38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans8:38-39
Romans 8 is a very needed and very important chapter in the New Testament. It makes a number of very important points:
Here are a couple from the first half of ch.8:
* It is by the Holy Spirit that we become spiritually alive
* It is by the same Spirit that we are adopted as God's children
* It is the Holy Spirit who helps us when we pray.
But Paul is not only talking about our spiritual lives in ch.8 - He is also realistic about the pain and heartache that our world is subject to.
Paul is no slick tele-evangelist promising us a victorious-and-pain-free life ("Just send me $100 so that God can bless you") Absolutely not! Paul recognises that pain is part of our world:
* He describes the earth groaning as if with labour pains. ("22 We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time.")
* He links human frailty with the vulnerability of sheep going to the abattoir. ("36 For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.")
But Paul is not threatened by the presence of trouble. His faith is not shaken by visits from adversity. He does not shrink back from hardship and he does not try escapism in the midst of frustrating setbacks.
Paul is a realist - he faces trouble fearlessly. Why?
Because:
#1 He is convinced He is loved by God - and that Christ was God's best, given up for him: ("31 What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all --how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?")
#2 The presence of trouble does NOT mean that God is absent or impotent. Rhetorically and expectantly Paul asks: "35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?"
#3 God is at work with a long-term plan that is His best for me. ("28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.")
#4 We are not alone and in this is our victory - Christ loved us so that He went to the Cross - so that He could be with us and forgive us and that we will never ever be alone! ("38 For I am convinced...)
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Theo Groeneveld theo@emmanuel.org.za
