God, Our Defender—Romans 8:28-29
“God didn’t save us to warm a pew.”
We derive a sense of safety from certain places and certain people. Children hide under their bed or in their closet when they’re afraid of the storm. Or they run into Daddy’s arms or hide behind Mama’s skirt. What about you? Where and with whom do you feel the safest? The Bible tells us that the safest place is in the will of God and the safest companion is Jesus. Yet sometimes living in the will of God seems scary. II Timothy 3:12 says, ” Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution .” So how can the godly life be “safe”? Paul found assurance in abiding presence of Christ which overcomes these fears.
We need not fear purposelessness. God predestinated us ” to be conformed to the image of his Son ” (8:29). When we focus on becoming Christ-like we fulfill the purpose for which God created us. ” Whom He did predestinate, them He also called: and whom He called, them He also justified: and whom He justified, them He also glorified ” (8:30). God didn’t save us to sit and warm a pew; He saved us to serve Him. We are to become like the Son of God whom we see in the Word of God so we can do the will of God so that we may one day share in the glory of God.
We need not fear human opposition . When you obey the will of God you have the Almighty God on your side. Human opposition becomes irrelevant. ” If God be for us, who can be against us?” (8:31). Check your perspective here. Does it make more sense to strive for the approval of people or through obedience enjoy the blessings of Almighty God? Paul knew: ” For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ ” (Galatians 1:10).
We need not fear a lack of provision . The Father knows your needs. ” He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?” (8:32). Considering the great price God already paid to redeem us, don’t you think He will make lavish provision for those who by faith have become His own children?
We need not fear condemnation. For the child of God, ” there is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death ” (8:1-2). Those who have entered into Christ by accepting the gift of salvation accomplished by His redemptive work on the cross have already escaped both the penalty and power of sin. Even when we do still sin, we need not fear that any sin will keep us from heaven. God justified us. Christ makes intercession for us (8:33,34). Jesus only offers a SECURE salvation. We are kept safe from judgment by His power (see 1 Peter 1:5).
We need not fear death. At the moment of physical death, the Christian receives a promotion from this world into the presence of a loving and redeeming God. “O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?” (1 Corinthians 15:55). What if we must one day die for our faith? Does martyrdom mean defeat? No. ” As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us ” (8:36,37).
We need not fear the loss of God’s love . No sin can ever separate God’s children from Him. Once in the family, always in the family. His children will never be left alone, never be forsaken, and never be without the Father’s gracious provision. Stop now and read Romans 8:38-39 from your Bible and thank God for the safety of His love and of His will.
Author: Robert W. Rohlin
This devotional first appeared October 4, 1998 in the Advancer , a Sunday school teacher’s guide published by the Baptist Publishing House . It is used here with permission from the publisher.