31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? 33 Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. 34 Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36 As it is written: “For Your sake we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.” 37 Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. 38 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 created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Commentary
Vs. 31 Since our Everlasting God and Father has already chosen us, and predestined us to be conformed to the image of His Son, who then can thwart His plans for us? As the Apostle Paul asks here, "If God is for us, who can be against us?" Since it is God, the Eternally Sovereign and Powerful One, who is Father, Son, and Spirit who has no equal, who is working out His Will for us in all our circumstances of life. Therefore if God is for us who can be against us? Who? Who can overthrow His plans and will for us? Who? Every "stick" they yield and every "stone" they throw is simply nothing before His Everlasting OmniPresence and Power. And so it is that all that comes our way simply hastens His fulfilling His own eternally good, and grand, and glorious purposes for us.
Vs. 31 Since our Everlasting God and Father has already chosen us, and predestined us to be conformed to the image of His Son, who then can thwart His plans for us? As the Apostle Paul asks here, "If God is for us, who can be against us?" Since it is God, the Eternally Sovereign and Powerful One, who is Father, Son, and Spirit who has no equal, who is working out His Will for us in all our circumstances of life. Therefore if God is for us who can be against us? Who? Who can overthrow His plans and will for us? Who? Every "stick" they yield and every "stone" they throw is simply nothing before His Everlasting OmniPresence and Power. And so it is that all that comes our way simply hastens His fulfilling His own eternally good, and grand, and glorious purposes for us.
Vs. 32 Now the reason we believe God will fulfill His purposes for us, is based on the fact that if He did not spare His own Son whom He loves from suffering crucifixion death for us, but He "...delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?"
Therefore if God has already paid the highest price to save us from everlasting destruction and ruin, how shall He not now with His Son freely give us all things? For God Himself has already paid the highest price for our redemption from sin and death would He then withhold anything less? And so it is that God Himself has inseparably linked us and our well being with Himself through His Son, guaranteeing not only our spiritual survival, but also our glorification with Christ as well.
Vs. 33 "Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies."
For anyone then too try to bring a charge against God's elect is only to be refuted by God Himself. Since He Himself has already justified us through the death and resurrection of His Son the Lord Jesus Christ. Thus our faith in Jesus not only saves us from the wrath to come, But it also perpetually justifies us in God's sight for having trusted Him through His Son (Rom 5:1). Thus whoever would bring a charge against us as God's elect would have to find fault with Christ Himself. Since Jesus not only lives in us, but He has also imputed His Righteousness to us. And so it is that it is God Himself who justifies us, for He has already met all of the legal requirements for our eternal justification.
Vs. 34 "Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us."
And thus in ascending the high notes of redemption the Apostle now asks, "Who is he who condemns?" Since all who would try to do so would have to condemn God Himself who justifies us. Again this is done because of what Jesus has already done for our justification, through His own crucifixion death and resurrection from the dead, He has secured our justification for us. But not only that Jesus ascended on High and is now seated at the right hand of God making intercession for us. Therefore to seek to condemn us would mean they would have to condemn not only us, but also God's Holy Son and all He has done to redeem us, and is now doing in His ongoing interceding for us.
Vs. 35-37 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36 As it is written: “For Your sake we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.” 37 Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.
Now since there is no one in the material or spiritual realms who can condemn us, the Apostle now asks if there is anyone or anything that could ever separate us from the love of Christ? Whether this be tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?" And so though we all as God's saints have down through the ages been the objects of this worlds wrath and contempt, to various degrees and such, as the Apostle Paul quotes from the Scripture: “For Your sake we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.” Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. Thus not only can we not be condemned by any opposing force, power, or person in this world, we cannot be defeated either. Since it is God who upholds us all against the overwhelming opposition, who though they may kill the body, they cannot kill the soul, since Christ has already secured us with Himself for all eternity. And so no believer should ever fear separation from God, for that is not in the realm of possibilities for us.
