Romans 8:31-39

Rom 8:31 (KJV)
What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?

What things? The things we just read in the previous verses. We see that God is the one who has given us salvation and it was all done by Him as the Elect receive it passively. This verse also teaches us that since God gave us His salvation, that He is for us. If the God of this universe is the one who gave us salvation, then who can act contrary to God’s actions? (Isa 14:27 KJV) For the LORD of hosts hath purposed, and who shall disannul it? and his hand is stretched out, and who shall turn it back? There is nothing or no one on this earth that can annul any of the works of the Lord on behalf of His children. God’s justification has declared His children totally guilt free from their sins.

Rom 8:32 (KJV)
He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?

God the Father did not spare His own Son in the working out of His salvation plan. (Isa 53:10 KJV) Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand. We read that it pleased the LORD to bruise Him because the recipients of God’s salvation plan would bring glory and honor to the Lord. He has given us every spiritual blessing which accompanies salvation. (Heb 12:2 KJV) Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. The Lord Jesus despised the shame which He endured on the cross for His Elect. The word “despise” in the Greek carries with it the meaning of “setting aside.” So the Lord Jesus Christ looked beyond those few hours of shame and mocking, which He would endure, for the purpose of looking forward to the eternal results which would occur in the lives of His Elect. We too, in this world, when we are reviled for bringing the Gospel to others can look beyond these few years to the glory which we will be given on the last day that will last for eternity.

Rom 8:33 (KJV)
Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth.

Satan tried this with Job. He tried to bring all sorts of accusations against Job but Job was a righteous man, which means he was saved, and his salvation gave him the understanding to trust God in this situation. Satan is called the accuser of the brethren and is constantly bringing accusations against God’s Elect. (Rev 12:10 KJV) And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night. Since God is the one who declares His own people not guilty, then who can bring any accusation against the brethren which can negate God’s justification? There is no accusation which can stick to God’s Elect since God Himself is the one who has saved and cleansed the believer by the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. (Col 2:13-14 KJV) And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; {14} Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; We read in the Colossians verses that every sin which we committed has been removed judicially and therefore there is no sin which can ever condemn the true believer.

Rom 8:34 (KJV)
Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.

Is there anyone who can bring any condemnation against God’s Elect? The answer is no because Christ is the one who died for His Elect. Not only did He die for the Elect but when He was raised from the dead, it was for our justification. (Rom 4:25 KJV) Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification. His rising from the dead showed us that God accepted the sacrifice on behalf of His Elect and that they would never have to face the judicial penalty for sin because Christ took that penalty on the cross. All grounds for condemnation has been removed from the believer for all eternity.

Rom 8:35 (KJV)
Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?

Paul now brings us a major principle concerning separation from Christ. Separation from Christ in its ultimate implication is eternal damnation. No opposing force ever garnered against the believer can ever have a separating effect. The six things which Paul mentions above does not separate us from Christ, rather, when the Christian faces these things it drives them closer to the Lord. Paul knew this well since he faced all of these things as he built the churches. Then the final one that Paul brings is “sword.” The sword cannot separate us from Christ because if we are killed, and the sword is just symbolic of any method which takes our physical life, we go immediately into the presence of the Lord. (2 Cor 5:8 KJV) We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord. Therefore, knowing this, nothing can separate us from the love of Christ.

Rom 8:36 (KJV)
As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.

(Psa 44:22 KJV) Yea, for thy sake are we killed all the day long; we are counted as sheep for the slaughter. This quote from Psalms gives us insight into the peril that the Christians face every day. Some Christians face death every day, especially in countries where Christianity is outlawed. Even in countries which allow religious freedom, there is no guarantee that any Christian will not face martyrdom. The danger we face as Christians will be consistent until the Lord takes us home or until the last day. Christianity is reprehensible to the ungodliness of this world and that includes the religious crowd, since it is religion which is the biggest persecutor of Christianity. All one has to do is look at the history of the church and you will see religions like Roman Catholicism or Islam persecuting the Christians, no matter where they are.

Rom 8:37 (KJV)
Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.

This is one of the most encouraging verses in the entire Bible. The words “more than conquerors” in the Greek carries with it the meaning of “super or above victors.” The word roots from the word “nikao” which means “overcome, win, or victory.” In fact, Nike Missiles are named after this word. No matter what situation we face, we are overwhelming conquerors through the Lord Jesus Christ. (Isa 54:17 KJV) No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, saith the LORD. The greatest enemy on this Earth, death, has been conquered by the Lord Jesus Christ and that victory has been imputed to the true believer. (Rom 8:11 KJV) But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.

Rom 8:38-39 (KJV)
For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, {39} Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Here we are given a list of ten circumstances which cannot separate the believer from the love of God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Death brings us into the presence of Christ in Heaven. Life with all its trials and tribulations cannot bring about any separation from Christ. Angels do not have the power to separate us from Christ. Principalities and Powers are no doubt referring to the evil powers which continually plot against the Christian to trap them. Things in this present world or things which may come at us from the future can never separate us for God knows the end from the beginning and nothing takes Him by surprise. Nothing from the highest places in the physical universe to the lowest place on Earth can ever separate us. These two may be pointing to ancient false gods which drew people away from the worship of the true God. No false god can ever separate us from the love of God. No created being, no matter who they are, with all their worldly powers can ever separate us from the love of God. These two verses are giving great encouragement that there is nothing on this Earth or in the physical heavens which can separate us from the love of Christ. These verses must also be taken into consideration when some people claim they can lose their salvation. If all of these things cannot cause separation from Christ, which is also loss of salvation, then what can possibly cause us to lose it, especially when we read in verse 33 that who can lay a charge to God’s Elect? Even self-condemnation can never be used as a charge against oneself when we sin.