If God is for us, who can be against us? It’s a question that sounds like the answer is “No one can be against us if God is for us!” At least it’s probably an answer some Christians agree with. But guess what? That’s not the right answer. Come to think of it, it’s not even the right question. Even if it is a quote from the Bible and a line from a popular Christian song.
Take a look at the adjacent image.
Is that God’s foot crashing through a wall to crush everyone who’s against you? Or maybe it’s the sum of all your problems crashing to the wall to crush you?
More likely, it’s something else. Something more complex.
Of course, if you’re not Christian, then it’s probably just a giant foot crashing through a wall to crush some miniature person. Computer Generated. With no meaning at all. If that’s you, I invite you to read on anyway. I think the Christian analogy will make sense.
Summary
The phrase “If God is for us, who can be against us?” is often taken out of context, leading to misunderstandings about its meaning.
Christian Music Analysis: The song “Our God” by Chris Tomlin is examined, highlighting the importance of understanding the biblical verses it references and the personal impact of the song.
Spiritual Warfare: The concept of spiritual warfare is discussed, emphasizing the importance of wearing the “full armor of God” to stand against evil forces.
Reflection on Adversity: Shares personal struggles and insights on how challenges can serve as reminders to rely on God’s strength and the love of Christ.
Encourages readers to reflect on their own spiritual journey, recognizing that while various challenges may arise, nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus.
Bible passages taken out of context
If you’re a regular reader, you know I really don’t like to take verses out of context. The thing is, pretty much every verse in the passage containing our verse today is taken out of context, misapplied, misunderstood, and has various other issues. Therefore, I am going to use it, completely devoid of context.
However, having said that, I also made a note to put context around it later. The plan is to do a series on the entire passage. But since this’ll be, at best, the second part of the series, I’m not doing it yet.
Where does If God is for us, who can be against us?
If God is for us, who can be against us? comes from Romans. It’s the second part of Chapter 8, verse 31. The passage is titled More than Conquerors in the 1984 NIV.
More Than Conquerors
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Ro 8:31 … If God is for us, who can be against us?
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For now, that’s about all I’ll say for “context”.
A song that includes If God is for us, who can be against us?
So, let’s leave the Bible for a moment. This is another reason for not getting into context. I mean, this passage is in Romans. How many of you skip Romans entirely? Or just run right through it, because it’s too hard to understand? It may be more likely that you know this “verse” because it’s used in Christian songs.
We can see God in both Christian and non-Christian music.
Seeing God in Christian Music
Seeing God in non-Christian Music
We’re going to look at one from Chris Tomlin. It’s titled Our God. Please note – I’m not picking on Chris Tomlin. I listen to his music. We sing it in the church I go to. And as with any song, we won’t really understand it unless we know what’s behind it. What the Bible verses mean. How the song includes the verses. The background of whoever wrote the words, including what the song meant to them.
And, oh yeah, most importantly, what the song means to us. That, of course, is a combination of all of the above. Plus everything about us. And, while we’re at it, let’s not forget how the Holy Spirit speaks to us in the song. It’s all very personal. And so, it’s not up to me, or anyone else, to tell you how to feel about this, or any other, Christian song.
Now, with all those disclaimers, let’s take a look at the words to Chris Tomlin’s Our God. BTW, if you don’t know the song, I’m sure it’s on YouTube somewhere.
“Our God”
Water You turned into wine, opened the eyes of the blind
there’s no one like You, none like You!
Into the darkness You shine, out of the ashes we rise
there’s no one like You, none like You!
Our God is greater, our God is stronger
God, You are higher than any other
Our God is Healer, awesome in power
Our God! Our God!
Into the darkness You shine, out of the ashes we rise
there’s no one like You, none like You!
Our God is greater, our God is stronger
God, You are higher than any other
Our God is Healer, awesome in power
Our God! Our God!
Our God is greater, our God is stronger
God, You are higher than any other
Our God is Healer, awesome in power
Our God! Our God!
And if our God is for us, then who could ever stop us?
And if our God is with us, then what could stand against?
And if our God is for us, then who could ever stop us?
And if our God is with us, then what could stand against?
Then what could stand against?
Our God is greater, our God is stronger
God, You are higher than any other
Our God is Healer, awesome in power
Our God! Our God!
Our God is greater, our God is stronger
God, You are higher than any other
Our God is Healer, awesome in power
Our God! Our God!
And if our God is for us, then who could ever stop us?
And if our God is with us, then what could stand against?
And if our God is for us, then who could ever stop us?
And if our God is with us, then what could stand against?
Then what could stand against?
Our God is greater, our God is stronger
God, You are higher than any other
Our God is Healer, awesome in power
Our God! Our God!
Our God is greater, our God is stronger
God, You are higher than any other
Our God is Healer, awesome in power
Our God! Our God!
If God is for us, in the context of Our God
Now, looking at the words, one line at a time, is there anything that’s wrong? No.
What if we look at a group of lines – the chorus or any one section? Again, no.
