Daily Thoughts from Romans: Oh the Deep, Deep Love (8:31-39)

Daily Thoughts from Romans: Oh the Deep, Deep Love

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 at 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 angels 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.  (Romans 8:31-39 ESV)

Paul quotes Psalm 44:22, a psalm that is unrelenting in its complaint to God about the suffering His people are experiencing and which ends without assurance of suffering being removed, but asks God for help.  There is no doubt that our suffering will be great.  Paul knew this better than most.  But he knew something.

If God was willing to give us His Son, He will give us everything else.  If God Himself has declared us righteous, no one else can bring a charge against us that will lead to God condemning us.  If Jesus himself is interceding for us, all his prayers to the Father will be answered.  God is for us in every way possible, so no one can in any way successfully be against us.

Nothing can separate us from God’s love.  Though Scripture confirms that God will allow tribulation of all sorts to afflict us, we are not and cannot be defeated by that or made to believe that God does not love us.  Nothing will ever come between God and us because of the love He has for us, and has proven He has for us, in Christ Jesus our Lord.

John 15:9, As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love.

John 16:27, for the Father himself loves you, because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God.

John 17:26, I made known to them your name, and I will continue to make it known, that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them.”