Romans 8:36: As It Is Written, "For Your Sake We Are Being Killed All The Day Long"

Romans 8:36
[36] As it is written, “For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.” (ESV)

If someone were to offer the opportunity to have a relationship with a God who loves you would you be interested in the idea of "being killed all the day long?" How about "being regarded as sheep to be slaughtered?" Most people who have heard the Gospel preached are only told about the value of being in eternity with God in Heaven. Rarely are they told about the hardship before Heaven.

Why would the Apostle Paul reference an ancient verse of Scripture in describing our relationship with God? He is actually referring to Psalm 44:22. He just gave a biographical description of all the things that he had personally encountered that could not separate him from the love of Jesus Christ. These included tribulation, distress, persecution, famine, nakedness, danger, and sword.

I believe that Paul is helping us to get a balanced perspective on what it means to have a relationship with God through Jesus Christ. We do not have a great relationship because God satisfies all of our fleshly desires and gives us "prosperity" on Earth. Rather, his love is so sufficient for our every need that not any of the hardships thrown at us can pull us away from His love.

In fact, God's love, demonstrated to us in the sacrifice of Christ on our behalf, is worth dying for. Over the centuries believers in Jesus Christ have willingly laid down their lives for their Savior. They knew that belonging to Christ meant being like Christ. What was Christ? He was a sacrificial lamb. He was slaughtered for us. We are willing to die for him. His love is that wonderful.

What Gospel did you hear? Are you aware of the aspect of suffering that is part of the Christian life? Keep your eyes on Jesus. His love is worth all of the suffering that will come your way.