Down an Unfamiliar Road

The first religious New Year was celebrated by the Jewish people around 3760 BC and is known as Rosh HaShanah and occurs the early part of September.¹ The first secular New Year celebration came around 2000 BC in the Middle East, in the land known as Mesopotamia, where Abraham came from. It was celebrated on the day of the Vernal Equinox, which is March 20^th when the sun stands directly above the equator. Most of the world today celebrates New Year’s Day on January 1^st, thanks to Roman emperor Julius Caesar who set it in 45 BC based on his new Julian Calendar. Why? Because it was on that day that the highest elected officials of Rome took office to start serving their one-year term.

So what does that mean to you and me? That we can start our New Year any day we choose. Perhaps you can select the day you were born or the day you were born-again and it turned your life around from going backward into eternal punishment to going forward to eternal life. But the most remarkable thing is this, whether a person who celebrates New Year’s Day is a Christian or unbeliever, the New Year number is always calculated from the year of Christ’s birth, and this New Year it will be 2018. So, that is reason enough to tell everyone, “Happy New Year!” – Dr. Robert R Seyda

THE BATTLE THAT CHANGED THE WORLD IN 30 MINUTES

It was in the early fall of 1759 when the soldiers of General Louis-Joseph, Marquis de Montcalm, commandant of the French army of Quebec, retired to their tents, they knew their enemy, the British navy and marines were just across the mighty St. Lawrence River on the other side. But they felt secure in their garrison on a buff which was high above the river that had 180-foot steep cliffs that made it impossible for an invading army to make a direct assault. Besides, they numbered more than 12,000 men.

What they didn’t know what the British commander General James Wolf with his 7,000 men had received some vital information. He was told about a steep path that ascended from the river to the Plains of Abraham outside of the city. Seizing on this new lead, General Wolfe devised a new war plan that was put into action on the 12^th of September. First, he ordered the bombardment of the Beaufort shore, then loaded landing craft with soldiers and put them ashore east of the Montmorency River. Next cannon fire was directed against the city from the British battery near Point Levy. Finally, a portion of the British fleet sailed past Québec and appeared to be headed for Montreal.

Only a few sentries were left to guard the heights overlooking the mighty St. Lawrence River. But under the cover of darkness, British forces quietly boarded small boats that ferried more than 4,000 soldiers ashore. At 4 am. on the 13th, a scouting party ascended the pathway to the top of the cliff and took out the single French sentry. When dawn broke a few hours later, the city woke up to the spectacle of a British army in battle formation immediately outside its walls.

Montcalm tried to gather his widely dispersed army, but by 10 am. made the premature decision to confront the British army with whatever soldiers were at hand. The great battle on the Plains of Abraham lasted only 30 minutes; British ranks held firm in the face of a French advance. A devastating volley was fired when the British musketeers could see the whites of the French soldiers’ eyes. Huge numbers of men were mowed down and many others broke ranks and fled.

Up to that moment, France occupied the Louisiana territory (also called the New France) that stretched from New Orleans through what is now Arkansas, Oklahoma, Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, Wyoming, Nebraska Iowa, North and South Dakota, and Montana, up into Alberta and Saskatchewan, Canada. Had this battle not taken place the continent of North America would have been divided with the French owning it from the Mississippi River to the Pacific Ocean. But it was at that moment, in just 30 minutes, the colonization of North America changed hands from the French to the British. Just 44 years later the British would lose their portion in a revolutionary war led by General George Washington, and leaders of the new United States would purchase this Louisiana territory for $11,000,000 million dollars. There are other examples from history that show the disastrous effects of what may happen overnight when people are supposed to be awake and alert, but instead, they are sleeping, thinking that nothing can get to them.

This is especially true of the United States today. But not only the country, but also the Church. There are some who think that the freedom of religion in America will always be secure. But there are forces being assembled who want that to change. If you have a church you can keep it; if you have a pastor you can keep him or her, but you won’t be able to worship openly. So as a resolution for this coming New Year of 2018, let us all resolve within ourselves and our communities that we will not let the enemy sneak up on us in the darkness of night. The best way to do that is to keep our lights shining; keep the lighthouse of God’s Word always lit, and always standing ready as soldiers in the Army of the Lord. – Dr. Robert R Seyda

NEW TESTAMENT CONTEXTUAL COMMENTARY

Dr. Robert R. Seyda

EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS

CHAPTER EIGHT (Lesson XLVII)

The Apostles Paul now begins to enumerate all the adversities that might cause a believer to turn back from following Christ because they’re convinced it’s not worth it. Paul wants the believers to know that for each dilemma, God has an answer. For the first trial, Paul uses the Greek word thlipsis which the KJV translates as “tribulation” and means to be living under pressure, feeling oppressed, afflicted, in distress, and going through hard times. Thayer in his Greek Lexicon references this to what God said the children of Israel would go through while under enemy attack: “Because of the severity of the siege and distress that your enemies are inflicting on you, you will eat the offspring of your own body, the flesh of your own sons and daughters.”¹ So we can see that this is not a reference to the Great Tribulation mentioned in the Book of Revelation but as an example of the most difficult of times a believer must go through down here.

The next Greek word stenochōria is translated by the KJV as “distress.” It signifies going through a narrow place while facing some calamity of extreme misfortune. Again, Thayer in his Greek Lexicon references what was prophesied that the children of Israel would go through: “Even the most gentle and sensitive man among you will be without pity for his brother, his beloved wife or his surviving children, to the degree that he will refuse to share with any of them the flesh of his children whom he is eating; because if he did, he would have nothing left for himself.”² This is the worst kind of dilemma to face, when even those of one’s own family turn on them with violence out of hatred for their faith in God and to satisfy their greed.

Then Paul uses the Greek word diōgmos which the KJV translates as “persecution.” In Baker’s Evangelical Dictionary this word is used to emphasize the concept of someone being pursued, thrown down, sat upon, yelled at, then brought to trial and punished. This is what happened to the Christians after the Day of Pentecost. Luke tells us: “At that time there was a great persecution against the congregation which was at Jerusalem, and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the Apostles.”³ In other words, their lives were made so miserable that they had to move in order to survive.

Now comes the term “famine,” which is English for the Greek word limos. Thayer’s Lexicon interprets this as literal “hunger.” Thayer refers to what the Apostle Paul said back in verse 27: “Often I have been hungry and thirsty and have gone without food.” Then we have the Greek word gymnotēs which is translated as “nakedness.” Thayer sees this as a reference to the lack of clothing. We are given a reference to what was said to the children of Israel should they forsake God: “You will become slaves to your enemies because of your failure to praise God for all that He has given you. The Lord will send your enemies against you, and you will be hungry, thirsty, naked, and in need of everything.”⁴ But this can also be used metaphorically to mean being denied the basics of life such as love, care, kindness, encouragement and having to face life all alone; feeling abandoned, forsaken, and there is not one who cares at all about your situation.

And then we have the Greek word kindynos which is translated in the KJV as “peril.” This simply means being in danger of suddenly being harmed or even killed. Thayer’s Lexicon points to what Paul had to say about circumstances he’s been through on his missionary journeys: “I have traveled many weary miles and have been often in great danger from flooded rivers and from robbers and from my own people, the Jews, as well as from the hands of the Gentiles. I have faced grave dangers from mobs in the cities and from death in the deserts and in the stormy seas and from men who claim to be brothers in Christ but are not.”⁵ As dark as these circumstances may become, it will give the believer the opportunity to let their light shine even brighter for all to see the power of faith.

