31What, then, shall we say in response to this? 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, along with him, graciously give us all things? 33Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. 34Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. 35Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 36As it is written:
"For your sake we face death all day long;
we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered."
37No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.(NIV)
Main Points and Discussion Questions
1. God is for His people, so any opposition they receive in this life will not ultimately matter in the least (vv. 31-34).
a) He who gave us what cost Him the most dearly (i.e. His Son) will not fail to give us “all things” (vv. 31-32).
What are these “things”?
-Things we need for life and godliness (2 Pet 1:3, Php 4:19, Matt 6:33)
-Things for us to enjoy (1 Tim 4:8; 6:17)
-Things that we will NOT enjoy (i.e. trials and tribulations) but will nevertheless prepare us for glory, by purifying our character and increasing our hope (Rom 5:3-5; 2 Co 4:17-18; Heb 12:10-11; 1 Pet 1:3-7
Discussion Question 1: Some teachers and theologians have suggested that Rom 8:32 should memorized by all Christians. Why is a passage like this especially worth committing to memory?
b) No matter how often we may be accused by the world and by Satan, no accusation can prevail against us because God has already pronounced his “verdict” over us (vv. 33-34).
-Paul echoes some rhetorical questions, found in the Old Testament, which reveal complete, fearless confidence in God (see Ps 27:1, Isa 50:8-9a)
-Jesus is our intercessor and ‘defense attorney’! (1 Jn 1:8-2:2; Heb 7:25) So how can we lose?
Discussion Question 2: There may be times when Satan will accuse us, and yet there may be other times when we’ll be genuinely convicted by the Holy Spirit for our sin. How do we know the difference?
2. No one or nothing can diminish or destroy Christ’s love for His people (vv. 35-39).
-Paul can confidently say that not even “hardship, persecution, famine, nakedness, danger or sword” can separate us from God’s love, because he had been through most of these himself (2 Co 4:8-9; 11:26-27; 12:10) and yet here he is, proclaiming the greatness and glory of God!
Discussion Question 3: An author has said, “Just as Romans is the high peak of Scripture, so Romans 8 is the high peak of Romans.” Based on our studies of this chapter over the past month, would you agree with his assessment? Why or why not?
