First Baptist Church of El Dorado - Sermons
Tune in each week as Pastor Taylor Geurin leads us into a study of God's Word.
First Baptist Church of El Dorado - Sermons
Climbing Everest: The Summit of God's Unbreakable Promise | Romans 8:31-39
Standing at the summit of biblical assurance, Romans 8:31-39 offers breathtaking views of God's unbreakable love. Just as Churchill inspired courage in Britain when they had "nothing but the back end of broken bottles" to fight Hitler's regime, Paul's words carry infinitely greater authority—backed by the risen Christ himself.
This powerful sermon unpacks three life-changing realities: your past is secured in Christ, your present is secured in Christ, and your future is secured in Christ. When Paul asks, "If God is for us, who can be against us?" he's reminding us that the God who didn't spare His own Son will certainly fulfill every promise to those who believe.
Through vivid courtroom imagery, we see how all accusations against believers are dismissed—not because we're innocent, but because we're clothed in Christ's righteousness. Like the scapegoat on the Day of Atonement, our sins are cast away never to return. Even when facing tribulation, persecution, or danger, we remain "more than conquerors" because nothing can alter our ultimate victory in Christ.
Most reassuringly, Paul's exhaustive list in verses 38-39 leaves no room for doubt: death, life, angels, rulers, present circumstances, future events, powers, height, depth—absolutely nothing in all creation can separate us from God's love in Christ Jesus. This includes even our own failures and shortcomings.
As one pastor puts it, "If you could lose your salvation, you would." The good news is you can't—not because of your grip on God, but because of His unbreakable hold on you. This assurance isn't just theological comfort; it's freedom to live courageously in a world of uncertainty. When God is for you, who or what could possibly stand against you?
1st Baptist, baptist El Dorado. Will you join me now in listening to our sermon from this week?
Speaker 2:Amen. Well, we will finish Romans, chapter 8, this morning, as we've been in our series Climbing Everest, everest, what may be the greatest passage of Scripture, the greatest chapter in all of Scripture that's why we call it Climbing Everest, as we've walked through this Mount Everest of Scripture, this beautiful, encouraging, encouraging passage, and we'll look at verses 31 through 39, as have already been read for us this morning, but I'll read verse 31. What then, shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? Let's pray together, lord Jesus. That is the truth, that if you are for us, who can be against us? Would you encourage our hearts this morning of that truth that there is nothing, absolutely nothing, that can separate us from you? And so, lord, would you speak to us now? Holy Spirit, speak through your word. We ask In Christ's name. In Christ's name, amen.
Speaker 2:The line that separates history going one direction and another direction is often a very, very thin line. In the 1940s, it may have been as thin of a line as it's ever been, and there was an individual who held that very thin line between history going one way or another and at times felt like he was holding it all by himself, named Winston Churchill. Winston Churchill had a gift, an ability to make you feel brave, to make you feel courageous, even when you had no business feeling brave and courageous. Some say that at this time you had these, well, a few powers, but certainly these two. Where Hitler wanted his people to acknowledge how great Hitler is, churchill wanted his people to acknowledge how great his people were. He could make you feel brave. In fact, in his famous speech before the House of Commons, after Churchill comes into the office of prime minister following Neville Chamberlain in 1940, he is giving this speech before the House of Commons and he gives again the famous words we shall go on to the end. We'll fight in France, we'll fight on the seas and in the oceans. He continues where we'll fight? We'll fight in the hills and we shall never surrender. And the whole House of Commons explodes in applause and cheers. Really, the whole country is exploding in these applause and cheers. And in that moment Churchill looks to a colleague and very quietly says and we will have to fight them with the back end of broken bottles, because that's just about all we've got. He made a country feel brave when they were outmanned, outmatched. He made a country feel courageous and self-assured when they had really no business feeling that way, and yet it worked.
