“28 We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God, who are called according to his purpose. 29 For those he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, so that he would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. 30 And those he predestined, he also called; and those he called, he also justified; and those he justified, he also glorified. 31 What, then, are we to say about these things? If God is for us, who is against us? 32 He did not even spare his own Son but gave him up for us all. How will he not also with him grant us everything?”
In this last section of chapter 8, Paul builds on his encouragement of the believer by reassuring us that God would not, and has not, held anything back from us. Furthermore, there is absolutely nothing that can cause God’s elect to be separated from Him. God loves those whom He has predestined so much that He didn’t even spare His only Son, Jesus. We see a foreshadowing of this sacrifice in Genesis 22:1-19 when God tells Abraham to build an altar and sacrifice Isaac, his only son and promised heir. This picture points forward to the cross, and how God would sacrifice His only Son to save sinners. Yet, God’s sacrifice of Jesus is not comparable to a human father sacrificing his only son. It is completely impossible for us to comprehend the love, unity, and glory that is shared by the members of the holy Trinity. Jesus is more than just a son, he is also God, and the depth of the relationship that Jesus shares with the Father and the Spirit is something that we cannot even begin to understand. This makes the sacrifice greater. If a human father sacrifices his son, what righteousness is there in that? But God, in His perfect righteousness and just judgment, punished Jesus in our place. Jesus was able to take on our sin because He was sinless. It was right for God the Father to cut Jesus off from Himself and He was right to pour out the full extent of His wrath and judgment on Jesus who hung as the perfect sacrifice in our place. It is Jesus’ perfect and life-giving sacrifice that allows Christians to say with confidence that we are saved by confession of Jesus and belief in His resurrection. It is armed with this truth that Christians are able, with conviction, to believe that “…all things work together for the good of those who love God…” (v. 28a) and “If God is for us, who is against us?” “How will he not also with him grant us everything?” (v. 31b, 32b)
It is just as Paul exclaimed back in chapter 5:
“But God proves his own love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. How much more then, since we have now been justified by his blood, will we be saved through him from wrath.” — Romans 5:8-9
And as the Psalmist says:
“Let those who fear the Lord say, “His faithful love endures forever.” I called to the Lord in distress; the Lord answered me and put me in a spacious place. The Lord is for me; I will not be afraid. What can a mere mortal do to me? The Lord is my helper; therefore, I will look in triumph on those who hate me.” — Psalms 118:4-7
The truth of the gospel brings such confidence to the believer not only of our salvation, but of the knowledge that God is working all things together for our good and for His glory.