Even in total, there’s nothing wrong there.
However – even without getting into the actual Biblical context of If God is for us, who can be against us?, is there anything at all we’ve looked at that’s wrong? Or at least, not quite right? The answer is, yes, there is something that doesn’t line up right.
So you see it?
How do the words of the song align with the NIV title of the passage containing If God is for us, who can be against us? How do those words align with us being “more than conquerors“?
True, we are more than conquerors because of God’s power. BTW, the word conquerors here does not mean that we conquer other countries or other religions. Even though that has historically happened, it is not what the passage is about. Not at all.
What are “we” conquering?
Let’s return to the Bible now. Look at one more verse, specifically to identifying what that word “conquer” is about.
,,,
38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Ultimately, this is about how nothing will be able to separate us from the love of God. It’s about good and evil. About standing firm against evil and remaining strong through Jesus.
If God is for us, who can be against us?
I haven’t written anything in the last couple months. The first one was because of something that happened, sending me down the wormhole of depression. Then, when I was ready to write again, I did an upgrade to this site (fortunately not to my other one) that took it down for nearly two weeks. It was a total disaster.
That was maybe all part of God’s plan for me. Not that He made it happen, but that He allowed it to happen. I know, it’s a fine line, but an incredibly important fine line.
Anyway, the last thing I wrote before this was Why is it so hard for us to not be afraid? That’s important, because one of the main topics had to do with what Christians know as The armor of God. I leave it for you to read about it, if you haven’t already done so, rather than repeat it all here.
This all leads to the answer of who can be against us? Let me show you why. The excerpt below is the first part of a passage from Ephesians. The article on being afraid covers the entire passage, plus background ranging from Genesis to Revelation to show what it means.
The Armor of God
Eph 6:10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.
So – who can be against us?
Do you see now, who can be against us? Who is our biggest foe?
In the image at the top, who or what is represented by the giant foot with the giant red shoe, the huge wall, and the person? What if it’s:
- The red shoe is the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms
- The wall is the armor of God
- The person is us
- And the foot is also us
Seriously. I really mean all that.
We are our own worst enemy.
Pop Tart Christian
We become a Christian. In theory, we learn all this stuff. In theory, we’re saved. Believe and we’re done. Say the magic words and we get our ticket to Heaven. No matter what else we do.
Strong and mature Christians do not simply pop out of the oven overnight. The fruit of the Spirit takes time to grow in a person.
I read this and immediately thought about pop tarts. Unlike the picture on the left, there was practically nothing inside. Very little filling compared to the dough. Not unlike a new Christian. Or even an “old” Christian who was satisfied with the initial “committing their life to Jesus” – and then does nothing after that. Someone who doesn’t allow the Holy Spirit to fill them and guide their lives.
But honestly, where in the Bible does it say that? Do you know where? Nowhere! It’s not in there. Instead, there are things like putting on the armor of God.
But we don’t put on the armor of God. We use it as a barrier, from time to time. But sometimes we want to live life “our way”. Without the armor of God. We want to do things we know we shouldn’t do. So we not only don’t wear the armor of God, we even step away from the wall. We leave ourselves open to attack from the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.
And since we don’t wear the armor of God properly, the shoe comes through the wall. Gaps in God’s armor, because of our own desires to not be content with wearing it. All the time. As we know we should. But we just don’t want to.
The person in the image is crushed by the foot with the red shoe when the wall’s broken.
That person is us. We get crushed, because we didn’t use the power God gives everyone who promises to follow Jesus.
You do realize what that means, don’t you? Since we allowed it to happen, in a very real sense, we are at least part of the giant foot wearing that giant red shoe. We allowed evil to crush us, even though we had the power to not be crushed. And in that sense, we’re very much a part of our being crushed.
In what way is God for us?
I need to address one more thing. Given all this, how is God for us? Given that He allows these things to happen, how can He be for us?
Well, it’s a multi-part answer.
God is for us – #1
Remember the closing of our passage in Romans?
38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
God is for us with the ultimate goal that we not be separated from His love that is in Jesus.
God is for us – #2
Sometimes we need a wake-up call. Sometimes we need reminders that we’re not wearing the armor of God properly, and we need to get it together. In other words, sometimes we stray from God, and He lets us know, and give us opportunities to return to Him.
The thing is, God won’t force us. We do have the freedom to say “No” to God. In other words, we have the opportunity to reject the love of God.
BTW, sometimes stuff happens just because this is a fallen world.
God is for us. – #3
God is willing to be that wall. However, we must use the tools He gave us. We must honestly try to follow Him.
And, just as importantly, we must realize the reality of item #1. Jesus never promised us an easy life. Far from it. Earlier I mentioned the article about don’t be afraid. Jesus also spoke about not being worried.
Do Not Worry – Matthew
6:25-33 pp — Lk 12:22-31
Mt 6:25 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?
Mt 6:28 “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”
It’s hard to live in this fallen world and not be afraid or worry. For people like me, people who deal with depression or who knows how many other issues, it can be even harder to not be afraid and/or worry.
