Romans 8:31-39 | If God Is For Us, Who Can Be Against Us?

Today’s sermon title is, “If God is for us, who can be against us?”

Main Idea: As we continue to face trials in this fallen world, God’s Word reassures us that we are more than conquerors through Jesus.

The Apostle Paul asks six thought-provoking, life-changing questions:

(1) What shall we say to these things?

Is Paul referring to the things he has written since chapter 1?

Is Paul referring to the things he has written in chapter 8?

Is Paul referring to the things he has written in the previous verses (28-30)?

All of the above!

Let’s talk about vv. 29 & 30

These verses are known as The Golden Chain of Salvation

The Golden Chain of Salvation

Show Golden Chain graphic

Romans 8:29–30 “29 For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. 30 And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.”

In these verses:

God is the subject of the verbs.

They are united by five verb links written in the past tense describing what God has done

The five verbs describe the same group of people using the word “those.”

Link 1: For those whom he foreknew (he also predestined)

What does it mean that God foreknew people?

The verb “to foreknow” (Gk. proginosko) appears in five NT passages:

Two of those passages (Acts 26:5 and 2 Peter 3:17) clearly imply that God knew beforehand.

One option: God’s foreknowledge means that God saw in advance the choices of those who would respond in faith to Jesus. As a result, God predestined to salvation those who he foresaw would choose Jesus.

A second option: Paul is using his Jewish background to describe the OT usage of God knowing someone. When the Bible says that God knows someone it means that he has set his love on that individual in a personal way.

For example, in Matthew 7:23 Jesus will say to some, “I never knew you.” Is Jesus asking, “have we met?” Rather Jesus is saying, “I have no relationship with you.”

[The verb “to know], “is used in a sense practically synonymous with “to love,” “to set regard upon,” “to know with peculiar interest, delight, affection, and action” (cf. Gen. 18:19; Ex. 2:25; Pss. 1:6; 144:3; Jer. 1:5; Hos. 13:5; Amos 3:2; Matt. 7:23; 1 Cor. 8:3; Gal. 4:9; 2 Tim. 2:19; 1 John 3:1). Thus, to foreknow is to forelove.” Sam Storms, 1 Peter

The other other three NT passages that use the verb “to foreknow” (Romans 8:29; Romans 11:2; 1 Peter 1:20) describe God “entering into a relationship with before” or “choose, or determine, before.” (Douglas Moo, Romans)

God set his love on us before the beginning of time. Paul declares in Ephesians 1:4 that God chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world.”

What shall we say to these things? Praise God for loving me before I existed. Praise God for loving me before the universe came into existence! No room for human boasting.

Link 2: And those whom he predestined (he also called)

The verb to predestine (Gk. proorizo) means “to determine ahead of time” (Louw-Nida). In his love for us, God has determine a destination for us. Do you what that is? To be conformed to the image of his Son (Rom. 8:29).

God is not going to stop until he achieves his purpose in your life. He has predestined you to become like Jesus.

Ephesians 1:5 “5 [God the Father] predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will,”

Philippians 1:6 “6 And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.”

What shall we say to these things? It’s encouraging to know that my life has purpose and meaning. God is doing something in me even when I don’t see it.

Link 3: And those whom he called (he also justified)

God called us to himself for salvation.

1 Thessalonians 1:4–5 “4 For we know, brothers loved by God, that he has chosen you, 5 because our gospel came to you not only in word, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction.”

When a person comes to saving faith it’s because the Holy Spirit does a work of internal illumination that awaken us to the truth. The Bible says that we were dead in our sins but Jesus made us alive.

What shall we say to these things? Let’s continue to embrace our mission: Investing in people to experience God’s transforming power together. God has many more people to save in our community. God will draw those people to himself. We must continue to reach them (e.g. VBS).

Link 4: And those whom he justified (he also glorified)

God justified. To be “justified” is to be declared righteous and blameless because of what Jesus accomplished through his death on the cross.

Romans 8:1 “1 There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”

What shall we say to these things? Thank you Jesus for dying in my place.

Link 5: Those whom he justified, he also glorified.

To be glorified means to be completely free of sin and to be made perfect in soul and body.

We groan to experience the glory that is going to be revealed to us. We get glimpses of it, but one day we will experience it fully.

Now, here’s something that ministered to my heart this week: Paul is writing about our future glorification in the past tense. Why? Because the Holy Spirit revealed to the Apostle Paul that our glorification is guaranteed. We can have assurance of salvation. This all part of the golden chain of salvation. The links in the chain cannot be broken. What is true of one is true of the others.

Do you see it? Paul is saying that the exact amount of people that God foreknew, are also predestined, called, justified, and glorified.

What shall we say to these things? Let the Holy Spirit minister to your heart.

As we continue to face trials in this fallen world, God’s Word reassures us that we are more than conquerors through Jesus.

