FREQUENTLY MISINTERPRETED BIBLE TEXTS (PART III)

“Love Divine, All Loves Excelling”

By Akin Ojumu

Modern-day preachers have a lot in common with the false prophets in Israel who were contemporaries of Prophet Jeremiah. They are adept at building pie in the sky and proficient at painting a rosy picture of the future. Instead of telling their followers the truth and letting them know the reality of living in a fallen world, all they do is feed them with man-centered, seeker-sensitive, people-pleasing, ear-scratching, ponderous platitudes that tickle the ear, excite the mind, but leave the soul totally unchanged.

Apostle Paul is nothing like the preachers of our day. He says it as it is, let the chips fall where they may. At no time did Paul ever serve ponderous platitudes for his followers to consume. What’s more important to him is to adequately prepare those under his care for the suffering and hardship that’s bound to befall them in this world. Without sugarcoating anything, he makes them understand that, as long as they are in this world, they too will experience pain, anguish, lack, sickness, sorrow, and disappointment like the rest of mankind.

At the same time, Paul never leaves his people without hope. He always softens the blow of the reality of temporal suffering with the glow of the certainty of eternal blessing. Very often, Paul would wrap the warm blanket of reassurance around the bruised and bloodied shoulders of those under his care by reminding them that, as God’s children, their present suffering is nothing compared to the future glory that would be theirs when they meet the Lord of glory.

This is the thread that runs through Romans 8. And it is the context of Romans 8:32, which is the subject of this commentary series.

Although our spirits have been redeemed and the Holy Spirit now dwells in us, Paul acknowledges that Believers in Christ continue to groan for release from the body of flesh in which we live in this world. Therefore, Paul encourages the Romans to look forward in hope to the redemption and the resurrection of their bodies that would happen when the Lord returns, at which point their perishable body will put on the imperishable, and their mortal body puts on immortality.

Romans 8:23

“And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.”

In Romans 8:24-31, Paul continues with his encouragement to Christians on this side of eternity. As they wait for the coming glorification that will happen at Christ’s return, they, like the rest of all creation, will experience suffering. This suffering, however, is not an indication that God has forsaken them. Ever before the world was created, they were foreknown, predestined, called, justified, and glorified by God. The purpose of this is so they may be conformed to the image of this Son. Because they are children of God by faith in Jesus, they have become co-heirs with Christ.

Romans 8:29

“For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.”

It’s on the basis of these promises that Paul encourages the Roman Christians to rest in the confidence that they are eternally secured. Regardless of how severe their adversity and hardship may seem, God is on their side and nothing can harm them. Since God Himself is on their side, no one can thwart God’s purpose of eternal glory for them.

Romans 8:31

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

Because the Almighty God is on their side, He is working out his ultimate purpose in their lives, which is to make them like Christ. Since they have been predestined, called, and justified, God will certainly glorify them, irrespective of their present circumstances.

Although their situation is agonizing at the moment, so harrowing as to cause them to doubt God’s love and lose faith in His promises, Paul provides the Roman Christians with a much-needed hook of solace to hang their faith and trust. For those who may be wavering because of their present suffering, Paul reassures them that God will certainly fulfill His promises.

There’s no greater evidence they need that God will fulfil His promise of transforming them into the image of His Son than the fact that He already graciously gave up His Son to die on the Cross for their sins. Christ dying on the Cross on their behalf is all the proof they need.

Romans 8:32

“He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?”

Their loving Father sacrificed His sinless, righteous Son, Jesus, to pay the penalty price for their sins. He gave Him up for them all because of His great love for them. If God did all that for them, how could they ever think He is not on their side? More than that, if He would not withhold His Son, how would He not give them all the things He has promised, along with His Son?

By now, it should be apparent that the “all things” in Romans 8:32 is not the fulfillment of all temporal desires or physical wishes. Rather, what the “all things” is referring to is whatever we need to complete the purpose for which God saved us. It’s about God equipping us with everything we need in order to continue to live godly lives before Him as we await the fulfilment of His eternal promises at the appearing of His Son.

The “all things” is God graciously preserving us until the end, when our weak mortal bodies will put on immortality, and our dying body of flesh is replaced with our glorified bodies (1 Corinthians 15:53-65).

And that, my friend, is the accurate and proper interpretation of Romans 8:32.