What then shall we say in response to these things?This phrase serves as a rhetorical question, prompting reflection on the preceding verses in
Romans 8, which discuss the assurance of salvation, the work of the Holy Spirit, and the love of God. The apostle Paul is encouraging believers to consider the implications of God's promises and actions. The phrase invites readers to ponder the overwhelming evidence of God's faithfulness and power. It echoes the style of Jewish rabbinical teaching, where questions are used to provoke deeper thought and understanding.
If God is for us,
This statement affirms the central theme of divine support and favor. The phrase "God is for us" suggests a covenant relationship, reminiscent of God's promises to Israel in the Old Testament, such as inDeuteronomy 31:6, where God assures His people of His presence and support. It underscores the idea that God, as the sovereign Creator, is actively working for the good of those who love Him, as stated earlier inRomans 8:28. This assurance is rooted in the character of God, who is unchanging and faithful.
who can be against us?
This rhetorical question emphasizes the futility of opposition when God is on one's side. It reflects the biblical theme of God's protection and victory over adversaries, as seen in passages likePsalm 118:6 andIsaiah 54:17, which declare that no weapon formed against God's people will prosper. The phrase suggests that any earthly or spiritual opposition is ultimately powerless in the face of God's omnipotence. It also points to the ultimate victory achieved through Jesus Christ, who conquered sin and death, ensuring that no force can separate believers from the love of God.
Persons / Places / Events
1.
Paul the ApostleThe author of the Book of Romans, Paul was a key figure in the early Christian church, known for his missionary journeys and theological teachings.
2.
The Roman ChurchThe original recipients of the letter, the Roman Christians were a diverse group of Jewish and Gentile believers living in the heart of the Roman Empire.
3.
GodThe central figure in this verse, representing divine support and sovereignty over all creation.
4.
OppositionWhile not a person or place, the concept of opposition is crucial here, referring to any force or entity that might stand against believers.
5.
The GospelThe good news of Jesus Christ, which Paul is defending and explaining throughout the Book of Romans.
Teaching Points
Divine AssuranceBelievers can have confidence in God's unwavering support. This assurance should embolden us in our daily lives, knowing that no earthly power can ultimately prevail against us.
Understanding OppositionWhile opposition is a reality, this verse reminds us that it is ultimately powerless in the face of God's sovereignty. We should not be discouraged by challenges but rather see them as opportunities to witness God's power.
Faith Over FearThis passage encourages us to replace fear with faith. When we truly grasp that God is for us, our perspective on life's difficulties changes dramatically.
Identity in ChristOur identity as children of God means that we are under His protection. This should influence how we view ourselves and our circumstances.
Encouragement in CommunitySharing this truth within our Christian communities can strengthen and encourage one another, fostering a spirit of unity and mutual support.
Bible Study Questions and Answers
1.What is the meaning of Romans 8:31?
2.How does Romans 8:31 encourage us to trust in God's protection daily?
3.What does "If God is for us" reveal about God's sovereignty and love?
4.How can Romans 8:31 strengthen our faith during spiritual battles?
5.Connect Romans 8:31 with Psalm 118:6 on God's presence in adversity.
6.How should Romans 8:31 influence our response to life's challenges and fears?
7.What does Romans 8:31 mean by "If God is for us, who can be against us?"
8.How does Romans 8:31 provide comfort in times of adversity?
9.What historical context influenced the writing of Romans 8:31?
10.What are the top 10 Lessons from Romans 8?
11.Who can oppose us if God supports us?
12.Who can oppose us if God supports us?
13.What defines being more than a conqueror?
14.Who can condemn if God justifies us?What Does Romans 8:31 Mean
What then shall we say in response to these things?• Paul has just painted a breathtaking panorama of God’s saving work—foreknowledge, predestination, calling, justification, and glorification (Romans 8:28-30).
• “These things” encompass every facet of that plan, assuring believers that nothing in the chain will break. Similar assurance rings out inEphesians 1:3-14, where every spiritual blessing is locked in “in Christ.”
• The question, “What then shall we say?” invites worship, not debate. It is the gasp of someone who has just surveyed the Grand Canyon of grace.
•2 Corinthians 1:20 declares, “For all the promises of God find their Yes in Him,” confirming that every promise referenced is already sealed by Christ’s finished work.
If God is for us,• The statement is not hypothetical; it is a settled reality for every believer.Romans 5:1-2 has already announced our permanent peace with God through faith in Jesus.
• “For us” means God is actively, personally, and eternally on the believer’s side—guiding, protecting, providing, and interceding (Romans 8:26-27, 34).
• Echoes resound throughout Scripture:
–Psalm 118:6 “The LORD is on my side; I will not fear.”
–Isaiah 41:10 “Do not fear, for I am with you.”
–Hebrews 13:5-6 links God’s presence to fearless confidence.
• Because the Almighty is for us, His resources, wisdom, and authority back every promise He makes to us.
Who can be against us?• The question is rhetorical; countless foes may oppose, but none can ultimately prevail.