And then lastly, we have the Greek word machaira which is rendered as, “sword.” Thayer gives us the literal definition of a large knife, or small sword, used for killing animals. But Thayer also assigns a metaphorical meaning to the instrument being that of receiving a death sentence. A reference is given to an account by Luke: “About that time King Herod moved against some of the believers and killed the Apostle James (John’s brother).” But Paul is not left without an answer. He quickly and clearly states that as a believer in this world we should expect no more and no less from those around us who oppose Jesus Christ and God the Father, the One who chose us, justified His choice, and expects to shower His glory on those who remain faithful to the end.

But to all of these Paul things says: Going through all of this, whether or not we make it out alive or pass on to our rest, we are fulfilling this Scripture: “For Your sake we are put to death all day long, we are considered sheep to be slaughtered.”⁶ Jesus did not contradict this concept. In fact, one day He told His disciples: “I have told you these things so that you won’t be staggered by all that lies ahead. For you will be excommunicated from the synagogues, and indeed the time is coming when those who kill you will think they are doing God a service.”⁷ Was Jesus being cavalier about His followers being killed as though there were weeds or vermin? No! Take a lesson from the cells in our bodies that are constantly dividing, regenerating, and dying. Each cell’s life cycle is different. But the purpose of any cells is to do the job it was created for and then make room for new cells. Paul said we are all members of one body. Some of us live longer than others. But when all is said and done, all that will be asked of us by our Creator is this: Did you do the job you were created to do?

But Paul had another factor in mind when he wrote the Corinthians: “We live under constant danger to our lives because we serve the Lord, but this gives us constant opportunities to show forth the power of Jesus Christ within our dying bodies. Because of our preaching we face death, but it has resulted in eternal life for you.”⁸ When we put these two ideas together, we can see that for each one of God’s children who die as a result of persecution, oppression, or hungry and unclothed while in peril, God uses that death to bring others into His kingdom.

Under the first covenant, we’re told that sheep, goats, doves, etc., served as sacrifices to atone for the death penalty of sins committed. The prophet Jeremiah looked at himself this way: “I was like a tame lamb led to be slaughtered; I did not know that they were plotting schemes against me.”⁹ Under the last covenant, Jesus sets His death as an example of why He was not afraid. It was part of the prophecy about Him in Isaiah: “He was oppressed and he was afflicted, yet He never said a word. He was brought as a lamb to the slaughter.”¹⁰ Why should we then expect any more honorable way to glorify our Lord and God?

Early church scholar Clement says that because of all He has done, let us carry around a deep love for the Creator in our hearts. Let us draw close to Him with our whole being. Let us not waste our time, like the prodigal son, with foolishness and pride. Let us take advantage of the same joy that was set before our Lord as He endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God¹¹.¹² Then another early church scholar, Origen, makes the point that when difficulties and problems come our way, we thank God by saying: “Yet You gave me room to breathe when I was in distress.”¹³ That’s why when we encounter moments of hardship in this world, especially those that arise from our daily needs, we can call on God’s broad wisdom and knowledge so that such things will not distress us. That’s when we should return to the wide fields of the Holy Scriptures and look for the spiritual meaning of God’s Word. There we will find it said: “For I am the LORD your God who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you.”¹⁴

If, when we suffer persecution, we confess Christ as our Lord and Savior before our oppressors, we are certain that He will confess us also before His Father, who is in heaven.¹⁵ As Paul says, famine cannot disturb us, for we have the bread of life which comes down from heaven and refreshes our weary souls.¹⁶ And that bread never becomes unavailable, it is exactly what we need and eternal. Being vulnerable does not make us confused because we are embraced by the Lord Jesus Christ.¹⁷ We will not fear peril because God is our light and our salvation; whom then should we fear?¹⁸ Furthermore, no earthly weapon can frighten us because we have “the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.¹⁹”²⁰

Bishop Cyprian, who gave his life for the cause of Christ, wrote that none of the things Paul mentions here can separate believers from the one who loves them. Nothing can pull away those who cling tightly to Christ’s body and blood. Cyprian believes that this persecution is sent for the examination and evaluation of our belief. God wants us to be tried, tested, and proven as genuine. Many times He has put His own children to the test, and yet, in the midst of those trials, never at any time has He bailed out any of those who failed to make it all the way. Instead, He rushes to their aid and helps them become victorious.²¹

I like what Bishop Moule says here, that these verses are like a chorus of divine music. They follow previous verses as they were sung in order: Jesus is our Lord who was offered for our sins and raised again for our justification. This allows grace to reign which brought the promise of eternal life. So we are to thank God, through our Lord Jesus Christ, who is all, and in all, and for all, to those who believe in Him. And now, all is gathered up into this: Redemption, Righteousness, and Sanctification.²² He makes every truth, every doctrine of peace and holiness real, every promise becomes a source of strength for our life as well as our light, and His everlasting love does not disappear in times of trouble.²³

NEW TESTAMENT CONTEXTUAL COMMENTARY

Dr. Robert R. Seyda

EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS

CHAPTER EIGHT (Lesson XLVI)

It is upon the basis of the work of Christ on the cross that the acquittal of all those whom the Father gave to His Son stands. It was His act of choosing them that became the reason for which the, “not guilty” verdict, from the Father. Now, after Paul said that it is God who justifies those who have been redeemed, called, and chosen, he then proceeds to give the reasons for their freedom from condemnation. Four grounds are stated here: First, Christ’s death on the cross; Second, His resurrection from the dead; Thirdly, His enthronement at the right hand of God the Father; and, fourthly, His intercession in heaven on our behalf.¹ What more would a believer need to have in order to be assured of their salvation against all who would try to convince them otherwise?

Albert Barnes makes note that there are another three things to consider as reasons why Christ is not there to condemn us. This gives Christians an even greater sense of security. These are: fifthly, He is robed with all power in heaven and on earth; sixth, He is exalted to honor above all things in heaven and on earth; and seventh, He is placed at the head of all things in heaven and on earth. It is this solemn enthronement and endowment with power over the universe that is taken as an express reference to the power of salvation for His church and His people.² Every Christian then is under the protection of Christ, and, therefore, secure in knowing that God will not turn and condemn them.³ Barnes encourages us to think of Christ’s intercession in the words of the writer of Hebrews: “He is able to save completely all who come to the Father through Him. Since He will live forever, He will always be there to remind God that He has paid for their sins with His blood.”⁴

Charles Hodge defines Christ’s role as intercessor by saying that He came to suffer and die to save those who put their trust in Him. Therefore, on their behalf He presents to the Father the evidence and merit of His work as their Mediator, proving to His Father that forgiveness and salvation are theirs because of all He did to make a new covenant of redemption between He and them. Remember, He is our patron, in the Roman sense of the word. The one who undertakes our case as an advocate. One whom the Father always hears first. How solid and complete is the security of those He defends! Hodge reminds us that this language by Paul is figurative, meaning that since His resurrection and ascension, Christ continues to secure for His followers the benefits of His death and resurrection. This should remind us that everything comes from God through Christ, and for His sake.⁵

Frédéric Godet notes that this verse should read: “Who will be the condemning one?” He goes on to say that this supposes there will only be one Judge, while the previous question, “Who will accuse?” admits a plurality of accusers. Godet wants us to know why this difference. When it comes to making accusations, there are many that may raise their voices, as they did when they yelled before Pilate, “Crucify Him! Crucify Him!” But when it comes to approving the charges, only One is appointed to that office. It was Peter who said that Christ was the One ordained by God as judge of the living and the dead.⁶ So Godet feels that the question that the critics are really asking is this: Will Christ, on the day of judgment, condemn us? Godet says the answer is absolutely, No! The acts done by Christ on our behalf that Paul enumerates here are more than enough to guarantee our justification.⁷

