Bible Study - Fear (2) - Security in Place of Fear - Romans 8:28-39 - December 11, 2022

 

Bible Study – Fear (2) – Security in Place of Fear – December 11, 2022

This lesson two (2) in our series entitled, “Putting Fear in Its Place.”

Our scripture is Romans 8:28-39.

Because of CHRIST, nothing will keep us from GOD and HIS work in our lives.

When JESUS willingly gave HIS sinless life upon the cross, HE atoned for all sin, from the original sin, to the end of times. JESUS shed blood paid, in full for sin and opened the path between all humans and GOD. So, that means all people are saved and will go to Heaven? NO!!!

Each person must ask for forgiveness for his or her sin, believing that JESUS paid for his or her sins. The Holy Spirit appeals to every person to accept JESUS as his or her Savior. Salvation is not complicated but it is eternal when it takes place. It is free to us but cost JESUS HIS sinless life.

Let’s read Romans 8:28-30:

²⁸ We know that all things work together^[k] for the good^[l] of those who love God, who are called according to his purpose. ²⁹ For those he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, so that he would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. ³⁰ And those he predestined, he also called; and those he called, he also justified; and those he justified, he also glorified.

The key to understanding in verse 28 is that GOD is in all things working for the good of those who love GOD and for those called according to HIS purpose. Things, for the most part, are neutral when it comes to their function in the lives of people and the world. But that changes when it comes to those who are to receive salvation and those who have received salvation, Spirit-born people. GOD is sovereign and allows things to act in a certain way according to HIS plan and purpose.

When did GOD determine who would be chosen to receive salvation?

We read in Ephesians 1:4: For he chose us in him, before the foundation of the world, to be holy and blameless in love before him.^[c] 

Let’s read Ephesians 1:3-10 in the Amplified Bible:

^3 [c]Blessed and worthy of praise be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms in Christ, ⁴ just as [in His love] He chose us in Christ [actually selected us for Himself as His own] before the foundation of the world, so that we would be holy [that is, consecrated, set apart for Him, purpose-driven] and blameless in His sight. In love ⁵ He predestined and lovingly planned for us to be adopted to Himself as [His own] children through Jesus Christ, in accordance with the kind intention and good pleasure of His will— ⁶ to the praise of His glorious grace and favor, which He so freely bestowed on us in the Beloved [His Son, Jesus Christ]. ⁷ In Him we have redemption [that is, our deliverance and salvation] through His blood, [which paid the penalty for our sin and resulted in] the forgiveness and complete pardon of our sin, in accordance with the riches of His grace ⁸ which He lavished on us. In all wisdom and understanding [with practical insight] ⁹ He made known to us the mystery of His will according to His good pleasure, which He purposed in Christ, ¹⁰ with regard to the fulfillment of the times [that is, the end of history, the climax of the ages]—to bring all things together in Christ, [both] things in the heavens and things on the earth. 

HE chose us but have we chosen HIM?

GOD chose us before HE formed the world. WOW!!!

Does this mean those HE chose do not need to anything? All people are invited to become GOD’S Eternal Child through faith in JESUS.

GOD is in all things working to bring all to a saving knowledge through faith in JESUS. What did JESUS tell Saul (Paul) on the road to Damascus as recorded in Acts 9:5 - ⁵ And he (Saul) said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutes: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.

GOD does everything to get our attention and bring us to a saving knowledge of JESUS.

GOD is on our side and desires to be our loving and caring Heavenly FATHER. Therefore, HE is in every part of our lives, first to bring us to salvation and then to commission us to tell others about JESUS. So, what does this mean for humans?

Let’s read Romans 8:31-34:

The Believer’s Triumph

³¹ What, then, are we to say about these things? If God is for us, who is against us? ³² He did not even spare his own Son but gave him up for us all. How will he not also with him grant us everything? ³³ Who can bring an accusation against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies. ³⁴ Who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is the one who died, but even more, has been raised; he also is at the right hand of God and intercedes for us. 

GOD is on the side of all humans bringing about the best outcome for all who have placed or will place their faith in JESUS as we live upon earth. GOD requires perfection but humans are far from perfection. So, GOD, in HIS wisdom, sent JESUS to earth to be perfection and all who place their faith in HIM are made perfect.

