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“If you’re able, please stand.” Reading Rom. 8:28–39. “Thanks be to God.”
P.D. James (1920–2014) the British detective writer says she wrote often to explore “disordered loves” and “original sin.”[1]
In her books, the effect of “original sin” is that someone commits a crime, and a detective is determined to solve it. Sometimes you know early who did it, so the story is really the story of solving the crime and proving it. Sometimes you don’t till much later in the story who did it. The motivation for the crime is always a key part of the whole story—not just who but why.
And then there’s us.
Paul in Romans 14:10 says,
We will all stand before the judgment seat of God. (Rom 14:10)
No exceptions. No cancellations. No continuances to push the trial down the road. On a certain day and time, each of us will “stand before the judgment seat of God.”
What will be the outcome?
Our text will help us answer that question for us who are in Christ.
But if you're not a Christian, as I talk consider your standing before God. Turn to Christ. Receive his forgiveness.
We're in the last paragraph of Romans 8.
In this paragraph are 5 critical questions to have a right answer to:
This morning two of these: (1) Can anyone bring a charge against us? (2) Can anyone condemn us?
Prayer
Read Rom. 8:33.
Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect?
It is God who justifies. (Rom 8:33)
Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect?
The language of “bring a charge” is legal language. It’s courtroom language. It pops up in Acts when Paul is on trial. A half-dozen times Christians are involved in situations where government figures step in and decided about “bringing a charge.” Most of the time these government figures throw out the charges, because it’s a riotous mob bringing it or Jews wanting to dispute a religious issue the government figure doesn’t see as belonging in his courtroom (Acts 19:38, 40; 23:28–29; 26:2, 7).
The charge in this case is being brought against “God’s elect” or “God’s chosen” (eklektos).
The same language as used also in Isa 42:1 (see LXX) to speak of the Messiah:
Behold my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen, in whom my soul delights; I have put my Spirit upon him; he will bring forth justice to the nations. (Isa 42:1)
In Rom. 8:33, Paul is speaking specifically of “God’s elect” people. The people in view here are not ALL people. It is a specific group of people, “God’s elect.” Those chosen by God, set apart by God.
The issue is eschatological judgment. Final judgment. When we stand before the judgment seat of Christ. On this certain and coming day, “Who will bring a charge against God’s elect?”
On the day of judgment, there will be two groups of people, “God’s elect” and those who are not “God’s elect.” They won’t experience the same thing on the day of judgment. Paul is focusing on “God’s elect.”
Can anyone bring a charge against them on that final day of judgment? That’s the question.
What about other people? Our friends, family, co-workers, neighbors, people we somehow crossed paths with in life? Will they be able to stand up and “bring a charge against God’s elect?”
No. Why not? Because “It is God who justifies.” Plenty of people might be able to stand up on the day of judgment and point out sins you’ve committed and horrible things you’ve done.
But their accusations won’t change anything! Why? Because “It is God who justifies.”
What about our own hearts? Our own consciences? We know of many things we’ve thought and desired and said—maybe we’re the only ones who know about it.
What about all these tens of thousands of sins? It won’t change anything. Why? Because “It is God who justifies.” Our list is long, but God’s justification covers EVERYTHING.
What about the devil? He’s actually called “the accuser of our brothers” in Revelation 12:10.
In Job 1, Satan stood before God and made accusations against Job.
The devil will be silent on that day for two reasons. One is that his ministry of accusations has already been silenced:
Revelation 12:
And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world—he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him. 10 And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, “Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come, for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God. (Rev 12:9–10)
Some believe this is a future event. But I side with those who think it’s already happened.
Remember Jesus’ teaching to his disciplines in Luke 10:
And he said to them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.” (Luke 10:18)
The accuser is SILENCED in his accusations against us. He knows our sins, but his audience before God has been forever removed.
A second reason is that right before the white throne judgment, “the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur” to be “tormented day and night forever and ever” (Rev 20:10).
Well, what about God? If no one else can accuse us, can God accuse us?
