The Christian pilgrimage is rarely ever smooth sailing. There are numerous peaks and troughs along the way. At times you may feel as though you’ve strayed too far away from God. Have you considered yourself to have sinned beyond the riches of His grace and forgiveness? This couldn’t be any further from the truth. When troubled by such feelings, it is vital that we remember our position in Christ and God’s commitment to us which make us secure in Christ.
Our Position in Christ
Few passages fill the believer with confidence in their in their position in Christ as Romans 8:31-39 does. It is the climax of Paul’s explanation of the implications of our justification from Romans 5:1 through to Romans 8:30. There is a logic – “a gospel logic” as Sinclair Ferguson writes, “which is a fundamental element in bringing us assurance of salvation.”[1] This can be broken down into four parts when we work backwards from verses 39-31 where Paul makes four assertions set alongside four proofs to support them.
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1. No Separation
For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, 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.
(Romans 8:38-39)
There is nothing that can separate you from the love of God. (Romans 8:38-39). You will be confronted by diverse trials on many fronts in both the physical and spiritual realms. But nothing nor no one, no power or influence can separate you from the love of Christ (Romans 8:35-36). You can be certain of this because God is greater than any earthly father, and like any human father, He determines to protect you all the more in the face of danger. Additionally, you are more than a conqueror in Christ (Romans 8:37). Hence, you can stand confident in the face of such destructive opposition because Christ loves you, and no enemy or calamity can separate you from His love.
2. No Condemnation
34 Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us.
(Romans 8:34)
In Christ, you are no longer condemned. He is the only one who holds the power to possibly condemn us (John 5:22; Romans 2:16), but never will. He is seated at the right hand of God, not waiting to condemn us, but making intercession for those who have believed in Him (Romans 8:34).
3. No Accusation
Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies.
(Romans 8:33)
Fear of accusation of sin and guilt comes from both Satan and yourself. Preach the gospel to yourself daily. Remind yourself that there was nothing you did to obtain your salvation, and there anything you do to lose it either. This is because the God who can accuse us is the God who justifies us – declares us righteous and forgiven in His own sight (Romans 8:33; Romans 4:5; 3:21-26, 26-28; Romans 8:29-30). Thus, our justification is undergirded by the very nature and character of God Himself.
4. No Opposition
What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?
(Romans 8:31-32)
The question in verse 31 is a first-class conditional. In this context, “if” implies no doubt. Paul is effectively saying that since it is true that since God is for us, it is true that no one can be against us. There will be opposition from all angles – the world, the flesh and the devil – but we will prevail over them. What evidence do we have for this? That God did not withhold His Son, the greatest sacrifice of all for our sake. If God did not hold onto what was most costly, we can be assured that He will meet our every need – no matter the cost – including your assurance of salvation.
God’s Commitment to Us
We see God’s commitment toward us in how He has gifted us with eternal life. Remember, there is a logic to the gospel. As basic as it sounds, we ought to remember what eternal life is. The promise of eternal life is that when Christ’s returns, believers will be raised to eternal life with Jesus (John 6:40). It is both a future hope and a present possession. As a believer, you have eternal life. You will never perish. You are safe in the arms of Jesus, and by virtue of that, safe in the arms of God as He and the Father are one (John 10:30).
Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.
(John 5:24)
My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.”
(John 10:27-30)
Our Response
Preach the gospel to yourself daily. Remind yourself of your position in Christ and God’s commitment to you. Only then will you begin to know and believe that you haven’t strayed too far away from God. You can stop running from God and run back to Him because His arms are wide open. You’re no longer condemned but forgiven if you have trusted in Christ for salvation. Confess your sin and repent. Put to death the sin in your life which strains your relationship with God and hinders your progress as you determine to live for Him (Colossians 3:5-10; Hebrews 12:1). Commit yourself to the meditation and study of Scripture (Joshua 1:8; Psalm 1:2). Seek God in prayer (Colossians 4:2; Galatians 4:6). Commit yourself to the life of a local church. All this is integral to intentionally strengthening your communion with God so that your relationship with Him may flourish.
[1] Sinclair B. Ferguson Maturity: Growing Up and Going On in the Christian Life (The Banner of Truth Trust, 2020), 71
