Christian catchphrases can be scriptural in basis, but understanding the biblical context is important to avoid error. Over the years I have grown increasingly thoughtful concerning "pat" answers people commonly give. Even the worship songs we enjoy and sing are not guaranteed to be free of dubious doctrine. Now granted, a song is not the means to fully explain theological truth. But we must be cautious not to place an artist's rendition on level with God's revealed truth in scripture. Unless the song IS scripture verbatim, it is not scripture - is it?
Even as songs written to praise God should not stand in isolation from scripture, neither should scripture. God has provided the entire Bible - both the Old and New Testaments - so we might have the full counsel and wisdom of God understood by the power of the Holy Spirit. One of the phrases I have read and sang many times for good reason is found in Romans 8:31: "If God is for us, who can be against us?" This is a true statement written to Christian believers in Rome. The purpose of Paul writing this was not to promote a self-empowering theme, but to exhort Christians to actively rely upon Jesus Christ for everything. They didn't have to live in fear of being judged, persecuted, or even death, for God was on their side.
And so it is with Christians today. One could say God is in a sense "for" sinners because He sent Jesus to die on our behalf when we were enemies of God dead in sins. He loves all people and is not willing any should perish. But don't miss the "if" at the beginning of the sentence in Romans 8:31. This is a conditional statement not focused on the unchanging character of God but upon our obedience. God is not "for" us on the basis of our theology or beliefs, but when we live "for" Him. God is for us as long as we are for Him. Many times in scripture God told His own chosen people He was against them because they rebelled and lived contrary to Him. This may be a surprise to you if your understanding of God only comes from songs sung in church.
From the Bible we learn disobedience kindled God's wrath against His people (Deut. 7:4). The prophet Samuel bluntly told the people in 1 Samuel 12:14-15, "If you fear the LORD and serve Him and obey His voice, and do not rebel against the commandment of the LORD, then both you and the king who reigns over you will continue following the LORD your God. 15 However, if you do not obey the voice of the LORD, but rebel against the commandment of the LORD, then the hand of the LORD will be against you, as it was against your fathers." God said the same thing of nations in Jeremiah 18:7-11: "The instant I speak concerning a nation and concerning a kingdom, to pluck up, to pull down, and to destroy it, 8 if that nation against whom I have spoken turns from its evil, I will relent of the disaster that I thought to bring upon it. 9 And the instant I speak concerning a nation and concerning a kingdom, to build and to plant it, 10 if it does evil in My sight so that it does not obey My voice, then I will relent concerning the good with which I said I would benefit it. 11 Now therefore, speak to the men of Judah and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, saying, 'Thus says the LORD: "Behold, I am fashioning a disaster and devising a plan against you. Return now every one from his evil way, and make your ways and your doings good." And again in Ezekiel 13:8, "Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: "Because you have spoken nonsense and envisioned lies, therefore I am indeed against you," says the Lord GOD."
I figure there will be some who say, "That's all fine and good to use Old Testament examples, but we are under the new covenant of God's grace." Romans 15:4 affirms it is perfectly legitimate to use Old Testament examples God included especially for our learning: "For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope." Also, God is the same yesterday, today, and forever. He does not change (Malachi 3:6)! When Jesus instituted the new covenant, He established a higher standard than that of the Law - which no one can keep! Jesus prefaced many statements in the Sermon on the Mount with, "You have heard it said, but I say unto you..." God highly values faith, repentance, and obedience in both the Old and New Testament. It is by grace we have been saved, yet we are called to abide in Christ's love through obeying Him! Jesus said in John 15:10, "If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love." We can only meet God's conditions for salvation by being born again by grace through faith in Christ, and we are called to obediently follow Christ and His example of obedience to the Father.
