The well-known 19th-century preacher C. H. Spurgeon said the doctrine of election is one of the most ″stripping doctrines in all the world″. It is humbling. It means that our salvation began with God. This is the plain teaching of the Bible, yet we don't like to be humbled, so we reject talk of election.

Wherever the New Testament talks about election, it is always in the context of the great blessings we have. Election is a reminder that we should not get big-headed about these blessings. It is not because of us but because of Him, that we are His and enjoy such blessings.

Paul concludes this first section of Romans by asking and answering four questions about our security:

• Verse 31: Is there any enemy who can effectively defeat us? No, since God is for us! In giving His own Son, God has shown the extent of His support.
• Verse 33: Is there any barrister who can effectively make a charge stick against us? No, God has irrevocably declared us to be in the right with Him!
• Verse 34: Is there any accuser who can effectively condemn us? No, Jesus, who is constantly at God's right hand, will always silence any accusation!
• Verse 35: Is there anyone or any situation that can effectively separate us from God's love? No. Paul lists all the possibilities: no person in the created order, no situation, no extremity-nothing can separate us from the blessings of our salvation in Christ and from God's loving oversight in all these things. Paul concludes that we are super conquerors because of God who loved us (v. 37).

Paul pushes language to its extreme here. At this point, one feels sorry for his note-taker, Tertius (16:22)!

What a magnificent conclusion to the first part of the book. Theologian J. I. Packer identified his favourite chapter in the Bible as that which begins with ″There is now no condemnation″ and ends with ″nor anything else . . . will be able to separate us from the love of God.″

No condemnation. No separation. That is momentous news.