“One-A-Week Challenge” – Week 19

20131217-231316“If God is for us, who can be against us?”

— Romans 8:31b esv

The greatest security in all of creation is summed up in this verse of scripture. In the midst of this magnificent chapter of the Bible is contained, what John MacArthur calls, “a hymn of security.” It must be remembered that these verses are written to true Christians who have become identified with Christ through saving faith offered by Him to all who truly believe.

The verse begins with the word “if” but this does not imply a possibility but a certainty. The better translation of this would read, “Because God is for us who can be against us?”. The scope of this verse of scripture is within the context of our being eternally saved by the grace and goodness of God in Christ Jesus.

Many things clamor to take away from us what God has given us. In the New Testament era the Jewish community proclaimed to Christians the necessity of keeping the ritual laws of the Mosaic covenant (see Acts 15:1-29). Even today the Roman Catholic church falsely teaches that one might lose their salvation by committing “mortal sins” (although it claims the power for itself the ability to give and take grace), a doctrine that has absolutely no foundation in scripture.

With regard to salvation remember this:

If we can be bad enough to lose it,
We had to be good enough to get it!

Jesus’ sacrificial death on the cross is both the foundation and security of our salvation. When we are saved, we are secure, and we can be sure. If you ever have pause to think that the enemies of God are too big, remember what Isaiah wrote:

“Surely our griefs He Himself [Christ, the Son] bore, and our sorrows He carried; yet we ourselves esteemed Him stricken, smitten of God [the Father], and afflicted. But He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the chastening for our well-being fell upon Him, and by His scourging we are healed. All of us like sheep have gone astray each of us has turned to his own way; but the Lord has caused the iniquity of us all to fall on Him…. But the Lord [the Father] was pleased to crush Him [the Son], putting Him to grief; if He would render Himself as a guilt offering.” (Isa. 53:4-6,10)

Do you have this assurance?