Let us open our Bibles to the book of Romans chapter 8. Our text this morning is verse 33, but we'll read verses 31 to 39. Romans chapter 8 from verse 31 to 39. This is God's holy, living, and life-giving word. We read, What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own son, but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? Who shall bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus, the one who died, more than that, who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulations, or distress, or persecutions, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sort, As it is written, for your sake, we are being killed all the day long. We are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered. Now, in all these things, we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus, our Lord. Thus far the reading of God's holy word. Let us pray that the Lord would give us a mind of understanding and perception. Heavenly Father, we pray that as we have read your word, that it might penetrate our hearts and minds and fortify our faith, so that we might stand strong in confidence and be filled with the joy of the Lord as we draw near to you in communion. Father, we pray this in Jesus' name. Amen. Dearly beloved, last week we pondered the gracious generosity of God when we read that God had not spared His own Son for our salvation. This week we come to the third application question to believers, and it's this. Who shall bring any charge against God's Now this is a compounding question, a series of questions, isn't it? It's building on all that Paul has said before. We have learned already that Paul said, these truths, the golden chain of redemption, God foreknew us. He predestined us, He called us, He justified us, and He will one day glorify us. This unbreakable chain that spans from eternity past into eternity future. And so, Paul asked the question after that, well, if God is for us, who can be against us? And so if God has given us His Son, if He did not spare His own Son, will He not give us all things? That was our second question. And now the third, who shall bring any charge against God's elect? What Paul is doing here, he is compounding evidence. He's building up the fortification and a trust so that we might be confident in God's love. towards us, so that we may look forward with strong assurance to the day of judgment, but also that in this world we might have the joy and the comfort that God is with us, even though sometimes our emotions might go up and down, that we might face disappointments in our own hearts, in our own lives, in our own lack. that yet in the midst of all of that we might be confident, because our confidence is not in built in my performance, but based upon God's election and assurance. And so today we will focus on the legal case against us, the question of our sin. Who shall bring any charge? against God's elect. He takes us to the courtroom and says, and wants us to ponder that final day of judgment when we will stand before God's throne. He wants us to think about that important day that is coming. The day when God will declare our eternal state, finally and officially. The day that is known in Scripture as the great white throne judgment. Let me read to you from Revelation chapter 20, 11 to 15, to get a sense of the seriousness of the topic that Paul is addressing here. Then I saw a great white throne, and Him who was seated on it. From his presence, earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done. And the sea gave up the dead who were in it. Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done. Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown in the lake of fire. This is where Paul brings us this morning. And he asks us the question, when we stand there, will we be charged with any guilt according to what we have done? Will we be thrown into the lake of fire which is the second death?" Paul's answer, amazingly, to believers is an absolute, assured, and confident no. We will not be cast into judgment. Now, why is Paul stressing this? Well, he wants believers not only to see it on that day, but he wants believers in this life If you're a believer, you and me, He wants us to know in this life that we have free access to God, and not only that, but that we will never be separated from the love of God. Did you see that as we read all the way through to the end of the chapter? In Romans 8, 39, no height nor depth, anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. This is why Paul is stating this. He says, if we are part of God's people, there will be no charge. In other words, there will never be anything at all that will be able to separate us from the love of God for all eternity. And this is what we will ponder. this morning are access to God and to heaven. Now I only have two points and they are two. The first is concerning the question and then the answer. We'll begin with the question. I've called this point free access through divine election. So let's read the question again. In Romans 8.33, who shall bring any charge against God's elect? Again, Paul is talking about courtroom language. So you need to think of yourself being in a courtroom. The word here to charge is literally or to call out. It described the accusations of the accusing party in a legal case. For example, if the Roman Empire would catch a thief or somebody had done something wrong, the accuser would read out the criminal activity that the defendant was tried on. They would call out his crimes and finish by saying, therefore, O judge, this defendant must be punished. They called out the defendant so that the judge would pronounce the judgment on the defendant and they would receive the right judgment. Now, Paul applies this to us. And think about that with Romans 3.23 in mind. For all have sinned. and fallen short of the glory of God. How will we stand if all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God? How can you stand on the final judgment day when the books are opened and you have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God? In other words, we have made ourselves guilty of sin. How will we survive that trial on that final day? Should we not fear that we will be cast into that lake of fire? What if our sins are mentioned on judgment day? How could we possibly escape? Perhaps even on last week? How can you escape based upon how you've lived even this past week? And here's Paul's Question. Who shall bring any charge against God's elect? Well, after we've just read Romans 3.23, we could almost say, well, just about anybody. I mean, the people around us could bring charges against us. I mean, who can be an accuser