Reading through Romans-Victory is mine through Christ!!

Romans 8:37, "No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us."

Fortunately though, Paul has some good news in 8:37: “But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us.” Paul is so excited that he coins a Greek word (hupernikao). The word translated “overwhelmingly conquer” is a word that contains the prefix “above” (huper) and the verb “conquer” (nikao). The root of this verb is the word nike.I share this with you so that when you see the Nike emblem or watch a Nike commercial, you will remember Romans 8:37. Through Christ, we are not just victorious, we “overwhelmingly conquer!” And notice that this phrase is in the present tense, which means right now this is true. Once again, the reason that you can have such confidence in your present and future experience is because of God’s sovereign choice and actions. The tense of the phrase “through Him who loved us” is a past tense. It is not simply that God loves you, although that is true. Paul’s point is that God has already done everything that needs to be done for your total security! This is a wonderful mixed metaphor, “conquering sheep.” Believers are conquerors through Christ.

Dear Holy God, thank you for doing everything that needs to be done for me to be totally secure in my eternal life with you.  I am secure and overwhelmingly victorious!!!  Praise be to your Holy name!!

Reading through Romans-Suffer for the sake of Jesus

Romans 8:36 "For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered"

In 8:36 Paul does indeed affirm that the sufferings in 8:35 b do strike believers: “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.’” Paul quotes from Psalm 44:22  where the sons of Korah lament the death of those who belong to the Lord at the hands of evil men.

The context of Ps 44 is instructive because the psalmist laments the suffering of the righteous, who have not abandoned God’s name, and yet are subjected to humiliation, defeat, and mockery. What Paul affirms in Romans is that such mockery and suffering are inevitably the lot of Christians.

Dear God, please let me consider it a blessing to endure suffering for your sake!

Reading through Romans-Oh, the enduring Love!!

Romans 8:35, "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?"

Since God set His love upon you in eternity past, He will continue to love you for all eternity. Paul makes this point inextricably clear by emphasizing the love of God or Christ three times in this section (8:35, 37, 39; cf. 5:5-8). Furthermore, the verb “separate” (chorizo) bookends this section (8:35, 39), confirming that there is no separation in your relationship with God. Paul begins with the question that is potentially the most critical question a Christian can ask: “Who will separate us from the love of Christ?” (8:35a) Of course, the answer is: No one can separate us from the love of Christ.  However, you may say, “But I don’t feel like I love Christ all the time.” No, you misread 8:35a. It’s not who is going to separate us from our love for Christ, but who is going to separate us from Christ’s love for us. I don’t know about you, but my love for Christ can fluctuate between hot and cold. If my salvation depends upon the fervency of my love for Christ, I would have already been cast into hell. Thankfully, my salvation does not depend upon my love for Christ; rather, it depends upon Christ’s love for me. His life, death, resurrection, and intercession have secured my eternal destiny. The only reason that I will spend eternity with God is because of the person and work of Jesus Christ.

Paul knows his original Roman recipients are suffering, so he brings up a list of potential obstacles to his claim that there is no separation with God: “Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?” (8:35b) Paul emphasizes both the deprivations and insecurities of life. He includes a list of seven. Interestingly, it is likely that the list itself reflects the very difficulties Paul went through in his ministry (see 2 Cor 11:26-27; 12:10). He experienced the first six items, and the seventh was always threatening him. Paul seems to imply that you can expect some of these trials as well. They may rock your faith, but God will see you through as He did with Paul.

Dearest Lord God, Thank you for your infinite and enduring love for me!  Thank you for loving me consistently even though I sometimes wander and wonder.  I do love you!

Reading through Romans-The finished work of the cross!

In 8:34 Paul asks, “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.” Christ Jesus (1) died, (2) was raised, (3) is sitting in power, and (4) is now residing at the right hand of God, interceding for us. These four acts have accomplished and secured our salvation. We can be certain! The word “intercedes” (entugchano) is also from the courtroom. It refers to the word of a defense attorney or advocate. As your defense attorney, you can count on Jesus Christ to win your case. He now lives in the presence of God, at His right hand, pleading your case before the Father. His plea for you is based on the finished and sufficient work He did on the cross. You can be sure you are eternally saved because your sins—past, present, and future—remain paid for by Jesus Christ.

Have you been struggling with a besetting sin and wondering if God will ever forgive you? Maybe there is a sin in your past that you consider to be so heinous that you wonder if your status in the family of God is lost or in jeopardy. Perhaps you’ve been apart of a crime or lived life in such a way that you wonder if the Lord will remove your relationship with Him as a consequence. Cling tightly to the understanding that if you’ve believed in Christ as your Savior He will not condemn you nor abandon you. So don’t be paralyzed by your guilt any longer. Allow God’s assurance and security to motivate you to ensure that you’re in fellowship with Christ.