Vs. 38-39 38 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 created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
And so to cement that truth in our hearts and minds, indeed to build upon it to it's utmost end, the Apostle Paul now searches out every possibility, in case any traces of doubt remain. Death, life, angels, principalities or powers, things present nor things to come (i.e. our circumstances), height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. God's Sovereignty over all things assures each and every believers security In Christ and standing with God Himself. And so there is simply nothing or no-one who can separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. The only question remains then are you inside or outside of that love? For all that is Christian begins by first being In Christ. Something which requires a definitive decision to repent and believe in the Gospel through one's faith being exclusively in the Lord Jesus Christ; crucified for our sins remission and risen from the dead for our justification, and now ascended on High and seated at the right hand of God, waiting till all His enemies are made His footstool. For not until one believes in the Lord Jesus Christ as testified to in the Scriptures does God come and make His dellwing inside of us, dwelling inside each and every one of us who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ by His Holy Spirit, who not only brings us to life, but also sanctifies and seals us for eternal life. Bringing us into the love of God In Christ Jesus our Lord and placing His love inside of each and everyone of us who believe. Therefore I urge you all here and now if you have not made that decision for the Lord Jesus Christ to come and receive His invitation to everlasting life here and now (John 14:6; Rev. 22:17, 21:6-8). For by a simple prayer done in faith, inviting the Lord Jesus Christ into your heart and life to be your Lord and Savior you can have and know the love of God that is In Christ Jesus for you. Therefore simply pray something like this:
Dear Lord Jesus I believe that You were crucified for my sins and transgressions and then You rose from the dead so that I can now have new and everlasting life with You the moment I believe in You. Therefore I now invite You into my heart and life to be my Lord and Savior in Jesus' Name, amen.
Scripture Quotations
The New King James Version. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982.
Word Studies
Vs. 38-39 38 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 created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
And so to cement that truth in our hearts and minds, indeed to build upon it to it's utmost end, the Apostle Paul now searches out every possibility, in case any traces of doubt remain. Death, life, angels, principalities or powers, things present nor things to come (i.e. our circumstances), height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. God's Sovereignty over all things assures each and every believers security In Christ and standing with God Himself. And so there is simply nothing or no-one who can separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. The only question remains then are you inside or outside of that love? For all that is Christian begins by first being In Christ. Something which requires a definitive decision to repent and believe in the Gospel through one's faith being exclusively in the Lord Jesus Christ; crucified for our sins remission and risen from the dead for our justification, and now ascended on High and seated at the right hand of God, waiting till all His enemies are made His footstool. For not until one believes in the Lord Jesus Christ as testified to in the Scriptures does God come and make His dellwing inside of us, dwelling inside each and every one of us who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ by His Holy Spirit, who not only brings us to life, but also sanctifies and seals us for eternal life. Bringing us into the love of God In Christ Jesus our Lord and placing His love inside of each and everyone of us who believe. Therefore I urge you all here and now if you have not made that decision for the Lord Jesus Christ to come and receive His invitation to everlasting life here and now (John 14:6; Rev. 22:17, 21:6-8). For by a simple prayer done in faith, inviting the Lord Jesus Christ into your heart and life to be your Lord and Savior you can have and know the love of God that is In Christ Jesus for you. Therefore simply pray something like this:
Dear Lord Jesus I believe that You were crucified for my sins and transgressions and then You rose from the dead so that I can now have new and everlasting life with You the moment I believe in You. Therefore I now invite You into my heart and life to be my Lord and Savior in Jesus' Name, amen.
Scripture Quotations
The New King James Version. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982.
Word Studies
Vs. 33 charge, ἐγκαλέω; Str 1458; GK 1592; TDNT 3.496; TDNTA 394; LN 33.427; Acts 19:38, 40; 23:28, 29; 26:2, 7; Rom 8:33) 7x
"to brings charges", "to accuse", someone of some serious fault or wrong, often in a legal setting. The implication in context being that no-one can bring a condemning charge against God's elect in His courtroom, because He has already justified us through the death and resurrection of His Son.
Vs. 34 condemns, κατακρίνω; Str 2632; GK 2891; TDNT 3.951; TDNTA 469; LN 56.31 (Matthew 12:41-42; 20:18; 27:3; Mark 10:33; 14:64; 16:16; Luke 11:31-32; John 8:10-11; Rom 2:1; 8:3, 34; 14:23; 1 Cor 11:32; Heb 11:7; James 5:9; 2 Peter 2:6) 19x
Additional Resources Consulted
MacDonald, William. Believer’s Bible Commentary: Old and New Testaments. Edited by Arthur Farstad. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1995.
Strong, James. Enhanced Strong’s Lexicon. Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2001.
Louw, Johannes P., and Eugene Albert Nida. Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament: Based on Semantic Domains. New York: United Bible Societies, 1996.
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