GOD AND HIS PEOPLE

CONSIDER GOD’S ELECTION OF GRACE

Rom 11:1-6 

1 I say then, has God cast away His people? Certainly not! For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. 

2  God has not cast away His people whom He foreknew. Or do you not know what the Scripture says of Elijah, how he pleads with God against Israel, saying, 

3  "lord, they have killed Your prophets and torn down Your altars, and I alone am left, and they seek my life"? 

4  But what does the divine response say to him? "I have reserved for Myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal." 

5  Even so then, at this present time there is a remnant according to the election of grace. 

6  And if by grace, then it is no longer of works; otherwise grace is no longer grace. But if it is of works, it is no longer grace; otherwise work is no longer work. 

Rom 10:1-2 

1 Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they may be saved. 

2  For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God. 

Rom 11:7-10

7  What then? Israel has not obtained what it seeks; but the elect have obtained it, and the rest were blinded. 

8  Just as it is written: "God has given them a spirit of stupor, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear, to this very day." 

9  And David says: "let their table become a snare and a trap, a stumbling block and a recompense to them. 

10  Let their eyes be darkened, so that they do not see, and bow down their back always."

Is 29:9-14

9 Pause and wonder! Blind yourselves and be blind! They are drunk, but not with wine; They stagger, but not with intoxicating drink. 

10  For the LORD has poured out on you The spirit of deep sleep, And has closed your eyes, namely, the prophets; And He has covered your heads, namely, the seers. 

11  The whole vision has become to you like the words of a book that is sealed, which men deliver to one who is literate, saying, "Read this, please." And he says, "I cannot, for it is sealed." 

12  Then the book is delivered to one who is illiterate, saying, "Read this, please." And he says, "I am not literate." 

13  Therefore the Lord said: "Inasmuch as these people draw near with their mouths And honor Me with their lips, but have removed their hearts far from Me, And their fear toward Me is taught by the commandment of men 

14  Therefore, behold, I will again do a marvelous work Among this people, A marvelous work and a wonder; For the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, And the understanding of their prudent men shall be hidden.

CONSIDER GOD’S PURPOSE

Rom 11:11-21

11  I say then, have they stumbled that they should fall? Certainly not! But through their fall, to provoke them to jealousy (to long for something), salvation has come to the Gentiles. 

12  Now if their fall is riches for the world, and their failure riches for the Gentiles, how much more their fullness! 

13  For I speak to you Gentiles; inasmuch as I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I magnify my ministry, 

14  if by any means I may provoke to jealousy those who are my flesh and save some of them. 

15  For if their being cast away is the reconciling of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead? 

16  For if the first-fruit is holy, the lump is also holy; and if the root is holy, so are the branches. 

17  And if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive tree, were grafted in among them, and with them became a partaker of the root and fatness of the olive tree, 

18  do not boast against the branches. But if you do boast, remember that you do not support the root, but the root supports you. 

19  You will say then, "Branches were broken off that I might be grafted in." 

20  Well said. Because of unbelief they were broken off, and you stand by faith. Do not be haughty, but fear. 

21  For if God did not spare the natural branches, He may not spare you either. 

CONSIDER GOD’S GOODNESS

Rom 11:22-26

22  Therefore consider the goodness and severity of God: on those who fell, severity; but toward you, goodness, if you continue in His goodness. Otherwise you also will be cut off. 

23  And they also, if they do not continue in unbelief, will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again. 

24  For if you were cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and were grafted contrary to nature into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these, who are natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree?  

25  For I do not desire, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be wise in your own opinion, that blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. 

26  And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written: "the Deliverer will come out of Zion, and he will turn away ungodliness from Jacob; 

"All Israel" does not mean that every Jewish person who has ever lived will be saved, for Paul does not teach that. The term must be understood in the same sense as “the fullness of the Gentiles” (v. 25), in a collective sense.

Rom 2:28-29 

28 For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh; 

29  but he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the Spirit, not in the letter; whose praise is not from men but from God. 

Rom 9:6-8 

6  But it is not that the word of God has taken no effect. For they are not all Israel who are of Israel, 

7  nor are they all children because they are the seed of Abraham; but, in Isaac your seed shall be called. 

8  That is, those who are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God; but the children of the promise are counted as the seed.

Gal 3:7 

7 Therefore know that only those who are of faith are sons of Abraham. 

Gal 6:15-16 

15 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but a new creation. 