Of course not! “It is God who justifies”!
“For I the LORD do not change; therefore you, O children of Jacob, are not consumed.” (Mal 3:6)
Our justification in Christ is eternal. Unbreakable. Unlosable.
In the face of his justification all others must be silent.
He has declared us righteous. The verdict has already been handed down. The Judge of all the earth has already spoken.
There is no appeal. There is no changing of his mind. It is settled. And it is settled forever.
Because of what God has done, on that day no one can even “bring any charge” against us!
Application: The promise of this passage has to do with a future reality. But we are to live in the good of it today.
This passage tells us why FAITH AND ASSURANCE should always go together.
Believing in Christ unites us to Christ and makes us justified in Christ. And if God justifies, he justifies forever.
Whenever our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and he knows everything. (1 John 3:20)
If you’re in Christ, be at peace.
Yes, deal with your sins. Yes, confess them to the Lord. Yes, in some ways they’re a big deal—now. Yes, repent!
But don’t let your sins blind you to what is yours in Christ!
Read Rom. 8:34.
Now it follows that if no one can “bring a charge” against us, then no can “condemn” us. But Paul’s mention of “justification” in the last verse leads him to speak to the issue of “condemnation.”
Condemnation is a judicial act of God. It takes places at the final judgment and means he declares a person guilty and sends them away to suffer endlessly for their sins.
Justification means we are declared RIGHTEOUS by God and receive his rewards for it. Condemnation means we are declared GUILTY and receive his punishment for it.
A few weeks ago, we looked at Romans 8💯
There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. (Rom 8:1)
Why? Because “those who are in Christ Jesus” are justified! They’re declared righteous and therefore are NOT condemned:
Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. (Rom 5:1)
Well, if it’s true we’ve been “justified by faith,” then truly, “Who is to condemn?”
In Rom. 8:33, he spoke of the FACT of our justification. Now in Rom. 8:34 he speaks of the BASIS of our justification.
The fact of our justification gives us assurance: “It is God who justifies!”
But when we consider the BASIS of our justification, our assurances is even stronger.
Now as he thinks about the WHY of our justification, notice what Paul DOES NOT do. He doesn’t look at his own behavior.
He DOES NOT say, “Who is to condemn? I’m not worried, since I’m not that bad.” He DOES NOT say, “I’m not worried, since others are so much worse!”
Comparisons will never be the answer: There are people right now suffering in the fires of hell who are much better people than I am.
The standard is not a human standard at all. The standard is God’s holiness. Perfection is the standard.
The great apostle looks to the one place he can look to find assurance in the face of his sinfulness: Christ!
Like in the song we sing, “Before the Throne of God Above.” In the third verse we sing,
Behold Him there the risen Lamb
My perfect spotless righteousness
The great unchangeable I AM
The King of glory and of grace
“Before the Throne of God Above”[2]Where is “My perfect spotless righteousness”? It’s not here. It’s “There.” “The risen Lamb” is “My perfect spotless righteousness.”
Why can no one “condemn”? Because of what Christ has done for us. Let’s look at what he’s done for us.
First, “Christ Jesus is the one who died” (Rom 8:34).
We shouldn’t grow too familiar with the fact God in Christ died. The Eternal One became subject to time. The Undying one took on a body and died.
Second, “more than that, who as raised” (Rom 8:34).
His resurrection was the declaration that his sacrifice was accepted—and that he was righteous.
Romans 4:
[Christ] was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification. (Rom 4:25)
Third, he ascended to “the right hand of God” the Father.
The LORD says to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool.” (Ps 110:1)
And to which of the angels has he ever said, “Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet”? (Heb 1:13)
His death, burial, resurrection, and ascension are FINISHED works. They don’t continue. They’re accomplished and finished. Christ said, “It is finished” on the cross, because his work of taking our sins to the grave was finished.
But the fourth aspect Paul mentions is not a finished work—it’s continuing!
Christ’s work for us is happening right now at the right hand of the Father.
