The Amazing Love of God
Romans 8:31-39
Be dumbfounded for the glory of God!
Audio from the author
#worship
#loveOfGod
Published February 23rd, 2016
What do you say?!
Main point summary
Arc
What do you say?!
What then shall we say to these things? What do you say to them? We were created to glorify God (Isaiah 43:7). Likewise, we were saved for the glory of God (Ephesians 1:3-14). In fact, all of history aims toward this end (Romans 11:33-36). We read in Romans 1-8 about how grand is the love of God to save wicked people like us with a free gift purchased by the bloody death of Jesus on our behalf. We read about a new humanity created in Christ and new life given to all who believe. We read about true freedom and the power to live life pleasing to God. And we read about our adoption into the divine family which will never be undone, and the hope of eternal resurrection. And thus we are left with the only question that fits— what shall we say to these things?! God forbid that we do not respond! Perhaps we are speechless in awe. Good! Dumbfoundedness of this nature honors the Lord. Perhaps we shout "hallelujah!" Let our voices be loud indeed. We were made to worship, and God has most certainly earned it.
notes
1352267675833 What do you say?! 1455788489 1455789910 What then shall we say to these things? What do you say to them? We were created to glorify God (Isaiah 43:7). Likewise, we were saved for the glory of God (Ephesians 1:3-14). In fact, all of history aims toward this end (Romans 11:33-36). We read in Romans 1-8 about how grand is the love of God to save wicked people like us with a free gift purchased by the bloody death of Jesus on our behalf. We read about a new humanity created in Christ and new life given to all who believe. We read about true freedom and the power to live life pleasing to God. And we read about our adoption into the divine family which will never be undone, and the hope of eternal resurrection. And thus we are left with the only question that fits— what shall we say to these things?! God forbid that we do not respond! Perhaps we are speechless in awe. Good! Dumbfoundedness of this nature honors the Lord. Perhaps we shout "hallelujah!" Let our voices be loud indeed. We were made to worship, and God has most certainly earned it. notes 11455788489961
Main point summary
How amazing! Nothing can separate us from God's eternal love in Jesus. This we know since he gave him up to death for our sakes. [[Note: The second two sentences of this summary try to capture the theological truth being conveyed in this passage. But note that the first two-word sentence is just as important. It is in fact the main point--the impulse for what was written in these verses. ]]
notes 1455789737298 Main point summary How amazing! Nothing can separate us from God's eternal love in Jesus. This we know since he gave him up to death for our sakes. [[Note: The second two sentences of this summary try to capture the theological truth being conveyed in this passage. But note that the first two-word sentence is just as important. It is in fact the main point--the impulse for what was written in these verses. ]]
Arc
editing
NT
Romans 8:31-39
na27
esv
Τί οὖν ἐροῦμεν πρὸς ταῦτα;
What then shall we say to these things?
εἰ ὁ θεὸς ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν,
If God is for us,
τίς καθʼ ἡμῶν;
who can be against us?
inference
ὅς γε τοῦ ἰδίου υἱοῦ οὐκ ἐφείσατο
He who did not spare his own Son
ἀλλὰ ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν πάντων παρέδωκεν αὐτόν,
but gave him up for us all,
negativepositive
πῶς οὐχὶ καὶ σὺν αὐτῷ τὰ πάντα ἡμῖν χαρίσεται;
how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?
τίς ἐγκαλέσει κατὰ ἐκλεκτῶν θεοῦ;
Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect?
θεὸς ὁ δικαιῶν•
It is God who justifies.
τίς ὁ κατακρινῶν;
Who is to condemn?
ideaexplanation
Χριστὸς [Ἰησοῦς] ὁ ἀποθανών,
Christ Jesus is the one who died—
μᾶλλον δὲ ἐγερθείς,
more than that, who was raised—
progression
ὃς καί ἐστιν ἐν δεξιᾷ τοῦ θεοῦ,
who is at the right hand of God,
ὃς καὶ ἐντυγχάνει ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν.
who indeed is interceding for us.
locative
ground
τίς ἡμᾶς χωρίσει ἀπὸ τῆς ἀγάπης τοῦ Χριστοῦ;
Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?
θλῖψις ἢ στενοχωρία ἢ διωγμὸς ἢ λιμὸς ἢ γυμνότης ἢ κίνδυνος ἢ μάχαιρα;
Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?
