GOD’S PRESERVATION OF THE SAINTS

Part 19

Rom. 8:31-39

Morning Meditation 1/26/17

Verse 31-39 says, “What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. 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 creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Paul has asked, “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?” which suggests that someone might try. We looked at two sources that would fit into the scope of Paul’s meaning, i.e., Satan and religion. Now Paul will deal with every conceivable thing that might be in the mind of his readers and assures them that none of these things can separate the believer from the love of Christ.

Paul asks, “ . . . Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? The word “tribulation” translates “thlipsis” and means, “a pressing, pressing together, pressure.” Jesus used this same word in Matthew 13:21: “Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation (same word) or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended.” Jesus is speaking here of those who respond to the Word but there is no depth to their profession and they are not truly saved. They manifest this by caving in when the pressures of tribulation come. He uses this same word again in Matthew 24:9: “Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted (same word), and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake.” The pressures of tribulation is translated in this case “afflict.” Faith will be tried. Most of us have already discovered that. The early church was in constant tribulation. Paul uses this word of himself to the church at Ephesus. He says in Ephesians 3:13, “Wherefore I desire that ye faint not at my tribulations (same word) for you, which is your glory.”

Now we have given the definition of this word and its uses in other places. This can still leave us short of what Paul is saying here. It is not just tribulation in an objective sense. He is speaking also of what tribulation can cause you to do. Christians do not always do the right thing when tribulation comes. We do not always react the way Jesus instructs us to react. If a wrong reaction to tribulation can separate us from the love of Christ then TRIBULATION has separated us from the love of Christ. There is no other conclusion we can come to. Is Paul saying that the wrong response to tribulation is ok? Absolutely not. If we are true believers, the Lord does not want us to respond to the pressures of tribulation the way He says (Matt.13:21) unsaved professors of faith respond. But Paul is saying that tribulation or what it causes you to do will not separate you from the love of Christ. This is God’s commitment to the preservation of the saints. This is His promise. My heart is assured by God’s Word. I do not trust myself under the pressures of tribulation. My fear would make me doubt unless Paul had assured me that my security is not conditioned upon my right response to tribulation. Hallelujah!

David also spoke of this truth. Psalm 37:23-24 says, “The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the LORD upholdeth him with his hand.” Amen and Amen!

Then Paul uses the word “distress.” This word translates “stenochoria” and means, “narrowness of place, a narrow place.” Romans 2:9 translates this same word “anguish.” “Tribulation and anguish (same word), upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile.” Paul is saying that the tight places that we find ourselves in will not separate us from the love of Christ. Sometimes we get out of the tight places to ease our anguish the wrong way. We have responded incorrectly to relieve the anguish. We did wrong. We should have stayed with the distress and the anguish caused by it. But will our wrong response to “distress” cause us to be separated from the love of Christ? Paul says no.

Then Paul uses the word “persecution.” This word translates “diogmos” and is from a root word that means “to pursue (in a hostile manner). It means, “in any way whatever to harass, trouble, molest one.” Those to whom Paul is speaking were constantly being pursued with evil intent. When Paul was converted on the Road to Damascus, he had in his possession legal papers that he intended to use and arrest Christians and put them in prison for their professed faith in Christ as Saviour and true Messiah. The early Christian were familiar with this word. They did not always respond correctly to persecution. Jesus taught His disciples about persecution in Matthew 5:10-12: “Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.” Paul is saying our wrong response to persecution will not separate us from the love of Christ. This is not saying that a wrong response to persecution is right. It is wrong. And it should be confessed as sin. But it means that it will not separate us from the love of Christ. Our relationship to the Lord is founded on the Rock and is on a solid foundation and that means we may stagger on the Rock but the rock will not give way.

Then Paul uses the word famine.” This word translates, “limos” and means, “scarcity of harvest, famine.” The early Christian knew what it was to suffer hunger. It can cause you to do things that are not right. Will this separate one from the love of Christ? Paul says it will not. Paul says in Ephesians 4:28, “Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.” This is addressed to Christians. It is possible for Christians to steal. It is not right for them to steal even when they are in famine conditions. But famine can drive one to do things like this. Will this separate us from the love of Christ? Absolutely not. God has another way to take care of his disobedient child but it is not to separate him from His love.

Then Paul uses the word “nakedness.” This word translates “gumnotes” and means, “nakedness of the body.” Hebrews 11:37-38 describes what has happened to God’s people in the past and includes the condition described by the use of this word: “They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented; (Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.” Can this and what it causes the Christian to do separate him from the love of Christ? Absolutely not. Paul is saying one’s response to “nakedness” is not a condition of Christ’s love.

Then he uses the word “peril.” This translates the word “kindunos” and means, “danger, peril.” The threat of danger has caused many missionaries to leave the mission field to which the Lord has called them. What if they left out of the will of God? What if they should have stayed? Does Jesus love them less because they fled in the face of peril? Absolutely not. Peril and what it causes will not separate one from the love of Christ. This does not mean that a wrong response to peril is right. It should be repented of. Our security is never a license to do wrong. But security is not given us because of our merit. It is ours by grace and is founded on the promise of God who cannot lie.

Then Paul uses the word “sword.” This word translates “ machaira” and means, “ a large knife used for killing animals and cutting up flesh.” It also refers to a “small sword in contrast to a large one.” It was used as a stabbing weapon. This was evidently used as an instrument of death and Christians were acquainted with this weapon. Paul says that the “sword” or the instrument of death cannot separate us from the love of Christ. If a Christian is killed while doing something wrong, can it separate him from the love of Christ? Paul says no. Amen. I praise the Lord that His love for me is not conditioned upon my merit. We have as believers unconditional love. He never endorses what bad situations cause us to do. But His love for us is not conditioned on a right response to the things mentioned in this verse.

May the Lord bless these words to our hearts.

In Christ

Bro. White