of us? But then Paul adds this to the question. Who can bring any charge against God's elect. That changes everything. Those last two words. Who can bring any charge against us? Many people. But wait a minute, who can bring any charge against God's elect? That's a whole different question. Who dares to bring any accusation against the ones that God the Almighty has chosen? All of us are but creation. We're dependent upon God for life. We are but dust on a scale compared to God. Who dares to bring any charge against God's elect? Even the name God makes the mightiest of God's enemies tremble and flee away. How can anyone say, Before God, this one whom you have chosen to be with you forever, does not deserve to go into heaven. If God is the one who has said that he or she will enter into heaven. If God has chosen us before the foundation of the world, what can anybody say? If God has elected, it is done. It is over. Can anyone tell God that he is wrong? Can anyone say to God, you cannot let the believer into heaven? Well, God has denied that the believer has decided that the believer will enter into heaven. Of course not. God's elect must enter into heaven. They must, they cannot miss. They cannot go anywhere else. It's not dependent upon Satan or the world. or even your own feelings, whether you go into heaven. It's dependent upon God's sovereign election. He chose end of story. Now, of course, the question is, how do you know if you're a part of that election? I mean, it's wonderful to know that God's elect will enter into heaven, But that is not something that we can rejoice in unless we know that we're part of that group. If we would say, well, some people will survive today. Well, that's wonderful. The question really is, will I survive? Will we survive? How do I know if I am part of God's elect? Well, it brings us back to Romans 8.30, doesn't it? And those whom he predestined, he called. And those whom he called, he also justified. And those whom he justified, he also glorified. The elect are part of that golden chain of redemption for knowledge, predestination, calling, justification, and glorification. Well, how do I know if I am part of that election? Well, there are three options. Three options. First, if you have been called through the gospel, if you have been convicted of your sins, and if that conviction has brought you to God, to the gospel, and you joyfully received the gracious offer of Christ, while you have turned from running your way away from God, and now you've come to Christ, you're part of his people. You have been called and you have been justified and you will be glorified. You are part of God's elect. It is evidenced in how the gospel has changed your life. The second option is this. You long to come to Christ. You are being convicted of your sins and you open your ears to the gospel. You're drawing closer to Christ. You're seeking him. You're yearning. Your heart longs to be close to him. You are responding to the gospel. If that describes you this morning, there's great evidence that you are part of the elect. Seek him and you will find him. Knock and he will open. Ask and it will be given. You say, but I don't know yet. Who works in your heart that stirs up your heart, that brings you to it? I have strong confidence in you that you are part of God's elect. and then you will know. A third option is this. If you do not care about the gospel, you're not convinced about your sins, you're not convicted, you want to live your own life and not turn to God, You want to live your own life, you want to follow your own pursuits, your own pleasures, you don't want to serve God, or you treat religion or Christianity with kind of a, we'll see one day, then you are in great danger. Because it has every sign, and it seems like, at least at this point, that you're not part of God's elect. You have zero confidence that this passage applies to you unless you repent and call upon his name. If that is your case, let this be a wake up call. And by that proof that God has predestined you before the foundation of the world, let this ring into your ear as a call to salvation. For if so, if you're not interested in Christ and you're just sitting your time away, whether you're here or listening on the radio or watch over YouTube, whatever age you are, there'll be many things that can be charged against you. But for those who have come to Jesus, to all who believe in Jesus, ask yourself this question. Who shall bring any charge against God's elect? The answer is no one. And so, beloved, we have free access to God through divine election, through his foreknowledge, through his predestination, calling, and justification. We can be assured of the glorification to come. Which brings us to the answer to the question, our second point. Free access through divine justification. Who shall bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. Here's the Christian confidence on Judgment Day. Who shall bring any charge against those whom God has elected? It is God who justifies. There's no other answer needed. What charges can be brought if God says, I decide that he or she will be with me forever. And as a matter of fact, that has already been decided if you're a believer in Christ now, because you've already been joined to the love of God. Remember Romans 5.5, the love of God is already poured into your heart through the Holy Spirit. He has already chosen you. He has already elected you. He has already called you. How can you be separated from God if his love is connected to you? It is he who justifies. Let's go back to the courtroom and see what Paul means, shall we? Let's look around and see in the room of our imagination who is in the courtroom. First of all, there stands the accused, you and me. Second, there's the accuser. Of course, Satan is called the accuser of the brethren. Seeking to pile up evidence of all the times you failed, of all the times that you opened your heart to his ideas, of every time you lost your temper or that you lost your way or failed to do what God desired to do it and you knew it. He stands accusing. Having great lists of things that he can bring against you. This worthless character. A week after he or she heard that you, your son, died for him on the cross. He was fixing his eyes upon some sinful thing. He was touching something that would be a disgust to you. Oh, great judge of all the earth, this one should not enter into heaven. He or she is guilty. How much time do you have? And I can fill it with accusations of the most grievous kind. As a matter of fact, God, I can use the law as a standard. Because your perfect law perfectly describes how miserable a creature