297 - GOD FOR US
JUNE 13 1965
Henry F. Kulp
Romans 8: 28 - 31 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified. What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?
First, the heart of the 8th chapter of Romans is the fact that God has an eternal purpose—God has a plan—it is an eternal plan, and it is going to work out. For notice, we are called according to His purpose. This is why we can say that all things work together for good. With this thought of eternal purpose, let us go back and notice something about God Himself.
Isaiah 57: 15 For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.
There we read, For thus saith the high and lofty one that inhabiteth eternity—God is an eternal God. God is eternal in His nature. He doesn’t live in time—He is the eternal God. That is why He is called the I AM—He is always living in the present tense. There is no past or future with Him. He is an eternal God, and of course, whatever He does is eternal. What kind of life does He give you? He gave you His life and He is the eternal one—He inhabiteth—He lives in eternity, so He gives you eternal life.
Let us notice another verse – Ecclesiastes 3: 14 I know that, whatsoever God doeth, it shall be for ever: nothing can be put to it, nor any thing taken from it: and God doeth it, that men should fear before him.
I know that—here is something the preacher said that he knew—he was sure of—whatsoever God doeth, it shall be forever, and that should be for eternity. Whatever God does, it is an eternal thing that He does. Because He lives in eternity—He is the eternal one. Therefore, the preacher goes on to say, nothing can be put to it, nor taken from it, and God doeth it—when you study these verses, you should keep in mind that God is the eternal one who inhabits eternity.
1/ Now he tells us in the 29th verse that we are part of this eternal plan He has predestinated us to be conformed to the image of His Son. This is the climax—this is the final end of this program. Then He tells us He is doing this because Christ is to be the first-born among many brethren. We told you first-born is a title of rank, and Jesus Christ is to be the Chief, or the Head of the family and Jesus Christ received this rank or this title by His death, burial and resurrection. That is when He received it.
Hebrews 7: 25 Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.
Hebrews says He was made higher than the Heavens. This is not speaking of Christ ascending far above the Heavens, but rather this title or rank.
Ephesians 4: 10 He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.
In other words, again, the Greek here brings out, this is in title or rank in authority.
2/ Then we come down to the 30th verse. Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.
Moreover, whom He did predestinate, them He also called. Here some folks will tell us this means that you have to be called, and God only calls certain people—no, this is not true at all. Let’s go back to the very beginning of mankind. When Adam and Eve were driven out of the Garden of Eden, there was an altar at the door of the Garden of Eden, and it was a call to the family of Adam and Eve to come and have the blood-shed. You know what happened to Abel, the one son of Adam and Eve. He was considered righteous because he came with the right sacrifice to the door of the Garden of Eden, but what about Abel—you say he wasn’t called. He wasn’t? Oh, yes, he was. Let me show you—his first offering was all wrong.
For we read in Genesis 4: 5 But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell.
And unto Cain and his offering He had not respect. And then Cain became very wrathful, he was full of anger and his countenance fell. There is nothing in this world like religious hatred. More people have been killed by religious hatred than any other kind of hatred. When you testify to a man who is religious, and he trusts in his church going, and in the burning of candles, in rites and ceremonies, and you tell him that Christ is enough, Christ came to save. Then you will find that he will get angry and he will have religious hatred, and he will have anger in his heart against you.
3/ Then notice, Genesis 4: 6, 7 And the Lord said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen? If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him.
The Lord said unto Cain—why are you very angry, why are you wroth, why is thy countenance fallen? If thou doest well, shalt thou be accepted? Some translations have worded this way—if thou offerest well, shalt thou not be accepted? And if thou offereth not well, a sin offering is crouching at the door. So God was saying to Cain, you have not offered right—why not offer right? There are flocks and herds outside your door, and you, too, can bring a little lamb. Notice, Cain even got a second chance, a second call here. Remember, the words, sin, and sin offering are the same in the Hebrew, so you remember that when Jesus Christ became sin, He became a sin offering, because sin offering and sin are one. So therefore, that word, sin, is sin offering, and if thou dost not well, a sin offering lieth at your door—in other words, is crouching at your door. God was pleading with Cain.
4/ Enoch called to his cousins, and he, being the seventh from Adam, cried about that they were ungodly. Ungodly, ungodly, ungodly.
Jude 14, 15 And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints, To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him.
Then Noah was the one to send forth the call, II Peter 2: 5 And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly;
Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness,—then a call went out from Noah and his lips, and also every hammer blow that was struck in the building of the ark was a sermon and a call going forth to that antediluvian period.
5/ So it has been—God has always had those who sent the call out for Him. Just this morning, we are sending the call out—believe on Jesus Christ. God wants all to be saved, and this is the age of inventions, we have tried and true believers to use each and every opportunity to proclaim the call of God, the saving grace of God and the offer of salvation to all men.
6/ One of the saddest facts in all of life is that so many reject this call of God. Listen to the one that Jesus Christ sent forth.
