34 Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. (Romans 8:34 KJV)
William Burkitt’s Commentary
The apostle here goes on with the triumphant challenge in the foregoing verse begun, Who shall condemn the justified believer?
And here observe, 1. The holy challenge of faith, it is ready for all comers, and bids defiance to all accusations. If the law impleads, faith says, Christ, in the likeness of sinful flesh, has condemned sin in the flesh. If death looks the believer in the face, faith says, Christ has abolished death and brought life and immortality to light. If Satan roars, faith can scorn and tell him to his teeth that he is a conquered enemy; that Christ by his death has destroyed him that had the power of death. Yea, if God himself frown upon the believer, faith can bring to God a righteousness that is highly pleasing to him concerning which God may be just, and yet the justifier of him that believeth in Jesus.
Observe, 2. The ground of this triumphant challenge that faith enables the believer to make, and that is the mediation of Jesus Christ, in the four eminent branches of it, his death, resurrection, exaltation and intercession. Christ died, is risen again, is even at God’s right hand, making continual intercession for us.
Thence learn, That a believer’s triumphs over condemnation, do eminently arise from the several acts of Christ’s mediation. Christ died and rose again; our debt is therefore paid because our surety is discharged; he sits at God’s right hand as a testimony of the completeness of his sacrifice and satisfaction for us, and he continually intercedes, that is, presents himself to his Father in both his nature, and in our names, as our Surety, our Advocate and Mediator: Who then shall lay anything to the believer’s charge, or who shall condemn him?