Speaker 2:I wonder this morning if Winston Churchill can make a country feel assured, brave, courageous, when all he had to work with was the back end of a few broken bottles to fight this large regime. If he can make you feel brave in that moment, what can Paul do as he writes to us, the greatest words maybe in all of scripture. And yet the authority behind Paul is not the back end of broken bottles, not a story of how we are a people outgunned, outmatched, but instead behind Paul is all the authority of the resurrected Savior, jesus Christ the righteous. That is the authority behind Paul's words here. And I just wonder this morning if you will leave here brave, assured, courageous, not through any work of your own, but because of the encouragement of Paul, because of the authority behind him in the finished work of Christ, and because of three things, and they're simply this that your past is secured in Christ, your present is secured in Christ and your future is secured in Christ. Your present is secured in Christ and your future is secured in Christ. Look with me, verse 31. What, then, shall we say to these things? If God is for us? Who can be against us? What shall we say to these things? He's really picking up on all of Romans 8, but we could argue he's picking up on all of Romans up to this point In chapters 1 and 3, through 3, showing us just how sinful we are. But then the good news of the end of chapter 3, all the way through 7, showing us that the good news is we have a Savior, as sinful as we may be. We have a Savior who has died for sinners and has risen from the grave, and so this is the good news. And then Romans 8 that gives us, time and time again, assurance of our salvation, assurance of our justification before Christ. And now he ends in 31 to 39. He starts right here. What shall we say to these things? With all of this in mind, here it is. If God is for us, who can be against us? Who can bring condemnation against us? If God is indeed for us?
Speaker 2:I think of John, chapter 8, and this story with Jesus and the religious elite bring into the room a woman who's been caught in adultery, and there's a lot that goes on behind the scenes, there's a lot that leads to this moment, but this woman is standing before Jesus and Jesus says those famous words let he who is without sin throw the first stone. And slowly but surely, all these men start walking away. And then Jesus looks around and there's no one there. And so he looks at this woman caught in adultery and says who is there to condemn you? And she also looks around and all those who would bring accusation against her are now gone, and the one person still standing who could bring accusation instead shows grace. This is the same story of Romans 8, 31. Who shall bring a charge against you? Who's still standing? Who is still remaining that can bring condemnation, can bring some kind of accusation?
Speaker 2:And all throughout the end of Romans, chapter 8, we'll continue to ask that question and see time and time again that there is no one there who condemns. Why? Because, verse 32, 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? If this is the God who is for us, paul wants to explain who that God is. It's the very God who, before you and I, were born before you and I had even sinned our first sin. God had already done what it takes to justify sinners. He sent his own son as a sacrifice.
Speaker 2:For us, we remember Genesis, chapter 22,. For us, we remember Genesis, chapter 22, abraham and Isaac are marching up this mountain to the place of sacrifice, but there's no animal for the offering and Abraham puts Isaac up on the altar, as God instructed to even sacrifice your firstborn son. And at the last moment the angel calls out and tells Abraham to stop. And in that moment Abraham's own son was spared by God. This beautiful moment. And yet we see on that same mountaintop, generations later, that God's own son was placed on the altar. And in that moment, instead of sparing his own son, jesus Christ took the penalty, the sin for each one of us that the son of God was not spared. And the greatest gift we could ever be given has already been given to us in Christ Jesus by the father who has died for us and has risen from the grave. And so Paul just wants to say who can bring a condemnation, a charge against us? This is the God on our side, the one who didn't even spare his own son. And if he's already given us the greatest of all gifts, will he not give us all the more? In Christ Jesus.
Speaker 2:I remember being a child at Christmas time and I think I've talked about this before but my family, my parents and grandparents, they were big fans of that one delayed gift Maybe you do this as well that we would go open our stockings. We would go open the gifts. We were fired up at what we had received. Everything we asked for, most everything we asked for, was all there and we were so excited. And then at the last second my parents would say but wait, but wait, why don't you go look in the backyard? And one year we went and looked in the backyard and there was a brand new basketball goal out there. And I remember one year at my grandparents' house, but wait, we thought we were done. But wait, go look in the garage. We looked in the garage and there was a ping pong table there. Wasn't that great for my grandparents Give the ping pong table that has to live at my parents' house. But it was still out there. And we were so fired up because always at the end there'd be that. But wait, there's one more item out there waiting on you.
Speaker 2:It's interesting as I read this passage for us on our behalf. God does just the opposite From the very start. There's no waiting on it, there's no wondering if there's something more to give. From the very start, the greatest gift, even before you and I were born or thought of, at least in our parents' eyes, not in God's eyes, but from the very start, the greatest gift has already been placed before us Christ Jesus in his death and resurrection. The greatest has been given. And so Paul says if God did not even hesitate to send his own son on our behalf, how much more will he give us all things? If God can send his only son for us, how much more can he come through on every single promise that is given to us in Christ Jesus? That's the beauty of the gospel, that's the beauty of our assurance. And then we continue this logic in verse 33. Who shall bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justified verse 34,. Who is to condemn? Who shall bring any charge again against God's elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn, like our woman caught in adultery, again in John, chapter 8. And he asks again where are your accusers? Where are those who desire to bring some kind of charge against you, desire to bring some kind of charge against you?
