We know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. 29For 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. 30And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.
31What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32He 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? 33Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. 34Who 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. 35Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? 36As it is written, “For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.” 37No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39nor 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.
Life does not often go as planned. Whether it is spilling a morning cup of coffee, a doctor’s diagnosis you do not want to hear, or anything in between, we all suffer. Those struggles often leave us questioning life. Saint Paul asks, “What then shall we say to these things?” (31). What things? “These things” includes the un-pretty things. Earlier in this chapter he talked about creation groaning under the effects of sin and longing for the future glory to be revealed. Paul’s answer to all “these things” is, “We know that for those who love God all things work together for good for those who are called according to His purpose” (28). The good news is that God works in all things, including the bad things caused by the sin in this broken world for our good. He transforms Good Fridays into Easters.
Another life-changing question Paul asks is, “If God is for us, who can be against us?” (31b). Everyone has an answer for “Who is against you?” We could easily name our foes including disease, inflation, exhaustion, calamities, natural disasters, old age, and so on. Paul means that since God is for us, whoever and whatever is against us, no matter how large are no match for God.
So then, “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?” (35a). Paul gives us a list of things our sinful natures use to separate us from God’s love: tribulation, distress, persecution, famine, nakedness, danger, or sword? (35b). These things are futile when viewed against God’s love for us. If Satan can move us to believe the intensity of this list, God invites us to take another look at His love for us. By grace we died with Him to our sin, and we are raised with Him to newness of life. Therefore, says Paul, “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” (38-39). And since nothing can separate us from Christ Jesus, the answer to all life-changing questions is “God is for us.”
Because God is for us, we can rise above every adversity. As Paul said, “We are more than conquerors through Him who loved us” (37). So, absolutely nothing can separate us from God because of His Son’s cruel death on the cross for our redemption and His resurrection three days later for our salvation. We know for sure and certain that in Christ we possess all things because God is for us, and we stand with all the other conquerors in the light of His presence forever and ever.
Grace Lutheran Church LCMS
825 North 1st West
Cheyenne Wells, CO, 80810-0728
Sunday Service begins at 9:00 AM
Reverend Steven Zandstra
