31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us? 32 He who indeed did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him graciously give us all things? 33 Who will bring a charge against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies; 34 who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us. 35 Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will affliction, or turmoil, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36 Just as it is written,
“For Your sake we are being put to death all day long;
We were counted as sheep for the slaughter.”
37 But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8: 31-39 LSB
Romans 8: 31-39
So to recap Romans we saw in Romans 1-3 God's calling out and defining sin, and we saw also that all had sinned. In reformed circles we would relate this to what John Calvin called the doctrine of Total Depravity, men's fallenness and inability to raise himself from this.
18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth [i]in unrighteousness, 19 because that which is known about God is evident [j]within them; for God made it evident to them. 20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, both His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse. 21 For even though they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish heart was darkened. 22 Professing to be wise, they became fools, 23 and exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the likeness of corruptible man and of birds and four-footed animals and crawling creatures.
24 Therefore God gave them over in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, so that their bodies would be dishonored among them. 25 For they exchanged the truth of God for [k]a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed [l]forever. Amen.
26 For this reason God gave them over to dishonorable passions; for their females exchanged the natural function for that which is [m]unnatural, 27 and in the same way also the males abandoned the natural function of the female and burned in their desire toward one another, males with males committing [n]indecent acts and receiving in [o]their own persons the due penalty of their error.
28 And just as they did not see fit [p]to acknowledge God, God gave them over to an unfit mind, to do those things which are not proper, 29 having been filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, greed, evil; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malice; they are gossips, 30 slanderers, [q]haters of God, violent, arrogant, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, 31 without understanding, untrustworthy, unloving, unmerciful; 32 and although they know the righteous requirement of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, they not only do the same, but also give hearty approval to those who practice them. Romans 1: 18-32
9What then? Are we any better? Not at all. For we have already made the charge that Jews and Greeks alike are all under sin. 10As it is written: “There is no one righteous, not even one. 11There is no one who understands, no one who seeks God.… Romans 3: 9-11
So since men are all depraved, and the Bible goes even further to say that we are dead in our trespasses and sins, it is only by the will of God that any are saved. This brings us to the doctrine of Unconditional election, that since there was nothing redeemable in us, since we would by nature not want God, our salvation is dependent upon His wanting us, not for any foreseeable good in us, but because of His good will and pleasure.
…10as a plan for the fullness of time, to bring all things in heaven and on earth together in Christ. 11In Him we were also chosen as God’s own, having been predestined according to the plan of Him who works out everything by the counsel of His will, 12in order that we, who were the first to hope in Christ, would be for the praise of His glory.… Ephesians 1: 10-12
28And we know that God works all things together for the good of those who love Him, who are called according to His purpose. 29For those God foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brothers. 30And those He predestined, He also called; those He called, He also justified; those He justified, He also glorified.… Romans 8: 28-30
…10Not only that, but Rebecca’s children were conceived by one man, our father Isaac. 11Yet before the twins were born or had done anything good or bad, in order that God’s plan of election might stand, 12not by works but by Him who calls, she was told, “The older will serve the younger.”… Romans 9: 10-12
Limited atonement teaches that Christ did not die to make salvation a possibility for those who might believe, because we see the reality of such a claim to be unscriptural as in what we just read, "there is none righteous, not even one. There is no one who understands, no one who seeks God." Jesus had to correct His disciples of this same confusion.
