If God Be for Us, Who Can Be Against Us? (Romans 8:30–32)

Rom. 8:30. And those he foreordained, he also called; and those he called, he also justified; and those he justified, he also glorified.

Blessed Theodoret writes: “Whom he foreknew to have a firm disposition, those he ‘foreordained’ from the beginning; and having foreordained them, he ‘called’; then, having called them, he justified them through baptism; and having justified them, he ‘glorified’ them, naming them sons and bestowing upon them the grace of the All-Holy Spirit.” The pattern of salvation for all in the Lord Jesus Christ was foreordained from the beginning—he himself accomplished it and established the whole economy of salvation. Having established all this, he sent his holy Apostles to call those willing to receive salvation. The Wise One depicts this in this manner: “Wisdom has built her house, and has set up seven pillars: she has slain her victims, and has mingled wine in her cup, and has prepared her table. She has sent forth her servants, summoning with a loud proclamation to her cup” (Prov. 9:1–3). The same the Saviour depicts in the parable of the wedding feast prepared by a king for his son. Having prepared all things, he sent servants to call people to the wedding: “Go and say: Behold, I have prepared my banquet, my oxen and fattened cattle are slain, and all is ready; come to the wedding” (Matt. 22:4). “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature” (Mk. 16:15). The Apostles went and called—they called all. But how is it said: “Those he foreordained, he also called”? The foreordained are the same as the chosen, but not all the called are chosen—the Lord said this, and events have borne it out. All are called; but not all of the called heed the call—not all become truly called. Truly called should be called he who has received the gospel and believed. But even among these, not all are chosen, not all are predestined to conformity with the Son in righteousness and glory. For many do not remain faithful to the call—either they go wrong in faith, or in their lives they “halt upon both their sides” (1 Kings 18:21). But the chosen and foreordained remain faithful to the end. How then does the Apostle say that those God foreordained he also called? We are all now called; for we stand in the Church of God, in the house of our God. But which of us, looking at his sins, can say with confidence that he is numbered among the foreordained chosen? Consequently, a distinction must be made between the called and the called. Some of them are predestined to salvation and glory, others are not predestined. And if this distinction must be made, then a distinction must be made between the call and the call. The chosen and foreordained pass through the act of calling in a special manner, although the word of calling is proclaimed equally to all. Beginning here, this distinction among the chosen continues through all the subsequent acts on the path to God and leads them to a blessed end. What exactly this difference consists in cannot be determined; but it lies not merely in the grace accompanying the word of calling, but also in the disposition and receptivity of the called, which is the work of their own free will. Ambrosiaster writes: “To call means: to grant faith to one who has determined to believe, or to persuade to faith him of whom it is foreknown that he will listen. These foreknown ones remain faithful to the end and stand under God’s good pleasure. But for the rest, whom God did not foreknow, he has no concern, because he did not foreknow that they would remain pleasing to him to the end. Though they may believe and be received for a time into the congregation of the chosen, appearing to be good, yet justice requires that each should receive his due: but they do not remain to the end and do not enter into glory, as we see in the case of Judas, Saul, and others.” When the chosen are called, these others go along with them and receive everything they receive; but they remain for a short or a long time within this enclosure and depart, like those who walked with the Lord, but after he proposed the doctrine concerning the Eucharist, they left him and walked with him no more (Jn. 6:71).

