Romans 8:18–39 - The Bible's Greatest Chapter, Part II
Nothing will ever separate you from the love of God!
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CONTEXT: The first half of this greatest chapter announced that 'there is now now condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus,' because 'God did' what we could not: keep His righteous requirement. He has 'adopted' us and made us sons of God.
Romans 8:18–39 (NASB95)
18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us. 19 For the anxious longing of the creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God. 20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God.
22 For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now. 23 And not only this, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body. 24 For in hope we have been saved, but hope that is seen is not hope; for who hopes for what he already sees? 25 But if we hope for what we do not see, with perseverance we wait eagerly for it.
26 In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words; 27 and He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.
28 And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. 29 For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; 30 and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified.
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.
Canons of Dordt
Point V, Article 3: God’s Preservation of the Converted
Because of these remnants of sin dwelling in them and also because of the temptations of the world and Satan, those who have been converted could not remain standing in this grace if left to their own resources. But God is faithful, mercifully strengthening them in the grace once conferred on them and powerfully preserving them in it to the end.
Summary
The Bible in general, and the book of Romans in particular, make several massive promises and sweeping statements regarding our salvation and security in Christ. Just this week we've read that since we have been justified in Christ, we have peace with God and that as adopted sons of God, we are heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ.
But one thing the Bible never promises is that life will be easy. In fact, it assures us of quite the opposite! Earlier this year, we read one of the Bible's most famous passages -Psalm 23 - which tells of some green pastures and still waters along the way, but centers around the reality that life is a journey through the darkest valley. And the massive claims of the first half of Romans 8 get tempered by the condition set at the end of v17, explaining that Christ's fellow heirs must suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him.
But this second half of the Bible's greatest chapter assures you that not only are the sufferings of this present time not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us, but that we are so firmly held in God's loving hand that nothing will be able to separate us from it.
Dig Deeper
Today's passage provides a big part of the Biblical foundation for two key Reformed doctrines - the U and the P in our beloved TULIP acronym:
Unconditional Election - God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, who are called according to His purpose. Paul unpacks who such people are: those God foreknew and predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son.
Perseverance of the saints - Nothing... will be able to separate us from the love of God. As the Canons summarize, God is faithful, mercifully strengthening [His elect] in the grace once conferred on them and powerfully preserving them in it to the end.
ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Father, who is for us, so then who could be against us?
ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that you will live as one who has overwhelmingly conquered through Him who loved you;
ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED:
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