There is a statement made in the book ‘Epiphanies of the Ordinary’ with which I wholeheartedly agree: “I try to live each day with a sense of the unrelenting benevolence of God for me and for my house… It is a choice we can make to accept that ‘God is for us.'” (‘Epiphanies of the Ordinary’, Charlie Cleverly, P 132).
Some people find it easy to believe that God is for us. They quote Romans 8:31 TNIV and consider the matter settled. (‘If God is for us, who can be against us?’) However, the linguist in me sometimes balks at that little word ‘if’ and I can easily wonder ‘ah, but is God really for us?’ That is why it is important to read the whole context of Scripture and not just take things in isolation. The whole tenor of the passage in Romans 8 is that Paul is building his argument relentlessly. Because of Christ’s sacrifice for us, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus (Rom 8:1 TNIV). We are living in the realm of God’s Spirit now (Rom 8:2-12 TNIV). We are God’s children and have all the rights and privileges of sonship (Rom 8:14-17 TNIV). Suffering is temporary and future glory awaits us (Rom 8:18-27 TNIV). God’s sovereign plans to make us into the image of His Son are unstoppable (Rom 8:28-29 TNIV). Nothing will be able to separate us from Christ’s love (Rom 8:38-39 TNIV). It is from this context of looking at all God has done for us that Paul says ‘What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?’ (Rom 8:31 TNIV) In this context, the ‘if’ is not implying uncertainty or doubt, but is resonant with assurance and confidence. No wonder he says ‘we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.’ (Rom 8:37 TNIV)
Not everyone feels confident about God’s ‘unrelenting benevolence for me and for my house’, especially when the storms of life hit. In fact, Charlie Cleverly remarks “Many feel uncertain and find they have developed a kind of Achilles’ heel in this area, so need daily doses of realisation of the constant covenant love and good intentions of God for them.” (ibid.)
If you’re in that position of sometimes doubting that God is indeed for you, I recommend a very slow perusal of Romans 8 and listening to songs based on that Scripture, such as Aaron Shust’s ‘God Is For Us’ as part of the ‘daily dose of realisation’ you need:
“You work together for our good.
You are loving.
You give us more than we deserve.
You are unfailing.
And we are more than conquerors, Saviour,
In You our future is secure.
And by Your power
We will not be shaken,
We will not be silent.
Sin is powerless,
Our God is for us.
Consider all that He has done
Our sin He carried,
And by His wounds we’ve overcome
And now we stand redeemed.
And we are more than conquerors, Saviour,
In You our future is secure.
And by Your power
We will not be shaken,
We will not be silent.
Sin is powerless,
Our God is for us.
We will not be broken
We won’t be defeated.
Death is powerless,
Our God is for us.
We will sing, sing out
Sing for the hope found in His love.
We will sing, sing out,
Sing to our God.” (‘God Is For Us’, Aaron Shust)
‘God Is For Us’, Aaron Shust