Charles Spurgeon Commentary Romans 8:31

"What then shall we say to these things? If God [is] for us, who [is] against us?" — Romans 8:31 (ASV)

What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?

Is the world against you, Christian? What is the opposition of the world when God is on your side? Is your own heart against you? What then? God is greater than your heart. Is the devil against you? Ah! he is mighty, but God is almighty, and He shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly.

Paul was no fanatic; he was a man of great experience and of sound sense; yet he makes nothing of all our foes when God is on our side.

What shall we then say to these things?

Oh! Have you not often said that? When you have studied the plan of grace, the covenant of God, have you not said to yourself, "What can I say to all this? It is surpassing wonder; it exceeds the power of comprehension because of the greatness of this glory. What shall we then say to these things?" Well, we will say something practical that will cheer our hearts.

If God be for us, who can be against us?

A great many can be against us, but we consider them as nothing at all, if God is for us.

What shall we then say to these things? (Romans 8:31)

Ah! Indeed, what shall we say? If we had the tongues of men and angels, what could we say? Well, we will say this much at any rate.

What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?

A great many, but they are all nothing. If God is for us, all those who are against us are not worth mentioning: they are ciphers. If he were on their side, then the one would swell the ciphers to the full, but if he is not there, we may put them all into the scale and reckon them as less than nothing.

If God be for us, who can be against us?

Those afflictions that we read of just now—these reproaches which we share with Christ—what of them? They are not worth calling anything. If God be for us, who can be against us?

What shall we then say to these things? (Romans 8:31).

Shall we succumb to the sufferings of the body? Shall we yield to doubt because of all our heavy feelings, and the dullness that comes from the flesh? By no means.

What shall we then say to these things?

I do not know what we can say. Wonders of grace, mountains of mercy without limit—what shall we say to these things? This, at least we can say:

What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?

If God is that great working One who does all this, who can be against us? "Why, a great many," says one. But they are nothing, nor are all put together anything at all, as compared with Him who is on our side.

If God be for us, who can be against us? He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?

We can get through all these difficulties, if God be with us.