Beloved Bible Verses

What is your favorite passage in the Bible? Today, Sinclair Ferguson turns to one of the most cherished sections of Scripture and begins to address the remarkable questions that these verses raise.

Welcome again to Things Unseen. If there was some way of taking a poll of listeners to this podcast or, indeed, to any or all of the Ligonier programs, a poll asking this question: “What’s your favorite passage in the Bible?” or, “What’s been the most important passage in the Bible for you?” I’m fairly sure that some or all of Romans 8:28–39 would be near the top of the list—and maybe actually be at the top. And that’s our theme this week or, more accurately, it’s one specific feature of that passage that I want us to reflect on for the next few days.

By any stretch of the imagination, it’s an amazing passage. When I read it, I’m reminded of a comment my own church history professor made. I don’t think he would’ve called himself a conservative evangelical, but I recall him saying one day in a lecture on the early fathers that if you want to be convinced of the inspiration of the New Testament—what makes it different—you just need to read the writings of the Christians who followed. The difference is unmistakable. And when you read this passage, Romans 8, you’re bound to think, “There’s nothing in human literature just like this.” It’s a stupendously great passage. I want to read it for us in a moment, and I encourage you just to listen and to let the glory of the words, as it were, marinate in your soul during the day. But then I want to top and tail the reading of it with a couple of questions.

The first is this: Do you ever read the Bible out loud to yourself? Actually, until at least the time of St. Augustine, people used to read everything out loud, or at least they would read out loud, but quietly. And if you think about it, the Bible was actually written to be read out loud. It was the only way people who couldn’t possibly have afforded a copy of the Bible had access to it. And because it was written to be read out loud, I think we sometimes benefit most from it when we read it out loud to ourselves. Well, that’s the first question: Do you ever read the Bible out loud?

But let’s listen to Romans 8:

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be confirmed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.

What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised–who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written,

“For your sake, we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.”

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

So, what’s the second question? Well, there’s a feature of these verses, in verses 31–35, particularly, that’s rather unusual. But I think that when you see it for the first time in these verses, you then can’t avoid noticing it every time you read it. So my question is, What is it? The answer? Well, please don’t phone in to complain, but we’ll have to wait until tomorrow to answer the question. So, I hope you’ll join me then and for the rest of the week as we explore that answer together.