Who Shall Lay Anything to the Charge of God's Elect? - Part 785

How often have we heard someone state: "All things work together for good to them that love God." If you are like me, you have probably heard this statement more often than not. The question is this. Have these same people told you the remainder of this particular scripture, or for that matter, put the statement into context?

Romans 8:28-30 actually states: "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, who are the called according to His purpose. 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. Moreover, whom He did predestinate, them He also called; and whom He called, them He also justified, and whom He justified, them He also glorified."

So what shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? (Romans 8:31) Who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect, particularly when it is God that justifieth? (Romans 8:33) Indeed, who is he that condemneth? (Romans 8:34)

It is Jesus the Christ who died and is risen again who makes intercession for us. It is Jesus who is the only mediator between God and man. Jesus said, "I am the Way, the Truth and the Life. No man cometh unto the Father but by Me."

And then Jesus said, "If ye had known Me, ye should have known My Father also, and from henceforth, ye know Him and have seen Him." (John 14:6-7)

Therefore, believing with all our heart that God Almighty willingly clothed Himself in human flesh so that we might be saved -- He who knew no sin becoming sin for you and I - who then (on this earth) shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation? Or, distress? Or, persecution or famine or nakedness or peril or sword? (Romans 8:35) Not likely.

Why? Because to those who believe by faith, God's promise does not stop there. "For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they ARE the sons of God. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear, but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby cry, Abba Father!" (Romans 8:14-15)

We are the children of the promise and counted for the seed. (Romans 9:8) Set free from the great heaviness and continual sorrow in our hearts because of the greatest love story ever told. (Romans 9:2) How do we know this?

"The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God. And if children, then heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ, if so be that we suffer with Him, that we may be also glorified together. 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." (Romans 8:16-18)

Again, if God be for us, who can be against us?

"Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor 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." (Romans 8:31-39)

Stand in the offering plate.