“The state of a Christian in this world is an impregnable state, and a glorious condition. Here is glory upon glory, from this clause to the end of the chapter:
‘If God be with us, who shall be against us?’ (Romans 8:31)
“If God gave his Son for us, shall he not with him give us all things else?’ (Romans 8:32)
There is another glorious speech, ‘Who shall lay anything to the charge of God’s people?’ (Romans 8:33)
Another glorious triumphant speech, another glorious speech, ‘Who shall separate us from the love of God founded in Christ?’ (Romans 8:35)
He loves Christ first, and us in Christ as members; and as God loves Him eternally, so He loves us eternally too. Therefore you see every way the state of a Christian is a glorious condition.
‘Who can be against us?’ (Romans 8:31) You see the state of God’s people. It is an impregnable and glorious condition. Then by this means those that are strange paradoxes to flesh and blood, yet they agree in a Christian.
He is never alone. When he is alone, God is with him; the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost are with him, angels are with him. God is not only with him, but His guard is with him; and God’s Spirit is with him, and in him victoriously both in grace and comfort.
Christ saith to His disciples, when they thought to leave Him alone; saith He, you cannot leave me alone, ‘my Father is with me,’ (John 8:16).
And St Paul towards his latter end, that had deserved so well of the Christian world: ‘All forsook me,’ saith he, ‘but the Lord forsook me not, but delivered me out of the mouth of the lion,’ (2 Tim. 4:17).
So a Christian is not alone; he is not left to the mercy of his enemies, but God is with him, and who shall be against him to prevail over him?
Again, though a Christian be a worm, a person trampled upon, for so the church is the most afflicted part of mankind, yet ‘fear not thou, worm Jacob,’ (Isa. 41:14). The world accounts them as worms, and they account themselves so.
They are trodden on as worms. They are worms upon earth, yet they have a glorious head in heaven, and a glorious guard about them. Strange things agree in a Christian.
Therefore let us not stumble, though we see not these things presently. The life of a Christian is a mystery.”
–Richard Sibbes, “St. Paul’s Challenge,” The Works of Richard Sibbes, Volume 7 (ed. Alexander Balloch Grosart; Carlisle, PA: Banner of Truth, 1638/2001), 7: 391.
Leave a Reply