Romans 8 is a tremendous chapter in the Bible, worth going to over and over and over again. The latter half of the chapter is all about our security in Christ. If we are in Christ by faith, if we genuinely belong to Jesus, then he will keep us through all the trials and tribulations of life. This is reassuring news. Nothing can separate us from the love of Christ. But what about when we sin? What about when we fail? What about when we are unfaithful?
The Bible gives us a perfect picture of that when it comes to Abraham’s nephew, Lot. Lot made bad decisions. He made self-seeking, faithless decisions. He chose the riches of this life over the promises of God. He pitched his tent toward Sodom. To be sure, Lot wasn’t choosing sin over faith. Peter tells us in 2 Peter 2 that “as that righteous man lived among them day after day, he was tormenting his righteous soul over their lawless deeds that he saw and heard.” So Lot wasn’t jumping in head first into sin, but he was making some bad decisions, pursuing the wrong things, and not living a life of faith. Lot chose the cities of the plain over the promised land.
In Genesis 18 three men come to visit Abraham. We find out through the text that these three “men” are the LORD and two angels. They have come to renew a promise to Abraham, to make sure Sarah hears it, and then to make a judicial investigation of the cities of the plain since an outcry has come up to God over the wickedness in those cities. Sodom and Gomorrah are about to become a proverb, an example, an object lesson of God’s righteous judgment.
But before this judgment takes place the LORD says he must tell Abraham what he is going to do so that this object lesson will be passed down to future generations. What follows is a tremendous picture of Christ as our intercessor when Abraham stands before the LORD and pleads mercy for Lot and his family. “Shall not the judge of all the earth do what is just?” And we are assured that he will. The righteous will not be swept away with the wicked.
As the story unfolds we see God’s angels rescue Lot from the judgment of God in answer to Abraham’s prayers. What does all of this have to do with Romans 8? I’m glad you asked because it gets to the heart of the matter. What if we sin? What if we fail? What if we prove ourselves unworthy?
The truth is we are unworthy of God’s grace. That’s why it’s called grace. And none of us is righteous in and of himself, this is proved every time we sin. We are only righteous in Christ. But for those of us united to Christ by faith, our sins have been covered, they have been atoned for, Christ has made propitiation on our behalf. He has paid the penalty for those sins. That’s what Paul says in Romans 8.
Who shall bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us.—Romans 8:32-33
Who can lay any charge against the chosen of God? No one. Why not? Because God has justified them through faith. Who is the one to condemn them? No one. Why not? Because Jesus died for them. And not only did he die for them but he was raised for them. And not only did he die and rise again for them but he is even at the right hand of the Father making intercession for them. What does his intercession look like? It looks like Abraham’s intercession for Lot in Genesis 18.
Far be it from you to do such a thing, to put the righteous to death with the wicked, so that the righteous fare as the wicked! Far be that from you! Shall not the Judge of all the earth do what is just?”—Genesis 18:25
Indeed he will. Rest assured, believer. Though you often fail, though you sin and fall short, though you are often unfaithful, Jesus is praying for you and God always hears and answers the prayers of his beloved Son.