Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary Romans 8:34

"who is he that condemneth? It is Christ Jesus that died, yea rather, that was raised from the dead, who is at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us." — Romans 8:34 (ASV)

From this point on to the end of the chapter Paul expounds the impregnable position of the believer. The key lies in the sentence “If God is for us, who can be against us?” (v.31). God has not given empty promises. He has acted, and what he has done in Christ and by the Spirit constitutes all the proof we need that the glorification will be ours in due season. This is precisely the point of v.32. God’s activity has cost him dearly—he did not spare “his own Son,” Jesus, who endured the cross. In all of this God was with him (2 Corinthians 5:19). Moreover, the Son was not an unwilling victim pressed into sacrificial service. “God gave him up” (GK 4140) expresses the Father’s participation, but the same verb is used of the Son’s involvement (Galatians 2:20). With the cross before us as the mighty demonstration of God’s grace in giving his dearest to help the neediest, it naturally follows that the same grace will not withhold anything from those who are his (see 2 Peter 1:3).

Paul does not deny that Christians face foes and hardships. Yet his challenging question stands: “If God is for us, who can be against us?” Amplifying it, he proceeds to ask a series of questions and then to provide answers. First, “Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen?” (v.33). No one can successfully press charges, no matter how hard he may try. Satan is busy doing just that (Revelation 12:10), no doubt pointing out the discrepancy between the profession of believers and their “walk,” but he gets nowhere with his pretended zeal for righteousness. Ultimately, as David perceived (Psalms 51:4), all sin is committed against God. Logically, therefore, God is the only one who can bring charges against us. This, Paul is saying, God refuses to do, because he is for us, not against us.

The second question, “Who is he that condemns?” (v.34), finds its answer in Christ. He will never renounce the efficacy of his own work on our behalf. Paul packs four aspects of that work into one great sentence (v.34b). (1) Christ died and thereby secured the removal of sin’s guilt; (2) he was raised to life and is able to bestow life on those who trust him for their salvation (14:19); (3) he was exalted to God’s right hand, with all power given to him both in heaven, so as to represent us there, and on earth, where he is more than a match for our adversaries; and (4) he intercedes for us at the throne of grace, whatever our needs may be (Hebrews 4:4–16; Hebrews 7:25).

A third question is “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?” (v.35).

Can there be a contradiction between Christ’s love for his own and his allowing suffering to overtake them? Severance from his love is no more thinkable than that the Father ceased to love his Son when he allowed him to endure the agonies of the cross, apparently forsaken. Christ predicted trouble for his people who are left in the world, but told them to be of good cheer because he had overcome the world . The quotation from Ps 44:22 (v.36) reminds believers that suffering has always been the lot of the godly. Whereas the people of God in the OT were often perplexed about the reason for their trials, the saints of NT times can trace their sufferings back to identification with Christ and rejoice that they are counted worthy to suffer for his name (cf. Acts 5:41).