Puritan preacher Charles Simeon wants us to ask ourselves, “How much are we indebted to the grace of God?” We are talking about the grace that chose us out of many, the grace that holds the treasure for us of all that is in Christ Jesus! What do we owe to Him, He had who passed by angels by just to choose us as His own? And when it appeared that we were beyond the limit of mercy, He went beyond the boundary without fear of any condemnation to reach us. Surely, if we don’t pour our hearts out before Him in earnest gratitude, even the stones may cry out against us.⁸

And let us not only render to Him the testimony of a thankful heart, but let us also glorify Him by living a holy life to the honor of His name. Have we not been chosen to do our very best for Him?⁹ And were we not saved in order to bear fruit for Him through sanctification?¹⁰ Therefore, we must prove that our election was not a mistake if we plan to enjoy its final blessing. Let us then walk worthy of our high calling, and cultivate all the features of God’s elect. And let us gain the knowledge of His Word so that we can avoid all grounds of accusation to escape the miseries of condemnation itself.¹¹

John Stott sees multiple aspects of how Christ’s dying for us keeps anyone from charging us with impersonating God’s children. He says there’s more to it than what’s seen in the saving work of Christ. For instance, after He died He was raised to life. It’s not just that He rose from the grave, although this is affirmed in the Final Covenant, but that it was His heavenly Father who did it. By doing so, God demonstrated His approval of His Son’s sacrifice as the only legal basis for our justification.¹² And furthermore, the crucified and resurrected Christ now stands at the right hand of God, resting from His finished work.¹³ There He occupies His place of supreme honor.¹⁴ This allows Him to exercise His authority to save.¹⁵ He is waiting for the signal to complete His final triumph.¹⁶ He also intercedes for us as our heavenly advocate,¹⁷ and High Priest.¹⁸ The fact that He now stands at the Father’s right hand is proof that when it comes to His work of atonement, it is finished! By being our intercessor it means that He continues to guarantee the benefits of His death to those who believe in Him.¹⁹ By knowing this, we can accept Him as our Lord and Savior. Therefore, we know, there is now no condemnation for those who are united to Him. As far as Stott is concerned, this will allow us to confidently confront the universe, with all its inhabitants human and demonic, and challenge anyone who thinks we should be condemned. They will never get hear God say, “You’re right!”²⁰

One Christian Jewish scholar suggests we should not imagine Yeshua always being seated at the Father’s right hand. This would indicate that His work is finished. That’s because the High Priest did not sit in the Holy of Holies except on Yom Kippur – the Day of Atonement. That means He is now acting as our intercessor/advocate. The prophecy in Isaiah puts it this way: “Therefore, I will assign Him a share with the great, He will divide the spoils with the mighty, for having exposed Himself to death and being counted among the sinners, while actually bearing the sin of many and interceding for the offenders.”²¹ Then the Apostle John adds his words of encouragement: “My children, I am writing you these things so that you won’t sin. But if anyone does sin, we have Yeshua the Messiah, the Tzaddik (Righteous One), who pleads our cause with the Father.²²”²³

Verses 35-36: What can then separate us from the love Christ has for us? Can trouble or problems or persecution separate us from His love? If we have no food or clothes or face danger or even death, will that separate us from His love? As the Scriptures say, “Because of You Lord we are in danger of death all the time. People think of us as sheep ready to be sacrificed.”²⁴

Now Paul lines up his most potent defense against anyone or anything trying to undo or make void the unity that exists between the Redeemed, Called, Justified, Chosen, Sanctified, and soon to be Glorified believers, and the One who did all that for them. The Psalmist gives us a hint as to its impossibility: “The mercy of Adonai on those who fear Him is from eternity past to eternity future, and His righteousness extends to His children’s children, provided they keep His covenant and remember to follow His precepts.”²⁵ Yes, this was the promise to those under the first covenant given to Moses.

But Paul declares that it equally applies to those under the final covenant given by Christ. As Jeremiah reported: “Long ago the Lord had said to Israel: I have loved you, O my people, with an everlasting love; with loving-kindness, I have drawn you to me.”²⁶ Jesus Himself validated this same promise when He said this about those who believed and followed Him: “I give them eternal life and they shall never perish. No one shall snatch them away from me, for my Father has given them to me, and He is more powerful than anyone else so no one can kidnap them from me.”²⁷

This gave the Apostle Paul the courage to write the believers in Thessalonica and tell them: “May our Lord Jesus Christ Himself and God our Father, who has loved us and given us everlasting comfort and hope, which we don’t deserve, comfort your hearts with all comfort, and help you in every good thing you say and do.”²⁸ In other words, believers must have no fear that God’s love for those whom He redeemed, called, justified, chose, sanctified and will glorify through Christ His Son, will ever be broken or displaced because of any circumstance or what others may say or do.

Then Paul goes on the list those things he feels may be contenders for voiding God’s love from reaching and keeping those He chose and justified. However, it is the type of circumstances that Paul mentions that may give believers some reason to believe that although God will never stop loving them, He may be forced to turn away from them as He did to the children of Israel who disobeyed Him in the wilderness. But the real truth is that they turned away from Him and refused to let Him save them and bring them into the Promised Land. The same is true today. God will never stop loving those for whom His son died, but they will only be lost because of these things they do or say to become estranged and alienated from the One who wants to save them.

NEW TESTAMENT CONTEXTUAL COMMENTARY

Dr. Robert R. Seyda

EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS

CHAPTER EIGHT (Lesson XLV)

Bible scholar John Stott examines Paul’s argument by noting that this question and the next two (who will accuse us, and who will condemn us) ushers us into an imaginary court of law. But in this tribunal, no prosecution can succeed because the God who pardons is the sitting Judge. Furthermore, none of those brought before Him can ever be condemned because Jesus Christ is their defender. He is the one who paid the price for sin; was raised by God from the dead; is at God’s right hand constantly interceding for us.¹ Stott goes on to say, that while many may point an accusing finger at us and charge us with wrongdoing, none can do so when it comes to whether or not we are the part of the called, the chosen, God’s elect, because God has declared it so. Stott exclaims that this is why all the arrows of accusation thrown against us fall harmlessly to the ground. They glance off us like arrows off a shield. He wonders if the Apostle Paul may not have had the words of Isaiah running through his mind: “He who gives me justice is near. Who will dare to fight against me now? Where are my enemies? Let them show up!”²

Verse 34: Who can say that God’s people must still be punished? No one! Jesus the Messiah died for us, but that’s not all. He was also raised from death and now stands at God’s right side, pleading on our behalf.

So Paul continues his challenge to Satan and his horde of unbelievers. As Isaiah said, let the enemies of The Chosen come out in the open. Even one of Job’s friends, Elihu, wrestled with how Job’s plea of innocence could be countered. He said: “If God remains silent, who can accuse him?”³ In other words, since God is the omniscient Judge, if He was not accusing Job of wrongdoing, then how can mere humans do so? That’s why David later proclaimed: “The Lord will not let these evil men succeed, nor let the godly be condemned when they are brought before the judge.”⁴ David goes on to tell the people of God not to be impatient for the Lord to act! Keep traveling steadily along His pathway and in due season He will honor you with every blessing.

