Romans 8:31-39 Teaching Outline

"Who's Gonna Stop God? ... I'll Wait."

SEGMENT ONE: IF GOD IS FOR US

Romans 8:31-34

• 1. "What then shall we say to these things?" - Romans 8:31
  • Romans 8 demands a response.
  • Theology must become doxology and discipleship.
  • Review the progression:
    • No condemnation, Romans 8:1
    • The Spirit dwells in us.
    • Adoption as God's children.
    • Heirs with Christ.
    • Present suffering versus future glory.
    • The Spirit intercedes.
    • God works all things according to His purpose.
    • Foreknown, predestined, called, justified, glorified.
  • Question: If all of this is true, how should we live?
• 2. "If God is for us, who can be against us?" - Romans 8:31
  • "If" carries the force of "since God is for us."
  • Paul does not promise an absence of opposition.
  • Opposition cannot overturn God's redemptive purpose.
  • Christian hope is not optimism.
  • Our confidence is that Jesus Christ is risen and Lord.
  • Stop giving human opinion divine authority.
• 3. God is for His purpose, not necessarily ours
  • Romans 8:29, God's purpose is conformity to Christ.
  • God's highest goal is not our comfort, but Christlikeness.
  • Sometimes God opens the door.
  • Sometimes He closes it.
  • Sometimes He removes the problem.
  • Sometimes He uses the problem to remove something from us.
  • Application: Are my plans surrendered to His purpose?
• 4. The cross proves God is for us - Romans 8:32
  • "He who did not spare his own Son..."
  • Echo of Abraham and Isaac, Genesis 22.
  • Isaac received a substitute.
  • Jesus became the substitute.
  • Isaiah 53:5.
  • 2 Corinthians 5:21.
  • Grace is free, but grace is not cheap.
  • Do not measure God's love by circumstances.
  • Measure it by Calvary.
• 5. Do not stop the gospel at Friday
  • Jesus died.
  • Jesus was buried.
  • Jesus rose.
  • Jesus reigns.
  • Resurrection announces new creation.
  • Romans 8:22, creation groans in childbirth.
  • Christians are called to live now as citizens of the coming Kingdom.
  • Jesus is not merely Savior, He is Lord.
• 6. "Who shall bring any charge?" - Romans 8:33
  • Paul moves into courtroom language.
  • The accusations may contain truth.
  • Romans 3:23, we really are guilty.
  • The Christian defense is not "I didn't do it."
  • The Christian defense is Christ.
  • My guilt was real, but Christ bore it.
  • My debt was real, but Christ paid it.
• 7. "It is God who justifies" - Romans 8:33
  • Romans 5:1.
  • God is the Judge.
  • God has rendered the verdict.
  • There is no higher court.
  • No accusation can overturn God's justification.
  • Stop reopening cases God has already closed.
  • Your sin was great, but the blood was enough.
• 8. God is creating a people
  • Salvation is personal, but never merely private.
  • Jew and Gentile.
  • Rich and poor.
  • Different backgrounds, one Lord, one Spirit, one family.
  • Grace means receiving people Christ has received.
  • The gospel reconciles sinners to God and creates a reconciled people.
• 9. "Who is to condemn?" - Romans 8:34
  • Romans 8:1, "No condemnation."
  • Christ died.
  • Christ was raised.
  • Christ reigns at God's right hand.
  • Christ intercedes.
  • Cross, resurrection, enthronement, intercession.
• 10. Jesus is King
  • Psalm 110 imagery, Christ at God's right hand.
  • Every lesser allegiance bows to Christ.
  • Country, politics, money, career, reputation, self.
  • Application: Where am I treating Jesus as adviser instead of King?
  • Where am I asking Jesus to bless something I have never surrendered?
• 11. The triune God is at work
  • Romans 8:26, the Spirit intercedes.
  • Romans 8:34, the Son intercedes.
  • The Father accomplishes His redemptive purpose.
  • We are not abandoned people.
  • Revival begins when Christians start believing Christianity again.

