Romans 8:31-39 Click here for Bible Verses
Hi GAMErs!
Today’s passage is Romans 8:31-39. Let’s go!
Romans 8:31-35 (NIV)
31 What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us?
32 He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all–how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?
33 Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies.
34 Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died–more than that, who was raised to life–is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.
35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?
On verses 31-35: In this passage Paul uses 7 rhetorical questions to express how immense, full, overpowering and all-surpassing is the love God has for us, such that we really have nothing to worry about when it comes to our lives, and every reason to thank God. All 7 questions are rhetorical, meaning that Paul asks them to make a point rather than to pose a real question. Let’s look at the points Paul is making with each question:
31 What, then, shall we say in response to this?…
In other words, God’s grace in our lives is so amazing it should really leave us speechless and in awe.
31…If God is for us, who can be against us?
In other words, if Almighty God is on our side, it doesn’t matter who else is against us.
32 He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all–how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?
In other words, if God loves us so much so as to give up for us His most precious treasure of all, His own Son Jesus, then we can trust in God to provide for all of our needs.
33 Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies.
In other words, if God declares us righteous, then we are righteous and it doesn’t matter who else tries to accuse us or lay charges on us.
34 Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died–more than that, who was raised to life–is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.
In other words, if God has declared us to be righteous, and the resurrected Lord Jesus is at the right hand of the Father praying for us, any condemnation we receive from our enemy Satan or from anyone else is powerless to change who we are in Christ.
35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?
In other words, there is nothing and no one in all creation that can separate us from the love of Jesus. Praise God!
Romans 8:36-37 (NIV)
36 As it is written: “For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”
37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.
On verses 36-37: In verse 36 I believe Paul may be quoting Psalm 44:22 in a sarcastic way, as if to make fun of those who quote Scripture to justify living in a constantly hopeless, defeated and depressing way. For Paul is basically saying that because we are so incredibly blessed by God we have no reason to live without hope or joy, as if we’re just sheep to be slaughtered and every day is just death, defeat and hopelessness. No, because of Jesus, we have every reason to be full of life and thanksgiving. For in all these things (i.e. trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword) we are more than conquerors through Jesus Christ who loved us. We’re seeing Paul’s Holy Spirit-fueled can-do attitude coming out big time here. I pray we would catch some of that too.
Romans 8:38-39 (NIV)
38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers,
39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
On verses 38-39: This is Paul’s answer to his own question which he posed in verse 35 about “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ”? Nothing! Not even death, demons, problems in the present, frustrations about the future, any authority, no high, no low, nothing in all creation can separate us from the love of God that is in Jesus Christ. It’s the matchless, incomparable, all-powerful love of God for you and me.
By the way, one of my favorite songs based in part on this passage is “Healing Is In Your Hands” by Christy Nockels and the Passion Worship Band. I couldn’t think of a better prayer to end off on than the lyrics of this song.
Healing Is in Your Hands
by Christy Nockels
No mountain, no valley
No gain or loss we know
Could keep us from Your love
No sickness, no secret
No chain is strong enough
To keep us from Your love
To keep us from Your love
How high, how wide
No matter where I am
Healing is in Your hands
How deep, how strong
Now by Your grace I stand
Healing is in Your hands
Our present, our future
Our past is in Your hands
We’re covered by Your blood
We’re covered by Your blood
In all things we know that
We are more than conquerors
You keep us by Your love