Paul wants the believers in Rome to also know, Christ is not the head of the Church and the one and only Savior because He is the best out of many. No! No! No matter how far back in history you may go and examine all the gods and divine beings that have become objects of human worship, Jesus of Nazareth is the only one who died on a cross, rose from the dead, and ascended into heaven to stand at God’s right hand as a high priest and intercessor for those He died for, and who believe in Him as their Lord and Savior.

But even in Job’s day, there were some who expressed such faith. His friend Elihu told Job: “If there is for him an angel, a mediator, one among a thousand, who confirms the man’s uprightness; then [God] is gracious to him and says, ‘Redeem him from going down to the pit; I have found a ransom.’”⁵ Jesus removed all doubt about Him being that Redeemer when He said to His disciples: “I, the Messiah, did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give my life as a ransom for many.”⁶ This gave Paul all he needed to tell the Galatians: “The Messiah redeemed us from the curse pronounced in the Torah by becoming cursed on our behalf.”⁷

The writer of Hebrews saw this when he looked at Christ: “God’s Son shines out with God’s glory, and all that God’s Son is and does mark Him as God. He regulates the universe by the mighty power of His command. He is the one who died to cleanse us and clear our record of all sin, and then sat down in highest honor beside the great God of heaven.”⁸ And the Apostle Peter adds his imprimatur: “Christ also suffered. He died once for the sins of all us guilty sinners although He Himself was innocent of any sin at any time, that He might bring us safely home to God.”⁹

When we get to know the magnitude of the divinity, power, and glory of Christ, it adds that much more impact to the knowledge that it was He who died for us. But it was because He knew that was the only way to reach His ultimate goal. Mark tells us about our Lord’s last hours here on earth as He spent time encouraging the disciples to go out and win souls for the kingdom of God, “When the Lord Jesus had finished talking with them, He was taken up into heaven and sat down at God’s right hand.”¹⁰ After the disciples went back to Jerusalem to await the coming of the Holy Spirit as a signal of Christ’s arrival in heaven, no doubt there were some who wanted more evidence. They received that validation when Stephen was being stoned, and Luke tells us, “Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed steadily upward into heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at God’s right hand.”¹¹

The Apostle Paul, who was there at that stoning of Stephen, was able to tell the Colossians with much certainty: “Since you became alive again, so to speak, when Christ arose from the dead, now set your sights on the rich treasures and joys of heaven where He sits beside God in the place of honor and power.”¹² The writer of Hebrews announced the same truth: “What we are saying is this: Christ is our High Priest and is in heaven at the place of greatest honor next to God Himself. He ministers in the temple in heaven, the true place of worship built by the Lord and not by human hands.”¹³

Paul knew in his day what we have also experienced in our day and that is when someone proves themselves to be a great champion of any sport or science, their championship spirit and gravitas is looked on with great admiration. We tend to seek their advice and approval because of its value and weight. The prophet Isaiah sees the Messiah in the same light: “When He sees all that is accomplished by the anguish of His soul, He will be satisfied; and because of what He has experienced, my righteous Servant shall make many to be counted righteous before God, for He will bear all their sins. Therefore, I will give Him the honors of one who is mighty and great because He has poured out His soul in death. He was counted as a sinner, and He bore the sins of many, and He intercedes with God for sinners.”¹⁴

Jesus clearly outlined how this intercession works. He does not say the prayer for us, but He is there to vouch for what we pray and our privilege to ask the Father for His help and support. He told His disciples: “You won’t need to ask me for anything, for you can go directly to the Father and ask Him, and He will give you what you ask for because you use my name… Then you will present your petitions over my signature! And I won’t need to ask the Father to grant you these requests, for the Father Himself loves you dearly because you love me and believe that I came from the Father.”¹⁵

Leo the Great, an early church Bishop of Rome, who later became Pope, spoke on how in the Church, which is Christ’s Body, and announced that work of the priests are not valid, nor are any offerings we may bring of any value unless we first understand that it is our High Priest in heaven who made atonement for us, and the true Blood of this spotless Lamb is what makes us clean. Even though He now sits at our heavenly Father’s right hand, yet in the same flesh which He received from the Virgin He carries on the work of atonement.¹⁶ And no one else can take His place or be a substitute for Him He’s the only one with the nail scars in His hands, the wound in His side, and the thorn prints on His brow.

Then another early church scholar tells us that in the context of what Paul says here, we see that there is one Person who intercedes for us and another Person who hears that plea. So it is not improper for the Son of God to ask, and for His heavenly Father to grant His request for our forgiveness and acquittal. This is how the complementary relationship between these two Divine Persons is maintained. This early church scholar Severian feels that all believers should know that this text teaches us that there is a distinction between what the Father did and what the Son did and they must not be confused.¹⁷

Reformer John Calvin offers his insights on Christ’s intercession for us before the Father. He believes that Paul purposely added this so that the divine majesty of Christ does not alarm us. Although from His elevated throne He places all things in subjection under His feet, yet Paul represents Him as a loving, caring Mediator. We should not be so awed by His presence that we would hesitate to approach Him. He not only invites us to Himself in kindness but welcomes us as our Intercessor before the Father. But let us not define His intercession with human logic. Let us not suppose that Christ humbly pours out His supplication before the Father on bended knee with outstretched hands.¹⁸ In other words, Jesus is not a beggar. He does not slouch before the Father and soulfully pleads with Him to have pity on us and forgive us of our wrongdoing. No! See Him as standing with authority next to the Father and with a simple wave of His nail-scarred hand dismisses any charge brought against us that we are not God’s true children. He does this so that the Father need not bother with such trivial matters.

Robert Haldane speaks about why believers being condemned to die is not permitted. In the preceding verse, we find this question: “Who can bring any charges against God’s elect?” Furthermore, “Who is in any position to condemn them? If you cannot accuse someone of doing wrong, then how can they be condemned? Paul tells us that God is more than happy to justify the elect. He enjoys removing them from condemnation. Not only that, but He looks for reasons to find them innocent instead of searching for causes to declare them guilty. So when realizing that God sees things this way, how could anyone dare try and condemn them?

Is it really because they’ve done nothing wrong or committed an error? No! In fact, they’ve done both. But no one can dig up a single sin by which to accuse them under the curse of the law? You see, they have been delivered from the Law by what their Divine Judge did in handling their case. The Law could condemn them, but not forgive them. But God’s Spirit convicts them and God’s grace forgives them and removes the condemnation. Haldane notes that Paul was echoing what the Prophet Isaiah, said, “He is near that justifies Me; who will contend with Me?”¹⁹ These words relate to Isaiah’s confidence that his Father in heavenly will support him in his cause as a righteous and faithful servant.

NEW TESTAMENT CONTEXTUAL COMMENTARY

Dr. Robert R. Seyda

EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS

CHAPTER EIGHT (Lesson XLIV)

We read in the Book of Revelation that John is talking about the same One Isaiah spoke of: “See my Servant, whom I uphold; my Chosen One in whom I delight. I have put my Spirit upon Him.”¹ And just as Christ was chosen, so are all those who follow Him are the called and chosen.² And their being chosen is justified by the work of Christ. Therefore, since He and His followers are one, just as He is One with the Father, they too will enjoy and participate in all the gifts and glory that God the Father will bestow upon Him. Such faith gave the prophet Isaiah the courage to announce: “Because the Lord God helps me, I will not be dismayed; therefore, I have set my face like flint to do His will, and I know that I will triumph. He who gives me justice is near. Who will dare to fight against me now? Where are my enemies? Let them appear! See, the Lord God is for me! Who shall declare me guilty?”³ This was Paul’s message to the believers in Rome. When we read Church history and see what Christians went through that included persecution, torture, and death, no doubt Paul’s words were read again and again for motivation to remain true and faithful until the end.

