In Romans 8:31-39, Paul concludes his theological essay that he began in Romans 1.
To Recap – the progression of assurance
- Humans are alienated from God – “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”
- The promise of salvation comes from faith in Jesus Christ. “He was delivered to death for our sins and raised to life for our justification.”
- This justification results in peace with God. “Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand.”
- Not only do we have peace with God, but we also have eternal life. “But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life.”
- While we still struggle with sin, we have victory through the power of the Spirit living in us, and we have NO condemnation! “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”
- We await our final redemption with patience and hope. “But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.”
Rhetorical questions
When Paul gets to these final verses of chapter 8, he is on what we used to call shouting ground! And he calls us to respond – what shall we say? This God, who loved us amid our sin, sent His Son to live, die, and live again for us. Then He poured out His Spirit into our lives – how do we respond to this great love?
Then Paul asks his famous rhetorical questions:
- If God is for us, who can be against us?
- He who did not spare his own Son—how will he not also graciously give us all things?
- Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen?
- Who then is the one who condemns?
- Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?
Paul’s declaration – the celebration of assurance
We must note that this great assurance is based solely on God. He’s the covenant keeper. God promises to complete the work He has begun. In commissioning us to take His message to the world, He promised never to leave us. We can count on Him!
It’s because we can count on Him that we serve Him today. We would fall away without His call, provision, and sanctifying power.
So what is this most excellent assurance?
There is nothing and no one that can separate us
from the love of God!
O Love that will not let me go,
I rest my weary soul in thee.
I give thee back the life I owe,
that in thine ocean depths its flow
may richer, fuller be.O Light that follows all my way,
I yield my flickering torch to thee.
My heart restores its borrowed ray,
that in thy sunshine’s blaze it’s day
may brighter, fairer be.Joy that seekest me through pain,
I cannot close my heart to thee.
I trace the rainbow through the rain,
and feel the promise is not vain,
that morn shall tearless be.O Cross that liftest up my head,
George Matheson
I dare not ask to fly from thee.
I lay in dust, life’s glory dead,
and from the ground there blossoms red,
life that shall endless be.
