“What then shall we say to these things?” (Romans 8:31). Romans 8 is a glorious chapter that has wrestled with the conflict between being children of God and experiencing suffering. The defining mark of the Christian is being led by the Spirit and no longer being led by the flesh. If we live according to the desires and the will of the flesh, we will die (Romans 8:13). But if we live according to the desires and the will of the Spirit, we will live (Romans 8:13). But suffering challenges and tests the way we think about our relationship with God. But Paul has put forward an important truth for every follower of Christ to hear. We are children of God, heirs of God, and fellow heirs with Christ provided we suffer with him (Romans 8:16-17). But our suffering is so that we can be glorified with him (Romans 8:17). Paul then tells us that everything in God’s plan and everything in creation is moving us to our glorification. For those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose (Romans 8:28). This is what brings us to the important question Paul asks: “What then shall we say to these things?” You might notice that the rest of chapter 8 is filled with questions. People ask questions so that we will think and give a response. Paul is going to ask a flurry of questions so that we will think about our circumstances and our relationship with God and then provide the necessary answers. Open your copies of God’s word to Romans 8:31-39 and we are going to explore Paul’s questions so that the answers we give will provide hope and assurance as we see the love of gospel.
God Is For Us (Romans 8:31-32)
Here is the first question to think about and it is found at the end of Romans 8:31. “If God is for us, who can be against us?” The answer to the question is clear. If God is for us, then no one will successfully stand against us. If God is for us then there is no defeat for us. Please think about how true this statement was proven in Israel’s history. If God was for his people, then they could march around Jericho’s walls, sound their trumpets, and have all the walls fall down. If God was for Gideon, then it did not matter if he only had 300 men. They would have the victory. If God was for Hezekiah and the people, then when surrounded by a foreign army an angel of the Lord would come and destroy 185,000 soldiers. If God is for us, who can be against us?
The problem is that we question if God is really for us. Why would we ever question that God is for us? Typically I think we question that God is for us when we are suffering. This is why Paul has addressed this issue for us. Suffering does not mean we are no longer children of God. Suffering does not mean that we are no longer heirs of God. Suffering does not mean that God is not for us. Please read verse 32 as the constant proof for our minds and hearts. Since God did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also graciously give us all things? The picture is very clear. If God was willing to give his own Son for us, then is there something else that God is going to hold back in giving to us? What would God possibly hold back if he gave the most when he gave his Son? What would God possibly not do for us if he made the greatest sacrifice when he gave his Son for us? More importantly, what is God not going to do to make sure that we make it to glory with him? We need to hear these words. God is for you. God is for us. God is with us. God is working for us. God is graciously giving us all things. The cross is the constant proof that God is for us, no matter what we experience.
No Condemnation (Romans 8:33-34)
This leads Paul to ask another question for us to think about and answer. Look at Romans 8:33. “Who will bring any charge against God’s elect?” If God is for us and bringing us to glory, who is going to bring a charge or accusation against us? Now look at the answer at the end of verse 33. Who will bring an accusation or charge? Not God! It is God who justifies. God is not against you. He is for you. God is not charging you. He is justifying you.
There are two Old Testament allusions that this appears to be picturing. In Zechariah 3 we are given a vision of a high priest standing before the Lord in filthy, defiled clothing. Rather than wearing holy garments, the high priest is wearing filthy garments. Satan is standing at the right hand ready to accuse (cf. Zechariah 3:1). What will the Lord say? In Zechariah 3:2 the Lord rebukes Satan, not his high priest. The Lord rebukes Satan and has clean clothes put on his high priest. How could the Lord do that? In Zechariah 3:8 we see that the Branch, the Messiah, would come and make this cleansing possible. God is not bringing the charge against his high priest. God is doing what is necessary to justify his high priest.
The second allusion comes from Isaiah 50:8-9. It is a messianic text. It speaks of the servant listening to the Lord and not rebelling against him (Isaiah 50:5). The servant will give himself to physical abuse from his opponents (Isaiah 50:6). But the Lord helps the servant and the servant will not be put to shame (Isaiah 50:7). Since the Lord is with him, no one can stand against him and no one will declare him guilty (Isaiah 50:8-9). What is amazing is that Paul takes this messianic text and applies to the followers of the Messiah. What is true for Christ is true for his followers. No one will declare us guilty. The reason no one declared Jesus guilty was because he lived a sinless, perfect life. The reason no one will declare us guilty is because it is God who justifies. There is no charge when we are in Christ and have our sins forgiven.
Look at verse 34. Who is going to condemn us? The answer is no one. Why not? The reason no one can condemn is because Christ Jesus died, raised, and now is interceding for us at God’s right hand. Christ dealt with sin, conquered death, and now is standing before the Lord on our behalf. This is yet another proof to show us how much God is for us. God is for us and has given us his Son to intercede on our behalf. If Jesus is interceding for you, then you can let go of the guilt of condemnation. Since God is for us, since God is justifying, and since Christ is interceding, then how could we ever believe that God is not with us and is working to bring us home to glory?
The Love of the Gospel (Romans 8:35-39)
But Paul is not done. He has one more question for us to think about and answer. Look at Romans 8:35. “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?” There is no person that can take us away from the love of Christ. There is no event that can take you away from the love of Christ. There is no circumstances that can pull you away from God’s love. There is no amount of suffering that means you have been separated from the love of Christ. Affliction does not separate us from the love of Christ. Distress and hardship do not separate us from the love of Christ. Persecution does not separate us. Famine and nakedness do not separate us. Danger nor sword separate us from the love of Christ.
Now Paul has a very important quotation to prove his point in verse 36. In Romans 8:36 Paul proves what he is saying by quoting from Psalm 44:22. Psalm 44 is a psalm about the suffering of the righteous. The first part of Psalm 44 describes the suffering the people are experiencing. But the psalm goes on to proclaim that they have suffered all of these things even though they had not forgotten God, had not been false to the covenant, did not have their hearts turn back from God, nor have their steps left God’s ways (cf. Psalm 44:17-19). Then we read where Paul quotes. For your sake we are killed all day long and regarded as sheep to be slaughtered. Then the psalm ends by calling upon the Lord to rise up and come to their help. What is the point? The point brings us full circle to Romans 8:17. The righteous must suffer but that does not mean we are no longer God’s children. The righteous must suffering but that does not separate us from the love of Christ.
This is the conclusion Paul draws in Romans 8:37-39. No, we are not separated from the love of Christ. Instead, in all our suffering we are more than conquerors through Christ who loved us. This is a new view for our suffering. We are not separated. We are more than conquerors. God is for us and we will overcome. Paul is convinced that not even death can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Nothing in this life can. Not even angels or rulers can separate us. Nothing present and nothing to come can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Nothing in all of creation is able to separate us. Nothing can separate you. Nothing can separate you. Nothing can separate you. We will overcome. This is the love of gospel.
Life Message
We have confidence for life because God is with us. We can get through our suffering because God is with us. The cross is to shape how we see God’s love. God is for us. There is no charge that can be brought against us. Christ is interceding for us. Nothing can pull you from Christ. Do not let your suffering cause you to think that God is not with you. Do not let your suffering cause you to think that you no longer belong to God or that God does not care. Do not walk away from God because of your suffering. God is bringing you to glory. Rest in God’s faithfulness to you. Do not look at your circumstances and walk away from his love. Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine. O what a foretaste of glory divine! Heir of salvation, purchase of God, born of his Spirit, washed in his blood. This is my story, this is my song. Praising my savior all the day long.