Romans 8:38-39 The Message - None of this fazes us because Jesus loves us. I’m absolutely convinced that nothing—nothing living or dead, angelic or demonic, today or tomorrow, high or low, thinkable or unthinkable—absolutely nothing can get between us and God’s love because of the way that Jesus our Master has embraced us.
Scripture Translations
Introduction Commentary
Romans 8:31-39 - Celebration of the Believer's Security
From New Bible Commentary ....
We may view this beautiful, hymn-like celebration of our security in Christ as a response to what Paul has just said (28–30, or 18–30 or even 1–30), but it is better to see it as a concluding reflection of chs. 5–8 as a whole. It falls into two parts. In the first (31–34) Paul reminds us that God is for us: in giving his Son, he has at the same time secured for us all that we need to get through this life and attain final salvation. No-one, then, is able successfully to bring any charge against us, to cause us to be condemned in the judgment. For it is God who has chosen us and justified us and his own Son who answers any indictment brought against us. The second part of the hymn (35–39) celebrates the love of God in Christ for us. It is as impossible to separate us from that love as it is to bring a charge against us. No earthly peril or disaster can do so (35b–36). Though such suffering can be expected, as Paul reminds us with his quotation of Ps. 44:22, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. Nor can any spiritual power separate us from God’s love (angels, demons and powers in v 38). Indeed, there is nothing in all creation that can remove us from the new regime in which God’s love in Christ reigns over us.
Teaching Videos
Commentaries
Romans 8:31-32
Romans 8:31-34 NIV - 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?
Believer's Bible Commentary
Romans 8:31 - When we consider these unbreakable links in the golden chain of redemption, the conclusion is inevitable! If God is for us, in the sense that He has marked us out for Himself, then no one can be successful against us.31 If Omnipotence is working on our behalf, no lesser power can defeat His program.
From the Believer's Bible Commentary
Warren W. Wiersbe - How to be right with God, yourself and others
Romans 8:31 - God is for us (v. 31). The Father is for us and proved it by giving His Son (Rom. 8:32). The Son is for us (Rom. 8:34) and so is the Spirit (Rom. 8:26). God is making all things work for us (Rom. 8:28). In His person and His providence, God is for us. Sometimes, like Jacob, we lament, “All these things are against me” (Gen. 42:36), when actually everything is working for us. The conclusion is obvious: “If God be for us, who can be against us?”
The believer needs to enter into each new day realizing that God is for him. There is no need to fear, for his loving Father desires only the best for His children, even if they must go through trials to receive His best. “‘For I know the plans that I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope’” (Jer. 29:11 nasb).
From Warren W. Wiersbe, How to be right with God, yourself and others
NKJV MacArthur Study Bible, 2nd Edition
Romans 8:32 - Paul’s point is: Would God do less for His children than He did for His enemies? freely give. This word means “to bestow out of grace.” Paul often uses it to denote forgiveness (2 Cor. 2:7, 10; 12:13; Col. 2:13; 3:13) and may intend that here. all things. Referring either to every sin the believer commits (if “freely give” is translated “forgiveness”) or to whatever is necessary to complete the purpose He had in choosing us (vv. 29, 30; cf. Phil. 1:6)
Worship Songs
Desert Song - Hillsong Worship
Romans 8:33-34
Romans 8:33-34 NIV - Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.
Believer's Bible Commentary
Romans 8:33 - We are still in a courtroom setting, but now a remarkable change has taken place. While the justified sinner stands before the bench, the call goes out for any accusers to step forward. But there is none! How could there be? If God has already justified His elect, who can bring a charge?
It greatly clarifies the argument of this verse and the following one if we supply the words “No one, because …” before each answer. Thus this verse would read, Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? No one, because it is God who justifies. If we do not supply these words, it might sound as if God is going to bring a charge against His elect, the very thing that Paul is denying!
From the Believer's Bible Commentary
The Passion Translation
Romans 8:34 TPT - Who then is left to condemn us? Certainly not Jesus, the Anointed One! For he gave his life for us, and even more than that, he has conquered death and is now risen, exalted, and enthroned by God at his right hand. So how could he possibly condemn us since he is continually praying for our triumph?
The Passion Translation footnote:
Not only does the Holy Spirit pray for us, so does Jesus Christ. Two divine intercessors are praying for you each day. Two-thirds of the Trinity are actively engaged in intercession for us. This is typified by the incident of Moses interceding on the mountain for Israel’s victory with one hand held high by Aaron (the high priest, a type of Jesus, our High Priest) and Hur (or “light,” a metaphor for the Holy Spirit, who prays with divine illumination for our good). See Ex. 17:9–13; Heb. 7:25; 9:24.
Worship Song
This I believe (The Creed) - Hillsong Worship
Romans 8:35-36
Romans 8:35-36 NKJV - 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 Your sake we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.”
NKJV MacArthur Study Bible - Second Edition
Romans 8:35 - the love of Christ. Not our love for Christ, but His love for us (John 13:1), specifically here as He demonstrated it in salvation (1 John 4:9, 10). tribulation. See note on 5:3. Here the word probably refers to the kind of adversity common to all men. distress. This refers to being strictly confined in a narrow, difficult place or being helplessly hemmed in by one’s circumstances. persecution. Suffering inflicted on us by men because of our relationship with Christ (Matt. 5:10–12).
NIV Grace and Truth Bible Study
Romans 8:36 NLT - (As the Scriptures say, “For your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep.”)
Romans 8:36 - Paul’s quotation from Psalm 44:22 in Romans 8:36 reinforces the point that these things may be expected for the people of God (indeed were expected centuries earlier when the psalm was written). Christians not only survive these things because we have the guarantee of eternal life, but we are more than conquerors because we will share in the glory of Christ (see note on Ro 8:28–30).
Romans 8:37-39
Romans 8:37-39 NKJV - Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who 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 created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
NIV Quest Study Bible
Romans 8:37 NASB - But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us.
Romans 8:37 -IN WHAT WAY ARE CHRISTIANS MORE THAN CONQUERORS? (8:37)
On the cross, it looked like Jesus was overcome. In reality, he was the overcomer! The moment he died, he broke the power of him who holds the power of death (Heb 2:14). He taught his disciples that they would have to lose their lives to really live (Lk 9:24), that they could only be great by becoming servants (Mk 10:43–44) and that the way to be exalted is to be humbled (Mt 23:12). Such ideas seem to be contradictions because we see things from the physical realm. But the fact is that even in defeat, we win because of Christ.
From the NIV Quest Study Bible
Halley's Bible Handbook Notes
Romans 8:38-39 NIV - For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Nothing can separate us from the love of Christ (vv. 31–39). He died for us. He has forgiven us. He has given Himself to us in the person of His Spirit. If we are His, no power on earth or in heaven or in hell can prevent His bringing us to Himself in the eternal presence of God. This is one of the most magnificent passages in all the Bible.
Wendy's thoughts
Romans 8:37 was the scripture that we continually declared when our daughter was diagnosed with a brain tumour at age 3. Her first name, Victoria, means victor, conqueror! And so every time we spoke her name, that was our declaration - that she was a conqueror in Jesus Name.
For me it is a scripture that creates a picture in my mind of who we are and the authority we have been given as children of God. When I declare it, I stand taller!! Thank you Jesus was we are more than conquerors because of You.
Worship Song
Surrounded (Fight My Battles) - Michael W. Smith
What a beautiful name - Hillsong
What's Next?
Some questions to consider
1. What did God say to you when studying this passage?
2. What does that mean for how you live your life? (ie is there something you believe God wants you to do differently?)
3. How can we as a Lifegroup support you?