It is very distressing to see oneself among the called and to think: perhaps I have accidentally fallen among the called and do not truly belong to the called and foreordained? It is easy for us to come to this confusion, born among the called and seeing ourselves already called when we come to self-awareness. Are we called because we are foreordained? The answer is this: if you are faithful to the call of Christ, then know that you have no ground to exclude yourself from the number of the foreordained. Remain faithful and bless God, who has called you to conformity with his Son, apart from your deliberation. If you remain so to the end, then do not doubt that boundless mercy shall meet you there. If you do fall, do not fall into despair, but hasten through repentance to stand again in the rank from which you fell, like Peter. If you fall many times, arise, believing that in rising you again enter the congregation of those called according to foreordination. Only the unrepentant sinners and hardened unbelievers can be excluded from this congregation; but even that is not final. The robber on the cross, in the last minutes of life, was seized and taken by the Son of God into paradise. We cannot say that we are not numbered among the foreordained, but neither can we say the opposite. But since the path to it is open to all, and is proclaimed to all, and we are called to walk upon it, let us walk in confidence that if we reach the end, we shall enter into what stands at the end. God foreordained as he foreknew. The same applies to us. God foreknew what we would desire and toward what we would strive, and he accordingly appointed his determination concerning us. Consequently, all depends on our disposition. Guard a good disposition, and you shall become one of the foreordained chosen. Concerning the Kingdom of God, the Lord said that zealous contenders, sparing not themselves and striving for every good, seize it, ἀρπάζουσιν (Matt. 11:12)—as if forcibly wresting it from God’s hands. Apply effort and zeal, and you shall win for yourself election. Moreover, this very thing signifies that you are among the foreordained chosen: for the non-elect will not strive.

“And those he called, he also justified.” The calling is completed on God’s part by the proclamation of the gospel with great grace-bearing power attending this word, and on man’s part by the reception of the glad tidings, by sincere faith in it and by full readiness to live according to its precepts. When this is accomplished in the spirit of man, then he is clothed on God’s part in justification. This justification consists in the forgiveness of all previous unrighteousness and in the preparation or equipping of man for all righteousness from now on, through the bestowal upon him of the grace of the All-Holy Spirit, which regenerates, illuminates, and strengthens. This is accomplished in holy baptism. Holy Chrysostom says: “He justified him through the bath of regeneration.” Theophylact: “He ‘justified’ him—freed him from sins and made him righteous through the bath of regeneration.” The Apostle writes to those already called and justified, who bore within themselves the justifying power in Christ Jesus and felt it. It is borne and felt even now by all who walk aright after the Lord.

“And those he justified, he also glorified.” How “glorified,” when Christians were despised and persecuted everywhere? The present was not glorious, and the future, though infinitely glorious, had not yet come. How then “glorified”? Through internal glorification, which is the foundation for the future. Internal glorification does not mean that within all speaks of glory to the justified, but rather that through justification there is built up within a most glorious state, wonderful to the Angels, well-pleasing to God. The grace of the Spirit, because of their complete obedience to its guidance, penetrates them in all their parts and powers and makes them such as they are predestined to be—conformed to the image of the Son of God made flesh, sons of God by grace. Is not this glorious? And what else can compare with this glory? Holy Chrysostom says: “He glorified them through grace, through adoption as sons.” And Theophylact: “He honored them with adoption and gave them the other gifts.”

The Apostle writes that God foreknew and predestined, then called, justified, glorified. All is God’s doing; but what of us? If all is God’s doing, should we not fold our hands? Whomever he wishes to act thus upon, he will surely bring to a blessed end. And when he does not wish it, no matter how hard you try, nothing will come of it. But he who begins to strive and strives is the very one God wishes to act upon. When it is said that God calls and justifies, this does not mean that the called and justified have nothing to do with it. God draws; they express their desire to follow and determine to do so—and they run, struggling against the difficulties that lie before them and overcoming them with God’s help. This struggle is intense, and this path is a bloody path. It is accomplished through the interaction of God’s grace-bearing power and human free will. The Apostle depicts in this matter only one aspect—God’s all-working—in order then to conclude: if this is so, what have we to fear? And he began speaking of this for the purpose of establishing firm foundations for hope. And this required that attention be directed principally to what comes from God in the arrangement of our salvation. What comes from us, everyone himself will already supply in this connection. But since someone’s thought about our participation might turn into confusion and he might get stuck on it, some of our interpreters come to help such a one.

