Life as an Heir of God: A Look Into Romans 8Намуна

Day 6: God Is on Your Side

If God is for us, who can ever be against us? Since he did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all, won’t he also give us everything else? (Romans 8:31-32 NLT)

God is on our side.

Our instinct says it should be the other way around—that we need to be on his side rather than assume that he’s on ours—and Scripture affirms that. But it also tells us that God is for us (Psalm 118:6; 124:1-2). If you’ve ever wondered whether God really wants to answer your prayers, if he loves you because he has to and not because he actually has any affection for you, or if he fills your life with hardship because you need so much correction, this is good news.

In fact, he has demonstrated how strongly he loves, upholds, defends, protects, and provides for us by giving up his own Son for us. Why, after showing us such enormous generosity, would he start withholding things now?

The evidence of God’s favor runs deep in Romans 8. God has freed us from the power of sin and death (8:1-13), made us his children and heirs (8:14-17), promised us glory and new bodies (8:18-25), works in all things on our behalf and through us for our good and his glory (8:28-30), and has given us his Son and “everything else” (8:31-32). Both the Spirit and the Son pray with us and for us (8:26-27, 34). We can never be separated from the love of God and Christ, through whom we have overwhelming victory (8:35-39). What more could we want?

Yet for children of an invincible God who has clearly shown us his favor, we far too easily give in to a defeatist attitude. Perhaps we’re overly focused on our circumstances, or maybe we just forget how extravagant God’s gifts and promises are. No matter how astonishing our eternity is, our here-and-now can be difficult. That’s why Paul aims to elevate our vision.

Re-Envision Your Standing

The courtroom language of accusation and condemnation in 8:33-34 echoes Paul’s declaration that there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ (8:1). If we were accused of a crime and had no way to refute the evidence against us, we would expect a guilty verdict and lose hope. But our Father is the judge, our brother is the defense attorney, and the prosecutor has no credibility. The whole scenario swings dramatically in our favor. A guilty verdict isn’t even in the picture. A joyful, fulfilling future is assured. God really is on our side.

Live all of life with that perspective. Refuse to see it as a distant hope obscured by today’s challenges. Embrace the joy of it now. Trust that God will give you everything you need to experience the abundant life Jesus promised (John 10:10).