Matthew 23: 37 Oh, Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that kill the prophets and stoneth them that are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thee to my bosom as a hen gathers her chicks, but you would not.
Notice, the call went, but they would not accept the call, but ye would not.
7/ John 5: 40 And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life.
The Lord Jesus Christ told the Pharisees that the truth about Himself was in the Old Testament Scriptures. He did this because they were constantly spending their time studying the Old Testament Scriptures, but they would not believe the Scriptures concerning Him and they would not come to Him, the Author of the Book – and He said, Ye would not come unto Me that ye might have life.
8/ The Lord taught this refusal of the call in many of His parables.
Matthew 22: 1 - 6 And Jesus answered and spake unto them again by parables, and said, The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son, And sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding: and they would not come. Again, he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them which are bidden, Behold, I have prepared my dinner: my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come unto the marriage. But they made light of it, and went their ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandise: And the remnant took his servants, and entreated them spitefully, and slew them.
There was a king who prepared a marriage feast for his son. He sent out his servants to summon those who had been invited to the festivities, but they refused to come, then notice, he sent messengers a second time—giving them the details of the feast that was to be prepared, but they took no notice of this, and went off—one to his farm, and another to his business. Some even took hold of the servants, treated them disgracefully, and finally killed them. But the thing I want you to see—there were two calls sent forth.
9/ Luke 14: 16 - 20 Then said he unto him, A certain man made a great supper, and bade many: And sent his servant at supper time to say to them that were bidden, Come; for all things are now ready. And they all with one consent began to make excuse. The first said unto him, I have bought a piece of ground, and I must needs go and see it: I pray thee have me excused. And another said, I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to prove them: I pray thee have me excused. And another said, I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.
In another parable, He spoke of a feast which had been planned and how the guests who had been invited made excuses—the one said, I have bought some land, I must go and look at it. Please excuse me. Another said, I have bought five yoke of oxen, I am on my way to try them out, please accept my excuse. Still another said, I was just married, and I am sure you will understand why I cannot come. So today the call goes out, and men are receiving or rejecting this call. The believer is the one who is called.
10/ Notice, Them He called, He also justified. We will not have to go into this subject at any great length at this point, because we have done it in the past in our study of Romans, but we told you justification is an act of God whereby He declares an ungodly man to be perfect, while he is still ungodly.
11/ Then He tells us, we are glorified. Notice, all of this is in the past tense. You don’t look glorified to me, and I am sure, I don’t look glorified to you.
I Peter 1: 21 Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God.
Peter tell us that when God raised up Christ from the dead, He gave Him glory, and of course, we are to share in that glory. But God looks upon it as already having been accomplished. This can easily be explained.
Romans 4: 17 (As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were. But God, who calleth those things which be not as though they were. It is an accomplished fact, because He is an eternal God.
I want you to notice this principle in I John 3: 2 Beloved, now we are the sons of God, but it does not yet appear what we shall be, but we shall be what? like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.
12/ Now let us turn to Romans 8: 31 What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?
The point that is important here is that God is for us, He is never against you, to show that you are wrong, but He is never against you. I realize that correction can be rather grievous—it can be hard. In the book of Hebrews, we are not to faint when we are corrected by God. But the point I want you to see is that God is never against you—even His correction is not against you, it is for you.
Then go back to Romans 8: 26 Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.
Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities, He maketh intercession for us. The Holy Spirit is working for us.
Then go down to Romans 8: 34 Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.
Christ who is at the right hand of God, making intercession—what—for us. So you see, the whole Godhead is for us. If this is true, who can be against us? No one at all—we can shout Hallelujah to this fact.
13/ God said words like these to the nation Israel. Israel, who can be against thee?
Isaiah 41: 11 - 13 Behold, all they that were incensed against thee shall be ashamed and confounded: they shall be as nothing; and they that strive with thee shall perish. Thou shalt seek them, and shalt not find them, even them that contended with thee: they that war against thee shall be as nothing, and as a thing of nought. For I the Lord thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee.
Behold, all they that were incensed against thee shall be ashamed. Notice they are not going to prosper—and they will be confounded. They shall be as nothing—and they that strive with thee shall perish. You are not even going to find them to contend with thee. In other words, He said to Israel, all thy enemies, they will not prosper, no one can be against thee and win out.
14/ Now notice the 14th verse. Fear not, thou worm Jacob, and ye men of Israel. I will help thee saith the Lord.
Notice in this partnership, God clearly reveals the nothingness of man, and the wonderful power of God on behalf of His people. He says, fear not, thou worm, Jacob.
What a partnership—God and the worm. How much we lose because we do not recognize what we really are. When men form a partnership—one man puts up money and another puts up experience, or some other division of various assets, but when we form a partnership with God, He demands that we do it on His terms—we put up nothing, and He puts up Himself, His strength, we put up sin, and He puts up righteousness. In other words, we cast in our nothingness, and He puts in everything.
We must recognize our own bankruptcy.
AMEN
Ref: 06/13/1965 / 297 - GOD FOR US / 07/23/2020
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