More Than Conquerors

²⁹ For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. ³⁰ And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified. ³¹ What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? ³² 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? ³³ Who shall bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. ³⁴ 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. ³⁵ Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? ³⁶ As it is written, "For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered." ³⁷ No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. ³⁸ For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, ³⁹ 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 (Rom 8:29-39).

It's Superbowl Sunday. I figured a reference to "more than conquerors" would be an excellent choice on a day like this.

Has it ever struck you how odd the phrase is? We can figure out what a conqueror is. That's someone who through force of arms defeats an opponent. Fine. We understand that. What is the opponent in the text? He who would bring a charge against God's elect. Those who would separate us from the love of Christ. It is persecution and death and tribulation. And we defeat all of them "through him who loved us." But that's just conquering. How are we "more than conquerors"?

Conquerors win. "More than conquerors" excel. Conquerors defeat their enemies. "More than conquerors" profit from it. You see, in all that would appear to steal us from the love of Christ, we not only win; we get ahead! We are not only predestined to be justified; we are glorified! We not only stand cleared of all charges; we are joined inseparably to the love of Christ! In fact, everything -- death, life, angels, rulers, things present, things to come, powers, height, depth, anything else in all creation -- rather than threatening our relationship with Christ, simply crowds us closer to Christ, our "firstborn", our justification, our righteousness, our lover.

Seriously ... much better than football.