Reflection on Rom 8:31-32
Rom 8:31: “If God is for us…” – the consequence is: “…who can be against us?”
I can personally realize this truth if I use “me” instead of “us”.
What to do if I want God to be “for me” and not against me? I need to repent. It means to come out of darkness into the light. Christ is the Light. “If we walk in the light as He is in the light, the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us from all sin.” (1Jn 1:7)
Through Christ the way is open for us to the Heavenly Father. However, this way is not open for liberal Christians who question Jesus’ redemptive death on the cross and speak misleadingly about the Christ of history and the Christ of faith. Such theologians, who poison the souls of the future priests at theological schools, have obstructed the way to the living Christ and hence to the Father for many priests today owing to their pride and unbelief. Jesus is the Way to the Father’s arms in eternal glory.
Who is against us? The devil and his servants who preach lies, an antigospel, and use positive terms to confuse the weak souls and lead them to perdition. If we persevere on the way of true repentance and communion with Christ, God is with us. We will easily unmask all enemies and convict them of their unbelief, false way, heresies and demagogy. An example to us of how to fight the spiritual battle and win a victory is the Apostle Paul and all the Apostles, martyrs and saints.
Rom 8:32: “He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all,
how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?”
Let us replace the plural form “us all” and “us” with the word “me”. We need to realize God’s love again – the Heavenly Father delivered up His Son for me and did not save Him from suffering, humiliation or death. This is the proof of God’s love for me, and I so often forget it. A look at the cross should remind me of the love of Jesus who freely accepted His Passion and death for me. A look at the cross should also remind me of the love of the Heavenly Father who delivered up His most beloved Son for me. How can I remain indifferent to this love? Could God, though He is almighty, show His love for me more? The cross of Christ is a narrow way to eternal life, eternal glory. Dying, Jesus entered this place and He also prepared a place for me.
My life is just a short pilgrimage and sooner or later death will put an end to it. There is nothing more important in life than to be mindful every day of Christ’s redemptive death on the cross. Stand before the cross in spirit in seven prayer stops every day. Realize that Jesus sees you, and pray with faith: “Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, have mercy on me, a sinner.” Let the invisible rays from the five wounds of Jesus unite you to Him.
Download: Reflection on Rom 8:31-32