Paul, the writer of Romans reminds us that GOD did not spare HIS own Son, in verse 32. That shows GOD’S love for all humans. It also shows the love of JESUS for all sinners for HIM to be willing to leave Heaven and HIS Glory in Heaven to come to earth to live fully human and subject to physical death. Plus, HE had to live a sinless life and fulfill the Law. This was necessary for HIM to be to be the perfect, acceptable sacrifice for all sin. JESUS had to fully trust GOD to raise HIM from the physically dead. JESUS did trust HIS FATHER and this is the assurance to all who place their faith in JESUS that they will be resurrected as well.

Faith in JESUS results in any person who places his or her faith in JESUS to be Spiritually and eternally born into GOD’S Family. What does this mean? First, those who are Born-again are GOD’S elect ----

³³ Who can bring an accusation against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies. ³⁴ Who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is the one who died, but even more, has been raised; he also is at the right hand of God and intercedes for us. 

JESUS is very active in the lives of all people who are still alive upon earth. What does this mean for those born-again and live upon earth?

Let’s read on----

Let’s read Romans 8:35-39:

³⁵ Who can separate us from the love of Christ? Can affliction or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? ³⁶ As it is written:

Because of you
we are being put to death all day long;
we are counted as sheep to be slaughtered.^[m]

³⁷ No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. ³⁸ For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, 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 that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Our love for GOD may cost us our human lives but one thing certain and two things sure, those who have been Spirit-born will live eternally with GOD and HIS love for us is eternal.

JESUS gave us a parable to help us to understand end times as we read on. Prodigal son or daughter, it is time for you to return home, YOUR FATHER waits with open arms to welcome you. Make that decision to return. You made a decision to leave, you must make a decision to return. Do not delay. The first step toward home is the hardest.

Let’s read Matthew 22:1-14:

22 Once more Jesus spoke to them in parables: ² “The kingdom of heaven is like a king who gave a wedding banquet for his son. ³ He sent his servants to summon those invited to the banquet, but they didn’t want to come. ⁴ Again, he sent out other servants and said, ‘Tell those who are invited: See, I’ve prepared my dinner; my oxen and fattened cattle have been slaughtered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding banquet.’

⁵ “But they paid no attention and went away, one to his own farm, another to his business, ⁶ while the rest seized his servants, mistreated them, and killed them. ⁷ The king^[a] was enraged, and he sent out his troops, killed those murderers, and burned down their city.

⁸ “Then he told his servants, ‘The banquet is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy. ⁹ Go then to where the roads exit the city and invite everyone you find to the banquet.’ ¹⁰ So those servants went out on the roads and gathered everyone they found, both evil and good. The wedding banquet was filled with guests.^[b] 11 When the king came in to see the guests, he saw a man there who was not dressed for a wedding. ¹² So he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you get in here without wedding clothes?’ The man was speechless.

¹³ “Then the king told the attendants, ‘Tie him up hand and foot,^[c] and throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

¹⁴ “For many are invited, but few are chosen.”

JESUS first came to the Jews and then to the Gentiles. All are invited but few accept GOD, JESUS and the Holy Spirit’s Invitation to accept JESUS as their LORD and Savior. GOD will check those who come to the wedding feast and HE will know those who are true Spirit-born people by their garments. All who receive salvation through faith in JESUS are clothed with HIS righteousness and are adorned with white robes washed in the blood of the Lamb, JESUS.

Satan desires for those born-again to keep on their filthy rags but the Holy Spirit works within those who have been born-again to take off our old clothes and wear our new clothes of salvation through faith in JESUS.

Are we playing a game with GOD? GOD will spot an imposter immediately and cast the imposter out. We can fool each other but we will NOT fool GOD. Eternity is precious and all of us must know whether or not we have been Spirit-born by accepting JESUS as Savior. Ask JESUS to confirm or deny your salvation.

This scripture caused me to go before our LORD and to ask HIM to examine me and reveal anything I need to confess and to reconfirm my salvation through faith in JESUS.

We are planning a revival in the spring and now is the time for all of us to go before JESUS and ask HIM to shine the Gospel light deep within each of us to reveal any unconfessed sin, wickedness, bitterness or hatred toward GOD or others. 

Revival must begin with each of us, now.

Blessings!!!