16  And as many as walk according to this rule, peace and mercy be upon them, and upon the Israel of God.

2 Tim 2:19

19 Nevertheless the solid foundation of God stands, having this seal: "The Lord knows those who are His," and, "Let everyone who names the name of Christ depart from iniquity." 

CONSIDER GOD’S ELECTION, GIFTS, CALLING AND MERCY

Rom 11:27-32

27  For this is my covenant with them, when I take away their sins." 

28  Concerning the gospel they are enemies for your sake, but concerning the election they are beloved for the sake of the fathers. 

29  For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. 

30  For as you were once disobedient to God, yet have now obtained mercy through their disobedience, 

31  even so these also have now been disobedient, that through the mercy shown you they also may obtain mercy. 

32  For God has committed them all to disobedience, that He might have mercy on all. 

CONSIDER ALL IS FROM GOD, THROUGH GOD AND TO GOD

Rom 11:33-36

33  Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out! 

34  "For who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has become His counselor?" 

35  "Or who has first given to Him and it shall be repaid to him?" 

36  For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever. Amen. 

Rom 10:8-10

8  But what does it say (Deut 30:14)? "the Word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart" (that is, the word of faith which we preach): 

9  that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 

10  For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

saved (sōzō) – deliver, protect, safe, make whole

Jn 3:16-17 

16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 

17  For God did not send His Son into the world to Condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. 

PAST – I HAVE BEEN SAVED

Eph 2:8 

8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God

1 Cor 6:11 

11 And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.

PRESENT – I AM BEING SAVED 

1 Cor 1:18 

18 For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

2 Cor 3:18 

18 But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.

Phil 2:12 

12 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear, and trembling

2 Pet 1:5-11

5  But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, 

6  to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, 

7  to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. 

8  For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 

9  For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins. 

10  Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble; 

11  for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.   

FUTURE – I WILL BE SAVED

Rom 5:9 

9 Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him.

Rom 13:11 

11 And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed.

Eph 1:13-14 

13 In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, 

14  who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory. 

Rom 8:23 

23 Not only that, but we also who have the first-fruits of The Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves Eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body.

PAST, PRESENT & FUTURE

Rom 6:1-8

1 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? 

2  Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin (past) live any longer in it? 

3  Or do you not know that as many of us as were (past) baptized into Christ Jesus were (past) baptized into His death? 

4  Therefore we were (past) buried with Him through Baptism into death, that just as Christ was (past) raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life (present).

5  For if we have been (past) united together in the Likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the Likeness of His resurrection (future),

6  knowing this, that our old man was crucified (past) with Him that the body of sin might be done away with (not in control, inoperative, useless) that we should no longer be slaves of sin. 

7  For he who has died has been (past) freed from sin. 

8  Now if we died (past) with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him (present)

SAVED COMPLETELY

Heb 7:25

25 Therefore He is also able to save (sōzō) to the uttermost (completed, perfected, ended) those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them. 

Rom 12:2

2  And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. 

Col 2:9-10 

9 For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; 

10  and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power.

Phil 1:6 

6 being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ

Jude 1:24 

24 Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy

Phil 3:8-14 

8 Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ 

9  and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; 

10  that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, 

11  if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead. 

12  Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. 

13  Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, 

14  I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

Rev 2:7 

7 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God.    

BELIEVING IN CHRIST IS RIGHT-EOUSNESS

Rom 10:1-4 

1 Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they may be saved. 

2  For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. 

3  For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God. 

4  For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes. 

believe (pisteuo) - the verb form of faith (pistis) 

OUR HEARTS BELIEVE – OUR MOUTHS CONFESS

Rom 10:5-13

5  For Moses writes about the righteousness which is of the law, "the man who does those things shall live by them." 

6  But the righteousness of faith speaks in this way, "do not say in your heart, 'who will ascend into heaven?' " (that is, to bring Christ down from above) 

7  or, " 'who will descend into the abyss?' " (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). 

8  But what does it say (Deut 30:14)? "the Word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart" (that is, the word of faith which we preach): 

9  that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 

10  For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 

11  For the Scripture says, "whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame." 

12  For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him. 

13  For "whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved."

2 Cor 4:13 

13 And since we have the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, "I believed and therefore I spoke," we also believe and therefore speak

Jn 12:42-43 

42 Nevertheless even among the rulers many believed in Him, but because of the Pharisees they did not confess Him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue; 

43  for they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God. 