Don’t give up. We are almost home. Keep running the race with your eyes set on Jesus.

The apostle Paul answer the question, what shall we say to these things, by asking more questions:

(2) If God is for us, who can be against us?

How comforting and encouraging to hear the words “God is for us and therefore no one can be against us.”

God is the one who foreknew us, predestined us, called us, justified us and glorified us.

There is nothing more dreadful than to hear “We are enemies of God who stand under condemnation awaiting the wrath of God.”

But God, who is rich in mercy sent his Son Jesus to rescue us.

Romans 8:1 “1 There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”

In Christ, God is for us. He is on our side.

Let me put it a different way: God is never against us.

Sickness

Trauma

Rejection

Betrayal

Setbacks

Pain

Losses

In 2020 I found myself going to counseling to get help for my anxiety. There were a handful of times where I wondered if I would have to step down from my role as the associate pastor which will lead to a downward spiral. I felt forgotten and forsaken by God.

In one of my counseling sessions I was given the following assignment: To come up with short phrase that would help me calm down. What phrase would you use?

Everything is going to be okay

I’m okay

No pain no gain

The next week I came back with a phrase that would sustain me for the next two years and the rest of my life. The phrase that I would often remind myself comes from Romans 8:31: GOD IS FOR ME!

God is on my side working all things for my good in order to bring deep transformation into the likeness of his Son Jesus.

Look at the third question in our passage,

(3) How will he not also with him graciously give us all things?

Romans 8:32 “32 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 knowing that our minds at times will wonder if God has forgotten or forsaken us gave us Romans 8:32 as evidence that God is for us. Paul is arguing from the greater to the lesser.

Paul is saying that the greatest obstacle standing between God and us is our sin. A holy God and sinful humans cannot have fellowship. Humans don’t have anything to offer to solve this problem. In His infinite mercy, God foreknew us and did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all.

Isaiah 53:5–6 “5 But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed. 6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.”

God did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all.

Romans 5:6–10 “6 For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— 8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. 10 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life.”

If God went to great lengths to rescue us from our sin by generously giving His Son up for us all, then God will have no problem being generous by giving us all things for our good and for his purpose.

Ephesians 1:3 “3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places,”

Matthew 6:31–33 “31 Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”

(4) Who shall bring any charges against God’s elect?

Romans 8:33 “33 Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies.”

Romans 8:1 “1 There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”

Paul proceeds to ask a fitting follow up question.

(5) Who is to condemn?

This question is very similar to the previous one.

Romans 8:34 “34 Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us.”

Jesus died

Jesus rose from the dead

He ascended into heaven and is interceding for us.

“If I could hear Christ praying for me in the next room, I would not fear a million enemies. Yet distance makes no difference. He is praying for me. (Robert Murray M’Cheyne p. 179)

Before the throne of God above I have a strong and perfect plea A great High Priest whose name is love Who ever lives and pleads for me My name is graven on His hands My name is written on His heart I know that while in heav'n He stands No tongue can bid me thence depart No tongue can bid me thence depart

When Satan tempts me to despair And tells me of the guilt within Upward I look and see Him there Who made an end to all my sin Because the sinless Savior died My sinful soul is counted free For God the Just is satisfied To look on Him and pardon me To look on Him and pardon me

Paul closes Romans 8 with this final question:

(6) Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?

Paul has asked awesome questions leading us to ponder and treasure the gospel found in Romans 8:1 “1 There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”

The letter to the Romans was written to in the first century when Christians were facing trials, opposition, even death because of their allegiance to God.

Paul now asks the following question to those who might feel forgotten or forsaken by God: “is there anyone or anything that can separate me from Christ’s love for me.”

Paul puts together a list of the worst circumstances that could come between you and Christ’s love for you:

Tribulation

Distress

Persecution

Famine

Nakedness

Danger

Sword

Paul’s list is a reminder, perhaps a wake-up call that Christians are not exempt from facing suffering. Paul quotes Psalm 44:22 “22 Yet for your sake we are killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.”

What the answer to the question, What shall separate us from the love of Christ? The answer is simply, nothing!

Romans 8:37 “…in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.”

No one will be able to break the golden chain of salvation.

Paul concludes Romans 8 with these powerful words: “For I am sure…” The verb (Gk. peitho)means “to come to believe the certainty of something on the basis of being convinced.”

Thus Paul can say,

I am certain

I am convinced

I am persuaded

I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 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.”

Consider how practical Paul is being. He is saying: Friend, have you been called? Have you found the gospel coming home to your soul with power? Have you asked God to justify you? Fine! Now realize this—that would not and could not have happened unless the great God of heaven had set his love upon you in the depths of eternity before time, and is now infallibly working out his plan to live with you forever in his family. Tim Keller

As we continue to face trials in this fallen world, God’s Word reassures us that we are more than conquerors through Jesus.