Pioneer Christian Monthly - February, 1998

If God Is For Us, Who Can Be Against Us?
Jim Moerman

One of my favorite words in the entire Webster's Dictionary is the word "encourage." When you encourage someone, you put "in courage." If a day goes by without giving someone the gift of encouragement, we've probably missed the mark that day, because the Bible tells us to encourage each other daily. Besides, everyone's Courage Reservoir has a slow leak in it.

The overall message of the Bible is "in-couraging." Paul's letter to the Romans describes that overall message. Jog with me please.

FROM WRATH TO RECONCILIATION

It begins with the frightening news that the freight train of God's wrath is a-rumbling down the tracks on a certain collision course with "all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness." (1:18). Look out, because the carnage is going to be great! And that wrath is absolutely inescapable since "there is no one righteous, not even one!" (3:10)

Into this Bad News leaps the Great News of our Justification by Faith--that now, "a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe!" (3:21,22). The consequences of this free gift is that the freight train of God's wrath is diverted and that "we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ." (5:1).

Whew!

Yes, we struggle with sin (Romans 6 and 7). Yes, we suffer in this life (Romans 8). "But our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us." (8:18). What we know for certain is that "in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose." (8:28). So be In-Couraged!

"What, then, shall we say in response to ALL this? 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?" (8:31-32)

MARVEL--OR YAWN

Usually, the more we know about something, the less we marvel at it. Recently I had the privilege of taking my children up to the cockpit of a Boeing 767 while we were 39,000 feet up. We were in awe. The array of gauges, gadgets, and gizmos was enough to keep my jaw dragging on the ground. How could this massive piece of complex machinery be cruising through the air with the greatest of ease? The pilot, on the other hand, was apparently bored out of his mind. Fully versed in the principles of aerodynamics, he yawned, cleaned his nails, and complained about the lousy airline food.

Now consider Professor Paul. As an ex-Pharisee, he had complete Old Testament understanding. Hand-picked as a youngster, he had the benefits of a first-rate education. With the brilliance of an international Jeopardy champion, he could understand complex mysteries. ("Paul." / "Theology for $400" / "That Divine magnanimous declaration "not guilty" / "What is Justification?" / "Correct!"). To top it all off, he had a supernatural revelation from Jesus Christ on the Road to Damascus! It is safe to say that Paul understood God's revelation and dealings in the world better than anyone! Question: does Paul marvel less? No, he marvels more! In fact, at one point he throws his pen in the air and cries out, "Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God!" (Romans 11:33).

So when Paul asks "What, then, shall we say in response to ALL this?" (8:31), he's talking about the entire mighty display of free grace to lost sinners who deserve God's wrath that's been under the microscope for eight chapters now. And the remarkable conclusion Paul draws as he contemplates ALL that God has done is this: "I think, dear brethren . . . hmmm, considering everything . . . it appears . . .yes, yes, God is FOR us!" For if God was against us, He surely wouldn't have done "ALL this!"

WHO GOT BOB?

And convinced of the truth that "God is for us," we are blessed with its equally mighty corollary: "SINCE God is for us, who can be against us?" When I was kid in Junior High School in Southern Alberta, every noon hour--spring or fall, rain or shine, Chinook high winds or just plain old high winds--we played football. After a five-minute sandwich-gulping contest, we swaggered out to the gopher-hole infested football field and pretended to be CFL champions. (Yes, we were proud CFL-ers back then! I was Tom Wilkinson the Great.)

But whenever we played, the outcome of the game didn't really depend on brainy quarterbacks, nimble-footed receivers, or powerful backfields. The outcome of the game did not depend on the condition of the field, the weather, the wind factor, or penalty infractions. Everything--everything--boiled down to this simple question: WHO ... GOT ... BOB? Because if Bob was for us, who could be against us? (We could've saved our mothers so much grief--and laundry--by simply choosing teams, deciding who got Bob, and reading books in library!)

God--yes, GOD--is for us! Not passively like a fair weather friend, but with firm commitment! Not with the emotional detachment of a wicked stepmother, but with high hopes and strong love! He's proven His intentions with "ALL this!" He brings everything in His possession and power to bear on His commitment to be for us--all His attributes of Compassion, Wisdom, and Power! All His promises of Salvation, Hope, and Mercy! Wow!

WRAPPING PAPER

Do you need more proof? Good--because there's plenty! He proves that He is for us in this: "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?" (8:32). This is an echo of Abraham's experience with Isaac in Genesis 22. "Do not lay a hand on the boy," (THE LORD) said (TO ABRAHAM). "Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son."

God knew that if Abraham was willing to give up his only son, Isaac, there would be nothing Abraham wouldn't do or give up. God, of course, was right. And in similar fashion, because God has already given His Only Begotten Son, we have proof that He will graciously give us "all things." If God has already given the outrageously Expensive Gift of Jesus Christ to those who were once His enemies, He will certainly provide everything necessary for our salvation and God's purposes for us, His children. Because compared to Christ, everything else is just wrapping paper!

So take courage, my friend. Marvel in the riches of His grace. God is FOR you! And if God is FOR you, who or what can be against you?

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