Speaker 2:I'm really fascinated by the inner workings of our country, the justice system in our country, the different levels and layers that exist, how one thing moves from another, how you appeal here and there, and it's interesting how it all works on the federal side of things. If you need your day in court, you are a rightful citizen and you can get your rightful day in court. You can go to the US district court and you can have your day in court. Now, if you don't like the result, there is somewhere you can go. You can appeal to the US Court of Appeals and you can again have that case kind of seen again. There are 11 men and women of you're sitting right now in the 8th Circuit. That runs from right here where we're sitting, all the way up to the Dakotas, and they will hear your case, along with 1,999 other cases throughout the year, and three of those 11 will break down your case and they will give you a ruling on it. Now, if you don't like that ruling, there is one more place you can go. It is actually the most supreme of possible places that you can go. Your case can be heard by the Supreme Court. Now, if you don't like where that lands you, if you don't like their ruling in this. I think at that point you just have to go home.
Speaker 2:I think it's over, but I almost have this picture as we're looking for those who will condemn of the evil one just roaming around looking for a court, looking for a judge that will hear his case, looking for a court, looking for a judge that will hear his case Up and down, spouting off the evidence against God's children, looking for any court that will bring condemnation. And wherever he can find a place, he will spout out the many things, the many sins that you and I have done, you and I who are children of God. If he could just find a courtroom and a judge that will hear him out, so he can tell every detail of the mess we've made of our lives, in our own sin. And when he finally gets to the Supreme Court, the Supreme of Supremes, the God of the universe, when he gives the case of Taylor Guerin and what he's done, he can finally plead his case. The evil one can to the God of the universe and said God, you've got the wrong guy. You know this guy, taylor, and you know the sins he's committed. You know just how broken his past is God. I've got the receipts and I could roll the tape on just the many ways he has rebelled against you, god. I know you think he's a child of God, but I've got all the evidence I need to let you know today, God, I'm doing you a service today to let you know that this would-be child of God he's not who you think he is. He's a sinner.
Speaker 2:And in that moment the judge looks back and says this I've counted him justified. And in that courtroom, satan probably says no, no, you didn't catch what I was saying. He's sinful beyond belief. Have you not seen his past? Have you not seen his brokenness? And the judge says I see the problem here, because you thought I was judging Taylor based on his works. No, no, my judgment is given to Taylor based on the finished work of Christ.
Speaker 2:This courtroom doesn't look at Taylor's works as he tries to earn salvation. No, no, it looks at the finished work of the perfect sacrifice, the Son of God, who is without blemish and has died and has risen from the grave. And now my servant, taylor, is a child of God. Why? Because he is now clothed in the righteousness of Christ. And so when I give that judgment of justified before God. I am basing that on what Christ has done and at that moment the case is absolutely closed, because verse 34, who is to condemn? And here's who we have behind us Christ Jesus is the one who died More than that, who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. There is the basis of everything that happened in that courtroom that day that Taylor is justified because there is a justifier and the means of justification has come in the person of Christ Jesus.
Speaker 2:My favorite maybe, picture outside of the cross and resurrection itself, of atonement, of justification in scripture might actually come from Leviticus, chapter 16. And you're probably saying didn't see that coming, the greatest picture of the gospel, atonement, justification, leviticus, chapter 16, because there was one day a year, the day of atonement, when the high priest would enter into the most holy place and first he would make a sacrifice for himself. You don't just walk in there, you make a sacrifice for yourself. And then you go into that holy place and he would take with him now hang with me. He would take with him two goats and one goat. He would sacrifice there and then sprinkle the blood of that goat onto the altar, now with the second goat, he would place his two hands on the head of that goat and symbolically, in that moment, symbolically, he is placing the sins of Israel onto this goat. I know this sounds a little strange, but hang with me. He'd symbolically placed the sins of Israel, confessed sins, and they would symbolically go onto this goat. And then here's what they would do with that one remaining goat. They would not sacrifice the other goat. Instead, they would take that goat and they would cast that goat out of the camp. They would cast that goat out into the wilderness, never to return again.
Speaker 2:And here's why this happened on the day of atonement, because this was a picture of really two things Number one, the means of our atonement and number two, the effects of our atonement. And number two, the effects of our atonement, that the means of our atonement is this that this goat would be a sacrifice for sin, that blood would be spilled for the sake of sin. Now the effects of the atonement are this that your sins are now cast into the wilderness, never to return. So that's the day of atonement, the means and the effects of your atonement. Now look no further than the work of Christ Jesus If you want to see both the means and the effect of your atonement, the means that the perfect son of God was sacrificed for your sin. Sin was truly placed upon him, he truly died. He was truly placed in the grave. Praise God, he truly rose from the grave.
