Read Romans 8:31–34
Questions from the Scripture text: With what question does Romans 8:31 begin this series of questions? What do believers know about God’s relation to them? What rhetorical question expects what answer in verse 31? What (Whom!) hasn’t God spared (Romans 8:32)? What has God done with His Son? What else will He give? In what way? What question does Romans 8:33 ask? About Whom, specifically, is it asking this; and, what is He doing rather than bringing charges? What question does Romans 8:34 ask? About Whom specifically is it asking this? What two things has He already done? Where is He now? What is He doing there? For whom?
What should a Christian say about his life? Romans 8:31–34 looks forward to the midweek sermon. In these four verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that a Christian is someone who should say that everything in time and space is coalescing for his good.
Nothing is against us, Romans 8:31. This isn’t just that nothing can succeed against us. It is that nothing is fundamentally against us. Even people who intend to be against us cannot help but fulfill whatever God intends for us. God is for us, and He works all things according to the counsel of His own will (cf. Ephesians 1:11). Even if someone close to us betrayed us and intended evil against us, God was intending it for good. THAT’s what “we shall say to these things”!
All things are ours, Romans 8:32. All things must be ours by comparison of love. God already gave that which is infinitely more than everything else together: His Son! OF COURSE the love that gave us Jesus is giving us all other things! All things must be ours by obligation of justice. God has given us His Son, and in His Son, His righteousness. OF COURSE the justice that is satisfied with us in Jesus will demand that He and we would be rewarded with all things!
God is our Justifier, Romans 8:33. Romans 8:31 already said that “God is for us,” summarizing what God has been doing throughout the entire history of the creation (cf. Romans 8:15-25). Now Romans 8:33 says that God is for us in another way: He is our advocate. In God’s court, there is no other judge. God is Judge. And God is Prosecutor. He lays the charges. But He is also the expert Witness Who has examined all of the evidence, then takes His seat as Judge and declares, “righteous!” There will be no charges against those whom God has justified.
Christ is our Intercessor, Romans 8:34. He is our defense Attorney. And He doesn’t just make a case on our behalf. He offers Himself as the case on our behalf. He has died, taking our guilt in full seriousness and satisfying the punishment accordingly. He has risen again, demonstrating that the payment has been received. And now, He has approached the bench—ascending to the right hand of God, where He presents Himself as our case, interceding for us.
These are the things that we say to our current life in this groaning creation: nothing is against us, all things are ours, God is our Justifier, and Christ is our Intercessor. What a joyous life ours will be, if we learn to speak according to the reality of what God is doing in history, and what relationship God has given us to Himself.
Who is for you? What things does this mean are for you? On the last day, who will be laying charges against the wicked? What will He be doing for those who believe in Christ? What will Christ be doing? For His own?
Sample prayer: Father, thank You for giving us Your Son, our Lord Jesus, so that we may know that Your love and Your justice both demand that every possible good be done unto us. Help us believe this by Your Spirit, we ask through Christ, AMEN!
Suggested songs: ARP1 “How Blessed the Man” or TPH457 “Jesus, Thy Blood and Righteousness”
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