FAITH COMES BY HEARING THE WORD OF GOD & OBEYING

Rom 10:14-21

14  How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? 

15  And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: "how beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, who bring glad tidings of good things!" 

16  But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, "Lord, who has believed our report?" 

17  So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. 

18  But I say, have they not heard? Yes indeed: "their sound has gone out to all the earth, and their words to the ends of the world." 

19  But I say, did Israel not know? First Moses says: "I will provoke you to jealousy by those who are not a nation, I will move you to anger by a foolish nation." 

20  But Isaiah is very bold and says: "I was found by those who did not seek me; I was made manifest to those who did not ask for me." 

21  But to Israel he says: "all day long I have stretched out my hands to a disobedient and contrary people."

1 Pet 1:23 

23 having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever

1 Thes 2:13 

13 For this reason we also thank God without ceasing, because when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you welcomed it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which also effectively works in you who believe.

Lk 11:28 

28 But He said, "More than that, blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it!"

James 1:22 

22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. 

2 Pet 1:19-21 

19 And so we have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts; 

20  knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, 

21  for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.   

Rom 1:16-17 

16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. 

17  For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, "the just shall live by faith."

GOD’S DIVINE ORDER FOR HIS PEOPLE BEGAN WITH ISRAEL

Rom 9:1-5 

1 I tell the truth in Christ, I am not lying, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Spirit, 

2  that I have great sorrow and continual grief in my heart. 

3  For I could wish that I myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my countrymen according to the flesh, 

4  who are Israelites, to whom pertain the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the service of God, and the promises; 

5  of whom are the fathers and from whom, according to the flesh, Christ came, who is over all, the eternally blessed God. Amen. 

GOD’S CHILDREN OF PROMISE

Rom 9:6-9 

6  But it is not that the word of God has taken no effect. For they are not all Israel who are of Israel, 

7  nor are they all children because they are the seed of Abraham; but, "in Isaac your seed shall be called." 

8  That is, those who are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God; but the children of the promise are counted as the seed. 

9  For this is the word of promise: "at this time I will come and Sarah shall have a son."

Rom 4:13, 16 

13 For the promise that he would be the heir of the world (Gen 22:17-18) was not to Abraham or to his seed through the law, but through the righteousness of faith. 

16  Therefore it is of faith that it might be according to grace, so that the promise might be sure to all the seed, not only to those who are of the law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all 

Gal 3:29 

29 And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise. 

SOVEREIGN GOD OF MERCY

Rom 9:10-13 

10  And not only this, but when Rebecca also had conceived by one man, even by our father Isaac 

11  (for the children not yet being born, nor having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works but of Him who calls), 

12  it was said to her, "the older shall serve the younger." 

13  As it is written, "Jacob I have loved, but Esau I have hated." 

hated -to reject or to turn away from. It’s often used in covenantal language—not necessarily emotional loathing.

In ancient Hebrew idiom, “love” and “hate” can mean to choose and not to choose. Jesus uses similar language in Luke 14:26, saying one must “hate” their family to follow Him—clearly not literal hatred, but prioritization.

Rom 9:14-16 

14  What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? Certainly not! 

15  For He says to Moses, "I will have mercy on whomever I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whomever I will have compassion." 

16  So then it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who shows mercy. 

shows mercy - (eleeo); kindness and compassion toward others when they may not be deserving.

Rom 9:17-18 

17  For the Scripture says to the Pharaoh, "for this very purpose I have raised you up, that I may show My power in you, and that My name may be declared in all the earth." 

18  Therefore He has mercy on whom He wills, and whom He wills He hardens. 

Sovereignty: God is not obligated to treat everyone the same. His choices are rooted in His divine love, wisdom and purpose.

Human Responsibility: Even when God “hardens,” it doesn’t mean people are innocent victims. Pharaoh, for example, had already chosen rebellion before God confirmed it.

GOD IS THE POTTER – WE ARE HIS CLAY

Rom 9:19-24 

19  You will say to me then, "Why does He still find fault? For who has resisted His will?" 

20  But indeed, O man, who are you to reply against God? Will the thing formed say to him who formed it, "Why have you made me like this?" 

21  Does not the potter have power over the clay, from the same lump to make one vessel for honor and for dishonor? 

22  What if God, wanting to show His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, 

23  and that He might make known the riches of His glory on the vessels of mercy, which He had prepared beforehand for glory, 

24  even us whom He called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles? 

1 Tim 2:3-4 

3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, 

4  who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.

