If God Is For Us, Who Can Be Against Us?

If God Is for Us, Who Can Be Against Us?

—Romans 8:31

It has often been said, and with good reason, that when it comes to the Bible, a text without a context becomes simply a pretext, or presumption. In Romans 8:31 the question, “If God is for us, who can be against us?” is preceded by the question, “What then shall we say to these things?” Thus, before we can accurately answer the question of our chapter, we must address what “these things” are that Paul mentions.

“What then can we say to these things?” What things? The wonderful news just preceding Romans 8:28–30 is that we have a God who is watching over us and who is also at work for our good. Paul prefaced the questions of verse 31 by saying:

We know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. 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. Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified (vv. 28–30).

Then the apostle asked, “What then shall we say to these things?”—to these amazing truths? And he answered with another question: “If God be for us, who can be against us?” The obvious answer? It doesn’t matter who may be against us when almighty God Himself is for us, for He is always at work watching over us and providing for us.

GOD IS WATCHING OVER US

We find this wonderful truth wrapped in the package of one of the most quoted verses in all the Bible: “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” (Romans 8:28). I like to think of this as the secret of God’s forever family.

This family secret is confidential: “We know.” The lost world has no concept that God is watching over us and working on our behalf, but His followers do. We do not wish, or think, or hope. We know that He is. Confront the existentialist today who sees and says there is no purpose in events that are happening in life. We say, “Oh, there is definitely a purpose, but it’s confidential. Only those who love Him can unlock this truth. It’s a family secret.”

Our family secret is also constructive. Paul said, “Things work together for good.” I look back over my life, and I remember issues that came my way that, at the time, I thought were so detrimental. Now I clearly see that God allowed them for a greater purpose. In retrospect I see that God indeed worked them together for my own good, to make me more like His Son.

This truth about God’s good work is also comprehensive. Note that the verse says “all things.” Can I believe this? Had Paul said “some things” or “many things” or even “most things” are working to my good, it would be more palatable. But “all things”? Yes, even unfair things—like Joseph being held in an Egyptian jail. Difficult things? Yes, ask those early Jerusalem believers who had to leave their homes and jobs and were dispersed over the world, resulting in the spread of the gospel. “All things”—not necessarily each as an isolated event, but when woven together by God in the tapestry of the cross in our lives—“work together for good.”

Finally, our family secret is conditional. It is given to those of us who are “called according to His purpose.” Is the purpose of God—His will for your life—being accomplished in you? Are you cooperating, seeking to walk according to His guidance, and living confidently as a child of the King?

GOD IS WORKING FOR US

Paul continued with what, in essence, is a chain of five strong and interdependent links. Take away any link in the chain, and it all falls apart.

The first link is the wisdom of God: “for whom He foreknew” (Romans 8:29). The Greek word means “to know before.” We get our word prognosis from this ancient word. This is one of the most intimate words in the Greek language. God has known every intricate detail of my life before any of those details unfolded. You say, “I can’t understand all that.” Well, neither can I! But I have decided that if I could, with my finite human mind, He would really not be very big.

Next follows the will of God link: “whom He foreknew, He also predestined” (v. 29). Perhaps there is no word that causes others to bristle as much as the word predestined does. And it just might be one of the most misunderstood of all words. It comes from two Greek words meaning “before” and “horizon.” In eternity past God set out some boundaries before the horizon. Predestination doesn’t have anything to do with people; it has everything to do with purposes. In the text, Paul indicated we are “predestined”—to what?—“to be conformed to the image of His Son.” Election deals with people. But predestination deals with God’s purposes, with His will for us.

Firmly attached to these links of God’s wisdom and will is the way of God: “whom He predestined, these He also called” (v. 30). God “issued a summons” to us in two calls. The outward call we hear from the preacher or a teacher or when we read a challenging book. But there is also the inward call from our God who is working for our benefit, speaking to our hearts, Spirit to spirit. God is working. First, God foreknows, then He predestines, and then He calls.

Next in the chain—after God’s wisdom, will, and way—comes the work of God: “whom He called, these He also justified” (v. 30). The Greek word means “to make pure and free.” It is not our own works that justify us; only the finished work of Christ on the cross makes us able to stand before our holy God. In an act of indescribable grace, God imputed to our account the righteousness of Christ. No court of law can justify. It may acquit or pardon, but only a righteous God can take someone guilty like me and justify me, treating me as if I have never sinned! We are “justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus” (Romans 3:24).

The final link in this chain is about the worship of our great God: “whom He justified, these He also glorified” (Romans 8:30). The verb tense in all of these links is amazing. It indicates an action in the past that has been completed. In other words, God speaks of our coming glorification as if it is already done. Justification means I have been saved from the penalty of sin by Jesus’ death on the cross on my behalf. Sanctification means I am being saved from the power of sin right now. And glorification means one day I will be saved from the very presence of sin because I will be with my Lord and Savior in heaven.

God is watching over us, and He is working for our good. No wonder Paul asked, “If God be for us, who can be against us?”

Q & A: “If God be for us, who can be against us?” Since God is for us—stop at that fact and be amazed. The all-powerful, all-loving, always good, always wise God is on your side! Who can be against you then? Nothing and no one.