"If God is for us, who can be against us?" Truer words were never spoken. If God is for us, no one can be against us, and nothing can separate us from His love through Christ. We are each called to examine our hearts and lives to ensure we are living for God. Don't assume God is "for" you when you are living a life in opposition to Him. Those whom He loves He chastens, and we are commanded not to despise this expression of His gracious love. Take comfort in God's Word, for none who come to Christ will He cast out (John 6:37)!
Even as songs written to praise God should not stand in isolation from scripture, neither should scripture. God has provided the entire Bible - both the Old and New Testaments - so we might have the full counsel and wisdom of God understood by the power of the Holy Spirit. One of the phrases I have read and sang many times for good reason is found in Romans 8:31: "If God is for us, who can be against us?" This is a true statement written to Christian believers in Rome. The purpose of Paul writing this was not to promote a self-empowering theme, but to exhort Christians to actively rely upon Jesus Christ for everything. They didn't have to live in fear of being judged, persecuted, or even death, for God was on their side.
And so it is with Christians today. One could say God is in a sense "for" sinners because He sent Jesus to die on our behalf when we were enemies of God dead in sins. He loves all people and is not willing any should perish. But don't miss the "if" at the beginning of the sentence in Romans 8:31. This is a conditional statement not focused on the unchanging character of God but upon our obedience. God is not "for" us on the basis of our theology or beliefs, but when we live "for" Him. God is for us as long as we are for Him. Many times in scripture God told His own chosen people He was against them because they rebelled and lived contrary to Him. This may be a surprise to you if your understanding of God only comes from songs sung in church.
From the Bible we learn disobedience kindled God's wrath against His people (Deut. 7:4). The prophet Samuel bluntly told the people in 1 Samuel 12:14-15, "If you fear the LORD and serve Him and obey His voice, and do not rebel against the commandment of the LORD, then both you and the king who reigns over you will continue following the LORD your God. 15 However, if you do not obey the voice of the LORD, but rebel against the commandment of the LORD, then the hand of the LORD will be against you, as it was against your fathers." God said the same thing of nations in Jeremiah 18:7-11: "The instant I speak concerning a nation and concerning a kingdom, to pluck up, to pull down, and to destroy it, 8 if that nation against whom I have spoken turns from its evil, I will relent of the disaster that I thought to bring upon it. 9 And the instant I speak concerning a nation and concerning a kingdom, to build and to plant it, 10 if it does evil in My sight so that it does not obey My voice, then I will relent concerning the good with which I said I would benefit it. 11 Now therefore, speak to the men of Judah and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, saying, 'Thus says the LORD: "Behold, I am fashioning a disaster and devising a plan against you. Return now every one from his evil way, and make your ways and your doings good." And again in Ezekiel 13:8, "Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: "Because you have spoken nonsense and envisioned lies, therefore I am indeed against you," says the Lord GOD."
I figure there will be some who say, "That's all fine and good to use Old Testament examples, but we are under the new covenant of God's grace." Romans 15:4 affirms it is perfectly legitimate to use Old Testament examples God included especially for our learning: "For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope." Also, God is the same yesterday, today, and forever. He does not change (Malachi 3:6)! When Jesus instituted the new covenant, He established a higher standard than that of the Law - which no one can keep! Jesus prefaced many statements in the Sermon on the Mount with, "You have heard it said, but I say unto you..." God highly values faith, repentance, and obedience in both the Old and New Testament. It is by grace we have been saved, yet we are called to abide in Christ's love through obeying Him! Jesus said in John 15:10, "If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love." We can only meet God's conditions for salvation by being born again by grace through faith in Christ, and we are called to obediently follow Christ and His example of obedience to the Father.
"If God is for us, who can be against us?" Truer words were never spoken. If God is for us, no one can be against us, and nothing can separate us from His love through Christ. We are each called to examine our hearts and lives to ensure we are living for God. Don't assume God is "for" you when you are living a life in opposition to Him. Those whom He loves He chastens, and we are commanded not to despise this expression of His gracious love. Take comfort in God's Word, for none who come to Christ will He cast out (John 6:37)!
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