The Safest Place in the World.

Our human fascination with the science of preservation, mummification, and time travel fiction reveal a deep desire to live beyond our earthly lifespan. Yet no human will ever be able to preserve life for eternity. Romans 8 teaches us how God preserves eternal life for His people.

We have already studied how God justifies and how He sanctifies in Jesus Christ. Chapter 8 concludes the great story of salvation by explaining how God secures or preserves us in Christ.

Alva J. McClain said, "In a real sense, the eighth chapter of Romans is the conclusion and culmination of the apostle Paul's treatise on salvation."

Moo described the chapter as "the inner sanctuary within the cathedral of the Christian faith. It sets before us some of the most wonderful blessings we enjoy as believers: being free from God's condemnation, indwelt by God's own Spirit, adopted into his family, destined for resurrection glory, and full of hope because of God's love for us and the promise to bring good to us in every circumstance of life -- His good."

This chapter outlines the comprehensive way that a believer is safely kept by God for all time and eternity. God saves by His own nature. What He saves, He secures. He cannot do otherwise because He is infinitely omnipotent. We are made in His image and receive Christ's new nature at salvation. This compels us to live in Christ-likeness, and God preserves our ability to do so. He will assure our growth by His grace for every child of God even if they struggle.

The triune Godhead is highlighted in Romans 8, mentioned over 75 times just in this chapter! The Holy Spirit is mentioned 19 times. The Spirit mediates to us the blessings of life in Christ. He regenerates us, giving us spiritual life instead of spiritual death. He is God who guarantees our moral way of living and the development of our character. He adopts us into the divine family. The Holy Spirit is the guarantor of resurrection life. He persuades believers to do the will of God. He intercedes for us when we struggle to know or do God's will.

Romans 8:1 and 8:39 bookend the chapter with the reality of positional truth. God cannot undo what He has decreed. If you are saved, you are absolutely secure.

In Christ, we are free from and to many things. Our study will divide the chapter by things we will not have to face.

• No Condemnation (Romans 8:1-4)
• No Contention (Romans 8:5-17)
• No Prevention (Romans 8:18-30)
• No Separation (Romans 8:31-39)

Application Points

• God puts all of His infinite omnipotence into His ability to make you more like Christ. A true believer actually must try very hard not to grow.
• We are preserved in Christ unto Christ-likeness. If there is sin in your life, you can be confident that the Holy Spirit in Christ will help you get out of its web and know how to walk again.

Tools for Further Study

Cross References to Explore

• John 10:27-29, 14:1-6, 17:1-12, 20:30-31, 1 John 5:13, Philippians 1:6, Ephesians 1:3-9 – Other New Testament echoes of security in the Savior.

A Hymn to Encourage: "Safe Am I"

Safe am I, Safe am I,
In the hollow of His hand;
Sheltered o'er, sheltered o'er
With His love forevermore.
No ill can harm me, No foe alarm me,
For He keeps both day and night.
Safe am I, Safe am I,
In the hollow of His hand.