“If God is for Us” (8)

[Romans 8:31-34]

Look at Romans 8:34: “… 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.”
The phrase "who died" refers to the death of Jesus Christ (v. 34). Jesus Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures (1 Corinthians 15:3). Also, the phrase "who is risen" refers to the resurrection of Jesus Christ (Romans 8:34). Jesus Christ rose again on the third day according to the Scriptures (1 Corinthians 15:4).
The death and resurrection of Jesus Christ are like the two sides of a coin. In other words, the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ cannot be separated. Without Jesus' death, there would be no resurrection, and without His resurrection, there would be no death. Just as we believe in, give thanks for, praise, and testify about Jesus Christ's death, we must also believe in, give thanks for, praise, and testify about His resurrection.
The reason is that Jesus Christ did not only die but He also rose again. This is the gospel of the gospel.

Jesus Christ, who died according to the Scriptures and rose again according to the Scriptures (Romans 8:34, 1 Corinthians 15:3-4), is the Son of God and the Son of Man. In other words, Jesus Christ is both God and man. That is why Jesus Christ is the mediator between God and man.
Look at 1 Timothy 2:5: "For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus."
Through Jesus Christ, the mediator, God has reconciled us to Himself (2 Corinthians 5:18). Therefore, we are saved only through Jesus Christ.
Look at Acts 4:12: "Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved."
We can only approach God the Father through Jesus Christ.
Look at John 14:6: "Jesus said to him, 'I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.'"

Jesus Christ, who died according to the Scriptures and rose again according to the Scriptures, stayed on earth for 40 days, giving testimony of His resurrection before He was taken up into heaven (Acts 1:3, 9). And Jesus Christ is seated at the right hand of God. That is why the apostle Paul says in Romans 8:34: "He is at the right hand of God."
The Bible testifies that Jesus Christ is at the right hand of God.
Look at Hebrews 1:3: "Who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high."
Look at Hebrews 8:1: "Now this is the main point of the things we are saying: We have such a High Priest, who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens."
Look at Colossians 3:1: "If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God."

Here, "at the right hand of God" is a metaphor that symbolizes power and authority. In other words, Jesus Christ, who died according to the Scriptures, rose again according to the Scriptures, and ascended into heaven, is seated at the right hand of God, where God has given Him authority and power.
Look at Matthew 28:18: "And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, 'All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.'"
The phrase "seated at the right hand" is a figurative way of saying that He has all authority or supreme power.
Look at 1 Peter 3:22: "Who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, angels and authorities and powers having been made subject to Him."
The Bible says that all the heavenly beings are subject to Jesus Christ, who is at the right hand of God.
Look at Ephesians 1:20-21: "Which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come."
The power of God worked in Christ, raising Him from the dead, and seated Him at the right hand of God in the heavenly places, far above every name, authority, and power.
Look at Acts 2:33: "Therefore, being exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He poured out this which you now see and hear."
God raised Jesus Christ from the dead according to the Scriptures, and Jesus Christ received the promised Holy Spirit from the Father and poured it out upon us.

What power is there in all of this?

This Jesus Christ is the one who "intercedes for us" (Romans 8:34). In the phrase "Christ Jesus intercedes for us," the word "Christ" means "the Anointed One." In the Old Testament, only prophets, priests, and kings were anointed. That is to say, Jesus Christ is the Prophet, the High Priest, and the King of Kings. The fact that Jesus Christ is the High Priest implies two important responsibilities:

(1) The first responsibility is to offer sacrifices.
As the High Priest, Jesus Christ offered His own body as a sacrifice to God once for all.
Look at Ephesians 5:2: "And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma." Here, "a sweet-smelling aroma" means that Jesus Christ offered Himself willingly and joyfully to God as a sacrificial offering.
Look at Hebrews 9:26: "He then would have had to suffer often since the foundation of the world; but now, once at the end of the ages, He has appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself." Jesus Christ offered Himself as a sacrifice to God in order to take away our sins.

(2) The second responsibility is to pray.
As the High Priest, Jesus Christ intercedes for us before God.
Look at Hebrews 7:25: "Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them."
The High Priest Jesus Christ, who intercedes for us, does so from the right hand of God (which is a metaphor for power and authority). How powerful and mighty is this intercession!
The intercession of Jesus Christ is so powerful that it is answered, and He is able to completely save us (verse 25). In other words, the powerful intercession of Jesus Christ will bring us to the fulfillment of our salvation. The completion of that salvation is that God will glorify us (Romans 8:30).
"God raised us up with Christ and seated us with Him in the heavenly realms" (Ephesians 2:6, New International Version).
Because God is for us (Romans 8:31), the salvation He provides for us will certainly be brought to completion. Therefore, we must have assurance in our salvation, be steadfast and unshaken, and always be diligent in the work of the Lord (1 Corinthians 15:58).

When Jesus Christ was on earth, He prayed a lot. A great example of this is His high priestly prayer in John 17.
Look at John 17:9: "I pray for them. I do not pray for the world, but for those whom You have given Me, for they are Yours."
Look at Hebrews 5:7: "Who, in the days of His flesh, when He had offered up prayers and supplications, with vehement cries and tears to Him who was able to save Him from death, and was heard because of His godly fear."
Thus, when Jesus Christ was in the flesh, He offered prayers and supplications to God the Father with great weeping and tears. Now, He is interceding for us from the right hand of God.
He is interceding for each one of us personally, knowing our situations, circumstances, and needs, and even now, He is interceding for us before God.
The Holy Spirit, who dwells in us and helps in our weakness, also intercedes for us according to the will of God with groanings that cannot be expressed (Romans 8:26-27).
Therefore, we must believe in this fact and pray to God in faith, praying according to the Scriptures. That is, we should pray according to God's Word and His will, following the guidance of the Holy Spirit.