Paul, here in verses 29-30, states clearly
concerning God’s sovereign purpose for our salvation. He purposed to make us
conform to the image of Christ. We have been initiated into the redeemed
community of God, where Christ is the preeminence. So in verse 30, he briefly shows
us the progression of our salvation from the moment we have been initiated into
our faith to the moment we culminate in the glorification. Before the world
began, God had a plan. In His plan He predetermined to love us. So in Christ,
He took the initiative and took steps to save us. He quickened our hearts and
called us to Himself and away from our sin. Then He justified us and mended our
relationship with Himself through Jesus Christ, and then destined us for glory
in Him.
Having justified us, God then continue to keep us
in our walk with Him. He is for us and His keeping grace is always there to
preserve us. For us who truly believe in Christ, there is a certainty of hope
in Christ. In verses 31 to 39, we are shown two certainties that show God’s
keeping grace in our lives. Firstly, He ensures that no one can cause us to
lose our hope in God. And secondly, He ensures that nothing can rob us of our
hope.
God demonstrated
His great love for us and did not spare sending His Son to die for us. Paul
argued that if God did not even spare His only Son for us, would He then allow
anyone or anything to deter us in our walk with Him? The answer is obvious. In
fact with Christ His Son, God will provide all means to ensure that security. Verse
33 tells us that He will even protect us from accusations. The Bible tells us
that Satan is the accuser and thus, this verse indicates that God will protect
us from his accusations. We can be sure that God will never condemn those whom
He had already justified. He will not allow anyone to condemn us. We can be
assured. Why? Because our relationship with Him is sealed by Christ’s death,
resurrection, ascension and His continual intercession for us.
Not only will God protect us from accusation, but He will also help us
deal with circumstances that confront us. In Romans 8:35, we are
shown seven circumstances, and that none of them can ever rob us of the hope. Our
adversities can never rob us of our hope because Christ loves us absolutely.
Therefore, Paul assertively proclaimed that no tribulation, distress,
persecution, famine, nakedness, peril or sword or death can ever separate us
from Christ’s love.
In Romans 8:36, Paul quoted from Psalm 44:22, calling for perseverance. Down through
history, God’s people had experienced adversities. Therefore, it should be no
surprise if present believers should also experience them. But perseverance in
times of adversities had been the hallmark of a genuine believer. True
believers never fringe in times of adversities, thus their hope remain
steadfast. For in all these things, true believers will be overwhelming
victors. We are told here that we are more than conquerors. That is to say that
Christians become progressively Christ-like as they refuse to succumb to
adversity by relying on the sufficiency of Christ. That guarantees their
security.
Paul concluded by a
declaration of confidence in verses 38-39. In Christ, we have the confidence
that nothing can separate us from God’s love. By listing all the different
things, Paul assures us that there is absolutely nothing that can ever rob us
of our hope in Christ.
Death will
not make God’s love depart from us. Neither will all the allurements of this
life. Yes, not even spiritual powers or anything in time. Not power or the
height of Heaven or the depth of Hell. Nothing in our times of disappointment, diseases,
a fractured relationship, financial setbacks, crisis, and even insanity - absolutely
nothing can and will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that He
had shown for us in Christ Jesus our Lord!
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