Reading: Romans 8: 31-39
Verse 37: In all things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.
Paul opens our passage with a great question. He asks, “If God is for us, who can be against us”? He opens this section with a question and the answer leads to his first point. That point is that if God have His only Son then He will certainly give us anything else we need too. God is our ultimate good Father who will give us all good things because He loves us.
The next question, who will condemn, is asked in a similar way – to set up the answer. It is a legitimate question because in our lives we do much that deserves condemnation from a God who is perfect in all ways. But condemnation is not what we receive. Instead we receive forgiveness and love. Instead of being condemned by the one who was without sin, we are defended by Jesus. Jesus intercedes for us before the Father. He who has walked in our shoes speaks up for us in heaven.
The third question has the best answer. Paul asks, “Who will separate us from the love of God”? The answer is quite a list. In reality the answer is nothing can separate us. Paul lists some of the common things that can separate us – persecution, famine, danger, nakedness, death, demons, worry about the future. Tying back into our recent parables, these are the thorns and weeds along our path. Yet when we remain faithful and keep our hope and trust in God, we find that nothing can separate us from the love of God we find in Jesus Christ. It is a deep and eternal love. It is an everlasting and encompassing love. It is a love for which I am very grateful.
The God who is for us, the God who gives forgiveness instead of condemnation, brings us victory. “In all things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us”. Thank you God for the victory.
pastorjohnb 