Rom 1:18-24

18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, 

who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, 

19  because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. 

20  For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, 

21  because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 

22  Professing to be wise, they became fools, 

23  and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man - and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things. 

24  Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves

The Greek word used for "gave over and gave up" (paradidomi) is a strong term that can mean handing someone over for punishment or allowing them to be dominated by something. This is not just passive abandonment but an active decision by God to let people reap the results of their rebellion.

Rom 1:25-32

25  who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen. 

26  For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. 

27   Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due. 

28  And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting;

29  being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, 

30   backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 

31   undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful; 

32  who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them.

GOD’S CHOSEN CHILDREN - RIGHEOUSNESS OF FAITH

Rom 9:25-33 

25  As He says also in Hosea: "I will call them My people, who were not My people, and her beloved, who was not beloved." 

26  "and it shall come to pass in the place where it was said to them, 'you are not my people,' there they shall be called sons of the living god." 

27  Isaiah also cries out concerning Israel: "though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, the remnant will be saved. 

28  for He will finish the work and cut it short in righteousness, because the Lord will make a short work upon the earth." 

29  And as Isaiah said before: "unless the Lord of Sabaoth had left us a seed, we would have become like sodom, and we would have been made like gomorrah."  

30  What shall we say then? That Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness of faith; 

31  but Israel, pursuing the law of righteousness, has not attained to the law of righteousness. 

(They wanted to “earn righteousness” by the “works of the law”)

32  Why? Because they did not seek it by faith, but as it were, by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumbling stone. 

33  As it is written: "behold, I lay in Zion a stumbling stone and rock of offense, and whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame."

Rom 4:4-5 

4 Now to him who works, the wages are not counted as grace but as debt. 

5  But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness 

GOD IS THE SOURCE OF “GOOD”

Rom 8:28

28  And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.

know (eidō) we know it experientially because we have seen it, a settled fact

Matt 19:17

17  So He said to him, "Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God.

Ps 100:5

5  For the LORD is good; His mercy is everlasting, and His truth endures to all generations. 

James 1:17

17  Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning. 

GOD IS DOING “HIS GOOD WORK”

Jn 5:17

17 But Jesus answered them, "My Father has been working until now, and I have been working."

Heb 12:2a 

12a looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith

Phil 2:13 

13 for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.

2 Thes 1:11

11 Therefore we also pray always for you that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfill all the good pleasure of His goodness, and the work of faith with power

WE LOVE HIM

Mk 12:30-31

30 And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.' This is the first commandment. 

31   And the second, like it, is this: 'you shall love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than these.

1 Jn 4:19 

19 We love Him because He first loved us. 

1 Cor 8:3 

3 But if anyone loves God, this one is known by Him. 

WE WERE CHOSEN FROM ETERNITY

Rom 8:29-30 

29  For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. 

30  Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified (made righteous); and whom He justified, these He also glorified. 

Eph 1:3-4 

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, 

4  just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love

GOD’S LOVE IS FOR US - NOTHING CAN DEFEAT US

Rom 8:31-34 

31  What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 

32  He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? 

33  Who shall bring a charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. 

34  Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. 

No prosecuting attorney in heaven or in hell will have a case against us. Why? Because Christ has died in our place and God has justified us on that basis. Justified means, "declared us to be just, righteous." 

Rom 8:35-37 

35  Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 

36  As it is written: "for Your sake we are killed all day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter." 

37  Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. 

more than conquerors (hupernikao) - From huper, “over and above,” and nikao, “to conquer.” The word describes one who is super victorious, who wins more than an ordinary victory, but who is overpowering in achieving abundant victory. This is not the language of conceit, but of confidence. Christ’s love conquered death, and because of His love, we are hupernikao.

1 Jn 4:18 

18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love. 

Rom 8:38-39 

38  For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, 

39  nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.   

Rom 8:28

28  And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.

Gen 2:4-15 

4  This is the history of the heavens and the earth when they were created, in the day that the LORD God made the earth and the heavens, 

5 before any plant of the field was in the earth and before any herb of the field had grown. For the LORD God had not caused it to rain on the earth, and there was no man to till the ground; 

6  but a mist went up from the earth and watered the whole face of the ground. 

7  And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being. 

8  The LORD God planted a garden eastward in Eden, and there He put the man whom He had formed. 

9  And out of the ground the LORD God made every tree grow that is pleasant to the sight and good for food. The tree of life was also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. 

