Not Ashamed-Part 32- The Love of God

This final portion of the chapter is devoted to reminding us as believers of the love that God has for us and assuring us that His love is unchangeable.

There may be times in each of our lives that we begin to feel as though we have been separated from God by some circumstance of situation and it is this concern that is being addressed here.

The Question (Vs. 35)

The question being asked here is who or what could create a distance between us and Christ.

More specifically who or what could bring a separation from the love that He has for us.

Some possibilities are then specifically mentioned to give form to the question being asked.

Shall tribulation (trials and troubles) separate us from the love of Christ?

Shall distress (difficulty or hardship) separate us from the love of Christ?

Shall persecution (suffering at the hands of the enemies of God) separate us from the love of Christ?

Shall famine (a lack of basic necessities) separate us from the love of Christ?

Shall nakedness (a lack of clothing to protect from the elements) separate us from the love of Christ?

Shall peril (danger) separate us from the love of Christ?

Shall the sword (representative of war) separate us from the love of Christ?

The real question being put forward might be appropriately worded in this way:

“Does the fact that we may face these various things mean that Christ has ceased to love us?” and “Will Christ be with us and can we know and experience His love and favor even in the midst of such circumstances?”

The Expectation (Vs. 36)

Before the question is answered there is first a statement made regarding what we should expect as believers.

We are living in the midst of a fallen world cursed by sin and dominated by Satan.

The scripture being referenced here is from the book of Psalms.

Psalm 44:22 KJV 1900

Yea, for thy sake are we killed all the day long; We are counted as sheep for the slaughter.

The psalmist here bemoans the treatement that those who have followed God receive and yet why would we expect anything less among a world that has rejected God and refused His authority.

It should not come as a surprise when we endure trials and difficulty for Christ in a world such as this.

It may seem that we are nothing more than sheep prepared for the slaughter being offered up defenseless to a world that hates us.

The world may think that by persecution and attack they will defeat us but in the following verse we see...

The Reality (Vs. 37)

Though we may endure suffering, affliction, hardships, and persecution as we strive to live for Christ in this world, we know that ultimately we will be victorious.

The enemies of God may think that the they have won when they cause the people of God to suffer and yet no matter the difficulties we face we shall ultimately conquer all through Jesus Christ.

Because we are in Christ these things are but temporary setbacks which shall one day all be forgotten when we are glorified with Him.

These things do not hinder us but ultimately serve to strengthen us and to help us to draw closer to Christ rather than separating us from Him.

The difficulties and trials that we face in this life only cause us to gain rewards in the life to come.

No matter what may happen to us here we will one day enjoy eternal victory with Christ over all our enemies.

We are not however conquerors because of our own strength or might but it is through Jesus Christ that we find victory.

Is it not true that it is often that case that our greatest experiences of the love of Christ are in the midst of trials and difficulties?

Our Confidence (Vs. 38-39)

Paul was fully persuaded that nothing could separate him from the love of Christ and we ought to be fully persuaded of the same.

Death will not separate us from the love of Christ. Many fear death and are anxious as to what follows but for the believer we shall enter into the presence of Christ to enjoy His love forever!

Nothing in life will separate us from the love of Christ either, whatever we may face Jesus has promised that He will never leave nor forsake us.

No angel, or prinicpality, or power is able to separate us from Christ’s love. The most powerful man or being is not powerful enough to separate us from Christ and His love!

Wicked leaders may persecute believers and separate them one from another but they can never separate us from Christ!

Nothing in existence now nor anything that will ever exist in the future has the ability to separate us from the love of Christ.

There is no amount of distance that could ever separate us from Christ’s love.

Neither is there anything in creation that could separate us from the love of Christ.

Simply stated Paul is confident (and we should be as well) that no one and nothing could separate him from the love of Christ.

Conclusion

What a wonderful truth is here proclaimed!

You may feel at times as though Christ is far from you and that His love for you has somehow decreased or ceased but be assured this is never the case.

The love of Christ for you will never cease neither will it lessen as a result of our circumstances.

We will likely face trials and tribulations in this life but we can take comfort in knowing that the love of Christ will sustain us and will ultimately carry us to victory.

We may become discouraged and find it hard to endure but we can be confident that we shall ultimately triumph over all our trials and troubles through Christ and His love!

We need never doubt or question Christ’s love for us for it is unchangeable and inexhaustible!

We should like children sing “JESUS LOVES ME THIS I KNOW FOR THE BIBLE TELLS ME SO!”

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