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4000 E.
Collins Rd. “Preaching
the Living Word through the Written Word (2Tim 4:2)” |
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THE
INSEPARABLE LOVE OF GOD IN CHRIST (Rom
8:35-39) 4/13/08 Grace Bible Church, Gillette, Wyoming Pastor 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. |
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