And yet, we have to remember these things. We must remember that God’s ultimate goal is for us to love Him. To spend eternity with Him.
It can also be hard to realize and remember that there isn’t one single person who can say – I don’t deserve this life. Well, actually, we could say we don’t deserve this life. Truth is, we all deserve something much worse than this life. We’re all so far from God, so far from “belonging” in a perfect world – be that Eden or Heaven – that we can’t begin to fathom it.
Conclusion – If God is for us, who can be against us?
After all this, who can be against us? To find out, look in a mirror. The face looking back at you is the one to be most concerned about.
We’re not perfect. Sometimes we’ll turn the suit of armor into a wall. Sometimes we take it off and walk away from the wall, so to speak. I even ran away. Yes, we may feel like we’re apart from God sometimes. But we aren’t.
We may even turn away and separate ourselves from God. You might remember, Peter did that once. At a time that is actually quite shocking. It’s a bit long, but here’s what happened.
The Last Supper – Luke
22:7-13 pp — Mt 26:17-19; Mk 14:12-16
22:17-20 pp — Mt 26:26-29; Mk 14:22-25; 1Co 11:23-25
22:21-23 pp — Mt 26:21-24; Mk 14:18-21; Jn 13:21-30
22:25-27 pp — Mt 20:25-28; Mk 10:42-45
22:33, 34 pp — Mt 26:33-35; Mk 14:29-31; Jn 13:37, 38
Lk 22:7 Then came the day of Unleavened Bread on which the Passover lamb had to be sacrificed. 8 Jesus sent Peter and John, saying, “Go and make preparations for us to eat the Passover.”
Lk 22:9 “Where do you want us to prepare for it?” they asked.
Lk 22:10 He replied, “As you enter the city, a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him to the house that he enters, 11 and say to the owner of the house, ‘The Teacher asks: Where is the guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?’ 12 He will show you a large upper room, all furnished. Make preparations there.”
Lk 22:13 They left and found things just as Jesus had told them. So they prepared the Passover.
Lk 22:14 When the hour came, Jesus and his apostles reclined at the table. 15 And he said to them, “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. 16 For I tell you, I will not eat it again until it finds fulfillment in the kingdom of God.”
Lk 22:17 After taking the cup, he gave thanks and said, “Take this and divide it among you. 18 For I tell you I will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.”
Lk 22:19 And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.”
Lk 22:20 In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you. 21 But the hand of him who is going to betray me is with mine on the table. 22 The Son of Man will go as it has been decreed, but woe to that man who betrays him.” 23 They began to question among themselves which of them it might be who would do this.
Lk 22:24 Also a dispute arose among them as to which of them was considered to be greatest. 25 Jesus said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who exercise authority over them call themselves Benefactors. 26 But you are not to be like that. Instead, the greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the one who rules like the one who serves. 27 For who is greater, the one who is at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who is at the table? But I am among you as one who serves. 28 You are those who have stood by me in my trials. 29 And I confer on you a kingdom, just as my Father conferred one on me, 30 so that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom and sit on thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
Lk 22:31 “Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift you as wheat. 32 But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.”
Lk 22:33 But he replied, “Lord, I am ready to go with you to prison and to death.”
Lk 22:34 Jesus answered, “I tell you, Peter, before the rooster crows today, you will deny three times that you know me.”
Lk 22:35 Then Jesus asked them, “When I sent you without purse, bag or sandals, did you lack anything?”
“Nothing,” they answered.
Lk 22:36 He said to them, “But now if you have a purse, take it, and also a bag; and if you don’t have a sword, sell your cloak and buy one. 37 It is written: ‘And he was numbered with the transgressors’; and I tell you that this must be fulfilled in me. Yes, what is written about me is reaching its fulfillment.”
Lk 22:38 The disciples said, “See, Lord, here are two swords.”
“That is enough,” he replied.
In all that, here’s the focus for today:
Lk 22:31 “Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift you as wheat. 32 But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.”
Notice – Jesus did not pray that that Simon (Peter) would be “sifted as wheat”. Rather, Jesus prayed that Peter strengthen others – after he turned back.
What’s the meaning of life? Christians will be “sifted” in this life. But why?
Jesus promised us life to the full. That we could have a meaningful life. But also that this meaningful life will have troubles. Jesus is for us, in all of this. But how often do we forget that? And how often do we work against ourselves? Finally, how long does it take to return – and when we do, how much do we help strengthen others?
Guess what? It’s the same for us. We will be our own worst enemy sometimes. But when we remember the stuff above – and so much more – we will also turn back. And be stronger ourselves. As well as be able to help strengthen others.
In that light, all sorts of things can, and will, be against us. But let’s try not to be against ourselves quite so often. We can only do that with God’s strength and power. But hey – He’s more than willing to help. We just need to ask. And listen. And respond accordingly.
So remember, if nothing else from this, God is for us as long as we allow Him to be.
Image by Peggy und Marco Lachmann-Anke from Pixabay