10  Now a river went out of Eden to water the garden, and from there it parted and became four riverheads. 

11  The name of the first is Pishon; it is the one which skirts the whole land of Havilah, where there is gold. 

12  And the gold of that land is good. Bdellium and the onyx stone are there. 

13  The name of the second river is Gihon; it is the one which goes around the whole land of Cush. 

14  The name of the third river is Hiddekel; it is the one which goes toward the east of Assyria. The fourth river is the Euphrates. 

15  Then the LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to tend and keep it. 

A SECURE PLACE TO BEAR MUCH FRUIT 

garden (gan) fenced, hedged around, protected, defended

Eden (Ēdhen) pleasurable, prosperous, delightful, fruitful

MANKIND BEGAN IN THE GARDEN AND ENDS IN THE GARDEN

Rev 22:1-2 

1 And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding from the throne of God and of the Lamb. 

2  In the middle of its street, and on either side of the river, was the tree of life, which bore twelve fruits, each tree yielding its fruit every month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.

GOD’S CHILDREN BECOME THE GARDEN

Is 5:1-7 

1  Now let me sing to my Well-beloved a song of my Beloved regarding His (God’s) vineyard: My Well-beloved has a vineyard on a very fruitful hill. 

2   He dug it up and cleared out its stones, and planted it with the choicest vine. He built a tower in its midst, and also made a winepress in it; so He expected it to bring forth good grapes, But it brought forth wild grapes. 

3  And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem and men of Judah, Judge, please, between Me and My vineyard. 

4   What more could have been done to My vineyard that I have not done in it? Why then, when I expected it to bring forth good grapes, did it bring forth wild grapes? 

5  And now, please let Me tell you what I will do to My vineyard: I will take away its hedge, and it shall be burned; and break down its wall, and it shall be trampled down. 

6   I will lay it waste; It shall not be pruned or dug, but there shall come up briers and thorns. I will also command the clouds that they rain no rain on it." 

7  For the vineyard of the LORD of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah are His pleasant plant. He looked for justice, but behold, oppression; For righteousness, but behold, a cry for help.

Is_51:3  

3 For the LORD will comfort Zion, He will comfort all her waste places; He will make her wilderness like Eden, and her  desert like the garden of the LORD; Joy and gladness will be found in it, Thanksgiving and the voice of melody.

Is_58:11  

11 The LORD will guide you continually, And satisfy your soul in drought, And strengthen your bones; You shall be like a watered garden, And like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail.

Ez_34:29  

29 I will raise up for them a garden of renown, and they shall no longer be consumed with hunger in the land, nor bear the shame of the Gentiles anymore.

Ez_36:35  

35 So they will say, 'This land that was desolate has become like the garden of Eden; and the wasted, desolate, and ruined cities are now fortified and inhabited.'

Song_4:12-16  

12 A garden enclosed (protected) Is my sister, my spouse, a spring shut up, a fountain sealed.

13   Your plants are an orchard of pomegranates with pleasant fruits, Fragrant henna with spikenard, 

14  Spikenard and saffron, Calamus and cinnamon, with all trees of frankincense, Myrrh and aloes, with all the chief spices— 

15  A fountain of gardens, A well of living waters, And streams from Lebanon. 

16   Awake, O north wind (Holy Spirit), and come, O south! Blow upon my garden, That its spices may flow out. Let my beloved come to his garden and eat its pleasant fruits.

Song 5:1  

1 I have come to my garden, my sister, my spouse; I have gathered my myrrh with my spice; I have eaten my honeycomb with my honey; I have drunk my wine with my milk. Eat, O friends! Drink, yes, drink deeply, O beloved ones!

Song_6:2  

2 My beloved has gone to his garden, To the beds of spices, To feed his flock in the gardens, And to gather lilies.

Jn 15:1-8

1 I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. 

2  Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. 

3  You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. 

4  Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. 

5  I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. 

6  If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. 

7  If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. 

8  By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples. 

Gal 5:22-23

22  But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 

23  gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. 

Ez 47:12 

12  Along the bank of the river, on this side and that, will grow all kinds of trees used for food; their leaves will not wither, and their fruit will not fail. They will bear fruit every month, because their water flows from the sanctuary. Their fruit will be for food, and their leaves for medicine.

Rev 22:1-2 

1 And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding from the throne of God and of the Lamb. 

2   In the middle of its street, and on either side of the river, was the tree of life, which bore twelve fruits, each tree yielding its fruit every month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.