An Assurance, an accuser and an Advocate

August 17, 2025

Preacher: Owen Jones

Series: Visiting Preachers

Passage: Romans 8:28-39

Service Type: Sunday Morning

Introduction

Key text in v31 – "What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?"
Two impossibilities:
- The impossibility of any charge against us being sustained
- The impossibility of any power separating us from Jesus’ love
Example of Raymond Burr
Three things that the Christian has:
1. An Assurance
2. An Accuser
3. An Advocate

Example of two books
The basis of our assurance
- "If God is for us"
  - God is no longer against us but for us
    - If as part of a logical argument
  - Previously we were enemies and alienated from God – Rom 5:10, Isa 45:9, Jer 50:31
  - 2 Cor 5:19 – God reconciling the world to Himself in Christ
    - Jesus became our propitiation
  - All those coming in true repentance – God is for you
    - Do you know God being for you?
- "He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all…" (v32a)
  - God did not spare Jesus
  - Jesus was given for you and me
  - All enmity forever dealt with at the cross
- "…how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things" (v32b)
  - Everything necessary will be provided to get us to heaven
  - If God can do the former, God can do the latter
We are assured – on the grounds of calvary
- Do you have this assurance?
- Do you have vain hope?

Satan is against Christians (v31)
- Christians know that certain things are not ‘for’ them
  - Matt 10:36
- Three enemies – the world, the flesh, the devil
Satan seeks to bring a charge against Christians (v33)
Satan seeks to condemn against Christians (v34)
Rev 12:10, 9:11
He uses half truths – sins that we had committed
- But Christ has died for us
He uses lies – John 8:44
- He tries to undermine our justification in grace
- Job 1:9
An adversary
- But no charge against us is sustained
God is for us, but satan is against us