Since the beginning of all God’s all-working depicted here is foreknowledge—for “having foreknown, he foreordained,” and then these foreknown and foreordained ones “he called, justified and glorified”—blessed Theodoret dwells upon it in order to say that it—and consequently all the subsequent actions of God—does not take away freedom from the foreknown. He writes: “Let no one assert that the cause of this (calling, justification, glorification) is foreknowledge; for foreknowledge did not make them such, but God, being God, foresaw from afar what would happen in the future. For if I, seeing a spirited horse that has seized the bit and thrown off its rider, say that as it approaches a cliff it will throw itself into it, and then according to my word this comes to pass, I did not cast the horse into the abyss; rather, I predicted what would happen, using the horse’s desperate wildness as a sign. God, however, foreseeing all things from afar as God, does not bring them to necessity—one to advance in virtue, another to do evil. For if he himself compelled both the one and the other, it would be unjust to proclaim one a victor and to appoint punishment for the other. But if God is just, as he truly is, he urges toward good and forbids what is contrary, praises those who work good and punishes according to his will those who have loved vice.”

“Oecumenius adduces words of Holy Cyril (it is not clear which one), in which he affirms that in all these actions of God one must understand what was said before this: ‘those who are’—κατά πρόθεσιν, according to their intention—‘called.’ Namely, ‘Those he foreknew, he also foreordained’—τοῖς κατά πρόθεσιν—according to their intention. ‘Those he foreordained, he also called’—τοῖς κατά πρόθεσιν—not binding their free will. ‘Those he called, he also justified’—τοῖς κατά πρόθεσιν—not without the participation of their free will. ‘Those he justified, he also glorified’—again ‘those who are’—κατά πρόθεσιν—‘called’—in accord with the direction of their free will. One must understand this in order that someone not come to an unsuitable conclusion, thinking that God created some for good and others for evil. But if one understands this—κατά πρόθεσιν—according to intention—then in all these actions the participation of the believers’ own free will will be evident, and God will be seen as free from all partiality.”

Rom. 8:31. What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?

“Having indicated God’s decrees and actions concerning the saved, he draws from this a conclusion, directing it toward the establishment of hope, which is the subject of his discourse now. He speaks, as it were, thus: from all that has been said, it is clear that God is with us and stands for us. And if ‘God is for us, who can be against us?’ If one refers this to future hoped-for blessings, it means: who is able to snatch from our hands what we hope for, when God is for us? But if one refers it to the present sorrowful condition amid internal wealth, it means: who is able through these external afflictions to harm us, to diminish or disturb what has been given to us within, and thereby deprive us of what we hope for? Photius in Oecumenius writes: ‘What then shall we say to these things?’ What does this mean? It means: looking at his predestination, calling, justification, and glorification—gazing upon this abundance of benefactions, what shall we say? We do not even have sufficient words of thanksgiving to give thanks, let alone deeds to repay. So unspeakable is his grace toward us! Then, as if satisfied with these blessings, he says: ‘If God is for us, who can be against us?’—giving us to understand that no one can. But how do we know that God is for us? From the fact that his mind is struck with amazement at a blessing so astonishing that he did not spare even his own Son for us. Thus, if God is for us, it is evident that he will turn all things to our benefit and will make what appears afflictive the cause of rejoicing, as for the Apostles and martyrs he turned sorrows, persecutions, and death into things deserving crowns and rewards and opening the door to the Kingdom of Heaven. In this manner, if only we ourselves do not stumble in anything, no one has power against us.”