Speaker 2:The effects of that atonement, your own sin, are now cast into the wilderness as far as the east is from the west, and they will never return. That is what justification is, because now, through the work of Christ, you are justified before the Lord, god. Who can bring a condemnation against that? Who's got a word to speak against you that is better than the word spoken by Christ Jesus at his resurrection, that your sin is cast into the wilderness, never to return. And so here's the truth of your past. Your past is secure in Christ. And so everything in your past, everything, the good, the bad, the ugly, all the sin, all the rebellion, all the times you have run from your father and God, all the times you have tried to sit on the throne of your own life, all the times that you have fallen short of the glory of God, and for every one of us in this room that is a very long list of those kinds of times, but in all of those times there is a better word that speaks over it, and it's the blood of Christ. And in Christ Jesus your past is secure. And so when you look over the movie of your life, of your past, you may be tempted to say all I see is brokenness and guilt and shame. But, believer, be encouraged. If you are in Christ Jesus, I'll tell you what really exists as you watch the movie of your past, it's the person of Jesus Christ, clothed in his righteousness. Your past is secured, but also look at this your present is secured in Christ.
Speaker 2:Verse 35,. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation or distress or persecution, or famine or nakedness or danger or sword, as it is written, for your sake, we're being killed all the day long. We are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered. Let's stop right there for a moment. In verse 35, who can separate us right now, in this present time? And then he lists can tribulation do it Again? Distress, persecution, famine, nakedness, danger, sword, all of these things that are very real and present dangers To everyone living in the church at Rome under the thumb, under the hand of the watchful eye of the emperor. All of these things are very real threats.
Speaker 2:In verse 36, paul is actually referencing Psalm 44, as the psalmist is talking about their own tribulation, their own persecution for their faith. And even back in Psalm 44, we're being persecuted, we're like sheep being slaughtered. The persecutors are coming after us and this is their life, as the psalmist writes and Paul is proclaiming. This is still life in the church at Rome. There is persecution, there is danger, there is sword, and even in your own life.
Speaker 2:Now you know very well that there is trial, there's tribulation, there is suffering, and we've talked about it throughout our Romans 8 series that you will suffer because you're being persecuted for your faith. You will suffer because you proclaim the name of Jesus. You will suffer because of the sin and brokenness in this world. You will suffer because, again, we live in a world that is not as it should be and not as it will be. You will suffer again because of the consequences of your own sin, my own sin. There is suffering in this life, but what Paul wants to know is can that separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus? And then there's verse 37. 37. No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us, that nothing, even these things, now notice what Paul doesn't say. He doesn't say this. He doesn't say that because you are in Christ Jesus. Famine, sword, nakedness, danger, destruction, that stuff will never come Again. You and I both know there's suffering in this life, but what he does say is, even in the midst of suffering like we talk about in Romans 8, 28, that God can work all things for the good of those who love him or called according to his purpose. That even in our sufferings, you and I are more than conquerors through him who loved us.
Speaker 2:I think of Paul in another letter in Philippians. He's in prison, he's probably nearing the end of his life and he doesn't know what's better. Is it better for me to face my final fate, or is it better to me to stay on this earth, probably in and out in prison, a little longer? And he says these words whatever it may be, to live is Christ. What does he say next? To die is gain. One person says it like this to live is Christ, to die is's Christ.
Speaker 2:And in your circumstances, you really have two possible results. If you are in Christ Jesus, whatever you walk through in this life, there are two possible results. Number one is this that Christ will bring you through it. And the second possibility is this that Christ will bring you through it. Those are the two possibilities and there's not a third that Christ will bring you through it or Christ will bring you through it. And we've all set in those seasons of life where we've suffered and we've seen this, that Christ has brought us through it, at least up to this point. Some things will. This side of glory will never fully be on the other side, but up to this point God has brought me through it. And then there's even some things that will only fully see the full reality of it on the other side when Christ brings us home for eternity, where we will live and dwell with our Savior for eternity. But here's the good news and here's what Paul wants you to understand that nothing can separate you from Christ Jesus, because whatever happens in this life, you win, because in Christ Jesus you've already won. And that's the good news of the gospel that not only has Christ secured our past, but he has secured our present. But I want us to see this as well your future is secured in Christ Jesus.
