If God be for us, who can indeed be against us?

Read this extremely encouraging tidbit from my pastor’s (Charles Biggs) exposition on Romans. You can read the whole thing here; scroll down to Favorites/Special Editions. It is the one titled "The Christ of Romans".

Paul wants us to understand the story of our lives from the perspective of being in Christ even when we suffer and find circumstances difficult to bear- -when we most feel like quitting and giving up in the Christian life! Paul says that the tribulation has purpose (Rom. 5:3-5), and it has meaning in Christ, because we suffer in Christ as God’s children in this world of sin and misery.

So don’t be moved by difficult circumstances, but look to Christ the exalted Lord! As God did not leave Jesus in the tomb, so he will not leave us or forsake us! Rather, he will raise our bodies and we will physically be resurrected to take part in a glorious body like Christ’s (Rom. 8:22-25; 1 Cor. 40-58).

What a grand and gracious story that has meaning and makes sense of our lives! Whatever comes our way, however we groan with the creation in this present age (Rom. 8:22), we know that nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus! Nothing spiritual or material, holy or demonic, can ever take away God’s love and purpose for us “in Christ”.

If God be for us, who can indeed be against us?

I have been using Charles' teaching (you can find his audio sermons on Romans here) and outline as a guide as my kids and I read through Romans, and we are currently memorizing Romans 8:31-39. I told my kids that if they remember nothing else specifically of what we study in Romans, this is the thing I want indelibly etched on their brains.

If God be for us, who can indeed be against us?