Paul Summarizes the Love of God to and for His Children Part 4
Romans 8:38-39 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. NKJV
Paul concludes his great praise-a-thon to our Heavenly Father for sending our Lord Jesus Christ in the power of the Holy Spirit by resting in the reality that he and all of God the Father’s Elect children are assuredly super-conquerors in every circumstance in our lives. Paul now gives a list of some rather imposing things that shall never pry us away from that Great Love of God given to us before the foundation of the world in the Person of our Lord, Master, and Savior Jesus Christ. Paul uses the English word persuaded that is translated from the Greek word peitho which is a primary verb that means to be convinced; to rely by inward certainty; to be assured; to have confidence; to trust. Paul is certain, confident, and convinced that none of these things will ever be able to separate us from the love we have received and continue to receive from and through our Lord Jesus Christ.
First up Paul list death; this man was so moved by his union with our Lord Jesus that he wrote Philippians 1:21 as we documented in the previous study declaring his assurance in what Christ had not only done for him on the Cross, but equally what Christ was presently doing in him on a daily basis changing him and his desires away from what they were to be aligned to what our Lord Jesus desires (Philippians 1:6 & Philippians 2:13). Death had been conquered and overcome by our Lord Jesus Christ and Paul knew this with first hand eyewitness knowledge. Surely this proud Pharisee Saul of Tarsus was present at our Lord’s crucifixion and witnessed His lifeless body taken down from that Cross. However, Paul personally saw the Resurrected Christ and was taught by Him this gospel he now proclaimed to the whole world and he knew death was defeated forever by our Lord Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 15:54-55 & Galatians 1:11-12).
Paul also list life; as we have seen in the last two studies that this man Paul went through some of the most painful and horrible things imaginable after his conversion on that Damascus road, but Paul was not moved or threatened or deterred by any of them as he said to some of the brethren with these words when it was prophesied that he would encounter danger for his stance for Christ and the truth of the gospel, Acts 21:10-14 And as we stayed many days, a certain prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. When he had come to us, he took Paul’s belt, bound his own hands and feet, and said, “Thus says the Holy Spirit, ‘So shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man who owns this belt, and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.’” Now when we heard these things, both we and those from that place pleaded with him not to go up to Jerusalem. Then Paul answered, “What do you mean by weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.” So when he would not be persuaded, we ceased, saying, “The will of the Lord be done.” NKJV Paul was confident in Christ Great Love for him and to him at all times and under all things that went on during the course of his life of faith.
Paul now list angels, principalities, and powers; Paul had met head on with the devil and his cohorts upon every missionary journey and during every day in prayer and yet he knew that our Lord Jesus had already disarmed these minions of the devil and He has made reservations for them in the Lake of Fire shortly (Colossians 2:15 & Revelation 20:10). Paul had overcome these enemies at every turn as Dr. Luke documents for us when the Apostle was in Cyprus and encountered Elymas the sorcerer as he tried to withstand Paul, seeking to turn the proconsul away from faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, this is what Dr. Luke records for us, Acts 13:9-12 Then Saul, who also is called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked intently at him and said, “O full of all deceit and all fraud, you son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, will you not cease perverting the straight ways of the Lord? And now, indeed, the hand of the Lord is upon you, and you shall be blind, not seeing the sun for a time.” And immediately a dark mist fell on him, and he went around seeking someone to lead him by the hand. Then the proconsul believed, when he saw what had been done, being astonished at the teaching of the Lord. NKJV Paul met these principalities and powers that worked through human instruments and with the authority granted to him from our Lord Jesus as an Apostle performed such work as we read above and this Paul was certain that these fallen angels were bound by our Lord Jesus Christ and held in their place waiting to be crushed (along with satan) under the feet of all the elect sons and daughters shortly by our Lord Jesus (Romans 16:20).
Paul also list things present or things to come in the future; Paul had this rock solid assurance based upon God’s Word and the Presence of our Lord Jesus Christ (through the Holy Spirit) that he was privy to constantly. Paul knew that none of his present failings, faults, or fears could diminish our Lord’s Love to him or his love to our Lord Jesus. The love of God had been shed abroad into his heart and Paul did not know what the future held, but that is why he was unafraid to return to Jerusalem because he knew he was doing the will of God and with that assurance he could face any trial, test, or trouble with un-feigning love for Jesus Christ our Lord. Paul knew that it was our Lord Jesus who was in control over every present danger and any future danger because His purposes were going to be carried out through Paul as He would overrule any plots or schemes by the devil through the human instruments at his disposal. Paul list height or depth nor any other creature; What the Apostle actually means to convey by height or depth I do not understand, but it may refer to the vast creation of God and all of its majestic wonder that man can never search out and understand fully. The earth and the heavens or sky above still perplexes man even in this year 2013 and so it did when the Apostle wrote this letter. Whatever he means here by height or depth it is again to be vanquished under and by the love we have received and continue to receive from the Throne of Grace where our Blessed Lord Jesus Sits making intercession for each one of His Elect children.
John 16:27 “For the Father Himself loves you, because you have loved Me, and have believed that I came forth from God” NKJV
John 17:26 “And I have declared to them Your name, and will declare it, that the love with which You loved Me may be in them, and I in them.” NKJV
Ephesians 1:4 “Just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love” NKJV
Ephesians 2:4 “But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us” NKJV
1 John 4:9-10 In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. NKJV
“The doctrine of the necessity of personal holiness, so clearly and strongly laid down in the former part of this chapter, should be deeply considered by every person professing godliness; and while from the seventh chapter they learn that they have an infected and morally diseased nature, they should learn from the eighth that to destroy the work of the devil was Jesus Christ manifested; and that no soul can be said to be saved by Jesus Christ who is not saved from its sins.” Adam Clarke
“To worship is to quicken the conscience by the holiness of God, to feed the mind with the truth of God, to purge the imagination by the beauty of God, to open the heart to the love of God, to devote the will to the purpose of God.” William Temple
“A true love of God must begin with a delight in His Holiness.” Jonathan Edwards
“But the best definition of it is to say that heaven is that state where we will always be with Jesus, and where nothing will separate us from Him anymore.” William Barclay
“Though I wrestle with the meanest of demons and am hated by many in this world, yet I know The One who loves me and keeps me forever as His Greatest and most precious pearl.” Clifford D. Tate, Sr.
If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray this from your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart and take control of my life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen...
Sincerely in Christ,
Clifford D. Tate, Sr.
Author of “Silent Assassins of the Soul - Are you Broken by Pornography and Masturbation? You can be Restored by the Lord Jesus Christ and brought into Deliverance, Freedom, and Victory! A Guide for Men and Women in the Enemy’s Crosshairs” e-book available now @ Amazon Kindle, @ Apple I Bookstore for IPod, Barnes and Noble for Nook, Reader Store for Sony Reade, Kobo, Copia, Gardners, Baker and Taylor, and eBookPie…
If you died today, are you absolutely certain that you would go to heaven? You can be! TRUST JESUS NOW
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