1. Study Romans 8:31-36. How would you summarize
the answer to Paul’s rhetorical question, "What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us,
who is against us?"
It does not matter who is against us, because God is for us, and He is greater than
all. Some may try to oppose us, but they will be unsuccessful. Why? Because there is no change
in God’s provisions (see v. 32), there is no charge against God’s people (see vv.33-34), and there
is no separation from God’s love (see vv. 35-39).
First, God’s provision was His own Son, the Lord Jesus, the greatest possession
the believer has. As verse 32 states, God will certainly give us all the other things we need as well.
He met our major need for eternity; He will certainly meet our minor needs in time.
Second, there is no charge against God’s people because God has justified us.
If someone could indict us, what would that do to the work of God in justification? Nor can we be condemned,
because Jesus Christ endured our judgment on the cross. We are free. There can be no indictment; the
case against us is dismissed.
Third, no one can separate us from God. We cannot be pulled away from His
love. Unbelievers may see us having problems and think Christ has withdrawn His love from us. We may
even agree with them and start to lose our perspective.
So Paul lists seven circumstances – the first six of which he himself had endured (see
2 Corinthians 6:1-10; 11:1-33)
– that cannot separate a believer from God’s love. "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?
Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?" (v.35)
2. What does Paul mean, in verse 37, when he speaks of "overwhelmingly conquer?"
Like soldiers in the ancient world, we not only have victory, but we also possess
the spoils. No matter what troubles, hardships, or dangers come, we are conquerors – and then some!
3. How is it that Christians are inseparable from the love of God?
In illustrating how completely unshakable God’s love is, Paul implies the whole range
of possibilities by stating four paired antithesis with a final summation:
"Death" cannot separate us, because it brings us into God’s presence.
"Life" does not separate us, because Christ lives within us.
"Angels" will not separate us, because they are ministering spirits.
"Principalities" (demons) and "powers" (perhaps human government) cannot separate
us, because Christ is greater than they.
"Things present," the hardships of today, or "things to come," the uncertainties
of the future, cannot separate us from God.
"Height" and "depth" cannot separate us; nothing overhead can come bursting down on
us suddenly, and nothing hidden can come rising over the horizon and separate us from God’s love.
"No other created thing" can separate us from the love of God.
Whatever the problem, God will see us through. Whatever happens this week, this month,
or this year will simply serve as part of God’s purpose in continuing what He had started in us (see
Philippians 1:6). There is no change in God’s provisions,
there is no charge against God’s people, and there is no separation from God’s love. Rejoice, knowing
all these things as you deal with the circumstances of your life day by day!
"The study of God's Word for the purpose of discovering God's will is the secret discipline which
has formed the greatest characters." Anonymous
Dr. Roy. B. Zuck is Senior Professor Emeritus of
Bible Exposition at Dallas Theological Seminary, where he taught for 23 years, including seven and a half
years as Vice President for Academic Affairs. He is the editor of Bibliotheca Sacra, Dallas Seminary's
theological journal, and the copy and theological editor of Kindred Spirit, the Seminary's popular
magazine. He has written or edited seventy books and written scores of magazine and journal articles on
biblical, theological, and educational subjects.
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