Romans 8:31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us? 32 He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things? 33 Who will bring a charge against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies; 34 who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us. 35 Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36 Just as it is written,
“For Your sake we are being put to death all day long;
We were considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”37 But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Questions, questions, questions! We have many questions about our faith and hope, especially in times of sufferings,trial, crisis, epidemics … and persecutions. Foundations of our faith shaken, confidence wavering,we struggle to understand: “I do believe, help [me in] my unbelief!” (Mark 9:24). St Paul asks a number of questions in Romans 8, questions, no doubt, which have been raised amidst sufferings and persecutions. Questions asked, questions to be answered … answered with confident hope in God’s love for us through Jesus Christ our Lord!
Question: What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us?
In Jesus Christ, God is for us … In Holy Baptism we are baptized into Jesus' death and resurrection ... we are made partakers of Jesus’ victory over the world, the flesh and the devil. The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? (Psalm 27:1)
Question: He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things?
In Genesis 22 God spared Abraham’s son, Isaac, but provided Himself, the lamb for sacrifice. God, Who for our sake, did not spare his own Son the suffering of His passion and death. This same Jesus, by whom all things were made, has been appointed heir of all things (John 1:3; Hebrews 1:2). Jesus suffered and died to make us co-heirs with Him … “And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise” (Galatians 3:29).
Question: Who will bring a charge against God’s elect? Who is the one who condemns?
Transforming St Paul’s answers to these questions (verses 33-34) into questions highlights his confident and triumphant response:
Who will bring a charge against God’s elect?
Shall God who justifies us bring a charge against His elect?
Who is the one who condemns?
Shall Jesus Christ who died for our sins condemn us?
Shall Jesus Christ who ever lives to make intercession for us at the right hand of God condemn us? (See also Hebrews 7:25)
There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:1).
Question: Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
St Paul is persuaded that neither
Death
Life
Angels
Things present
Things to come
Powers
Height
Depth
Any other created thing
will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
There is no condition of our existence, nothing in all creation, which shall, or can, separate us from God’s saving love in Jesus Christ.
"Spiritual souls are not separated by torments, but carnal souls are sometimes separated by idle gossip. The cruel sword cannot separate the former, but carnal affections remove the latter. Nothing hard breaks down spiritual men, but even flattering words corrupt the carnal." Caesarius of Arles [470-542], Sermons 82.2
JSH+