• Forces listed inRomans 8:35-39—tribulation, distress, persecution, famine, nakedness, danger, sword, even death—cannot separate us from Christ’s love.
• Old Testament history illustrates this truth: the Red Sea (Exodus 14), Goliath’s taunts (1 Samuel 17), and the Syrians surrounding Elisha (2 Kings 6:16) all collapsed under God’s supremacy.
• New Testament echoes:
–John 10:28-30 “No one will snatch them out of My hand.”
–1 John 4:4 “Greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world.”
• Opposition may bite, but it can never break the believer whose security rests in the unbeatable alliance of Father, Son, and Spirit.
summaryRomans 8:31 is a shout of triumph grounded in the unbreakable chain of God’s redemptive plan. Because the God who spoke worlds into being is irrevocably for His children, no adversary—human, demonic, or circumstantial—can finally stand against them. The verse calls believers to live boldly, worship gratefully, and rest confidently in the unstoppable love and power of God.
(31-39) Now follows the sublime and triumphant conclusion from the foregoing--expressed with passionate energy and with the most intense consciousness of the reality of a Christian belief in penetrating and sustaining the mind in all outward trials, however severe.
Erasmus remarks on this, that "Cicero never said anything grander." It is needless to add that, setting aside other considerations, Cicero was not for a moment comparable in spiritual intensity, and therefore in true eloquence, to St. Paul.
Verses 31-34. -
What shall we then say to these things? (
πρὸ ταῦτα, meaning "with respect to," not "against ").
If God be for us, who can be against us? (
τίς, not
τί, in opposition to
ὁ Θεὸς: who - what adverse power - can there possibly be, stronger than God?).
He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all (evidently not for the elect only, but for all mankind; cf. on Romans 5:18),
how shall he not with him also freely give us (
i.e. grant us of his free grace)
all things? (
πάντα, corresponding to
ὑπὲρ πάντων).
Who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect! (Not, of course, meaning that the elect, in virtue of God's choice of them, cannot, though sinful, be charged with sin; but that no possible adversary - again
τίς - can be conceived as arraigning those whom God himself accepts as justified. Observe that the word here is
ἐκλεκτῶν, not
κλητῶν as in ver. 28. Cf.
Matthew 20:16;
Matthew 22:14;
Πολλοὶ γάρ εἰσι κλητοὶ,
ὀλίγοι δὲ ἐκλεκτοί. Many may be
called to a state of salvation, but not all of them
chosen finally, as fulfilling the purpose of their calling.) It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. A different punctuation of these two verses is preferred by some, and seems more natural and more forcible; thus: Who
shall charge God's elect? God who justifieth? Who is he that condemneth? Christ who died? etc. A similar answering a question by asking another is found below in ver. 35. The further thought is thus implied that, if neither God charges, nor Christ, the Judge, condemns, who can do either? The apostle next goes on to say that, there being none to charge and condemn us at last, so also there is none that can
remove us from our state of acceptance now. For who or what can possibly prove stronger than Christ's love, which has called us to it? The enumeration that follows of things that might possibly be supposed to remove us shows again that it is not our own sins, but external circumstances of trial, that are being viewed all along as powerless to hinder our salvation.
Parallel Commentaries ...
Greek
WhatΤί(Ti)Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Accusative Neuter Singular
Strong's 5101:Who, which, what, why. Probably emphatic of tis; an interrogative pronoun, who, which or what.thenοὖν(oun)Conjunction
Strong's 3767:Therefore, then. Apparently a primary word; certainly, or accordingly.shall we sayἐροῦμεν(eroumen)Verb - Future Indicative Active - 1st Person Plural
Strong's 2046:Probably a fuller form of rheo; an alternate for epo in certain tenses; to utter, i.e. Speak or say.in response toπρὸς(pros)Preposition
Strong's 4314:To, towards, with. A strengthened form of pro; a preposition of direction; forward to, i.e. Toward.these things?ταῦτα(tauta)Demonstrative Pronoun - Accusative Neuter Plural
Strong's 3778:This; he, she, it.Ifεἰ(ei)Conjunction
Strong's 1487:If. A primary particle of conditionality; if, whether, that, etc.God [is]Θεὸς(Theos)Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 2316:A deity, especially the supreme Divinity; figuratively, a magistrate; by Hebraism, very.forὑπὲρ(hyper)Preposition
Strong's 5228:Gen: in behalf of; acc: above.us,ἡμῶν(hēmōn)Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 1st Person Plural
Strong's 1473:I, the first-person pronoun. A primary pronoun of the first person I.who [can be]τίς(tis)Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 5101:Who, which, what, why. Probably emphatic of tis; an interrogative pronoun, who, which or what.againstκαθ’(kath’)Preposition
Strong's 2596:A primary particle; down, in varied relations (genitive, dative or accusative) with which it is joined).us?ἡμῶν(hēmōn)Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 1st Person Plural
Strong's 1473:I, the first-person pronoun. A primary pronoun of the first person I.
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NT Letters: Romans 8:31 What then shall we say about these (Rom. Ro) 
