If God Is For Us, Who Can Be Against Us? - Linda Bailey
If you’ve been feeling a bit weighed down by life, the latest sermon from our Romans 8 series has some incredibly good news for you.
This post is a deep dive into the powerful assurance found in Romans 8:31-34, based on the message shared by our ministry team member, Linda Bailey. This passage is essentially a string of rhetorical questions from the Apostle Paul—questions that carry answers every believer needs to be absolutely certain of!
In the following sections, we’ll explore the amazing context of this scripture and then see exactly how this message applies to the challenges and decisions we face every day. We’ll finish with some great questions for personal reflection and small group discussion.
God is for You
Linda reminded us that over the last few weeks, we’ve journeyed through the first 30 verses of Romans 8—a chapter packed with incredible theology and assurance! We’ve learnt that through Jesus, we have no condemnation, we are free, and the Holy Spirit is our constant guide.
Paul, in verses 31 and 32, then asks two fundamental questions:
“What then shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?”
The Story of the Ultimate Gift
Linda brilliantly connected these verses back to a foundational story of faith: Abraham and Isaac (Genesis 22).
Abraham, though righteous, was asked to sacrifice his only promised son as an act of worship to the God who had blessed him. Abraham was willing to not spare his son for God.
But Paul points to something infinitely greater: God did not spare His own Son for us.
God sacrificed His very best—Jesus—for people who were broken, imperfect, and had nothing to offer Him in return.
Linda shared an insightful quote from Romans 5, reminding us:
"God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us."
This comparison helps us grasp an essential truth: God has already given the greatest possible gift.
Greater and Lesser
If God has already given the greatest gift imaginable—His Son—is there anything we could ask for that is greater than that? No!
Linda’s analogy of Mr. Beast—a billionaire with an incredible capacity for generosity—helps us understand God’s nature. If a generous human would go above and beyond for a struggling best mate just needing a sandwich, how much more will our loving Heavenly Father give to us, His adopted sons and daughters?
“Let us not reduce God's capacity to our imagination of what generosity truly is. He has already given us everything and he desires to love us and be for us just as a parent is for their son and daughter.”
Because God has already given us everything in Christ, we can approach Him with confidence, knowing that He has the capacity, the heart, and the will to graciously provide what we need to live out His purpose.
Connecting to Our Lives: No Condemnation
The second pair of rhetorical questions from Paul addresses a deep human experience: the feeling of being judged, charged, or condemned.
“Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.”
The Highest Court of Appeal
Paul, who knew first-hand what it was like to be charged, whipped, and imprisoned, still asks these questions! He understood that in this world, we are constantly accused—sometimes by others, and often by the negative voices in our own heads.
However, Paul’s eyes are fixed on a higher reality: God is the ultimate Judge and the highest court of appeal.
When we accept Jesus, God justifies us—He declares us righteous and guiltless. And the amazing truth of verse 34 is that Jesus Christ, who died and rose again, is now sitting at the right hand of the Father, actively interceding for you and me!
He is there to remind God that the price for our mistakes and sins has already been paid. Our loving, just God doesn’t demand a double punishment!
Intercession, Not Negotiation
Linda addressed a common misconception—that Jesus is somehow protecting us from an angry, vengeful Father. That’s simply not true! The Father is already for us (as established in verse 32).
Jesus’s role is to implement the Father's nature and purpose, which is self-giving love.
As Tom Wright beautifully put it:
“Jesus is the true image-bearing human reflecting the praises, prayers, and urgent needs of his human family into the father's heart and reflecting back to his people the rescuing and protective love of the father.”
This is the glorious assurance we have! We are upheld by the Father (who is for us), the Son (who intercedes for us), and the Holy Spirit (who continually assures us of God’s love).
No matter what challenges or accusations you face today, you can look up and know that God is for you, and there is absolutely no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.
Rest in the Assurance
The powerful rhetorical questions of Romans 8:31-34 demand an answer from us: What do we truly believe?
The incredible gift of Jesus and the persistent work of the Holy Spirit give us the confidence to answer: Yes, God is for me! This assurance changes everything—how we face challenges, make decisions, spend our time, and approach God in prayer.
When the storms are raging, we have a place to quieten our hearts and rest: in the certain, rescuing, and protective love of our Heavenly Father.
One Way to Live it Out
This week, when you find yourself in a moment of self-criticism or when you feel overwhelmed by a need, take a breath and pause. Instead of getting lost in the negative thoughts or the problem, simply say out loud: “God is for me.” Let that truth reset your focus, and then talk to Him about the problem with the confidence of a child talking to a loving parent.
A Short Prayer
Heavenly Father, we thank you that you are for us. Thank you for the ultimate gift of your Son, Jesus, who secured our freedom and stands before you, interceding for us right now. Holy Spirit, please fill us with the confidence and assurance of this unbreakable love today, so that we may walk without fear and know there is no condemnation in Christ. Amen.
Reflection & Discussion Questions
Personal Reflection QUESTIONS
How does truly believing the statement, “If God is for us, who can be against us?” practically change the way you approach a difficult decision or a challenging relationship this week?
Linda said, “Let us not reduce God's capacity to our imagination of what generosity truly is.” In what area of your life are you currently struggling to believe that God’s capacity to give is greater than your current crisis?
How can you intentionally shift your perspective from focusing on the accusations of the world (or your own self-condemnation) to focusing on the justification and intercession you have in Jesus?
Small Group Discussion QUESTIONS
What was one key takeaway or a rhetorical question from Romans 8:31-34 that resonated most with you today, and why?
The sermon compared God’s sacrifice of Jesus to Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice Isaac. What does this comparison teach us about the magnitude of God’s love and the recipients of His sacrifice (us, while we were still sinners)?
Linda used the example of Mr. Beast's generosity to illustrate God's capacity. How does the truth that God has already given the greatest gift (His Son) give you confidence when you bring your daily, "smaller" needs to Him in prayer?
Paul wrote these words knowing he was frequently "charged" and persecuted in the world. How do we distinguish between the valid need for self-reflection (confession of sin) and the destructive cycle of self-condemnation?
What does it mean to you personally that Jesus is currently interceding for you at the right hand of God? How should this truth impact your sense of worth and security?
The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are all described as "for us" in this passage and the wider chapter. Which of these three assurances do you feel you need to cling to most right now?
The message encourages us to answer Paul’s questions confidently. What is one practical area of your life that you need to approach differently this week because you know for certain that God is for you?
Is there a specific accusation, fear, or need being raised against someone in the group? Let's take a moment to pray, affirming the truth of Romans 8:31-34 over that situation and person.