03/03/2020
LOVE OF CHRIST
Romans 8 (KJV)
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³⁵ Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
³⁶ As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.
³⁷ Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.
³⁸ For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
³⁹ Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
a. “the love of Christ” which is our faith in the gospel –2 Tim 1:13, 2Cor 5:14, Gal 2:20
b. We are called to walk in the love of the gospel that never separates – Eph 5:2, 5:25
c. Resurrection is real, Christ is alive, we’re his body, we cannot be separated
d. This is an introduction to the truths of the mystery of Christ – Eph 3:9-16 2. 8:36-37
a. If love, joy, hope was only possible in this life we can be separated - 1 Cor 15:19
b. How does tribulation, nakedness, peril, famine show God’s love?! It doesn’t.
c. Who shall separate? Followed by what they use to separate you – 2 Cor 11:23-27
d. Psa 44 (17-22) is faithful Israel being destroyed, while God is silent
e. Psa 44:22 says “Yea”, but Paul says, “Nay”, the Psalm does not describe us!
f. “all these things” refers to the things that appear to separate us from God
g. “more than conquerors” – because we know (by faith) what Christ did for us.
3. 8:38-39
a. “I am persuaded” – Paul conquers because he is convinced – Col 2:2, Rom 4:21
b. If you are not persuaded, if your faith is weak, you will not conquer these things
c. Let God be true! Rom 3:4; Believe the Bible Rom 10:17; Put both feet in! 1Tim 4:15
d. “death, nor life” in either case we are still the Lord’s – Rom 14:18, Phil 1:20-21
e. Principalities, powers covers any authority that judges you – Col 2:10, 2:15-17
f. Things now or in the future will not change your position - Eph 1:21, 6:12-18
g. Height = above Job 22:12; depth= below Eph 4:10; creature Rev 5:13, Gal 6:15