Romans 8:31-39

Text

Romans 8:31-39. What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us? Romans 8:32 He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not also with him freely give us all things? Romans 8:33 Who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth; Romans 8:34 who is he that condemneth? It is Christ Jesus that died, yea rather, that was raised from the dead, who is at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. Romans 8:35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or anguish, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? Romans 8:36 Even as it is written,

For thy sake we are killed all the day long;
We were accounted as sheep for the slaughter.

Romans 8:37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. Romans 8:38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, Romans 8:39 nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

REALIZING ROMANS, Romans 8:31-39

383.

What shall we say to these things? What things? Note the outline of the whole section.

384.

We know who is against us, but in a very real sense no one is against us when God is for us. Explain.

385.

We are encouraged to believe that God was and is not only concerned in our redemption but also in our preservation and perseverance. How is this so?

386.

We know Satan and sinners will attempt to lay many things to our charge. How are we to understand Romans 8:33?

387.

Christ at God's right hand as our intercessor shall keep us saved. Explain. cf. Romans 8:34.

388.

In Romans 8:35-37 are we to understand that God sends tribulation, anguish, etc.? Is this a discussion of our love for God, or God's love for us?

389.

How can we be more than conquerors?

390.

What is the difference in the list in Romans 8:38-39 from those of Romans 8:35-37? Is the point the same in the conclusion as in Romans 8:37 and Romans 8:39?

Paraphrase

Romans 8:31-39. What shall we say then to these things, whereby believers are proved to be the sons and heirs of God?. Since God, who hath the whole power of this matter in his hand, is for us, since he sustains our claim to these honors, who can be against us?

Romans 8:32 He certainly who spared not his proper Son, but delivered him up to die for us all, for believers among the Gentiles as well as among the Jews, how, do ye think, will he not with him also gratuitously give us all the other blessings promised to the children of God?

Romans 8:33 At the judgment, who will bring an accusation against the elect of God? Since it is God who justifieth them by faith, neither angel nor man can frustrate his sentence.

Romans 8:34 Who is he who can condemn us believers? Since it is Christ who died to obtain pardon for us, or rather who hath risen from the dead to take possession of the government of the universe for our benefit; who is also at the right hand of God as ruler, and who maketh intercession for us.

Romans 8:35 Elated with our privileges, we cry out, Will any thing induce us to renounce our faith, and make us no longer the objects of Christ's love? will affliction in body, or distress in our affairs, or persecutions, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or deadly weapons, be able to do this?

Romans 8:36 Sufferings have always been the lot of God's people: As it is written, Psalms 44:22. Truly for thy sake we are put to death in a lingering manner; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter, by our persecutors.

Romans 8:37 These evils have not hitherto made us forfeit the love of Christ. Nay in all these things we do more than overcome, through the aid of him who hath loved us.

Romans 8:38 For I am persuaded, that neither the fears of death, nor the allurements of life, nor all the different orders of evil angels, against whom we fight, (Ephesians 6:12.) nor things present, nor things to come, whether good or evil,

Romans 8:39 Nor prosperity, nor adversity, nor anything else made by God, will be able to make us, the elect, (Romans 8:33) through apostasy, forfeit the love of God, which is bestowed on us, through Christ Jesus our Lord.

Summary

What now shall we say to these things? God is for us; no one then can successfully be against us. After giving his Son for us, he will withhold from us no other good. He will give us every good thing. No one can bring a charge against us, no one condemn us, for we have Christ to plead for us, and God to acquit us. Not only so, but nothing can separate us from God's love, neither persecution nor anything else, and although we may pass through sufferings, as we certainly shall, still over them all we shall be more than victors through Christ who gave himself for us.

Comment

d. Encouragement Number Four (which forms also a conclusion to what has been said). Romans 9:31-33

What shall we say to these things? What things? Why, the hope of the Christian, the help of the Holy Spirit and the eternal purposes of Jehovah. There is only one thing to say, only one conclusion that can be drawn, and that is, God is for us. When we consider our own hearts and then behold all his benefits, we are moved to cry out, God is love. Then follows the thought, God is for usthat is, all that can be done for frail man by a loving father has been and is being done. If that be so, then who is there who could successfully bring anything against us? This thought is based upon the truth of the superior strength and authority of Jehovah. If he is for us, then through him we can triumph over any adversary. Romans 8:31

