Romans 8:31-39
May Memory Verse: And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28 NIV
Read: Romans 8:31-39
Wow, what an amazing passage! Undoubtedly, these 9 verses have been the subject of thorough exposition for centuries by some of the deepest theological minds that have ever lived. This is such a meaty passage of the Bible, and it holds one of the foundations of what we believe at Center Point. A core truth of the gospel is that of eternal security. Let’s take a look today at what God has to say about that topic through the apostle Paul.
In verse 31, the passage starts out by saying “What then shall we say to these things?” To understand the context of this verse, you need to review everything we have read in Romans up to this point. We see that we are rightly under the judgement of God (Rom. 3:10; Rom. 6:23a). We see that God has made a way for us to be made righteous through faith in the saving work of his Son, Jesus (Rom. 3:21-22). We see that we have been reconciled to God (Rom. 5: 10). We see that God’s spirit lives in us (Rom. 8). Then Paul goes a little deeper with them, and asks “If God be for us, who can be against us?” I don’t know about you all, but after reading about where we were in sin, and what God did for us to bring us out of sin, this question is empowering! Paul goes on to remind them that God did not spare his son, but gave him as a sacrifice, and that we can expect God to give graciously to us because of the extent to which he was willing to sacrifice. God was faithful in the big things, sacrificing his son, so we can trust him to be faithful in the little things.
Paul then asks who can bring any charge against God’s elect. Guess what? The only one who could judge us gave his son for us as a payment for our sin, and now that same son, Jesus, is interceding for us.
Paul spends the last half of this passage diving into all of the things that we may experience in this life: tribulation, distress, famine, nakedness, sword…death, life, angels, rulers, things present, things to come, height, depth. If we are in Christ, none of those things will separate us from his love! The saving power of Jesus will hold us securely to God the Father, and not even death can change that!
So how can this truth affect your daily life? One important thing to notice here is that Paul is saying these things because we can expect them to happen to us. There is no promise in scripture of an easy life as a believer. We will experience tribulation, we will experience distress. We will experience death. But as verse 37 points out, we are more than conquerors through him who loved us enough to go to the cross and die for us. Are you experiencing tribulation? Are you dealing with any of the things Paul mentioned? Remember, you cannot be separated from God’s love if you are in Christ!
How are you going to let this truth motivate you to live for God today? How does this concept of eternal security empower you to live more boldly for God where you live, or where you work, or where you go to school?
If you want to hear a great message on this passage, I’ve added a link to a sermon from Tony Merida that lays out this passage very well.
By: Scottie Frans - Leadership Team Member
Read: Romans 8:31-39
Wow, what an amazing passage! Undoubtedly, these 9 verses have been the subject of thorough exposition for centuries by some of the deepest theological minds that have ever lived. This is such a meaty passage of the Bible, and it holds one of the foundations of what we believe at Center Point. A core truth of the gospel is that of eternal security. Let’s take a look today at what God has to say about that topic through the apostle Paul.
In verse 31, the passage starts out by saying “What then shall we say to these things?” To understand the context of this verse, you need to review everything we have read in Romans up to this point. We see that we are rightly under the judgement of God (Rom. 3:10; Rom. 6:23a). We see that God has made a way for us to be made righteous through faith in the saving work of his Son, Jesus (Rom. 3:21-22). We see that we have been reconciled to God (Rom. 5: 10). We see that God’s spirit lives in us (Rom. 8). Then Paul goes a little deeper with them, and asks “If God be for us, who can be against us?” I don’t know about you all, but after reading about where we were in sin, and what God did for us to bring us out of sin, this question is empowering! Paul goes on to remind them that God did not spare his son, but gave him as a sacrifice, and that we can expect God to give graciously to us because of the extent to which he was willing to sacrifice. God was faithful in the big things, sacrificing his son, so we can trust him to be faithful in the little things.
Paul then asks who can bring any charge against God’s elect. Guess what? The only one who could judge us gave his son for us as a payment for our sin, and now that same son, Jesus, is interceding for us.
Paul spends the last half of this passage diving into all of the things that we may experience in this life: tribulation, distress, famine, nakedness, sword…death, life, angels, rulers, things present, things to come, height, depth. If we are in Christ, none of those things will separate us from his love! The saving power of Jesus will hold us securely to God the Father, and not even death can change that!
So how can this truth affect your daily life? One important thing to notice here is that Paul is saying these things because we can expect them to happen to us. There is no promise in scripture of an easy life as a believer. We will experience tribulation, we will experience distress. We will experience death. But as verse 37 points out, we are more than conquerors through him who loved us enough to go to the cross and die for us. Are you experiencing tribulation? Are you dealing with any of the things Paul mentioned? Remember, you cannot be separated from God’s love if you are in Christ!
How are you going to let this truth motivate you to live for God today? How does this concept of eternal security empower you to live more boldly for God where you live, or where you work, or where you go to school?
If you want to hear a great message on this passage, I’ve added a link to a sermon from Tony Merida that lays out this passage very well.
By: Scottie Frans - Leadership Team Member
11 Comments
Good word for this Saturday morning Scottie.
Twenty years ago a friend introduced me to a Christian singer named Calvin Hunt. Calvin was born into a poor family in NYC and became addicted to crack cocaine as a young man. He was radically saved by the blood of Christ and went on to become a full time minister. Calvin was a gifted singer and went on to win a Grammy & Dove Award with the Brooklyn Tabernacle Singers. In 1998 Calvin released a song titled Who Shall Separate Us based on our passage of scripture today. I hope you'll take time to give it a listen.
https://youtu.be/WKQQz1BDEjE
Romans 8 is such a powerful chapter and encouragement to everyone who places their faith and hope in Christ alone. NOTHING can separate us from the love of Christ. No matter what happens to us on the earth, even death, we are HIS and will spend eternity with our Heavenly Father because of Jesus' precious blood!
Wow! Thank you for sharing this link! The Holy Spirit is at work in this blog post and commentaries! Powerful!
Thanks for sharing, Mike! Great song with a great message! And a great story! God's love is all powerful, we can't be separated from Him!
Wow! Thank you for sharing this link! The Holy Spirit is at work in this blog post and commentaries! Powerful!
Thanks for the devotion Scottie! This is my favorite passage of scripture. At times when my circumstances tempt me to doubt God's love for me, these are the words I go to.
You're welcome, Jordan! It's one of my favorites as well, so encouraging in the hard times!
Like he said in the sermon, this HAS to be one of the most foundational passages for clarity, encouragement, and strength to walk the Christian life!
It is such an important passage for believers!
Great exposition of this passage Scottie. Very well said!
Thanks, Tim!
Scottie, Wow! Powerful blog post! Romans 8 is one of my favorite passages in the Bible! And listening to Tony Merida's message, powerful! I am enjoy reading Jumpstart each day. 🙂
Thanks, Ms. Norma! Jumpstart has been such a blessing to me as well!