John Calvin sees this parallel between an earthly judge and God in what Paul is saying. Paul has emphatically concluded that the children of God will not be subjected to false accusations. God is the one who decides the guilt, not the accuser. In Paul’s mind, the court is adjourned because the great Judge Himself has pronounced the accused as exempt from any request for punishment brought by the accuser because the sentence has already been served and the price paid for forgiveness.⁴ This does not mean that the individual is innocent of the charges. But such charges no longer are examined under the Law but under grace. Calvin goes on to say that we have a second buffer against such charges because the One who saved us is standing at the right hand of God as our advocate, and by His intercession, He not only abolishes death but also erases our sins so that they cannot be added back to our account.

Robert Haldane says that charges being brought against believers may involve their response to temptations that confront them along the way. These may come from without, others may be from within. When they come from within, they are alarms of the conscience brought on by the fear of God’s wrath. When they appear from without, they are often brought by adversity and affliction. For believers, unless they can overcome the accusations of conscience from within, they cannot be victorious over the accusations that come from without. That’s because believers find it impossible to have any patience or confidence in God during times of trouble when their conscience labors under the dread of God’s anger.

Haldane notes that because of this the Apostle Paul, in the fifth chapter of this Epistle, describes the co-occurrence of justification rendered by faith. First, he speaks of having peace with God. Next in seeing the honor that can be had during times when faith is being tested. In this 8th chapter, he observes these in the same order. Here Paul speaks of believers being able to triumph being tested and tried when they first fortify their conscience against any fear that they will be found guilty as long as they feel secure against external temptations brought on by hardships. Haldane goes on to say that if anyone brings a charge against a believer that turns out to be true, the price for that charge has already been paid, all the believer needs to do is access it through faith and prayer so the IOU can be canceled through forgiveness.⁵

Charles Hodge accepts the way this verse is translated in the King James Version. Nevertheless, he feels that the impossibility of any accusation being sustained against the elect of God can be better expressed when said in the affirmative. By that he means, it is God who is their Justifier. If He justifies, who can condemn? In addition, according to the way this is written here, God must be seen as the Judge, not the accuser. The way God justifies the believer is to declare any call for justice has already been satisfied. There is no such thing as double jeopardy in God’s judicial system. When God, the Supreme Judge, declares that this is so, then it must be true. God does not lie or cover up mistakes. So when He says the price has been paid it should stop every mouth.

For Hodge, no rational creature, no enlightened conscience, would think of calling for God to punish those He justified.⁶ Neither Hodge nor the Apostle Paul, are intimating that believers need not fear being convicted or ashamed of bad conduct. Believers must repent immediately upon being convicted by the Holy Spirit through their conscience that they have sinned, and receive forgiveness from God through Christ. But for the believer being given no choice but to be found guilty under the Law is wrong theology. They are under grace because the Law cannot issue any forgiveness.

In one of his devotionals, preacher Octavius Winslow wrote on the subject of God being the one who justifies. He eloquently states that it would appear there are two links in this marvelous chain – the purpose of God, and its final consummation. Both of these seem so far out of man’s realm of reason and comprehension, that it would be impossible to calm the believer’s anxiety by asking them to have firm belief in certain doctrines in God’s Word that are still buried in the deep things of God’s mind.⁷ However, while these two extreme links in the chain of divine truth remain invisibly locked in God’s hand, we are left with certain visible links which the perplexed and inquiring reader can take hold of. In doing so, they will be saved, although so much more to see and learn remains wrapped in profound mystery.

And just like its Divine Author, access can only be had in the presence of His unapproachable grandeur. This is not to our detriment because it is not essential to our salvation. We are not required to lift the veil off awesome mysteries and penetrate the depths of what God has predestinated concerning our future glory in order to have assurance. The only thing we need to know now is that our salvation depends on our being chosen by God and that through Christ we are justified with God. We may arrive at heaven’s gates without really knowing the amazing truths yet to be revealed, but we cannot get there without the Spirit’s grace and Christ’s righteousness. So grasp them by faith, and receive them into your heart. These two central and essential truths will continue to lift you into a sunnier region, where all we should know stands clear and transparent, bathed in the noontide splendor of heaven’s own glory.

Winslow continues to explain that we already believe that the cardinal doctrine of God’s justification is not fully understood by many, although they have seen its results. The lofty position of security in which it places the believer, the liberty, peace, and hope, into which it brings them are as stars in the sky. Many believers see them from afar, but not up close in detail. This is caused by the fact that so many of the weak, sickly Christians are suffering to a large degree from the unrefined and foggy conceptions that were formed in their minds by not being taught properly what God’s Word has to say about them. They also have no clear view of the work that was done and the effort that was made by God, Christ, and the Holy Spirit in the great matter of our justification. Once we trace the act of our justification to God, and connect it to Christ’s work on the cross, and then track its operation to the Holy Spirit, it will place us on much higher ground from which we can offer a strong defense of our faith against all our enemies.

Winslow then concludes that we should stop for a moment and consider the following: Oh God! Against whom have we sinned? Taking a cue from what King David confessed, we can exclaim, “Against You, You only, have I sinned.”⁸ So, having sinned against God, then it is from God we would expect to receive condemnation. We have violated His law, and from the lips of the Lawgiver, we await the sentence. When suddenly, He declares Himself on our side. Descending down from His tribunal, He calls us forward to kneel at His feet. Then we hear Him say with assurance, “I am your Justifier.” So he reaches down to us, the wrongdoer, the wretched sinner, and grabs the cloak stained with sin and pulls it off our shoulders. Then, He reaches for a clean, white robe and covers us completely. This robe belongs to all who believe.⁹ And then He takes us by the hand so we can stand as fully justified by His grace.

So here’s the question, will we then be unmoved by the great effort our heavenly Father put into answering the great question of our acceptance? Instead of seeing Him as a warm, gentle, and forgiving Father, will we continue to carry around a hesitant and suspicious idea of who God is? Will we continue to think that if we infringe upon His holiness by pleading for His mercy He will look coldly at us as unworthy of an answer? Oh, no! Throw away such thoughts of God! It is He who gladly announced your acquittal. From His lips you heard the sound of His glorious words, “I find no condemnation in those who are in Christ Jesus! Go and sin no more!”¹⁰

Charles Spurgeon gives his response to Paul’s words with a poetic flavor:

“Ring out the challenge in heaven itself;

trumpet it through all the caverns of hell;

let the whole universe hear it:

“Who shall lay anything to the charge of God’s elect?”

None can, for “it is God that justifies,”

and His justification blocks every charge

that is brought against His people.

Who shall the Lord’s elect condemn?

‘Tis God that justifies their souls;

And mercy like a mighty stream,

O’er all their sins divinely rolls.”¹¹

Frédéric Godet also weighs in on whether the opening phrase of this verse should be taken in the affirmative or interrogative sense. He tells us that since the time of St. Augustine several commentators take the statement in this verse in an interrogative sense: “Who will accuse? Would it be God? How could He do so, He who justifies?” But by arguing it this way, Paul would be using an argument that is basically absurd. The meaning of such a debate may be imaginative because at first glance it seems persuasive. But how can God ever be considered an accuser? His position is much higher than that. As Godet sees it, “He is the rock against which every wave of accusation breaks.” We can compare what Paul says here by comparing it to Isaiah, Chapter 50, which speaks decidedly in favor of the affirmative form.¹²

Before you celebrate Christmas this holiday season, here are some things that may affect the way you observe this special time of year.

