Romans – A Treatise
Chapter Eight
THE GOLDEN STAIRWAY OF ROMANS 8
Scripture Reading: verses 33-37
In Romans 8, Paul is ascending the golden stairway of divine purpose, marking his ascent step by step, beginning with the counsels of God before the foundation of the world, and going upward in verses 33 to 37 to the complete triumph over every opposing force, and the establishment of God's beloved people in association with the Lord Jesus in the realms of glory. .
As the great defense attorney in this dramatic trial before the universal court, Paul is reaching the climax of his argument and throwing out challenging questions to all who might bring anything against the pardoned criminal. Who shall lay anything to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth. In the supreme court of all jurisdictional power, God Himself is the Person of final appeal. From the viewpoint of our own courts of law, it is as though the attorney was saying that the honorable gentleman occupying the bench, the supreme court judge, has issued the verdict, and the verdict is that the criminal is justified because another has borne the penalty of his sins. After that verdict is issued, there is no one in all the universe who has any say in the matter. No one can bring a charge since it is God Himself, the judge of all, who has justified, forgiven, and pardoned the one who was a guilty sinner.
The next challenge thrown out is “Who is he that condemneth?” Immediately through Paul the Spirit of God draws attention to the fact that in the death of the Lord Jesus Christ condemnation has already been pronounced and carried out to the letter: “It is Christ that died.” Now, if the Lord Jesus were still in the tomb it might be that He had not borne the full penalty, and the sinner would still have to suffer. But Paul says, “Yea, rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God.” The greatest proof that the Christian’s sins are gone under the judgment of God is that the Lord Jesus, who became the sin bearer, has risen from the dead and has been exalted to the highest pinnacle of power and glory. Had one of our sins been overlooked, then the Lord Jesus could not have been raised.
He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities, the chastisement of our peace was upon Him; and with His stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all.
The blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth from all sin – past, present, and future. All were laid upon the Lord Jesus Christ, the sin bearer at Calvary. He paid our debt in full, and the receipt was signed and sealed by God the Father when He raised Him from the dead and gave Him that place of pre-eminence at His own right hand. But Paul takes another upward step in this ascending stairway of glory by reminding us, “who also maketh intercession for us.”
Presently, the office of our Lord Jesus Christ at the right hand of the majesty in heaven is one of continual intercession on behalf of His people. It is not intercession that their sins might be forgiven, because their sins have all been put out of sight. At this hour, the Lord’s intercession on behalf of His people is that we might be maintained in happy communion with God our Father every step of our pilgrim pathway. Although our sins have been washed away and a complete pardon accorded to every contrite, repentent, born again sinner, let us remember that the moment we obeyed the Gospel and became a child of God we entered upon a pathway of constant conflict. Like Israel of old, who fought with the Amalekites (Exodus 17), we are waging a constant fight against sin, against the flesh, and against the devil himself. We have a delightful picture of the intercessory office of our Lord in that wonderful chapter in Exodus. There it is beautifully recorded that Moses told Joshua he should choose men and fight against Amalek. And he said: “Tomorrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in my hand.” On the next day, when the battle was fought in the valley below, Moses stood on the hill, and when he held up his hand Israel prevailed; but when his hand was let down the enemy prevailed. Moses’ hands were heavy, so they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on the stone, and then Aaron and Hur held up his hands, one on one side and one on the other, and his hands were steady until the sun went down. Thus the Israelites gained a great victory. There we have a picturesque illustration of our Lord’s present intercession on behalf of His people. He is on top of the hill, for He has been exalted to the highest place in heaven, and He has already sat down. His hands never grow weak and heavy, for He ever lives to make intercession for His people.
In verse 26 of this wonderful chapter we have the intercessory office of the Holy Spirit, and in verse 34 our Lord’s own intercession. This seems to indicate that the Spirit of God, who indwells the hearts of God’s people here on earth, is linked hand in hand in divine power with the Intercessor on high.
Little wonder there is so much assurance in this chapter. Little wonder Paul can throw out these challenging and unanswered questions: “Who shall lay anything to the charge of God’s elect?” “Who is he that condemneth?” “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?” It demonstrates the supreme triumph of Christianity. In the power of the risen life and the exaltation of our Lord, who has been made higher than the heavens? Every opposing force has been subjugated. “He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in Him will I trust.”
He shall cover thee with His feathers, and under His wings shalt thou trust: His truth shall be thy shield and buckler. Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day.
These are the ecstatic words of the simplest true believer in the Lord Jesus Christ: “If God be for us, who can be against us?”