SEGMENT TWO: NOTHING CAN SEPARATE US

Romans 8:35-39

• 12. "Who shall separate us?" - Romans 8:35
  • Can anything undo what God has accomplished in Christ?
  • Tribulation.
  • Distress.
  • Persecution.
  • Famine.
  • Nakedness.
  • Danger.
  • Sword.
  • Paul does not promise these things will not happen.
  • He promises they cannot separate us from Christ.
• 13. Interpret circumstances through the cross
  • Romans 5:8.
  • Do not interpret God's love through circumstances.
  • Interpret circumstances through God's demonstrated love.
  • Immature faith: "If You love me, get me out."
  • Mature faith: "Because I know You love me, walk me through."
• 14. Suffering does not mean God has abandoned us - Romans 8:36
  • Psalm 44:22.
  • Jesus suffered in obedience.
  • The apostles suffered in faithfulness.
  • Obedience does not guarantee comfort.
  • Luke 9:23, take up the cross.
  • Pride, self-rule, approval, and comfort must die.
  • Application: Am I following Jesus, or asking Jesus to follow me?
• 15. "More than conquerors" - Romans 8:37
  • "In all these things."
  • Not merely after them.
  • Victory does not always mean removal from the battle.
  • "Hypernikao", overwhelming victory.
  • Suffering loses its ability to separate us from Christ.
  • The world can take things from us without taking Christ from us.
• 16. "Through Him who loved us"
  • Victory is Christ's, not ours.
  • 2 Corinthians 12:9, power perfected in weakness.
  • Christianity is not weak people discovering their own strength.
  • It is weak people discovering Christ's sufficiency.
  • Spirit-filled Christianity should produce courageous people.
• 17. What revival actually looks like
  • Jesus becomes precious again.
  • Sin becomes disgusting again.
  • Holiness becomes beautiful again.
  • Prayer becomes necessary again.
  • Scripture becomes bread again.
  • Eternity becomes real again.
  • The lost matter again.
  • Comfortable Christians become consecrated Christians.
• 18. "For I am sure" - Romans 8:38
  • Paul is persuaded.
  • Some truths must become settled convictions.
  • God is good.
  • Jesus is Lord.
  • The cross was enough.
  • The tomb is empty.
  • The Spirit has been given.
  • My life belongs to Christ.
• 19. "Neither death nor life" - Romans 8:38
  • Philippians 1:21.
  • Death cannot separate believers from Christ.
  • Death brings us into His presence.
  • Resurrection creates courageous Christians.
  • How do you intimidate people whose King conquered death?
• 20. "Nor angels nor rulers" - Romans 8:38
  • No spiritual power can overpower Christ.
  • No principality.
  • No demonic force.
  • No unseen authority.
• 21. "Nor things present nor things to come" - Romans 8:38
  • Present trouble cannot separate us.
  • Future uncertainty cannot separate us.
  • Stop suffering imaginary tomorrows.
  • God does not get breaking news.
  • The future is unknown to us, but not to our King.
• 22. "Nor height nor depth" - Romans 8:39
  • Paul closes every loophole.
  • Nothing above.
  • Nothing beneath.
  • Nothing around us.
  • Nothing in all creation.
• 23. Our security rests in Christ's grip
  • John 10:28.
  • We persevere because God preserves.
  • Romans 8:29-30.
  • Foreknown.
  • Predestined.
  • Called.
  • Justified.
  • Glorified.
  • Election produces worship, not arrogance.
  • Sovereignty produces assurance, not swagger.
• 24. "In Christ Jesus our Lord" - Romans 8:39
  • Our assurance is located in a Person.
  • Union with Christ is the foundation.
  • Romans 8 begins: No condemnation.
  • Romans 8 ends: No separation.
  • No condemnation behind us.
  • No separation ahead of us.
  • The Holy Spirit within us.
  • King Jesus over us.
• 25. Revival landing
  • If nothing can separate me from His love, nothing needs to be withheld from His lordship.
  • Surrender reputation.
  • Surrender comfort.
  • Surrender plans.
  • Surrender ambitions.
  • Surrender fear.
  • Surrender the future.
  • Pray again.
  • Repent again.
  • Forgive again.
  • Worship again.
  • Open the Word again.
  • Share Jesus again.
  • Walk into the darkness again.
  • We are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.
  • Live like the tomb is empty, because it is.