Holy Chrysostom depicts at greater length how many foundations for hope the Apostle provides in this brief saying. “The Apostle speaks, as it were, thus: Do not mention to me the afflictions and snares that meet you everywhere. Though some do not believe in the future, they can say nothing against the blessings already given—such as God’s ancient love for you, justification, glory. But who is against us, you ask? The whole universe is against us, and torturers, and nations, and kinsmen, and fellow citizens. Yet all those who are against us are so far from having power to harm us that they unwillingly become for us the cause of crowns, mediators of countless blessings. Thus God’s wisdom turns all snares into our salvation and glory. Do you see how no one is against us? It was the adversity set against Job by the devil that made him famous. The devil set against him friends, his wife, wounds, his household, countless other devices; yet nothing was against him, since God was for him, so everything apparently rising against him was for him. The same happened with the Apostles. Jews, Gentiles, false brethren, rulers, nations, hunger, poverty—countless calamities rose against them; yet nothing was against them. For all this made them especially renowned, glorious, and worthy of praise before God and before men. So too for the believer who strictly fulfills God’s law, neither man nor demon nor any other can do him any harm. Do you rob him of his possessions? You are thereby weaving him a reward. Do you speak ill of him? By your slander you make him shine all the more before God. Do you bring him to hunger? You are providing him greater glory and greater recompense. Do you even deliver him to death, which is most terrible, you are thus weaving for him the crown of martyrdom. What can compare with the life of a man against whom nothing can stand, to whom apparently the very evildoers bring no less benefit than the very benefactors? Therefore the Apostle says: ‘If God is for us, who can be against us?’ Then, not content with these words, he sets forth here that greatest sign of God’s love for us, to which he always turns—I speak of the death of the Son. God not only justified, says Paul, glorified, made us like the image of his Son, but did not spare his own Son for you. Therefore he continues:”

Rom. 8:32. He who did not spare his own Son, but delivered him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, freely give us all things?

In relation to what precedes, these words may be arranged thus: God has already given us such great gifts—justification, glorification in the Spirit—and has promised yet greater things. If God so acts for our benefit, then do not waver in hope, for not only will no one take from us what we have received, but he will also not deprive us of what has been promised. Thus, proceeding from the thought of such divine care for you, you should not doubt any of this. But if this foundation seems abstract to you, then consider how he granted us the gifts we have received. To grant them to us, he did not spare his own Son. If he did not spare his own Son—beyond and greater than which it is impossible to do anything more for us—can you then waver whether he will give what has been promised, when it cannot exceed this? He gave the greater; will he not give the lesser? Or thus: he gave much, promised even greater; but if there should prove to be something yet more necessary and desirable, do not doubt that he will grant that too, when he did not spare his own Son for us. Holy Chrysostom says: “The Apostle speaks intensely and with great fervor to express the love of God. Will God abandon us, when he did not spare his own Son for us, but delivered him up for us all? Picture, then, what goodness it is—not to spare his own Son, but to deliver him up, to deliver him up for the insignificant, the ungrateful, the enemies, the blasphemers! ‘How will he not also, along with him, freely give us all things?’ These words mean: if God has given us his own Son, and not only given him, but delivered him up for death, then, having received as a gift the Master himself, why do we still doubt all the rest? Having the Lord, can we entertain doubt concerning the reception of the other gifts? He who gave the more important to enemies (when we were enemies), will he not give the less important to friends (now that we have become friends)?” Photius in Oecumenius touches on certain other nuances of the Apostle’s persuasion. “The Apostle added: ‘He who did not spare his own Son’ and the rest—in order to show the unspeakable divine care for us, and in order by this example to dispose us toward patient endurance, when something sorrowful should befall us from others, or even—what is greater than this—to inspire and embolden us toward suffering. For if the Son suffered so much for you, how much ought you to suffer for him? And if he, having suffered so, suffered no loss in the Father’s glory and Godhood, do not lose heart either, as if exceedingly diminished and robbed, when you suffer. You will certainly be deemed worthy to receive the promise, both after sufferings and after death. This is why it is added: ‘how will he not also, along with him, freely give us all things?’—wishing to assure us that what has been promised can in no way and under no pretext be withdrawn. ‘Along with him he will freely give us all things,’ he says. You may say: how if he should forget about us? But in that case he would forget about his own Son. For he promises to give ‘along with him all things to us’; so that certainly and without fail we shall receive what has been promised.”