The conclusion here formed is to the effect that because of all the great and glorious benefits God has bestowed upon us we can be assured of our glorification (providing, of course, we are faithful). Romans 8:32 emphasizes this very point by bringing to our minds the greatest of our gifts from the hand of Jehovahthe gift of his son. If God was willing to give us his own son, will he now hesitate to add to this unspeakable gift all things, that is, all and any of those things that would help us in attaining a life of approval before him? Is this not a great source of encouragement to the child of God? This encouragement is based on the hope of heaven even as was the first thought of this section, but it is approached from a different viewpoint. Section one discusses the glories of the new earth; this section discusses the basis for the certainty of our hope. Romans 8:32

There are many things that might arise from time to time to cause us to wonder. There are those who will attempt to lay something to our account so as to prevent us from attaining our reward. But let us think a momentif our hearts are right before God, if we are living a life of faithfulness, who will be able to lay anything to the charge of God's elect? If God through his son has pronounced us just, who could successfully condemn us? No one can, for if the supreme authority of right and wrong declares us right, then there can be no further appeal in the case. More than this, Christ Jesus has died; yes, rather it should be said that he arose from the dead and is now at the right hand of God, acting as our intercessor. What an array of encouragements as to the certainty of our glorification! Since the hope of the eternal inheritance is ours because of Christ's love, Paul thought it well to give the marvelous foregoing description of Christ's love. Romans 8:33-34

209.

To what does the these things of Romans 8:31 refer?

210.

What is the only conclusion that can be drawn from these things?

211.

Show how Romans 8:32 is a great source of encouragement to the child of God.

Now follows a conclusion based upon the fact that Christ does love us, There are many circumstances which arise in the Christian's experience which must be explained in their relationship to the love of Christ, There is tribulation, anguish, persecution, famine, nakedness, peril and sword. When these things come upon us, what are we to say of the love of Christ? Romans 8:35 Perhaps our sufferings could best be expressed by the words of the psalmist when he spoke of the children of Israel in Babylon (Psalms 44:1-26). They were God's children, and yet because of the very fact that they were his children they were being killed day by day as sheep in the shambles.

This is even our experience, for we indeed suffer many things. What then shall be our answer? Does Christ love us and still permit these things to so press us? Has he not somehow forgotten us? No in all these things we are more than conquerors. How so? Ah, it is easy to see, for we not only overcome these things through the strength divine, but we actually use them to work out in our character those elements which enhance us in the sight of man and God (cf. Romans 5:3-5). We are more than conquerors, for we not only can overcome our adversaries but can make them to fight on our side. The final note of victory will be struck when we one day pass from the presence of these earthly trials to be crowned above them in the presence of the one who loves us. Romans 8:35-37

So we can indeed say with Paul that we are going to hold to our persuasion that God loves us in Christ, that nothing is going to separate us from this persuasion: neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature. Romans 8:38-39

212.

Discuss briefly Romans 8:33-34.

213.

How do we reconcile the trials of a Christian with the love of Christ?

214.

How are we more than conquerors over trials of faith?

215.

Why did Paul believe that we should hold fast the thought that God loves us in Christ?

Rethinking in Outline Form

Complete Redemption Through the Proposition. Romans 8:1-39

1.

Freedom in the gospel. Romans 8:1-11

a.

Freedom through the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus, from the condemnation which was the penalty of our sin. Romans 8:1-4

b.

Freedom from condemnation on that final day, for we are called to walk by the spirit and thus be led to our eternal home. Romans 8:5-11

2.

New Life in Christ. Romans 8:12-17

a.

A new positionno longer in debt to sin. Romans 8:12

b.

A new power which will enable us to overcome and live in a new life. Romans 8:13

c.

A new father, and a new sense of our relationship to God. Romans 8:14-15

d.

A new witness, a new inheritance, if we suffer with him. Romans 8:16-17

3.

Encouragements to Endure Suffering. Romans 8:18-39

a.

We are greatly encouraged when we think that the sufferings of this present life are not even worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed to usward. Romans 8:18-25

b.

The second encouragement is found through the help of the Holy Spirit in our infirmities. Romans 8:26-27

c.

Encouragement number three is found in a consideration of God's eternal purpose for his children. Romans 8:28-30

d.

Encouragement number four forms also a conclusion to what has been said: What shall we say to these things? What things? Why, the hope of the Christian, the help of the Holy Spirit and the eternal purposes of Jehovah. There is only one thing to say, only one conclusion that can be drawn, and that is, God is for us. He being for us, there is no one who can bring anything against us, no one or no circumstance that can separate us from God's love or can persuade us that God does not love us. Romans 8:31-39