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Romans 8:28-39 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. (29) For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. (30) Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified. (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.
In Romans 8:28-39, Paul talks about the issue of sonship. Genuine believers are not just children of God as a result of being created by God. Believers are adopted into God's family with the full rights of inheritance.
The role of the Holy Spirit is crucial in this adoption process as He leads us, confirms our sonship, and puts the cry of a son into our hearts.
Verse 28: No matter what the circumstances of life may be, God promises that all things work together for our good. That is to say they will ultimately benefit us. This is always true for the person who fits a two-fold description. First, Paul is talking about those who love God. In the Greek, this phrase is placed early in the sentence for emphasis, like this: And we know that to those who love God ...
Second, it is true for those who are the called according to God's purpose. Since "many are called, but few are chosen" (Matthew 22:14), calling alone is insufficient. The person needs to have responded to that call with faith and be someone who actively loves God.
Verses 29-30: God has predestined us to be conformed to the image of His Son. (See 1 John 3:2) He foreknew us, predestined us, called us, justified us, and glorified us. Note how Paul talks about our being glorified in the past tense? This is because Christ has already been glorified and we are in Christ. However, the practical fulfilment of our glorification will take place at the resurrection.
Verses 31-34: In view of everything he has said so far in his epistle, Paul's conclusion is that God is for us, on our side, and therefore nothing can effectively be against us. After all, God did not even spare His own Son and has given us the Holy Spirit as a guarantee of our inheritance.
There is no longer any charge against us since God has justified us and made us fully righteous. Nor is there any longer any condemnation from God, as Christ has died for us, been raised from the dead, sits at the right hand of the Father, and makes intercession for us.
That is not to say that Jesus is spending all His time praying for us. Rather, the very fact that He is now at the Father's right hand is evidence that He was successful in His mission to atone for our sins. His intercession means that He is the continual guarantee that all the benefits of His sacrifice are ours.
Verses 35-39: In short, absolutely nothing. Paul's point here is that despite all the seemingly negative experiences we may go through in life, there is nothing powerful enough to set a wedge between us and God's love.
Verse 37: The words translated "we are more than conquerors" could better be translated as "we hyper-conquer." This verb was used to describe the total defeat of an enemy. So how do we hyper-conquer? Certainly not through our own strength or ability, but through Christ who loved us.
How confident do you feel that all the circumstances of life work together for your good? Do you believe this in the tough times too?
In what way are you cooperating with God's plan to conform you to the image of Christ?
What does it mean that Jesus is interceding for us?
Why are the negative circumstances of life unable to separate us from God's love?
Have you experienced what it means to hyper-conquer? What is the key to this experience?
If you like these Expository Bible Studies, don't forget to check out our Topical Bible Studies too.