Chapter 4: but unto what? gainsaying, mocking, spitting, scourging, crucifying--by
but unto what? gainsaying, mocking, spitting, scourging, crucifying--by men; and to the awful cup of wrath for our sin at God's hand--infinitely more appalling that any creature stroke! Yet God spared not--His own Son, but delivered Him up!
For us all--Here the saints are spoken of. (Paul never uses "us" of any others!) And who are the saints? Sinners who have heard God's good news concerning His Son, and have simply believed! Only faith can walk here! Unbelief, coming to the fearful gulf between the infinitely holy God and the awful guilt of the sinner, shrinks back; while faith, seeing Christ crucified, cries, God is for me! and passes gladly over the bridge God made--who spared not His own Son!
How shall He not also with Him freely give us all things?--The great gift, the unspeakable gift, being made, all must follow! "How shall He not, with Him?" If you buy a costly watch at the jeweller's, he sends it to you in a lovely case which he gives you freely--with your purchase. It is as in Chapter Five, with the "much mores." God has not spared His Son: what are all else to Him? God has opened to us His heart, He has spared not,--giving us His best, His all--even Christ. Now, with Him, all things come! God cannot but do this. Shall He give us His dear Son, and then hold back at trifles? For "all things" of this created universe,--yea, even all gifts or blessings God may give us, here or hereafter, are but nothing, compared with Christ!
"All things": It will greatly please God for us boldly to beg Him for this or that, saying: Thou didst not spare Thy Son, but gavest Him for me. Now I need a thing from Thee; and I ask it as one to whom Thou gavest Christ! "How shall He not?" not, "How shall He?'--as doubt would put it! Let "all things" be all things indeed to thee,--only seeking wisdom in asking. This verse is a great feeder of faith!
Verse 33: Who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect? Note (1) It is God's elect whom this passage concerns. (2) God's elect not only believe, but are confident! For there can be no charge laid against them. (3) They boldly challenge any and every foe, concerning any possible charge against them before God! It is not that those triumphing are without fault in themselves--they know that! But God is for them! They are His "elect," and we know from the next chapter that the purpose of God according to election is not of works": but on the contrary, "of Him that calleth" (Romans 9:11). As absolutely as righteousness is "not of works," so neither is election! Both have God Himself as the only Source! So, "the purpose of God according to election stands!"
It is God that justifieth: [188] who is he that condemneth?--Here the emphasis is upon God. He is the Judge; and He has declared His elect,--those "of faith in Jesus," righteous. Now will any condemn? Shall any stand before God's High Court and condemn whom He has justified? Never! Satan may accuse us in our consciences; but the day of our condemnation was past forever--when Christ our Substitute "bore our sins in His own body on the tree!" When it is announced as toward all possible foes: "It is God that justifies," we feel in our hearts God taking our part!
Verse 34: Christ Jesus [God's own Son] is the one that died,--yea, rather, that was raised from the dead, who is at the right hand of God, who is also making intercession for us!
Some would render the answer to the question of verse 33, "Who shall lay anything to the charge," etc., entirely in the question form: "Shall God that justifieth? Shall Christ that died?" We have not yielded to rendering it thus; for this question-form does not fit the bold challenge here: for this whole passage is governed by the great word: Who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect? And further, verse 35, Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? God then, is seen "for us," as justifying; His own Son Christ Jesus as dying and as interceding for us. All of which commits God to us irreversibly! The Yea, rather, that was raised from the dead, follows the exact order of the development of the truth of Christ's work in this epistle: set forth as a mercy-seat through faith in His blood in Chapter Three; God seen raising Him who was delivered on account of our trespasses in