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Monday, 13 May 2013

Romans 8:35-37 - Who/what shall separate us from the love of God?

Romans 8:35-37

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written:
“For your sake we face death all day long;
    we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”
No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.


Paul continues with the application from the former verses - God is for us and no one can stand against him, He has given us his son - what would he withhold from us? No one can accuse or condemn us because it is he who saves and judges. Therefore what/who can separate us from God's love? Nothing!

Notice first though - Christ Loves us!! We sin. We stuff up, we hated him, we rejected him, we are the reason he was crucified. We lie, we steal, we cheat, we hate and we hurt. All of which are a rejection of God's word and of his character which is good, just, perfect, holy, pure, merciful and loving. Yet, though we deserve hell, God instead chooses to love us. Not because he needs us, not because he's wimpy and didn't want to hurt us. No, because he is loving and merciful and gracious. Gd will judge eternally all who continue to reject him. But for Christians who have turned to Christ for salvation, God loves us. What an awesome God! We deserve hell, yet he loves us!
Take a read of 1 John 4:10
"This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins."


"Shall trouble..." - what can separate us from God's love? Nothing. No amount of hardship, no amount of pain, no amount of embarrassment, no amount of fear. Why? Not at all because of us - we fall away so easily. Entirely because of God. Because in John 17:12, Jesus says "While I was with them, I protected them and kept them safe by that name you gave me. None has been lost". Because God defends us, because God holds us, because God does not change his mind. Because God has chosen to save us and no one can accuse or condemn us. Because Jesus died, because he rose again, because he dealt with our sin and paid in full! That's why! If it was up to us, we wouldn't have any hope! We already proved that - that's why Jesus had to die in our place! Left on our own, we would fall away straight away. Yet we don't have to fear, because it is God who holds us. We only have to trust him and obey him and live for his glory! Love God! He loved us and saved us (Christians)!

“For your sake we face death all day long;
    we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” - We will even face death, but we face it willingly for Christ, and he will sustain us. Trust him and do not fear. He died for us, and we may be called to die for him - are you ready for that? Is eternity with God of more worth to you then any life or physical gain here? Would you die for Christ? If yes, then would you give up your sin for him? Would you lose friendships for him? Would you be embarrassed and hated for him because you share the gospel? Because you can't stand sin and don't want any of it in your life?



If we are Christians, the answer needs to be yes. If it is then "we are more than conquerors through him who loved us". We don't have to fear, because it is through Christ that we are conquerors. It is through him we are saved, and it is through him that we do not have to ever fear anything in this world. We have the promise of eternal life with him! What else could be better? What could ever be worth trading for that?

God is awesome.



God Bless! I hope that was as encouraging to you as it was to me!


Nat.

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