Chapter 8, Verses 31-39

Rom. 8:31 "What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? 32 He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? 33 Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. 34 Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36 As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. 37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. 38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." 

Having set forth the covenant of redemption in verses 28-30, Paul begins to ask seven questions pertaining to the covenant of redemption.  The first question is: "What shall we then say to these things?"  Shall we give God all the praise, honor, and glory for redeeming us from our sins, for quickening us into spiritual life, and for giving us the hope of the resurrection?  He certainly deserves all the praise, honor, and glory based on the things set forth in the covenant of redemption.  Or shall we withhold praise from God and think of somehow given partial credit to man and his works or his actions for our new birth, or our redemption or of the hope of heaven's glory world?  Based on the things set forth in the covenant of redemption man deserves no praise.  We should say as the Psalmist in Psalms 115:1 "Not unto us, O LORD, not unto us, but unto thy name give glory, for thy mercy, and for thy truth's sake."   

The second question is: "If God be for us, who can be against us?"  Obviously, the covenant of redemption teaches us that God is on our side and he is completely for us.  Considering that he is the Creator of the Universe and has all power in heaven and earth and that he cannot fail, it really does not matter who may try to be against us.  No one; not the wicked or the devil or all the false prophets and false teachers combined and the combined powers of the entire world can unite and stand against our God.  We should rejoice because our God is for us. 

The third question is: "He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?"  This question sets forth the great love that God has for his covenant people in that he spared not his own Son.  He delivered him up for us all.  This being the case we should be fully confident that God would not withhold any good thing from us.  How much more can God give us than that which he has already given us?  With the fact that God has already given us Christ and his atoning sacrifice, God will not withhold the new birth and the resurrection from his elect people.  He will freely give us all things and for this, we should be forever grateful.  

The fourth question is: "Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth."  At one time, Satan disputed about the body of Moses: "Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee."  Satan is said to be the accuser of the brethren: Rev. 12:10, "for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night."  Satan, however, and all his false angels can no longer bring a charge against any of the elect of God.  For Christ has justified them before our God.  There is no charge that can be laid to the elect.  The price of their redemption has been paid in full and now they are legally righteous before a Just and Holy God. 

The fifth question is: "Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us."  The only one who has ever been able to condemn us is God.  It was his laws that we broke.  It is he that is judge of all the earth.  Yet, even God no longer condemns us because Christ died for us and is risen again.  Furthermore, he is now at the right hand of God and maketh intercession for us.  Eternal condemnation has been done away with by the blood atonement of Jesus Christ on behalf of the elect.   

The sixth question is: "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?"  The answer is strongly implied that no one shall be able to separate us from the love of Christ.  While many would try and Satan would try, yet none can succeed in separating us from the love of Christ.  It is impossible that anyone can separate us from the love of Christ.  For someone to separate us from the love of Christ they would have to destroy the Godhead and that just can not be done.   

The seventh question is like the sixth, but instead of who it asks what: "shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?  As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.  Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.  For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."  Paul's list of things that some might consider as being possible of separating someone from the love of Christ includes things, events, and people.  His conclusion is that it is impossible for one of God's elect to be separated from the love of Christ.  This covenant love is set forth in the covenant of redemption and it is set forth in such a way that it makes it impossible that one of the elect not be redeemed, or given spiritual life, or glorified in the resurrection.  These things are sure because God is sure and God cannot lie and we cannot be separated from the love of God.