Romans 8: Opposition
Romans 8:31-32; Romans 5:8
“What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us? 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?”
Romans 8:31-32 NASB1995
After researching and contemplating and absorbing the deep lessons in Romans 8:28-30, Paul now asks one of his typical questions to ensure his audience is listening (these are common throughout his epistles). What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us? And his answer, in the form of another question, should make every believer stop what they are doing at this moment and get on their knees in thanksgiving, praise and humility before God. God delivered His own Son over (to cruel humanity) and did not spare Him from taking on all of our sin for all time and dying on the cross. When Paul talks about God and Jesus freely giving us all things, he is not talking about getting a fancy car or a mansion in the country or that nice cruise vacation or promotion you covet. He is talking about how God and Jesus will provide all of those things we need through the Holy Spirit when we are opposed in our beliefs.
Many people who say they are Christians in this country want to be comfortable or at least be left alone. I had a conversation the other day with someone from the mainstream church we left in 2019 due to that denomination’s rapidly increasing apostasy. She is rarely attending there now, or really anywhere else. She wants to be “comfortable” at church, so they are just not going to church very much. I think in her mind, it’s just not worth it to be told things that make you uncomfortable, like hearing about Hell or sin or God’s judgment or, in the case of our previous church, to be bored by ritual and shallow sermons. In fact, the denomination we left has pretty much adopted a universalist viewpoint, questioning whether Hell even exists, even though Jesus mentioned it multiple times in his Earthly ministry. It’s so much easier to adapt to culture, normalize sin and make it softer on the pew-sitters than to strengthen believers to hold the line.
We have had a long history of freedom in the US to pursue our faith as we see fit, but the climate is changing rapidly (and I’m not talking about the weather). Our new church supports large ministries in Pakistan and India, where persecution of Christians is quite prominent. People are put to death in Pakistan or jailed for extended periods of time for Christian proselytizing. In India, families that convert are shunned by their communities and in the workplace, at a minimum. In this country, we still have “freedom of religion”, but we are now at a cultural crossroads, with more and more pressure on Christians in corporations, churches and organizations to compromise beliefs to accommodate rapidly-changing societal norms that go against God’s commands. If our country emulates the Chinese and implements a social credit score for individuals (an ESG or Environmental/Social/Governance rating is already being used for corporations), then your ability to work for any company or even move around the country freely or live in certain states will be hampered if you insist on your beliefs taking priority in your life. That’s again a reason why so many just want to be “comfortable” and don’t want to choose; a recent analysis by Pew researchers determined that Christianity will be a minority belief in this country as soon as 2045, with only 64% now stating a belief, as opposed to numbers above 90% thirty years ago. The younger generations are not embracing faith or are abandoning it in record numbers, due to those same societal pressures. The skeptics, atheists, materialists and cultural warriors are rejoicing at this news. I should know - I used to be one of those skeptics/agnostics and the Barb from 30-40 years ago would be ecstatic to see Christianity die out. Now I’m devastated and in deep mourning for the loss of our moral compass and the inroads that our enemy has made. Take away our creature comforts and television streaming and then we’ll see what happens to faith when the going gets tough.
So back to Paul’s question: If God is for us, who can be against us? We must be discerning to know what God is for; it is true that many atrocities in history have been justified by thinking that God was “for” that particular action. But He is truly for the believer, the person who is known through His mercy, elected to be saved, justified by faith, working for sanctification and anticipating glorification. He will sustain us - He gave us the ultimate sacrifice, as Paul also notes in Romans 5:8
“But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”
Romans 5:8 NASB1995
I also found a great Sermon ending from Pastor Steven Cole on this topic. This link came through the Precept Austin group:
Thus the only reasonable response is that which Paul mentions in Philippians 3:8, to count all other things as loss “in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.” I confess that my sufferings for Christ are mere trifles compared with what our brothers and sisters around the world are enduring. I’ve had to endure some criticism and slander. Big deal! A few have tried to get me fired, but so far no one has tried to kill me.
A recent Vision Beyond Borders newsletter told of a brother in an unnamed, closed Buddhist country in southeast Asia who is committed to take the gospel to every Buddhist monastery in that country. Several years ago, he and a friend were headed to a village to share the gospel when they offered a ride to a woman walking along the road. She invited them into her home for a meal. After dinner, they showed the Jesus film to her and some neighbors she invited over. Some of the neighbors called the police and this evangelist went to prison for seven months.
After he was released, he excitedly reported, “You’ll never guess what God did. He allowed us to go to prison to bring the gospel to the prisoners! We shared the gospel with 180 prisoners, led 20 to faith in Jesus Christ, and baptized 8 in prison.” One of the converted prisoners has now led 11 men to Christ in that prison. Later, he was arrested again and had many opportunities to witness, including sharing the gospel with the prison warden. He said that he feels that God has given him a prison ministry.
Where is your ministry? Have you encountered any opposition in it? If you stand for the truth of the gospel, even if you do so with grace and love, you will probably encounter opposition. You can joyfully endure it by focusing on God’s love as seen in His giving even His own Son to die for your sins.
Are you comfortable or are you willing to start your own “prison ministry”? I pray that God provides me with all that I need to move out of my comfort zone. Oh, and make sure that you return the favor to God and be for HIM in all that you do.
My next devotional will examine Romans 8:33-36, Who Condemns?
Sermons by Steven Cole are copyright 2011 and found on Bible.org and through the compilations on Precept Austin.