As Pastor Michael reminded us, Romans is Paul’s letter to the various fledgling Christian communities in the heart of the Roman Empire. Paul wants to extend his mission to Spain and is canvassing for support. But there is trouble in Rome. The people of the Way are experiencing division and unrest. Paul takes this into account by mounting a magnificent imagined dialogue with these distant struggling people of faith. The reader of the letter is called to supply the responses to Paul’s rhetorical questions. Pastor Michael has reconstructed those responses (bold font) in the following reflection on the 8th chapter of Romans.

Romans 8: 31-39

What, then, are we to say in view of these things?  

That’s an excellent question.

If God is for us, who is against us?  No one.

God, after all, who did not spare even his own son, but handed him over on behalf of us all … How will God not also with him graciously give all things, the entire creation, to us?    

I can’t imagine that God would not, it would be unthinkable and completely un-God-like.

Who is there who will impeach those whom God has elected?   No one.

Will it be God, who has validated our relationship?  No way.

Who is there who is going to condemn?  No one.

Will it be Messiah Jesus who died?   No way.

But even more absurd, will it be Messiah Jesus who was raised, who is not only at the right hand of God, but who also continually intercedes on our behalf?  

Absolutely no way!  It is utterly preposterous!

Who is there that will separate us from the love of Christ?  

No one and nothing.

Will it be tribulation?   No way.

Or will it be distress?   No way.

Or will it be persecution?   No way.

Or will it be hunger?   No way.

Or will it be destitution?   No way.

Or will it be danger?   No way.

Or will it be execution by the sword?   No way.

Just as it has been written in the scripture: “For your sake we are being put to death all the day long, we are reckoned as sheep for slaughter.”  

But in all these things we are hyper-victors through the one who loved us.  

For I have become unquestionably persuaded that neither death nor life,   We, too, are convinced.

neither messengers of heaven nor rulerships on earth,   

We, too, are convinced.

neither things that are present nor things that are about to come,  

We, too, are convinced.

nor potentialities and possibilities,   Whoa! We didn’t see that one coming.

neither the ascending heights nor descending depths,   

We, too, are convinced.

nor any other kind of creature in the cosmos   

We, too, are convinced, you’ve said it all.

will have the potential or power to separate us from the love of God which is in Messiah Jesus, our Lord.   

Amen!