Romans 8:31-39
“What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died-more than that, who was raised- who is as the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written,
‘For your sake, we are being killed all the day long;
We are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.’
No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angles nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
What are “These Things” that Paul writes about?
Every point from Chapter 4 to Chapter 8:
No shame, Suffering for Sanctification, Justification through Christ, Liberation from Sin, New Identity in Christ, Release from the Effects of the Law, Adoption as Sons, Our Future Glory and Hope, Prayer Intercession by the Holy Spirit, and More…
Paul is funneling everything he’s talked about into the conclusion that GOD IS FOR US…
BUT
“God is for us does not mean that God is on my side.”
So often we want to bend these verses to say that whatever path we are taking, God will walk with us through it. In essence, we choose where we are going, and God is on our side to help us get there. First of all, if we made this decision, it would be a disaster. We have proven ourselves in this time and again. Second, God so often will pick us up, take us off the little path we think is our best route moving forward, and place us in an entirely new situation (while we kick and scream the whole time in resistance). Eventually, what do we discover? We discover that God’s plan was much better all along. So, these verses don’t say that God will help us get to wherever we are going; they say that we will be on God’s side, through Christ. Whatever direction He leads us in, He will give us the strength and power over evil (time and again) to get there.
“If God is for us, who can be against us?
This verse is demonstrating that Satan cannot be against us because of Christ. The condemnation of our sin- past, present, and future- was paid for on the cross. Sin can slow us down and get us off track, but it cannot prevent our sanctification because it has been defeated. Our faith closes the books of Satan’s pleas against us. The work of Jesus on the Cross was perfect and leaves no holes for Satan to capture us through.
“He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?”
God will not withhold the other blessings that come with and through and for Christ.
God did not withhold his own Son from us- the most precious gift He could have given- so how will he not give us all these things that Paul’s talked about from chapter 4 to this passage. God’s delivery of Christ to death means that our faith brings the delivery of life and salvation. Paul is saying that if God gave us the gift of Christ, why would he not give us these other lesser gifts that come with it?
“Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died-more than that, who was raised- who is as the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us.”
The only person qualified to condemn us is the very same one who died and was raised and is at the right hand of God and is interceding for us. So Christ could condemn us, but He will not. He died, was raised, sits at God’s right hand, and is currently providing the Holy Spirit for us to intercede in our sanctification.
In Isaiah, he writes, “The God who vindicates is near. Who will contend with me? Let us stand up together. Who is my adversary? Let him come near to me.” God is the judge and jury, and through the work of Christ we are justified and on the side of His victory over this world.
Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?
Let’s talk about persecution:
Can it pull us apart from Christ? This verse says that it cannot.
Paul is speaking to Roman Christians, who experienced some of the worst persecution in history at the hands of the Roman Emperor, Nero.
Christians were often given wooden swords and cast into the arena to fight against hungry tigers and lions, and would be pulled apart limb from limb (while people watched for entertainment). Nero was also known for dipping Christians in hot wax, crucifying them, then using them as lighting for his household dinner parties at night. He literally turned them into human candles.
How would God allow that? God does not promise us an easy life, but one where we cannot be torn away from the presence or power of Christ. In these verses, Paul says that there is no thing that can overcome this bond through the sacrifice Christ made for us.
“‘For your sake, we are being killed all the day long; We are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.’
No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.”
Paul is literally saying that even if we are like sheep to the slaughter, we are still more than conquerors through God’s love for us in Christ and we cannot be torn away from it.
In Psalm 42, where Paul had pulled this verse from, God had delivered the people of Israel in the past, and they recognized Him for it. But the tone changes about halfway through where in this verse (22) they are experiencing defeat. The people are confused why God wasn’t with them to help them to victory like he had before. If you continue to read in the Psalm, the people are looking forward and calling out for help. While they didn’t know it yet, they were looking forward to the cross, and yet we get to now look back on the cross and see that their prayer was answered. It has all come full circle. They were delivered from their pains and adversity, just as we have been through Christ and will be moving forward.
For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angles nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
“Suffering does not mean the end; it is a means to the end.” -Kyle
1 Peter 4:12-13 says, “Do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ.”
Just like in Psalm 42:22, sometimes we will be confused in the moments where we feel as though we are being led to the slaughter; however, we are promised future glory. Suffering does not mean the end; it is but a moment in the scope of eternity, where our challenges ensure our growth through dependence on the power and love of Christ. In James 1:2 we are reminded to “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”
These trials and our sufferings will not create space between us and God’s love; instead, it will serve to bring us closer to Him, which is where we are promised joy. Just like John Piper says, “When it comes to suffering and pain, non of us are immune. Worse, the pain so often seems pointless, and in fact pain in our lives is not pointless at all… It is doing something, and it is not meaningless.” So what is it doing? Take a look at 2 Corinthians 4:16-18:
“…So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.”
So, “we are led like sheep to the slaughter, but in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loves us…” We are being renewed in our spirit and being prepared in our sufferings like Christ, to be more prepared for eternity.
EVEN THOUGH WE MAY EXPERIENCE DEFEAT, WE ARE MORE THAN CONQUERORS.
So why do we continue to experience setbacks in sin? We forget that we are conquerors through Christ. We forget our identity. If you don’t think this is important, to preach our identity to ourselves daily, go back and look at how Satan tempted Jesus in the desert. He attacked His identity. How did Jesus respond? He uses scripture to defend his identity and relationship with God. This is why we have to follow suit and preach to ourselves daily who we are in Christ.
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Moving forward, we can approach suffering with realistic perspective for what it provides in our lives. We can remind ourselves daily of our identity and should dress up like conquerors (Ephesians 6:13-15). We should protect our hearts with righteousness and preach the gospel not only to others, but ourselves daily. We are not marching into this battle blind; we are marching into victory. We have been given the battle plans and our weapon that is the Bible. So march forward into the battle with confidence that God will continue to sanctify and protect you, because we are conquerors through Him who first loved us, and we cannot be separated from Him.
“Push back darkness, shine the light of the gospel, and fill Earth with the presence of Heaven.”
Based off a sermon by:
Kyle Beshears, The People of Mars Hill Church
-Tyler Vaughn