"The Power of the Source"
Romans 8:35, "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation,
or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?"
This
morning, there are times when God's people need "pick me ups" through the storms
of life. Because of the weakness and fickleness of our natures, we sometimes
lose sight of things that we once held in firm view. Consider the disciples
that followed Christ. Could any of them say they had not seen enough? Yet, so
many times they were cast down in despair and seemingly without hope. So it is
- sadly - with us in our lives. God has blessed us with so much, and we have
seen so many wonderful things from His hand. Yet, we still fall into despair
and overmuch sorrow. There are passages in Scripture that specifically address
the reality of these situations. Though bad things and hard times are a reality
of life, they do not change what is truly important and what is an eternal
reality.
Certain portions of Scripture seem to hold special places in people's hearts,
and the 8th Chapter of Romans is one such place for many of the household of
faith. It is completely understandable. The chapter begins with no
condemnation and ends with no separation. Everything in between is rich and
precious as well chock full of comforting truths of God's love and salvation.
However, no matter how long I study Scripture, I am always amazed at discovering
things in well-worn places. Every time someone thinks they have rubbed a
passage smooth, there is always more there than we will ever find. Let us
consider a fresh perspective from a well-worn passage of Scripture.
As
Paul brings his message home through the latter portion of Romans 8, we see him
engage a question and answer session that ultimately brings the conclusion that
nothing can or will separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
During these questions and answers, Paul is building and building so that when
the conclusion is reached, it is beyond contestation. In our study verse, Paul
opens the thought of separation. He has just finished describing how we cannot
be charged or condemned with anything because of the legal work of Christ.
Since we are legally justified, is separation possible? Paul will ultimately
conclude that it is not possible for us to be separated, but notice something
interesting in his question.
Paul
lists 7 things to consider. I know these are things because Paul in verse 37
calls them that. These things are unpleasant and sometimes dire. Yet, Paul's
question is not really phrased for "things." Paul did not ask, "What shall
separate us..." Rather, he asked, "Who shall separate us..." Paul phrases the
question in reference to persons but uses examples of things. Why? Paul is
inviting us to consider not the thing itself but the power behind the thing.
These things are what we might consider the "worst" that men and devils could do
to us. Whether it is self-inflicted distress, manmade persecution, or devilish
peril and sword, Paul assembles a list of dire situations. However, rather than
focus solely on the things, what power do men and devils really have?
Christ makes the point in Matthew 10:28 that fear should not be granted to those
that can kill the body only. Real fear should be reserved to someone that holds
eternal consequence in their hand. God alone has the power to alter the course
of eternal destinations, and He did that through the work of His Son to HIs
people. We are held in the Eternal One's hand based on His work and His alone.
What can the devil do? I would posit that the devil did as much to Job as was
devilishly possible. He brought destruction to his family and possessions so
that we can say the devil attempted persecution, sword, and peril. Job's wife
and three miserable comforters brought distress upon him, and Job himself
bemoaned his condition through nakedness in ashes and scraping his skin to
relieve the pain of the boils.
None
of these trials changed the reality that Job is God's and will always be God's.
No matter how Job stood up or did not stand up to the trials he faced, Job lives
in heaven right now with God Almighty. No matter the trials we face or how we
stand up to them, we shall live in heaven some sweet day with God Almighty. The
worst the devil can do is wreak havoc in our lives. The worst we can do to
ourselves is make ruin of things here. Nothing that happens here changes the
eternal reality of being part of God's family. So, when Paul invites us to
consider the source of these things, he is really charging us to consider the
power behind the movement.
Would any of us foolishly posit that the devil has equal or more power than
God? Would any of us posit the same for ourselves or our fellowman? God
forbid! Yet, when we give the circumstances of life too much place, we
unwittingly charge the power sources of these things with more power than God.
God is the source of our deliverance, and men and devils are the source of our
miserable situations. Who is stronger? No contest. So "what" in life could
separate us? Nothing, because there is not a "who" that can. When I hear
people say that we can keep ourselves out of heaven because of unbelief and/or
_______, I am always amazed at the logical conclusion of that reasoning. People
ultimately are saying that people have more power than God, because God wants
them there, but they keep themselves from it. Friends, thank God that our
unbelief does not change reality. Thank God that the devil's work cannot undo
God's redemptive love. Thank God that eternal things are secure in Him, so that
one day we will see Him as He is and be satisfied.
In
Hope,
Bro
Philip