Today’s Reading: Romans 8:19-39

What then shall we say about these things? (Romans 8:31). Paul is wrapping up his explanation of the gospel in his letter to the Romans before he goes on to apply the gospel. He starts out chapter 5 talking about God’s love, gives evidence of what God has done for us out of His great love, and then concludes with the strength of God’s love – that nothing can ever separate from the love of God.

Out of His great love for us, God gave us His one and only Son, so that we could be in right standing with Him.

But God showed His great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. – Romans 5:8

So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God because our Lord Jesus Christ has made us friends of God. – Romans5:11

…Christ’s one act of righteousness brings a right relationship with God and new life for everyone. – Romans 5:18b

Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death? Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord. – Romans 7:24-25

We know that our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin. For when we died with Christ we were set free from the power of sin…and have become slaves of God. Now you do those things that lead to holiness and result in eternal life. – Romans 6:6-7,22

So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. And because you belong to him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death. – Romans 8:1-2

Out of His great love for us, God gave us the gift of the Spirit so that we could have a relationship with Him.

For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with His love. – Romans 5:5b

And Christ lives within you, so even though your body will die because of sin, the Spirit gives life because you have been made right with God…Therefore, dear brothers and sisters, you have no obligation to do what your sinful nature urges you to do. But if you live by its dictates, you will die. But if through the power of the Spirit you put to death the deeds of your sinful nature, you will live. – Romans 8:10-13

Out of His great love for us, God gives us hope for the glory that is to come.

Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory. We can rejoice, too, WHEN we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. – Romans 5:2-5a

And since we are His children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glory. But if we are to share in his glory, we must also share his sufferings. Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will reveal to us later. – Romans 8:17-18

The Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God’s own will. – Romans 8:26-27

God loves us, yet we will experience trials. God has chosen us and calls us his children, yet there will be hard times and problems. God takes these difficulties and uses them to develop and strengthen us. He gives us the Spirit to help us in our times of weakness. When we don’t know how to pray, He gives us the Spirit to pray for us – seeking out God’s will and not our own, praying in harmony with His larger plan and not ours. And we can sit back and trust that what He works out will be for our good because His love for us is SO great!

And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. – Romans 8:28

Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger or threatened with death?…No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.

And I am convinced that NOTHING CAN EVER SEPARATE US FROM GOD’S LOVE. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow – not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below – indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord. – Romans 8:35-39