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The protest of an innocent man against the charge of an accuser may well be vehement. But here we have the protest of a justified sinner, that his character is clear through the perfect mediation of Christ, which gives him this amazing confidence. We have before us the four pillars upon which the Christian rests his hope. Because of our unbelief and the attacks our faith has to endure, God has given us four strong consolations, with which we may fortify our hearts whenever the sky is overcast, or the hurricane is coming forth from its place. It reminds me of what I have sometimes heard of the ropes that are used in mining. It is said that every strand of them would bear the entire tonnage, and consequently, if each strand bears the full weight that will ever be put upon the whole, there is an absolute certainty of safety given to the whole when twisted together. Now each of these four articles of our faith is sufficient to bear the weight of the sins of the whole world. What must be the strength when the whole four are intertwisted, and become the support of the believer? The Christian never can be condemned because —

I. CHRIST HATH DIED. In the death of Christ there was a full penalty paid to Divine justice for his sins. If we shelter ourselves beneath the tree of Calvary we are safe. One cries, "Thou hast been a blasphemer." Yes, but Christ died for blasphemers. "But thou hast stained thyself with lust." Yes, but Christ died for the lascivious. "The blood of Jesus Christ, God's Son, cleanseth us from all sin."

II. CHRIST HAS RISEN AGAIN. "Yea rather!" As much as to say, it is a powerful argument for our salvation that Christ died; but it is a still more cogent proof that Christ rose. Christ by His death paid to His Father the full price of what we owed to Him. Still the bond was not cancelled until the day when Christ rose. Death was the payment of the debt, but resurrection was the public acknowledgment that the debt was paid. On the Cross I see Jesus dying for my sins as an expiating sacrifice; but in the resurrection I see God accepting what He has done for my indisputable justification, His death was the digging of the well of salvation; but the resurrection was the springing up of the water. Christ was in His death the hostage of the people of God. Now, as long as He was in prison, although there might be ground of hope, it was but as light sown for the righteous; but when the hostage came out, then every child of God was released from durance vile no more to die.

III. "WHO IS EVEN AT THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD." Is there not any word of special commendation to this? The last one had, "Yea, rather" (see Romans 5:10). Here is an argument which hath much more power than even Christ's death. In other passages Christ is said to have sat down for ever at the right hand of God. Now, He never would if the work were not fully done. There were no seats provided for the priests in the Jewish tabernacle. Every priest stood daily ministering. But the great High Priest of our profession hath taken His seat at the right hand of the majesty on high, because now the sacrifice is complete. "Sitting at the right hand of God" means —

(1) That Christ is now in the honourable position of an accepted one. The right hand of God is the place of majesty and favour. Now, Christ is His people's representative. When He died for them they had rest; when He rose again for them they had liberty; when He sat at His own right hand, then they had favour, and honour, and dignity.

(2) The place of power. Christ at the right handel God signifies that all power is given unto Him in heaven and in earth. Now, who is He that condemns the people that have such a head as this?

IV. "WHO ALSO MAKETH INTERCESSION FOR US." Our apostle, in the Epistle to the Hebrews, puts a stronger comium upon this sentence. In the first he said, "Yea rather"; the second, "Much more"; but now "He is able also to save them unto the uttermost that come unto God by Him," etc. If I had to intercede for my brother with my father, I should feel I had got a safe case in hand. This is just what Jesus has to do.

(C. H. Spurgeon.)

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KJV: Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth.

WEB: Who could bring a charge against God's chosen ones? It is God who justifies.