Home

Services

Location

Beliefs

Sermons & Studies

Bible Institute

Calendar

Missions

Pastor

Contact

Search

Weather

 

 

 

Grace Bible Church

4000 E. Collins Rd.   P.O. Box #3762   Gillette, WY  82717   (307) 686-1516

 

“Preaching the Living Word through the Written Word (2Tim 4:2)”

 

 

 

THE INSEPARABLE LOVE OF GOD IN CHRIST

 (Rom 8:35-39)    4/13/08

Grace Bible Church, Gillette, Wyoming

Pastor Daryl Hilbert

 

I.        NO HARDSHIP CAN SEPARATE US FROM THE LOVE OF CHRIST (35-36)

 

A.      Paul asks another rhetorical question concerning the “love of Christ.” His point is that nothing will be able to separate the believer from the love of Christ (35).

1.       The word “separate” (chōrízō) has various usages in the Scriptures.

a)       The basic idea of chōrízō is to put apart or sever from something or someone. It can mean divorce, a separation in marital status (Mt 19:6; 1Co 7:10, 11, 15). It can imply holiness, a separation from sin (He 7:26). It can imply death, a separation of the body from the spirit (Jas 2:26).

b)       Here in Ro 8:35, chōrízō means that there will never be a separation of the believer’s relationship from Christ and His love.

2.       Paul emphatically lists items that cannot sever the believer from the love of Christ.

a)       Tribulation (thlípsis - to crush, press) can be outward pressures that the believer faces when serving the Lord (Ac 14:22; 2Co 4:17; Ep 3:13).

b)       Distress (stenochōría - tight or restricted pressure) can refer to the inner anguish that believer’s experience (2Co 6:4).

c)       Persecution (diogmós - being pursued or chased) is the hostile response of the world against Christ and His followers (Ac 8:1; 13:50).

d)       Famine (limos) refers to hunger or want of food through poverty or a catastrophe (Ac 11:28).

e)       Nakedness (gumnótês) is being destitute of convenient or decent clothing (2Co 11:27).

f)        Perils (kíndunos) are dangerous and threatening circumstances (2Co 11:26).

g)       Sword (machaira) is a metonymy that includes both threats of violence and acts of violence, even including death (Lk 22:52; Jn 18:10; Ac 12:1-2; He 11:37).

3.       The list just mentioned (increasing in intensity) cannot separate believers from the love of Christ. Indeed, they are part of the “all things” that God causes to work together for their good (Rom 8:28).

B.      In order to show that the believer experiences constant tribulation with great intensity, Paul quotes Psa 44:22 from the LXX (36).

1.       Psa 44 is a lament of God’s people with a history of unequaled disaster (Psa 44:9-22). The psalm is also a remembrance of God’s people with a history of unequaled divine victory (Psa 44:1-8). Based on these past victories, David cries out to the Lord for deliverance (Psa 44:23-26).

2.       Paul uses verse 22 to point out that God’s people experience intense tribulation. They experience it continually (“all day long”), with great intensity (“sheep to be slaughtered”), on behalf of God (“your sake”).

3.       Paul himself experienced all of these difficulties and dangers (2Co 11:23-28), yet none of them separated him or other believers from the love of Christ.

 

II.      NOTHING CAN CONQUER AND SEPARATE US FROM THE LOVE OF CHRIST (37)

 

A.      Paul’s point is that just as there is unequaled tribulation for the believer, there is also unequaled victory.

B.      Because the believer is a son of God, guaranteed a future inheritance and glory, as well as enjoying the eternal favor of God, he is considered “super-victorious.” The believer is a “super-conqueror” through Christ.

C.      The Greek word is hupernikáō and is made up of two words; hupér which can mean over and above, and nikáō, which means victory, to conquer or prevail (Ro 12:21; 1Jn 2:13, 14; 1Jn 4:4; 1Jn 5:4, 5). Together they mean one who does more than conquer. It is one who brings about utter defeat and therefore is a super-victor and super-conqueror.

