“If God be for us, who can be against us? He that spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?” Romans 8:32
What does it mean for God to be FOR the believer? Is it not the committal of all that He is in the measure that we can receive Him? Paul, in leading up to this wonderful truth, precedes it by speaking of His foreknowledge of our existence, and coming to a saving knowledge of Him. He then speaks of His objective, predestinated to be conformed to the image of His Son. He goes on to speak of the believer’s calling, the justifying of the believer as righteous before Him. He concludes with the believer being glorified. In other words, Paul is taking the whole of the matter of salvation in all of its blessed, and most intricate and applicable details, to declare to the believer that this is proof of God’s unrelenting committal of all that is good and holy in Christ, made true and real for us. And in additon to this, “…nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus.” (Romans 88:39)
In the Old Testament, in God’s dealings with Israel, there comes a time of restoraton and renewal, when the Lord reveals to Israel His committal to them. Yes, they have suffered because of their negligence and rejection of the Lord, and the effects of that rejection have gone deep, and are keenly remembered. But God delights to come with “healing in His wings,” and abounding grace, illustrated and proven time and again in history, giving to Israel a new beginning. In Isaiah 54, we read how He addresses Israel as being barren and desolate. In such a state, He comes to speak hope and assurance to the nation, giving to her promises that will lift her up. These are not empty words, or words solely to console. They are words by which, if she believes them, He will use to restore and renew her, giving her new hope with great assurance.
The fist of these promises is this: “‘…break forth into singing, and cry aloud, thou that dist not travail with child: for more are the children of the desolate than the children of the married wife,’ saith the Lord.” (Is. 54:1) The Lord then calls her to not fear with regard to her situation, for He will intervene, delivering her from all shame, confusion, and reproach. It is then, in order to reinforce specifically His committal to her, that He declares: “…with great mercies will I gather thee.” (v.7) He adds, “…with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee,’ saith the Lord thy Redeemer.” (v.8) If this was not enough, the Lord most beautifully calls Israel to believe and to grasp the certainty of His kind and good dealings with her. He says, “‘For the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but My kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of My peace be removed,’ saith the Lord that hath mercy on Thee.” (v.10)
So, what does it mean for the Lord to be FOR the believer, every one that is His? It means the total committal of Himself in His grace and mercy, never to fail or forsake us. He is thus the God of all circumstances, nothing ever coming to the believer but that it passes first by His hand. “All things work together for good for them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose.” (Rom. 8:28)
The great, monumental and eternal truth, that is revealed by God being for us is unveiled to us in Christ’s high priestly prayer in the gospel of John, chapter seventeen. It is the truth of our Christ’s oneness with the Father, and the believer’s oneness in Christ, never to be undone or altered. It is a oneness that neither demon, devil, or death can divide and separate. Faith is the key to living it.
Dear Father, We thank Thee that Thou art for us. In Jesus’ name, Amen.