this one is. And by the way, now that we're at it, piling evidence, why don't we use the conscience of the accuser himself? For God, you are a spirit. You can look right into the conscience of the defendant. Let's compare the law to the conscience of the believer and see how he or she stands. Let's see if all those Sunday mornings and Sunday afternoons were followed up by holy weeks of reverence and awe to you. And I'll prove to you that not a single week the conscience was perfectly clean. Then third, we have the witnesses in the courtroom, the holy angels of God, standing ready to carry the guilty to their judgment, strong, mighty, and fiery angels. They'll be ready to cast off into the lake of fire all those who are condemned as guilty. And fourth, there's the judge, God himself, the one who declares judgment The one who condemns or sets free. And of course, Christ, the advocate of the believer. What will the judgment be? Will the judge be persuaded about the incredible amount of accusations? The God whose eyes are too pure to behold evil? The God whose justice requires him for a single sin, whether it be a purpose sin or a sin of ignorance, to condemn the soul to eternal judgment. The case by all accounts seems certain to end in judgment. And then the judge speaks. As he looks with his almighty, glorious eyes upon the miserable accuser and says, Who shall bring any charge against my elect? It is I who justify God himself justifies when he hits the hammer of judgment. He says, I justify because I count the advocate and the price that he is paid to be all sufficient to cover any sin from past, present, all of it from the first moment that he breathed it. Even the sin all the way back to Adam that was accounted to him, all those sins until his final breath on his dying day, on her dying day, all is covered, fully justified. It is I who justify. And the accuser shrinks and falls without words. God justifies. In other words, how can a believer be condemned if God chooses to justify? It's the end. Sitting is closed. The hammer has fallen. And the angels no longer appear fiery and fearsome, but glorious and wonderful. As they take the believer by the hand and lead him to his eternal home with God in heaven. Never to face judgment. Never to face pain. But at home. Beloved, this is the point. If the judge has decided the final verdict. It is over. Now, remember, when is justification take place? Remember Romans 8? Those whom he called, he also justified. That's where grammar comes in, right? He has justified. Not one day he might justify, but he has justified. And that's the great confidence that Paul is bringing forward. Who shall bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. What does this mean to the believers? Well, it means, beloved, to you, that you have been guaranteed free and full access to God's love and eternal life forever and ever. That in one sense, no matter how glorious and wonderful and majestic, that final judgment is but a short outcome forever. It's but a formality. A formality that will exalt the mighty power and divine love of God. It's a display of God's love. It also means that our heart can be full of peace about the future, for there is no uncertainty. God has promised it, and it will be so. God's promise is always certain, and so we can look forward to Judgment Day, for God has already justified us. Did you see the momentous change that happened on that day when you called upon His name? You were moved from eternal judgment to eternal salvation. Beloved, there's no one in the courtroom on judgment day that can persuade God otherwise. The angels will not persuade God to condemn us for they are his servants. Satan will not persuade God to condemn us for Jesus has already paid for every accusation that he has brought. Well, here's another one, oh God. Have you noticed what he has done here or on that day or what he or she thought then? Or do you remember the way that he spoke to his wife or the way that she disregarded or disrespected her husband? Do you know what he said to his mother? Do you know what he said to his father? Do you know how he let himself go in this case? I paid for it. I paid for that, too. I paid for that, too. I paid for that. I paid for that. I paid for that. Until Satan is out of breath. And exhausts himself with a whimper of the last thing he can come up with. And Jesus, just as mightily as the first time he declared it, says, I paid for that. What else? What else? covered in my blood. The law will not condemn us, for Jesus died under the law. The judgment of the law is death. We have died with Christ. We can no longer die. Our conscience is sprinkled clean by the gospel through the blood of Christ. And so even our conscience cannot accuse us then, for our advocate stands on the right hand side of the Father. And finally, we will hear that not even God will condemn us, for he is the one who justified us. Therefore, beloved, we have free access to God. So how do we apply that? this morning especially. How do we apply this glorious truth? Well, with confidence and trust in God. Three things. First, we come to the table this morning with trust and confidence for he who cannot lie has said that he has justified us. He who cannot lie justifies us. Secondly, we come lovingly praising God for his indescribable gift for our salvation. We don't come shy and afraid and hiding, but we come joyfully confident, rejoicing in what Christ has done, beloved. And lastly, we come with over an exuberant joy knowing that he has opened the door to heaven and to us it cannot be shut. It cannot be shut. That is the good news of the gospel. That is what happens after everything that has been said and done and you understand the gospel, that God has elected you before the foundation of the world that you'd be called and be justified, that you'd be guaranteed, that you will be glorified. And so, beloved, when we draw near to the table this morning, let us remember that what we are doing here is not so much receiving forgiveness, but remembering forgiveness. We celebrate forgiveness. We're not so much being cleansed by what we take, we have been cleansed. Now we celebrate. Now we rejoice, for we are partakers of the beloved Son of God. For he who gave his Son, will he not also with him give us all things? Amen. Let us pray. Heavenly Father, we come before you in the name of your Son. Lord, what a joy! What a glory! What celebration to worship you. For, Lord, in a few days we will be home. But, Lord, until that day, help us, Lord, to remember always the great gift of salvation. When we come before you, It is you who justify. So Father, we pray this in Jesus' name. Amen.