Experience

Notice how Paul shared his personal testimony experience in 2 Corinthians 11.

2 Corinthians 11:26-27 “In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; ²⁷In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.”

2 Corinthians 12:10 “Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.”

Paul experienced all he has listed in our passage in verse 35 except last. Romans 8:35 Paul says, “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?”

Paul would personally experience the last “sword” or death, but ready enough and confidence to face it.

2 Timothy 4:6-8 “For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. ⁷I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: ⁸Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.”

We have discussed the confidence of Paul’s personal experience and that is also our personal experience too as we walk in our Christian faith.

Some Christian do not experienced the world’s pressure but conform to this evil world instead of conforming to the image of God’s Son Jesus Christ. It is the devil calling Christian to follow him instead of following Christ or the pulling of the flesh to let Christian indulge self instead of living and serving for Christ even being faithful unto death.

II- PAUL’S CONFIDENCE ON THEOLOGICAL BELIEFS (v.38-39)

Romans 8:38-39 “For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, ³⁹Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

A. Paul’s Expression of Assurance--v.38 “For I am persuaded”

The inability of all created things is shown here by the strong expression of Paul's confidence, whether separately or together to frustrate God's purpose to turn away God's love from people God wants to save.

B. Paul’s Expression concerning All things--v. 39

1. The death and life

The Apostle Paul enumerates “that neither death nor life”. People look on death with fear but notice that it is mentioned first because it is the least of Paul’s worries. Death promotes. Then it says “nor life”. This is where all the pressures listed in v.35 are experienced. Indeed, life is not sufficient to separate us from the love of God.

2. The angels and demons

The Apostle added “nor angels, nor principalities” (demons). There are lot of various comments why angels included in the list. Paul expressing an all-encompassing idea that every being in the spirit world is included as he states, “nor angels” nor demons…”

3. The present things and Future things

The Apostle expressed that our fears are not enough neither those fears that might appear in the future are insufficient thus can not separate us from the love of God.

4. The various powers

Paul talks about those powers in this world and in spirit world that are greater than you as an individual. Paul says, “nor powers” can’t separate us from the love of God.

5. The height and depth

Paul mentioned “nor height nor depth” which explains that nothing in heaven neither nothing in hell can separate us from the love of God.

6. The other created thing

Paul is careful not to miss anything and he make sure that nothing can separate us from the love of God.

C. Paul’s Expression of Abiding love.

Paul emphasized the love of God which is in Christ v.39 and the love of Christ in v.35. This is between the sinner and fullness of God in the trinity. This is our abiding relationship with God.

III- PAUL’S CONFIDENCE IN THE REDEMPTION WORK OF CHRIST (v.37)

Romans 8:37 “Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.”

A. More than Conquerors through Christ who loved us—“we are more than conquerors through him that loved us”

Notice Paul repeatedly declares the love of Christ in v.35 and he writes "through him that loved us" in v.37, and in v.39 clearly stated "the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

Like the Apostle Paul, our confidence is God. Nothing of us can save himself and can keep ourselves eternally secured. It is God alone who can keep our salvation.

B. More than Conquerors through God who has done all things to us—“in all these things we are more than conquerors”

We have victory though Christ (1 Corinthians 15:57)

In strong concordance 3529, Nike is the greek word for victory. It is our word “hupernike or hyper-victory”.

We can also translate the word as “a most glorious victory” or “supreme victory.”

In v. 37 it say “in all these things…” Now, what things?

May be you are thinking that this is the list of trials in v.35,

But notice in v.31 “What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?” Therefore, what are these things?

Paul writes these things starting in v. 2 to 30.

1. We are delivered by God from the law of sin and death (v.2-8)

“For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. ³For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: ⁴That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. ⁵For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. ⁶For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. ⁷Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. ⁸So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.”

2. We are renewed by the indwelling Spirit of God (v.9-11)

“But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. ¹⁰And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. ¹¹But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.”

3. We are made by God His Children and heirs (v.12-17)

“Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. ¹³For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. ¹⁴For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. ¹⁵For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. ¹⁶The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: ¹⁷And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.”

4. We are given by God the hope of glory (v.18-28)

“For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. ¹⁹For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God. ²⁰For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope, ²¹Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. ²²For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. ²³And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body. ²⁴For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? ²⁵But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it. ²⁶Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. ²⁷And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God. ²⁸And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”

5. We are ordained by God to be conformed to the image of His Son (v.29-30)

“For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. ³⁰Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.”

Conclusion:

Notice Paul in v.36 of our passage quoted the OT scriptures in Psalm 44:22 as he declares that believers are like sheep given for the slaughter.

Interestingly, Psalm 44 shows that OT saint were often encountered perplexities and they wonders where God is. However, the OT saints clings to God nonetheless. On the other hand we as NT believers knows the love of God in Christ through His redemption. Thus, we all know that what "all these things' written by Paul in v.37 talks about those things that God has done for us in v.2-30. Now we can shout confidently "we are more than conqueror" through Him that loved us.