ROMANS 8:31–39 – 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.”
THEME OF THE DAY: NOTHING OR NO ONE. If after reading today’s nugget you are so full of joy and thanksgiving to the Lord, please stand up, dance around the room and sing praises to Him for such love, grace, mercy, and patience! This portion of scripture is for sure “shouting ground” and the place where worship flourishes.
The New Testament letter to the Romans has been called “the Himalayas of the Bible” with Romans 8 its “Mount Everest” and for good causes. Romans is the book for Christians to build firm foundations for Christian living; justification by faith, union in Christ, doctrine producing practice, and in today’s scripture, the security of the believer. John Calvin said of Romans, “When any one understands this epistle, he has a passage opened to him to the understanding of the whole scripture.” Another great man of God, Dr. James Boice, states of Romans, “Christianity has been the most powerful, transforming force in human history and the book of Romans is the most basic, most comprehensive statement of true Christianity.”
As we mature in the Christian life, we becoming increasingly aware of how short we fall in obedience to the Lord. We grieve over such failures. We also find ourselves tripped up by sin. And when that happens, the devil, our tempter, becomes the devil, our accuser, reminding us over and over of our sin with the goal to make us doubt God’s love and forgiveness toward us. If we listen to him, we become miserable Christians for doubt and unbelief steal joy, peace, and closeness to the Lord, but we don’t have to listen to him. Instead, “listen” to the security of the “Mount Everest” of the Apostle Paul’s letter to the Romans.
Now comes the dancing and praising part – 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. Identify what has the power of separating us from the love of God. Didn’t find anything or anyone, did you? Allow me to add two more things that have no power to separate us from God’s love – ourselves and our sins. Yes, no one and nothing can separate us from the love God to include ourselves and our sin. Okay, you may go dancing and singing now . . . we have a great reason to do both; no one or nothing may separate us from our God’s love for us.
PRAYER: “Father, how I praise You for such love, such love that will never let me go despite myself.”
QUOTE: “Nothing may separate us from the love of God and that includes ourselves and our many failings.”
Because of Him,
Pastor Jim