◄ What Does Romans 8:31 Mean? ►

In the preceding verses of his epistle to the Romans, Paul expounds the most extraordinary position, unsurpassed privileges, and catalogue of blessings that belong to every believer in Christ. We, who deserve punishment, are justified, sanctified, and glorified, by the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ, simply because we have trusted Him as our Saviour.

We have been bought with a price and transferred from the kingdom of darkness into His glorious kingdom of light and life, and we are called to be holy as God is holy. We are accepted in Christ as children of God, and we are called to love others as Christ loves us, and to live and move in the power of His indwelling Holy Spirit.

Paul describes God's gracious purpose towards all who trust Him for salvation, whether they be Jew or Gentile, and reminds us that we are a holy priesthood, a royal nation, and children of the most-high God. He describes how God's loving purposes towards us reach back before the world was founded and stretch forward into an endless eternity.

He explains that God knew us before we were formed in our mothers' womb and has determined that we will be conformed into the image of His dear Son. We are accepted by God in the Beloved. We are declared righteous because of our identity with Jesus. We are made children of God and joint-heirs of His heavenly kingdom by grace - through faith in HIM.

He explains that no matter what circumstances life throws at us, what difficulties beset us on our earthly walk, or what problems we may be called upon to face, God in His grace, gathers up each and every situation, using it for our eternal benefit and His greater glory. He has even given us access to His eternal throne of grace, for mercy to find help in times of need. No wonder Paul proclaims, "What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us?"

It is astonishing to realise that this magnificent, redemptive plan of God stretches back into eternity past, and was conceived before the foundation of the earth was laid. It is amazing to realise that our salvation is part of a never-ending plan - a love-story that that stretches from eternity past, into the eternal ages that are to come. And having just spread before us the most astonishing array of privileges that are ours through faith in Jesus Christ and which describes God's unfailing plan and purpose for us through the gospel of Christ, Paul finally asks the rhetorical question... "If GOD is for us, WHO can be against us?"  And the resounding answer can only be - no-one! -  no - one!! NO ONE!  HOORAH! Praise His holy name.

God's gracious love is demonstrated through this astonishing plan of redemption and His everlasting mercy is eternally secured in His sovereign will. Paul legitimately magnifies each superlative truth and pours comfort upon all our earthly sufferings, building up his watertight argument by unfolding the unsurpassed privileges that are ours in Christ.

In consideration of all the many privileges, eternal promises, and gracious position that have been bestowed on ALL who have trusted in Christ, the only possible response for Paul's staggering question is resounding praise and everlasting thanks. "What then shall we say to all this? If God is for us, who can be against us? Who can be our foe, if God is on our side? If God is with us, who can successfully oppose us?"   

No matter what circumstances of life may lie before us and no matter what difficulties may beset our path, we must never forget, that Paul's time-honoured question, in this amazing book of Romans, commands only one ecstatic response - NO-ONE, Praise His holy name!!

Thank You, Lord, for being my Father and forgiving all my sins, not because I deserve it, but because Christ died in my place to pay the price for my sins, all of them. Thank You for all You have done for me, and that my future glorification is as equally complete in Christ as my past justification, when I first trusted Jesus as Saviour. Thank You that because I am in Christ, You are ‘for me.’ Let me never forget that amazing truth. In Jesus' name I pray, AMEN.