…15No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not understand what his master is doing. But I have called you friends, because everything I have learned from My Father I have made known to you. 16You did not choose Me, but I chose you. And I appointed you to go and bear fruit— fruit that will remain— so that whatever you ask the Father in My name, He will give you. 17This is My command to you: Love one another.… John 15: 15-17
11 “I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep. 12 He who is a hired hand, and not a shepherd, who is not the owner of the sheep, sees the wolf coming, and leaves the sheep and flees—and the wolf snatches and scatters them— 13 because he is a hired hand and is not concerned about the sheep. 14 I am the good shepherd, and I know My own and My own know Me, 15 even as the Father knows Me and I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep. 16 And I have other sheep, which are not from this fold; I must bring them also, and they will hear My voice; and they will become one flock with one shepherd. 17 For this reason the Father loves Me, because I lay down My life so that I may take it again. 18 No one [b]takes it away from Me, but from Myself, I lay it down. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This commandment I received from My Father.” John 1: 11-18
Next we see God's irresistible Grace, the I in TULIP, that who He calls will come because He chose them before time. As we have gone over before, the dead don't will themselves to life, just like Lazarus, Jesus calls and Lazarus comes to life. We didn't make ourselves, and we are also not able to remake ourselves, we are not antonymous in our salvation or life. Everything belongs to the Creator.
…36But as I stated, you have seen Me and still you do not believe. 37Everyone the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will never drive away. 38For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but to do the will of Him who sent Me.… John 6: 36-38
25I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers, so that you will not be conceited: A hardening in part has come to Israel, until the full number of the Gentiles has come in. 26And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written: “The Deliverer will come from Zion; He will remove godlessness from Jacob. 27And this is My covenant with them when I take away their sins.”…
…28Regarding the gospel, they are enemies on your account; but regarding election, they are loved on account of the patriarchs. 29For God’s gifts and His call are irrevocable. 30Just as you who formerly disobeyed God have now received mercy through their disobedience,… Romans 11: 25-30
And here at the end of Romans 8 we come to the P, or Perseverance of the Saints, the doctrine derived from Jesus' own words that none that the Father has given Him would be lost. It is not based upon the will of man, it is the Holy Spirit that keeps us and causes us to remain and bear fruit. None of Jesus' true sheep would be lost due to the Father's sovereign decree in election. Those that walk away were ever and always tares and not wheat.
…37No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. 38For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor principalities, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39neither 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.… Romans 8: 37-39
…39And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that I shall lose none of those He has given Me, but raise them up at the last day. 40For it is My Father’s will that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in Him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.” 41At this, the Jews began to grumble about Jesus because He had said, “I am the bread that came down from heaven.”… John 6: 39-41
18Children, it is the last hour; and just as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have appeared. This is how we know it is the last hour. 19They went out from us, but they did not belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us. But their departure made it clear that none of them belonged to us. 20You, however, have an anointing from the Holy One, and all of you know the truth.… 1 John 2: 18-20
Vs. 31 If God is for us, who is against us - A great comfort, a present perspective based upon an eternal reality. If the Creator of the Universe is for us then why not just serve Him, trust Him regardless of what other men may say or do. If God is sovereign He is yet in control where we are not, even when things are seem to be crashing down upon us. He has even been so gracious to warn us of these things.
17This is My command to you: Love one another. 18If the world hates you, understand that it hated Me first. 19If you were of the world, it would love you as its own. Instead, the world hates you, because you are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world.… John 15: 17-19
V. 32 He Who indeed did not spare His own Son - He has too much invested to let it fail. He is just and He has made a promise to His Son. It will surely come to pass.
Vs. 33-35 It is God Who justifies - Satan stands as our accuser all day long, but God has justified us through the life and atoning work of Christ.
Vs. 36-27 But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer - The Christian's resilience is even in death. They were being killed for belonging to Christ just like those in China and even recently in Nigeria. Death cannot separate us from God's love.
Vs. 38-39 Nor rulers - Governments have come and gone throughout history. We have seen this and should not be surprised when they come for us again, regardless of where we live. North Africa enjoyed hundreds of years of Christian influence only to see it fade into a dark age. Syria was the same, Europe has thought itself too smart to believe in the true God and left a vacuum for apostasy to fill. America was founded on Christian principles even those that influenced the abolitionist and writers of the Constitution. They recognized human depravity and worked against it, but the more we have moved away from God the darker it has become. The church, for the sake of "unity", can no longer see stains in broad day light or embers burning in the dark. We need to humble ourselves and pray, stand up for what's right, but don't be afraid, He is coming back.