Did you know that the birth of Jesus was not celebrated until 336 AD? The disciples and early church Christians did not consider celebrating birthdays because it was a pagan ritual. Not all Christians celebrate Jesus’ birth on December 25^th. The Russian and Greek Orthodox churches celebrate it on January 6 and 7.

The word “Christmas” in the English language was first used in 1038 AD and was pronounced as “Cristesmæsse.” One hundred years later it was changed to “Cristes-messe.” it was the English way of referring to Christ’s Mass that was performed in the Catholic Church which involves His death, not His birth. There is no exact record as to when it began to be pronounced in the shorter phrase “Christmas.” And the greeting “Merry Christmas,” was first used in print in 1565 by the Hereford Municipal Manuscript.

After the pilgrims arrived America, they outlawed any celebration of Christmas. They knew the date, December 25th was based on a Roman pagan holiday and refused to accept it as the real date of Jesus birth. It wasn’t until June 26, 1870, that it was first declared a federal holiday.

The first nativity scene was not displayed until 1263 AD, as an invention of St. Francis of Assisi in Italy using one live ox and a sheep in the village of Grecio Italy. There were no shepherds or wise men with their camels and gifts. Besides, according to Luke, they did not arrive until two years later, long after Jesus was out of the manger. Also, the tradition of a decorated Christmas tree may have never taken root in the USA if it hadn’t been for European immigrants who brought it over in the late 1700s.

If you happen to like kissing under the mistletoe, you might be interested in knowing that the word literally means “dung twig” because it is fertilized from tree limbs by bird dropping the seeds after they have passed through their digestive system. So the next time you stand under the mistletoe, look up, some droppings may be on their way.

Santa Claus, as we know him today, was not invented until 1881 when Thomas Nast drew a cartoon for Harper’s Weekly depicting Santa as a fat, cheerful man with a full, white beard, holding a sack full of toys for lucky children. Also, Santa Claus’ red suit was first displayed in a 1930’s Coca-Cola advertisement poster.

Rudolph the red nosed reindeer was invented in a 1939 ad for Montgomery Ward. The writer considered naming him Reginald or Rollo at first. The Christmas song, “Jingle Bells” was originally written in 1857 for a Thanksgiving Day concert. It had nothing to do with Christmas. And the idea of Santa riding in a sleigh pulled by reindeer was the idea of Washington Irving who sketched it out for a book of short stories in 1819.

The real story behind this celebration occurred over 2000 years ago in a village outside Jerusalem called Bethlehem. The first carol was sung by angels and it was titled, “Glory to God in the Highest.” After the carol, the first sermon was sung to a group of shepherds. The title was, “Do Not Be Afraid.” The message it brought was simple, “A Savior has been born to you; He is the Messiah, the Lord.” They were so excited they went to see the child, and after visiting with Mary and Joseph they went around town telling everyone about this child they had just seen. Then they returned to their work, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen.

So that’s what we celebrate this time of year. And may it do what the angels said it would do, bring peace to everyone of good will. So let’s celebrate this day for the real reason. The Son of God came from heaven to be born a human being so that we human beings might be born again and go to heaven as sons and daughters of God. – Dr. Robert R Seyda

THE STORY OF THE TWELVE DAYS OF CHRISTMAS

There is one Christmas Carol that has always baffled me. Have you ever wondered about The Twelve Days of Christmas and why it became so popular? What in the world do leaping lords, French hens, swimming swans, and especially the partridge who won’t come out of the pear tree have to do with Christmas? Here’s some information that helped me understand it better, I hope it helps you too:

For 271 years, from 1558 until 1829, Roman Catholics in England were not permitted to practice their faith openly. So when it came time for them to celebrate Christmas, they were not allowed to assemble for the mass. But when they would meet each other on the streets during the twelve days leading up to Christmas day, they needed some way to greet each other a Merry Christmas without raising suspicion. So someone during that era wrote this carol as a catechism song for young Catholics. It has two levels of meaning: the surface meaning, plus a hidden meaning known only to members of the Catholic church. Each element in the carol has a code word for a Catholic belief, which the children could easily remember. The carol was titled, The Twelve Days of Christmas

The partridge in a pear tree was Jesus Christ.

Two turtle doves were the Old and New Testaments.

Three French hens stood for faith, hope, and love.

The four calling birds were the four gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.

The five golden rings were the five books of Moses – Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy.

The six geese a-laying stood for the six days of creation.

Seven swans a-swimming represented the seven-fold gifts of the Holy Spirit: Prophesy, Serving, Teaching, Exhortation, Contribution, Leadership, and Mercy.

The eight maids a-milking were the eight beatitudes of Jesus.

Nine ladies dancing were the nine fruit of the Holy Spirit: Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, and Self Control.

The ten lords a-leaping were the Ten Commandments.

The eleven pipers piping stood for the eleven faithful disciples.

The twelve drummers drumming symbolized the twelve points of belief in the Apostles’ Creed.

Were these precious people defaming the Word of God? Absolutely not! It was meant to bring them hope and joy during a time of persecution. It certainly worked, for today this Christmas Carol is sung by both Catholics, Protestants, and even non-Christians around the world. So no matter how dark it may be, God’s children will always find a way to communicate their faith and those who persecute them won’t even know it. – Dr. Robert R Seyda

NEW TESTAMENT CONTEXTUAL COMMENTARY

Dr. Robert R. Seyda

EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS

CHAPTER EIGHT (Lesson XLIII)

Adam Clarke draws an analogy between today’s believers and Abraham. He said, that if God told Abraham, father of the faithful and a representative of us all with whom the covenant was made, that because he did not withhold his only son Isaac from Him but willingly offered him up, that he would now choose him so that all the nations of the earth would be blessed because of him.¹ So we ask, would God now go back on that promise? Absolutely not! Especially since things did not end up for God’s only Son as well as they did for Isaac. He was literally sacrificed to purchase every blessing that the soul of man could need and that the hand of God can provide.² Although Clarke is not alive to verify my assumption, it would be safe to say that he was not speaking here of material blessings only but spiritual blessings as well.

Robert Haldane talks about two circumstances that might instill distrust in the mind of the believer. First, their current condition and their desire for the worldly things offered to them every day. Among these are those things which are common to all people, and those peculiar to Christians. Secondly, are the things that cover the believer’s hope with a cloud of doubt. These are the sins which remain unconfessed and unforgiven. When many troubles come a believer’s way, they are hard-pressed to believe they are favored by God. They are almost persuaded to exclaim to the angel, as Gideon did: “Pardon me, my lord, but if the LORD is with us, why has all this happened to us?”³ On the other hand, there are some who are prone to give into their sinful tendencies daily, and then cannot figure out if God is working with them or against them?