D.      It was used in the Dissertation of Epictetus of the warrior who was unconquerable outwardly and inwardly. Not even the threat of death could cause him to deviate from the right path (I, 18,22).

E.       No one or no thing can conquer the believer and separate him from the love of Christ (Jn 10:28-29; Ro 8:31-34). This was accomplished through (día with the genitive - agency) the agency of the One who loved us.

 

III.   NOTHING IN GOD’S UNIVERSE CAN SEPARATE US FROM THE LOVE OF GOD (38-39)

 

A.      Paul’s conviction of the love of God is literally translated, “have been and continue to be convinced” (perf pass ind - peíthō). Peíthō, which means to persuade, is the root of the Greek word for faith (pistis). Paul uses this word to prove he is convinced of security in Christ (2Ti 1:12 cp. Jud 24).

B.      Paul listed the extreme hardships of tribulation and persecution that cannot separate the believer from the love of God (35-37). Paul now elevates the list to anything in God’s universe cannot separate the believer from the love of God (38-39).

1.       “Death” (thánatos) is first on the list and here refers to physical death. It is appointed for man to die because of his sin. But, a believer does not have to fear death because in death the believer is ushered into the presence of God (2Co 5:8-9). Christ possesses the power over death because of His work on the cross (Rev 1:18). Therefore, for the believer, death is swallowed up in victory (1Co 15:54-55).

2.       “Life” would encompass anything that could befall the believer, even up to the point of death. Believers are in the presence of God both in life (Mt 28:20) and in death (2Co 5:8-9).

3.       “Angels” can refer to the general category of angels (fallen or unfallen). Paul used the term when he safeguarded the gospel in Gal 1:8. Even if an unfallen angel hypothetically were to fall and oppress the believer, he could not be separated from the love of God.

4.       “Principalities” most likely speak of fallen angels (Col 1:16; Eph 6:12). Though Satan and his cohorts are powerful, they cannot thwart the omnipotent power of God (1Jo 4:4). The Scriptures tell us that Christ has destroyed the works of the devil (1Jo 3:8). Also, the believer has overcome the evil one (1Jo 2:14). God has even provided spiritual armor for the believer (Eph 6:10ff). Therefore, not even Satan’s diabolical power can separate the believer from the love of God.

5.       “Things present … and to come” represent everything a believer is experiencing or could possibly experience under any scenario. God causes all these things to work together for good (Rom 8:28). Good for the believer would have to include never being separated from the love and presence of God.

6.       “Powers” (dúnamis) are used figuratively of persons in positions of authority and power. This could refer to human and/or celestial powers (cp. Eph 6:12). In either case, the believer need not fear.

C.      Paul concludes with metaphorical language to account for everything and anything that one might think of that could separate the believer from the love of God (39).

1.       Neither “Height, nor depth” could refer to the whole measurement of God’s visible and invisible universe (Pr 25:3). There is no place of habitation where a power could undermine God’s love for the believer (Ep 3:18).

2.       In fact, there is absolutely no “other created thing” in God’s realm of creation that can sever believers from God’s love.

D.      The conclusion of all that has been said in this last section of Romans 8, is that there is not one thing that can separate the believer from the love of God. The believer should be totally convinced of it.

E.       Note that both the Father (vs. 39) and the Son (vs. 35) eternally love the believer. It is impossible for the love of either to fall short. The fact that the Son’s love is equivalent to the Father’s love implies the deity of Christ. In either case, it assures the believer that God’s love will never fail (1Co 13:8a).

 

IV.    OBSERVATIONS AND APPLICATIONS

 

A.      Only unbelievers are separated from God.

B.      The believer’s greatest foe cannot separate us from the love of God.

C.      The believer cannot separate himself from the love of God.

D.      Imperfect thinking can only separate us from complete joy.