Speaker 2:Let's end on 38 and 39. For I am sure, notice that's Paul speaking through the Holy Spirit. And he says I am sure, notice that's Paul speaking through the Holy Spirit. And he says I am sure Not. I've got a good feeling. I think it could be this 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 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. Your past is secure, your present is secure, but for the believer I want you to see this your future is secure.
Speaker 2:Because in these two verses Paul tries to give us the full extent of some of those options we might throw out to say this thing could probably finally separate me from Christ. And if Paul could just give us the full scale of anything we might could throw out that say could separate us, and then show us this that no, it is not possible, then maybe in that moment we can take some assurance, because death can't do it, life can't do it. Angels or rulers probably right here, not so much angels, the little sweet angels in the Christmas pageant. But these spiritual beings, that even those evil spiritual beings that want to come to you and talk about your past and your unworthiness and your sin and want to wreak havoc in our world. Nor things present, nor anything to come. So what you have seen or are seeing or will see in the future, there's no powers. There's no powers human powers, spiritual powers. There's not height or depth.
Speaker 2:If he says, if I can just show you all of creation, I'll show that nothing can do it, nor anything else in all creation. I'm thankful for that one, because you and I are probably just stubborn enough to say, hey, but Paul didn't mention this one. I did know there was at least that one thing that could probably separate me from Christ. And so Paul says we'll get beyond that by saying this nor anything else If I forgot anything, if you tried to fill in the blank with anything, I'll tell you right now nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus, our Lord. And here's what encourages me this morning that anything else in all creation will be unable to separate us.
Speaker 2:The good news is this that includes me, that my own moments of sinful rebellion. I'm not talking about before I was a Christian. I'm talking about after I was a Christian, when I've fallen below the standard God has for my life, when I've sinned in ways I'm not proud of, said that statement there's not sinful ways that I am proud of but but always when I've done anything that I feel like surely that's the time where God's going to look at me and say, taylor, that's enough, I've got the wrong guy here that nothing in all of creation can separate me from the love of God. I'm thankful for how one pastor put it, and this one. It's pretty in your face, but he says this if you could lose your salvation, you would. Isn't that the truth? If you could lose your salvation, I'm not picking on you, I'm talking about me, I'm talking about all of us. If you could lose your salvation, you would Think about this the audacity of saying that it is possible to lose my salvation based on anything I do.
Speaker 2:And guess what? I've kept it all the way. I've kept it through the end. No, no, no, no. I'm thankful for a gospel that won't even let me get in my own way, but is held together by the Savior who holds me. That nothing in my past, nothing in my present, nothing in my future will be able to separate me from the love of God in Christ Jesus, our Lord. That is the truth of our gospel, that is the beauty of Romans, chapter eight. That's why we take four weeks to climb Everest, the Mount Everest of scripture, to be encouraged, to be assured, to remind ourselves of our standing, though undeserved, our truthful standing before our God and Father. Before our God and Father. That's the good news of our gospel.
Speaker 2:And if Churchill can make a country who is largely outmatched believe that they could do just about anything and make them assured that they could win the war, how much more can the risen Savior, jesus Christ, the war? How much more can the risen Savior, jesus Christ, the righteous, remind me, day after day after day, that for now, unto eternity, there is nothing that can separate me from the love of God, that can separate you from the love of God in Christ Jesus, our Lord. And that's your story, both now unto eternity, for those in Christ Jesus, pray with me. Lord Jesus, we thank you for the gospel, thank you for the assurance of salvation that we can know beyond any shadow of a doubt, based on the authority of Christ Jesus, that we are yours both now and for eternity. Let us live in that truth both now and forever.
Speaker 2:Lord, if there is any in this room that needs to respond to this message, the reality is we all do Respond through our worship, respond to your word just through our own encouragement, maybe just lifting up a prayer of thankfulness, of gratitude. If there's anybody that needs to respond now, just by coming and desiring to be a part of this church family, maybe there's someone that, for the first time, wants to come to know you and wants to, for the first time, experience the forgiveness of sins, that justification that only you offer. Maybe today's the day, lord. If they desire to come down, I'd love to talk with them about it. Lord, if there's any who stand in need of prayer and they would come, lord, I'd love nothing more than to pray over them. But however we need to respond, would we do so even now? And, lord, let us all respond with worship in Christ's name, amen, would you stand? And if you need to come down for anything in any way, I'll be right down front.