To both of these questions Paul offers the answer that if God did not spare His own Son from a painful and agonizing death for their delivery, that should make His intentions very clear. The Apostle could not have come up with stronger proof of God’s favor than giving His only Son as a gift for their benefit. He did so to redeem them from all their sins to help lessen their troubles. When looking at the dignity and excellency of Christ, Paul is establishing his point by arguing from the greater to the lesser. In other words, since God was willing to give His best for us as sinners – His Son, why would He then turn around and give us less than what we need for our welfare and safety? That means nothing can be held back in light of what He gave to provide such a great and wonderful salvation for mankind’s soul. By doing so, God offers them a way out of what they might dread either from sin or suffering. Think of this another way: Who would risk their life to save a person from a burning building, and then abandon them on the sidewalk without their burns being treated? God had no intention of doing everything He could to redeem us and then walk off and leave us helpless.⁴

Albert Barnes joins the discussion by noting that the argument for a Christian’s security is derived from the fact that God showed His unconditional love by giving His only Son to save them. He did not do so just for His Apostles, nor for the rich and famous. But so that the most humble and obscure sinner can become His child. Even for them He endured the severest sting of sin and expressed just as much love as He did for the rich and the great that would be redeemed. Why then should not the lowliest and unnoticeable believer not take consolation from the fact that Christ died for them as a way of expressing the highest form of love possible.⁵ Barnes goes on to say that the blessings this guaranteed were for both our spiritual and physical welfare. Furthermore, since His first great gift, that of His Son, was a free gift, all other things that we may need will be given in a similar manner. It is not by money, nor by our merit, but it is by the mercy of God. So that from the beginning to the end, it is all the work of grace.

Then Charles Hodge enumerates these freely-given blessings that are included in the gift of Christ. He said that if God loved us sinners so much that He gave His only Son for us, will He not also give us the indwelling of the Holy Spirit to make that gift even more effective? Paul offers this as a reason to be confident in what the believer has received. This should assure the believer that their salvation is secure. Not based upon their own stability and faithfulness, but by reason of an unchanging God’s unchanging love. And what makes it so consistent and unfailing is found in its greatness. Infinite love cannot change. As Paul says here in verse 32, a love which spared not the eternal Son of God, but freely gave Him up for us all, cannot fail its object of affection.⁶

Charles Spurgeon makes the same point about how these blessings are included in the greatest gift of all, Jesus Christ. In one of his sermons, he told his congregation to notice the wording. It does not say that He “freely gives us all things,” but “with Him freely gives us all things.” So it is not possible to get all these things with getting Christ. There’s nothing that will come your way without Christ. All the other gifts come wrapped in this one gift – Jesus Christ. God first gave us His Son, and now that we have His Son we have everything that comes with Him. It simply means that we must believe they are ours and by faith accept them as they come.⁷

In a homily on what Paul concludes here, Karl Barth calls Christ, who has been delivered up for us: “the Spirit, the Truth, and the restless Arm of God.” So it makes sense that if we suffer with Him, we should also be glorified with Him. If we die with Him, we shall also live with Him. If God has delivered Christ and us out of the judgment that threatens everyone, He will also with Him give us all things, and thus secure that all things will work together for our good. All things – freely! Just think for a moment what this means! That should keep us from complaining and be astonished as we look at Him in awe.⁸

John Stott then makes some salient points by saying that the way Paul phrases his question concerning God’s love and support should banish all doubt from our minds. He simply points to the cross. The God of whom someone might ask the question, “Can I believe that You will give me what I need to be faithful and keep me from sin’s grasp?” will be asked to look at His only Son dying on the cross for their salvation. Paul comes at this from both a negative and positive argument. First, by asking in the negative, “He did not spare His own Son,” a statement which surely echoes God’s word to Abraham: “You … have not withheld your son, your only son.”⁹ On the other hand, Paul asserts positively, “God freely gave Him up for us all.” The same verb is used in one of the apocryphal gospels where it reads: “They approached Judas and said to him, ‘What are you doing here? Aren’t you Jesus’ disciple?’ Judas answered them as they wished. And he received some money and handed Him over to them.¹⁰”¹¹

Octavius Winslow, also known as “The Pilgrim’s Companion,” stood out as one of the foremost evangelical preachers of the 19th Century in England and America. In one of his sermons, he refers to Paul’s statement here and concluded that if any other expression was necessary to deepen our sense of the vastness of His love, we have it here. It tells us Who delivered up Jesus to die. I wasn’t Judas who did it for money; nor Pilate who did it out of fear; nor the Jews who did it out of envy. It was the Father who did it out of love.¹² Oh, how true! But Paul’s question begs for another answer, why would anyone whom God has redeemed, called, chosen, sanctified, and empowered by His Spirit, give up Christ and the eternal blessings that freely come with Him for anything temporary this world has to offer for a price? Who could possibly be that vain?

Verse 33: Who would dare bring a charge against God’s chosen people? Certainly not God – He’s the one who made things right with them!

Paul’s three questions in verses 33, 34, & 35, all begin with “Who.” They are asked in the rhetorical sense of requiring no answer because this is an unfeasible challenge, not speculation. If someone else can be found that fits the category described and claim the power defined here, then our faith and trust in Jesus are bogus. To give you a parallel question we might ask “Who can lift the earth off its axis?” As you can imagine, the question will go unanswered. In other words, it is an unfeasible question. Well, that is what the Apostle Paul is asking there. He is more or less challenging anyone to try and find that other “Who,” because he’s convinced that no such person or power exists.

Such exploration of the impossible was not new. Satan tried the same with God when our Heavenly Father challenged him to prove Job’s faith as being false and mere lip service.¹³ Satan thought he had the solution to God’s puzzle: “‘Skin for skin,’ Satan replied. ‘A man will give anything to save his life. Touch his body with sickness, and he will curse you to your face!’”¹⁴ But in the midst of his suffering, Job’s friend Eliphaz had this to say: “You will delight yourself in the Lord and look up to God. You will pray to Him, and He will hear you, and you will be able to fulfill all your vows to Him. Whatever you wish will happen! And the light of heaven will shine upon the road ahead of you. If you are attacked and knocked down, you will know that there is someone who will lift you up again.”¹⁵

David certainly knew what it was like to be falsely accused.¹⁶ And Isaiah uttered the words that Paul may have had in mind: “No weapon made will prevail against you. In court, you will refute every accusation. The servants of Adonai inherit all this; the reward for their righteousness is from me,” says Adonai.”¹⁷ Then, in Zechariah’s vision, he heard this in the conversation between the Angel of the Lord and Satan: “The Lord said to Satan, ‘I reject your accusations, Satan. Yes, I, the Lord, have decided to be merciful to Jerusalem – I rebuke you. I have decreed mercy to Joshua and his nation; they are like a burning stick pulled out of the fire.”¹⁸ So it is no surprise that John, in his vision, heard a loud voice announce this: “It has happened at last! God’s salvation and the power and the rule, and the authority of His Christ are finally here; for the Accuser of our brothers has been thrown down from heaven onto earth – he accused them day and night before our God. They defeated him by the blood of the Lamb and by their testimony.”¹⁹

NEW TESTAMENT CONTEXTUAL COMMENTARY

Dr. Robert R. Seyda

EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS

CHAPTER EIGHT (Lesson XLII)

Bible scholar Charles Hodge believes that this protection provided by God is not to be understood as a guarantee for temporal, material things, but the eternal things that are ours now that we are free from the law of sin and death. Since God openly recognizes us as His children and His heirs and has mapped out our path of holiness that we walk in sanctification to share in His glory, who can stop us from reaching the destiny set for us? It was God’s love that led Him to offer everything so we could enjoy all the gifts and blessings mentioned before, then why should we fear the future? Again, our salvation is not won or lost by our own strength and wisdom but is dependent upon God’s love, grace, mercy, forgiveness, and promises.