καθὼς γέγραπται ὅτι
As it is written,
ἕνεκεν σοῦ θανατούμεθα ὅλην τὴν ἡμέραν,
“For your sake we are being killed all the day long;
ἐλογίσθημεν ὡς πρόβατα σφαγῆς.
we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.”
comparison
ἀλλʼ ἐν τούτοις πᾶσιν ὑπερνικῶμεν διὰ τοῦ ἀγαπήσαντος ἡμᾶς.
No, in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through him who loved us.
questionanswer
πέπεισμαι γὰρ ὅτι οὔτε θάνατος οὔτε ζωὴ οὔτε ἄγγελοι οὔτε ἀρχαὶ οὔτε ἐνεστῶτα οὔτε μέλλοντα οὔτε δυνάμεις οὔτε ὕψωμα οὔτε βάθος οὔτε τις κτίσις ἑτέρα δυνήσεται ἡμᾶς χωρίσαι ἀπὸ τῆς ἀγάπης τοῦ θεοῦ τῆς ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ τῷ κυρίῳ ἡμῶν.
For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Love of Messiah = Love of God in Messiah
na27
discourse
1352267675833 Arc 1352267867 1455785624 editing 16 NT 45 8 31 8 39 Romans 8:31-39 na27 esv i951144 i951145 i951124 Τί οὖν ἐροῦμεν πρὸς ταῦτα; What then shall we say to these things? i951146 i951147 i951125 εἰ ὁ θεὸς ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν, If God is for us, i951126 τίς καθʼ ἡμῶν; who can be against us? inference 2 i951148 i951149 i951150 i951127 ὅς γε τοῦ ἰδίου υἱοῦ οὐκ ἐφείσατο He who did not spare his own Son i951128 ἀλλὰ ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν πάντων παρέδωκεν αὐτόν, but gave him up for us all, negativepositive 2 i951129 πῶς οὐχὶ καὶ σὺν αὐτῷ τὰ πάντα ἡμῖν χαρίσεται; how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? inference 2 i951151 i951152 i951130 τίς ἐγκαλέσει κατὰ ἐκλεκτῶν θεοῦ; Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? i951153 i951131 θεὸς ὁ δικαιῶν• It is God who justifies. i951132 τίς ὁ κατακρινῶν; Who is to condemn? inference 2 ideaexplanation 1 i951154 i951133 Χριστὸς [Ἰησοῦς] ὁ ἀποθανών, Christ Jesus is the one who died— i951134 μᾶλλον δὲ ἐγερθείς, more than that, who was raised— i951162 progression i951135 ὃς καί ἐστιν ἐν δεξιᾷ τοῦ θεοῦ, who is at the right hand of God, i951136 ὃς καὶ ἐντυγχάνει ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν. who indeed is interceding for us. i951163 locative 1 2 inference 2 ground 1 inference 2 ideaexplanation 1 ideaexplanation 1 i951156 i951157 i951158 i951137 τίς ἡμᾶς χωρίσει ἀπὸ τῆς ἀγάπης τοῦ Χριστοῦ; Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? i951159 i951138 θλῖψις ἢ στενοχωρία ἢ διωγμὸς ἢ λιμὸς ἢ γυμνότης ἢ κίνδυνος ἢ μάχαιρα; Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? i951160 i951139 καθὼς γέγραπται ὅτι As it is written, i951161 i951140 ἕνεκεν σοῦ θανατούμεθα ὅλην τὴν ἡμέραν, “For your sake we are being killed all the day long; i951141 ἐλογίσθημεν ὡς πρόβατα σφαγῆς. we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.” comparison 1 ideaexplanation 1 ground 1 ideaexplanation 1 i951142 ἀλλʼ ἐν τούτοις πᾶσιν ὑπερνικῶμεν διὰ τοῦ ἀγαπήσαντος ἡμᾶς. No, in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through him who loved us. questionanswer 2 i951143 πέπεισμαι γὰρ ὅτι οὔτε θάνατος οὔτε ζωὴ οὔτε ἄγγελοι οὔτε ἀρχαὶ οὔτε ἐνεστῶτα οὔτε μέλλοντα οὔτε δυνάμεις οὔτε ὕψωμα οὔτε βάθος οὔτε τις κτίσις ἑτέρα δυνήσεται ἡμᾶς χωρίσαι ἀπὸ τῆς ἀγάπης τοῦ θεοῦ τῆς ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ τῷ κυρίῳ ἡμῶν. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. ideaexplanation 1 ideaexplanation 1 0 Love of Messiah = Love of God in Messiah 0 1 0 1 -170 -90 200 120 950 826 810 1 1 1 na27 25 esv 25 a 50 90 80 discourse 11352267866253
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