More Than Conquerors
Date: June 29, 1997-A.M.
Speaker: John Phillis
Main Scripture Reference: Romans 8:28-37
The text for today’s lesson is from Romans, the 8th chapter. I’d like to take just a few moments to read from Romans, the 8th chapter, beginning with verse 28, and reading through verse 37:
[ROMANS 8:28] And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose. [29] For those God foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of His Son, that He might be the Firstborn among many brothers. [30] And those He predestined, He also called; those He called, He also justified; those He justified, He also glorified.
[ROMANS 8:31] What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? [32] He Who did not spare His Own Son, but gave Him up for us all—how will He not also, along with Him, graciously give us all things? [33] Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God Who justifies. [34] Who is He that condemns? Christ Jesus, Who died—more than that, Who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. [35] Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? [36] As it is written:
“For Your sake we face death all day long;
we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”
[ROMANS 8:37] No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him Who loved us.
In the text that we’ve just read, in verse 35, Paul asks a number of questions as we read through there, if you noticed. And particularly in verse 35, he asks a two-part question. First, he asks, “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?” And then in the second part of the question, he asks, “Shall trouble or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?”
Then in the very next verse, verse 36, Paul comments, sort of parenthetically, on the question, particularly the second part of that question that was asked in verse 35. And in so doing, he quotes from Psalm 44, and verse 22: “For Your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” Now, this is not just “empty rhetoric” that Paul is “spouting” here. And this was not just “empty rhetoric” for his readers on that occasion. You see, the “persecution,” the “danger,” the “sword” and so on were real indeed for Christians in Rome, as Paul well knew.
But then, in verse 37, Paul answers the question which he raised there in verse 35 when he says, “No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him Who loved us.” In spite of the trouble, in spite of the hardship, in spite of the persecution and the danger, you can be more than conquerors, Paul is saying. But NOT through your own strength, NOT through your own goodness or your ability, or your “worthiness,” but rather, you can be more than conquerors THROUGH Jesus Christ!
Bible scholars generally agree when they say that the book of Romans is perhaps one of the most profound books in all of the New Testament. It was written to an established church of Christ that was made up of both converts from Judaism [the Jewish, or Hebrew, religion], and from Gentiles [all nations and people who were not Jews/Hebrews/Israelites] living in the ancient city of Rome. The theme for the entire book of Romans is “The Gospel,” “The Good News,” “God’s power to save both Jew and Gentile.”
And Paul makes this great affirmation in the very beginning of this book, Romans, chapter 1, and verse 16, when he says, “I am not ashamed of the Gospel, for it is the power of God unto salvation: for the Jew first, and then for the Gentile.”
The book of Romans contrasts the “righteousness by works” of the Old Law with the requirements of the New Law. And it makes the comparison—this contrast—between this old way—“righteousness by works”—and “righteousness by faith,” which is the way under the New Covenant. And the book of Romans makes it abundantly clear that righteousness by faith indeed is the Gospel plan.
Now, when Paul wrote the book, or letter, of Romans, it was about the year AD 60. And we know from history that the infamous Nero was on the throne. He was the “Caesar,” the Emperor of the entire Roman Empire at that time. History tells us also that Nero was a depraved and wretched man! No other man as sinister and as foul a monster as Nero has probably ever been thrust upon, or imposed upon, a civilized people in all of history!
Tradition says that Nero ordered the burning of the city of Rome to give him inspiration for an ode which he wished to write. And to divert suspicion from himself, he accused certain Christians of burning the city of Rome. And thus began a persecution which has yet to be equaled in all of history. It is also believed by many people that it was Nero who ordered the execution of Paul.
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