“What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things? Who will bring a charge against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies; who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us. Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? Just as it is written, ‘For Your sake we are being put to death all day long; We were considered as sheep to be slaughtered.’ But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us.” (Romans 8:31-37 NASB1995)

Whenever you come across the word “IF” in the Scriptures, pay careful attention to what it is teaching. For the word “if” introduces a conditional clause. It is letting us know that there are conditions to what this is teaching which we must meet, or otherwise the statement does not apply to us. So, when this says “IF” God is for us, then whatever comes next, it is saying that God isn’t for all of us, and the promises spoken here are not for all of us. There are conditions which must be met, which can be found in context.

So, if you begin at Romans 8:1, and read on down to where we are now, you will see the conditions that must be met. We must be those who do not walk (in conduct, in practice) according to the flesh, but according (in agreement) with the Spirit of God. For the mind set on the flesh is death, because the mind set on the flesh is hostile to God, and those who are in the flesh cannot please God. So if we live according to the flesh, we must die, but if by the Spirit we are putting to death fleshly deeds, then we will live in Christ Jesus.

So God is for us who are for him, whose lives are surrendered to the will of God in walks of obedience to his commands, in holy living, who are no longer walking (in conduct, in practice) in sin. But this doesn’t make us perfect in every way, for we are still clay in the hands of the Potter (God) being shaped and molded into the likeness of character of Jesus Christ as we cooperate fully with God’s work of grace in our lives. But this also is never to be used as an excuse for deliberate and habitual sin against our Lord.

Now, when it says, “Who can be against us?”, it is not saying that no one is against us if God is for us. For the devil is definitely against us. And so are many other humans, if we are people of God who are living for the Lord as we ought, and if we are following the example of Christ in how we are to live, and if we are being witnesses for Jesus Christ and for his gospel, and so we are speaking the truth, in love, to the people, which is taught us in the Scriptures. If we do that, there are people who will be against us.

And the people against us may be the same types of people who were against Jesus Christ. And who were his fiercest opponents? They were the religious, the teachers of the law, the rulers in the temple, the instructors in the teachings of the Scriptures, and those who were in positions of rule and authority over the people in the temple. So, if you are living for the Lord, don’t be surprised if your greatest opposition comes from within the gatherings of “the church,” and not from the people out in the world.

And why is this? It is because so much of what is called “church” today is not of God, and it is not biblical. But these are conglomerates and businesses of human origin which are in bed with the government and with the world in unholy unions, which God forbids, being marketed to the people of the world, which God also forbids. And so many of them have, thus, altered the gospel of Christ to make it less offensive and more acceptable to human flesh. So, if what we are teaching is the truth, we will be persecuted.

[Matthew 21:12-13; John 2:13-17; Acts 5:27-32; 1 Corinthians 1:10-13; 1 Corinthians 3:1-9; 2 Corinthians 6:14-18; Philippians 3:18-19; Revelation 2:1-29; Revelation 3:1-22; Revelation 13:5-8; Revelation 18:1-5]

But even though we may be hated, rejected, cast aside as unwanted, and otherwise treated as though we are worthless and not worth anyone else’s time or consideration, by some of the same kinds of people who treated Jesus in like manner, if our lives are surrendered to obeying our Lord and to doing what pleases him, God is on our side. He will not leave us or forsake us, but he will treasure us and our relationship with him. And he will use us for his glory to take the message of the gospel to the people of the world.

[Matthew 5:10-12; Matthew 7:21-23; Matthew 10:16-25,34-39; Matthew 24:9-14; Luke 6:22-23; Luke 9:23-26; Luke 12:49-53; Luke 21:12-17; John 15:18-21; Romans 5:3-5; Romans 6:1-23; Romans 8:1-17; 2 Corinthians 1:3-11; 2 Corinthians 4:17; Hebrews 12:3-12; James 1:2-4; 1 Peter 1:6-7; Revelation 3:19; Revelation 6:9-11; Revelation 7:9-17; Revelation 11:1-3; Revelation 12:17; Revelation 13:1-18; Revelation 14:1-13; Acts 26:18]

All Through the Night

Based off Various Scriptures
An Original Work / December 7, 2013
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love

Blessed are you when you’re persecuted
Because of your faith in Jesus Christ.
Blessed are you when people insult you,
And falsely say what leads folks to doubt.
Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is
Great in the heavens. You’re not alone.

When you are persecuted in one place,
Flee to another. God will be there.
You will be hated by all the nations
Because you testify of God’s grace.
Many will seize you and persecute you,
And put to death the foll’wers of Christ.

Yet do not fear what humans may do to you,
For I’m with you all through the night.
I tell you, love your enemies with my love,
And forgive as I forgave you.
Pray for those who do evil against you.
Rest in my love and grace from above.

IF God is For Us
An Original Work / December 22, 2025
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love