Hodge also raises the prospect of someone saying that we need not worry about being saved, just go on living the way we want to and God will work it all out in the end. As Hodge sees it, according to the Apostle’s doctrine, holiness is such an essential and prominent part of salvation, that it is not so much a means to an end as the very end itself. It is that to which we are predestined and called and, therefore, if the promise of salvation does not include the promise of holiness, it includes nothing. Why should anyone ask if one of those called should backslide and live in sin, would they still be saved? The question should be, were they regenerated to begin with? Our calling and election cannot be perverted to immorality without a complete denial of their nature. For they not only represent sin and salvation as two things which cannot to be united, but are utterly irreconcilable and contradictory. In other words, one cancels out the other. So it is our free will to choose which one we want to keep.¹

Charles Spurgeon exhorted his congregation on this same question and asks if they too have not at times questioned if living the Christian life was worth it. He challenges them to reply on whether or not they have wondered is it worth the suffering. In fact, even after reading the Bible, and studying God’s plan of grace, and the agreement God has made with His children, have they not said to themselves: “O my! What can I say to all this? It’s beyond anything I could have imagined. It exceeds my ability to grasp it all.” Would that not make your heart glad?² As to Paul’s inquiry: If God is for us, who can be against us? Spurgeon agrees that there have been a great many who’ve stood against the church, but it was all for nothing. In light of the fact that God is for us, what they had to say against believers is not worth mentioning. They really amount to nothing. Now, if God was on their side that would increase the weight of their arguments and opposition. But since He is on our side, when we put all their criticism and hateful remarks on the scale, they don’t even register.³

Karl Barth offers very wise insight into the Latin translation of this verse which reads: “quid ergo dicemus ad haec si Deus pro nobis quis contra nos,” (What then will we [say] to this? If God [is] for us, who [can be] against us?), and concludes that after reading all the things Paul has said about what God did to redeem us, call us, chose us, sanctify us, and empower us, that if anyone where to question who could be against us it would become an altogether ludicrous and disgraceful preposition, which would be beneath and believing Christian to ask. Barth says that those things which happened, must occur because God said they would.⁴

John Stott also gives further clarification of what Paul is saying here. He notes that Paul does not ask a naïve question here. The essence of his inquiry is contained in the “if” clause: “If [rather, ‘since’] God is for us, who can be against us?” Paul is not claiming that everyone ask, “IS God for us?” In fact, the most terrible rejection any human ears could ever hear are those which God uttered many times in the Old Testament, “I am against you.”⁵ But this is not the case here in verse 31. It’s just the opposite. Paul envisions a scene in which we can declare, “God IS for us.” How can he say that? Because we are foreknown, predestined, redeemed, called, chosen, justified and glorified. With this being the case, then who can possibly keep us from reaching our goal? For Stott, there is no reasonable answer to Paul’s question. Even if all the powers of hell were to set themselves together against us, they could not stop us. Why? Because with God on our side it’s not who can stop US, but who can stop HIM?⁶ In fact, this is documented in the next verse.

Verse 32: He who refused to even spare His own Son, but sacrificed Him on our behalf – is it possible that after giving His Son for us He would not then give us everything else as well?

Now Paul begins presenting evidence for his defense in declaring God’s support for those whom He redeemed, called, chose, justified, sanctified, and will one day glorify. As a Jewish scholar, Paul was well aware of how God spared Isaac from death as he lay on the stone altar with Abraham standing over him with a knife in his hand. The angel explained: “I know that you have put God first in your life – you have not withheld even your beloved son from Him.”⁷ Likewise, Paul says, God the Father was willing to sacrifice His only Son in order to spare us from a sure death. Isaiah spoke of it so forcefully: “It was the LORD’s good plan to bruise Him and fill Him with grief. However, once His soul has been made an offering for sin, then He will have a multitude of children, many heirs. He will live again, and God’s program will prosper in His hands.”⁸

Jesus of Nazareth was not your average prophet or Rabbi. At His baptism a voice out of heaven declared openly: “This is My beloved Son, and I am wonderfully pleased with Him.”⁹ And after Jesus spoke to Jewish Sanhedrin member Nicodemus, who had asked Him about the Kingdom of God, He explained that it takes a major leap of faith to experience this life-changing spiritual event. But Jesus detected some doubt and said to Nicodemus: “I, the Messiah, have come to earth and will return to heaven again. And as Moses in the wilderness lifted up the bronze image of a serpent on a pole, even so, I must be lifted up upon a pole, so that anyone who believes in Me will have eternal life.”¹⁰ It was at this point that John points out the obvious: “God loved the world so much that He gave His one and only Son so that anyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.”¹¹

Such truth was enough for Paul to tell the Corinthians: “God took the sinless Christ and heaped upon Him our sins. Then, in exchange, He poured God’s goodness into us!”¹² And as we saw in John’s letters, he tells his readers: “In this act, we see what real love is: it is not our love for God but His love for us when He sent His Son to satisfy His anger against our sins.”¹³ So what does this add up to in Paul’s mind? Since God was willing to give the best He had to take away the worst we had, He will hold nothing back to keep us. These words echo what the Psalmist said: “For our God ADONAI is our Light and our Protector. He gives us grace and glory. No good thing will He hold back from those who walk along His paths.”¹⁴

As Paul mentioned earlier, all of God’s promises have been verified with a down-payment of His Spirit. He tells the Corinthians: “God has actually given us His Spirit (not the world’s spirit) that we might understand the things God has so freely given us.”¹⁵ Then Paul goes on to encourage them: “Don’t be proud of following the wise men of this world. For God has already given you everything you need.”¹⁶ And they should all used what they have been given to share the good news with as many as they can. Says Paul: “The more of you who are won to Christ, the more there are to thank Him for His great kindness, and the more the Lord is glorified.”¹⁷ And when John had his revelation, he witnessed the scene of a new earth and new sky, and new Holy City being let down by God out of heaven. Then he heard a loud shout from the throne. When he looked, he saw someone sitting on the throne who said: “It is finished! I am the Alpha and the Omega – the Beginning and the End. I will give to the thirsty the springs of the Water of Life – as a gift! Everyone who conquers will inherit all these blessings, and I will be his God and he will be My son.”¹⁸ This gave Paul all the courage he needed to issue the challenge: who can keep that from happening?

Ambrosiaster makes a vital point here by pointing out that Paul urges us to be confident in the reality that God sacrificed His Son on our behalf. In fact, it happened before we ceased being sinners. Why? Because God knew in advance whether or not we would believe. This was a decision God made long ago. He decided that all those who believed in His Son Jesus would be richly rewarded. Therefore, if God was prepared to give us the best He had, even to the point of sacrificing His only Son in our place, how can we possibly believe that He will do any less now that we are His possession? That means the believer’s rewards are already in storage, waiting to be handed out. Any struggle to share them with us cannot be compared to the extreme agony that went into the Father handing over His Son to murderers in order to pay the ransom for our release.¹⁹

Reformer John Calvin acknowledges that Paul is presenting the price for our redemption in order to prove that God has an invested interest in those He has chosen. As such, Calvin sees Paul drawing an argument from the greater to the lesser, that as he had nothing dearer, or more precious, or more excellent than His Son, therefore, He will neglect nothing of what He foresees as profitable for us to endure and survive. Calvin feels that this passage should remind us of what Christ brings to us, and wake us up to think about what all that means. He brought God’s pledge of infinite love into our hearts. He did not come without any blessings but as the heir of all of heaven’s treasures. Therefore, if we have Him, we will not lack for anything that can one day bring us perfect happiness.²⁰