Steve Winger writes about his last college test, a final in a logic class known for its difficult exams. To help students complete the final, the professor told them they could bring as much information to the exam as we could fit on a piece of notebook paper. Most students crammed as many facts as possible on their 8 ½ x 11 inch sheet of paper. But one student walked into class, put a piece of notebook paper on the floor, and had an advanced logic student stand on the paper. The advanced logic student told him everything he needed to know. He was the only student to receive an “A.” Much like this advanced student, Jesus Christ is our intercessor. He preserves our salvation through His continual intercession. Security leads to stability and productivity.

Oh Dear God thank you for releasing me from condemnation through the power of the finished and sufficient work of the cross!  I praise your holy name!!

Reading through Romans-There is no condemnation!!!

Romans 8:33-34  “Who will bring a charge against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies.”

Although you may feel condemned from time to time, God’s love for you is timeless and He will never condemn you. Paul writes in 8:33, “Who will bring a charge against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies.” This is a rhetorical question, equivalent to an emphatic denial. So the question is: Who would dare “bring a charge against God’s elect?” The answer, of course, is no one. This question is from a courtroom setting. No one can charge you with sin crimes because God has justified you. God has acquitted you and declared you righteous before His perfect justice. If God pronounced this verdict, who can resurrect the charges of wrong doing that would bring you before Him again? There is no double jeopardy in God’s legal system!

As a believer, you can be sure you are eternally secure because there is no sin that has not already been dealt with by Christ. Therefore, if God the Father went to all this work to save you, it is nonsensical to contemplate the remote possibility that you could somehow be lost. If “God is the one who justifies,” who is able to “unjustify” you? Absolutely no one!

Our security is not dependent on our ability to hang on.  Here is an example:  “Jena, will you please hold on to my pinky finger? Do you have a good grip? Will you always be able to hold on to my finger? What happens if you get tired or weak?” Jena responds, “I would lose my grip and fall down.” “That’s right! But since I’m your Dad I’m going to hold your hand and never let you go. Even if you let go of me, even if you stumble and attempt to fall, I’m going to keep you because I am strong and I have made a commitment to you.” I wish I could keep this commitment perfectly, but it’s not possible. However, God is able to hold on to Jena and every other believer. He will hold your hand with an everlasting grasp. If your salvation depends upon your hanging onto God, you are in deep trouble. But you are not going to heaven because you are hanging onto God. You’re going to go to heaven because God is holding onto you.

Dear Gracious and Loving God, Thank you for hanging on to me even when I lose my grip!

Reading through Romans-He gives us all things

Romans 8:32 "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?"

In 8:32 Paul answers the question of 8:31 with a rhetorical question: “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?”

Paul argues from the greater to the lesser. If God has done the big thing, delivering up Jesus, will He not do the little thing? For God to give up Jesus to death and then abandon you on the highway to heaven would be like a rich man spending a vast sum on a car and then leaving it on the roadside because he couldn’t afford the gasoline to run it. How absurd! That is the idea behind Paul’s argument here. Since God gave up His Son to buy your eternal life, He will certainly give you whatever you need to live for Him now. But this phrase “all things” (panta) does not include Rolls-Royces, mansions, expensive jewelry, and elaborate wardrobes. The health, wealth, and prosperity gospel teaching is a false doctrine.

Thank you Dear God for saving me from the separation I deserve from you AND for all I need each day!

Reading through Romans-God's protection

Romans 8:31 "What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?"

In spite of who or what comes against you, God is for you. In 8:31a Paul writes, “What then shall we say to these things?” This is the first of seven questions in this passage. Seven is the number of completion and perfection in the Bible. Throughout this passage, Paul’s goal is to exhaust any and every objection. “These things” (tauta) likely refers to the previous contents of his letter (1:18-8:30).4 This section is the Cliff Notes on Romans 1-8. Since Paul is astounded by God’s unconditional love he writes in 8:31b, “If God is for us, who is against us?” Notice Paul doesn’t ask the question, “Who is against us?” Rather, he qualifies the question with the phrase: “If God is for us . . .” The Greek word “if” (ei) is not a term of uncertainty, but of certainty. Paul is saying, “If God is working on our behalf (and He is), then who could succeed in opposing us?” His point is that no adversary or enemy is of any account when God is for us. Romans 8:31 was John Calvin’s life verse because it brought him much comfort and confidence. Today you may feel defeated, but Paul’s encouraging truth is that evil will never ultimately prevail. You will always be led to victory in Christ because God is for you. Today personalize the verse by adding your name: “If God is for ________, who is against__________?”

In the movie, The Lion King, the young cub Simba is being surrounded by hyenas, and he gets ready to defend himself, when his father jumps up behind Simba and roars. At that great roar, the hyenas scatter. Now the truth is, sometimes hyenas do gang up on and defeat adult male lions. But, if every created being in the universe were to gang up on God, they still would not be able to defeat Him. With that kind of God for you, who can possibly be against you? Who or what do you have to fear? No one. Nothing. Security leads to stability and productivity.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for saving me and for being for me!  Help me to lean into your protection and infinite security and love.  How great you are!