Fourth, Christ “indeed is interceding for us” (Rom 8:34).
Christ’s intercession for us is not something we think often about.
This speaks to Christ as our “Great High Priest” (Heb 14). As our Great High Priest he is “interceding for us” even now.
The former priests were many in number, because they were prevented by death from continuing in office, 24 but he holds his priesthood permanently, because he continues forever. 25 Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them. (Heb 7:23–25)
Several aspects of this intercession.
First is his prayers for us! A few weeks we read that the Spirit is interceding for us (Rom 8:26–27). Now we see that Christ, too, is interceding!
And the Father is not a begrudging Father but eager to answer the prayers of the Son of God and the Spirit of God. The whole Trinity is working for us!
Second, his intercession also has to do with his atoning sacrifice.
Now the point in what we are saying is this: we have such a high priest, one who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven….Every high priest is appointed to offer gifts and sacrifices; thus it is necessary for this priest also to have something to offer. (Heb 8:1, 3)
Christ offered “his own blood” and thus secured an “eternal redemption” (Heb 9:12).
A third aspect of his intercession is the way he purifies and perfects our sacrifices and good works and prayers.
As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, 5 you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. (1 Pet 2:4–5)
John Frame rightly adds,
What is the resurrected Christ doing—right now? He is interceding at the Father’s right hand. Even now he is thinking of us, bringing our needs to the Father’s attention. Of course, Scripture also speaks of the Holy Spirit interceding (Rom 7:26–27). The two persons act in unity to bring the believer’s needs before God’s great throne of grace. The willingly hears the intercession of his Son and his Spirit. The bottom line is that we can be sure that the Father will withhold no good thing from us. The whole Trinity is on our side. God is of one mind on our behalf, and if God be for us, who can be against us?
John Frame, Concise Systematic Theology[3]
Application: Dealing with shame and guilt.
A good foundation in these truths will help us as we process shame and guilt.
The biggest issue with shame and guilt is separating the Fact from the Fiction, the True from the False.
You can feel guilt for something that isn’t wrong in itself—eating junk food.
It’s also possible NOT to feel guilt for something that IS wrong—liars believing their own lies, justifying lies with some “greater good” idea.
The “ORIGINAL SIN” P.D. James was talking about—it both causes us to commit the crimes in the first place, and it prevents us from feeling the right feelings after we’ve committed the crime. It prevents us from thinking of it rightly.
We feel guilty for things that are NOT wrong; we don’t feel guilt for things that ARE wrong.
How do we know the difference? Start by asking a basic question: Is what you’re feeling guilty about even true?
And then go to the Word of God. Is what you’re feeling guilty about actually described as a SIN in God’s Word?
And then: Is there some way your actions are hurting other people in a way that is wrong?
Take TRUE guilty to the cross. Throw FALSE guilt in the trash.
So, can anyone bring a charge against us? No! Because God is the one who justifies us.
And can anyone condemn us? No! Because of Christ’s work for us.
Your greatest problem has been solved.
Those are all significant. But they’re temporal. They won’t be a problem forever.
But the punishment you deserve for your sin? That’s an eternal problem. But it’s COMPLETELY solved in Christ.
The people of this world, the devil, our own hearts, God himself—no one can bring a charge against us on the last day.
Not because we’re so good! We might be good by human standards, but we’re not nearly good enough for God’s.
God “It is God who justifies!” And it is “Christ who died for us! Who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, and who is even now interceding for us.
There’s a prayer group for each of us who are Christians—the Holy Spirit and Jesus are at prayer right now for us! And how much the Father delights to answer those prayers!
How true it is:
What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? (Rom 8:31)
Prayer and closing song.
[1] See the interview she did for The Christian Century at https://www.christiancentury.org/article/reasons-writing.
[2] “Before the Throne of God Above,” text: Charitie Lees Bancroft (1863). Tune: Vikki Cook (1997).
[3] John Frame, Concise Systematic Theology (P&R, 2023), 197.
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