Confidence of Victory in Suffering

MEMORY VERSE: “He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?” —Romans 8:32

ROMANS 8:31-39

ONE of the important themes of the Book of Romans is that God is for his people, particularly in the gift of his beloved Son through whom they can approach to him, being justified freely through the merit of his shed blood. Early in the letter Paul writes, “I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation”—Rom. 1:16

The Emphatic Diaglott translation of the first verse of the lesson reads, “What shall we say, then, to these things? Since God is for us, who can be against us?” (vs. 31) Most other translations read, “If God be for us.” But since Paul has so definitely established the fact that through Christ God is definitely for his consecrated people, the Diaglott translation seems appropriate. Certainly there should be no doubt or question in any Christian’s mind as to whether or not God is for his people.

As we have noted, and as our memory verse indicates, He who spared not his own Son, but gave him up to die that we might be released from condemnation will continue to do for us through his Spirit, and in every needed way to supply all our spiritual needs. He will “freely give us all things.”

In view of this, “Who shall lay anything to the charge of God’s elect? [for] “It is God that justifieth [through Christ]. Who is he that condemneth?” The strong implication here is that there is someone who makes it a special point to condemn, and thus to discourage God’s people. We can think of none other occupying this role than Satan the Devil. He slanders and condemns the saints through whatever agencies he can use. Frequently he involves the Lord’s own people in this unholy activity. We should remember if we find ourselves, through gossip, belittling and misrepresenting our brethren, that we have been overreached by the great deceiver and maligner.

“It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.” (vs. 34) How blessed the thought that no matter what our difficulties may be, or from whatever source they come, Christ is our Intercessor at the throne of grace. We know that in view of this wonderful provision all of Satan’s efforts to destroy us as new creatures in Christ Jesus must fail.

Who then, or what, can separate us from the love of Christ? The obvious answer is, Nothing! Circled by the love of God and the love of Christ, we are protected against every attack which might be mounted to beat our courage down, and to leave us wounded and bleeding in the mire of discouragement and defeat.

Paul mentions a number of things which, apart from divine love and its provisions, might well do us injury: “tribulation,” “distress,” “persecution,” “famine,” “nakedness,” “peril,” “As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.”—vss. 35-37

Paul does not suggest that the consecrated Christian is spared from difficult experiences. No, God permits them to be “killed all the day long.” This is what is involved in their following in the footsteps of Jesus. They suffer and die with him, and are promised that if they are faithful in this they will live and reign with him.—II Tim. 2:11,12

To the brethren at Ephesus Paul wrote that we wrestle “against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places” In our lesson he assures us of victory through Christ. The Revised Standard Version reads:

“In all these things we are more than conquerors though him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death, life, nor angels, nor principalities nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”—vss. 37-39

QUESTIONS

What is one of the principal themes of the Book of Romans?

Who serves as our Advocate before the throne of heavenly grace?

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