“If God is for us” (9)
[Romans 8:35-39]
Look at Romans 8:35 – “Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?” What kind of person is “us” here that cannot be separated from the love of Christ? We can think of it in three ways:
(1) The “us” refers to those whom God has chosen (Rom. 8:33).
When did God choose us? Look at Ephesians 1:4-5: “just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him In love He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will.” God chose us before all things were created. God has predestined us according to the kind intention of His will. So, who can separate us from the love of Christ? No one! Never!
(2) The “us” refers to those whom God has justified (Rom. 8:33).
He justified those whom God had chosen. God does not just declare righteous with words but treats us as a righteous person. Look at Ephesians 1:5 – “He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will.” Since God has chosen and justified us to be His sons, who can separate us from the love of Christ, who are children of God? No one! Never!
(3) The “us” refers to those whom Christ Jesus, who is at the right hand of God, intercedes (Rom. 8:34).
Who can separate us from the love of Christ, since the Son Jesus is interceding for us at the right hand of God? No one! Never!
The Bible is full of the love of Christ (Rom. 8:35). The Bible speaks of the love of Christ from beginning to end. Look at Matthew 1:1, 16: “The record of the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah, the son of David, the son of Abraham: … Jacob was the father of Joseph the husband of Mary, by whom Jesus was born, who is called the Messiah.” We can find the love of Christ in the genealogy of Jesus Christ. In other words, Jesus Christ, the Son of God, was conceived by the Holy Spirit before Mary was betrothed to Joseph and lived together (v. 18) and became Immanuel, who became incarnate and dwells with us, so we cannot help but feel the love of Christ. Look at Revelation 22:20-21: “He who testifies to these things says, ‘Yes, I am coming quickly’ Amen Come, Lord Jesus. The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all. Amen.” We can find the love of Christ in Jesus Christ's words, “I am coming quickly.” Why is Jesus Christ coming quickly? Look at John 14:31 – “but so that the world may know that I love the Father, I do exactly as the Father commanded Me Get up, let us go from here.” The purpose of Jesus Christ's return to this world is to come again and receive us as Lord so that where He is, we may be. The Lord, the Bridegroom, will come to pick up the bride, the church, that is us, and will lead us to the new heaven and new earth, the new Jerusalem, where the Lord is (Rev. 21:1-2) so that we can participate in the marriage supper of the Lamb. (19:9). Therefore, we cannot but give thanks, praise, and worship Him for the love of Christ.
We cannot meditate on the full love of Christ in the Bible, but only on Romans 8:34: “Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died--more than that, who was raised to life--is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.” From this word, we can know that Jesus Christ died on the cross for our sins, that He rose from the grave (resurrection), and that Christ's love intercedes at the right hand of God for our eternal life. We cannot fully comprehend the breadth and length and height and depth of this love of Christ (Eph. 3:19). In other words, we cannot measure the size, breadth, depth, and height of this love of Christ. So the hymn “The Love of God is Greater” the lyric 3 and the refrain are praising like this: “Could we with ink the ocean fill, And were the skies of parchment made, Were every stalk on earth a quill And every man a scribe by trade; To write the love of God above Would drain the ocean dry; Nor could the scroll contain the whole, Tho' stretched from sky to sky. Oh love of God, how rich and pure! How measureless and strong! It shall forever more endure, The saints' and angels' song.”
The Apostle Paul begins the word “Who” in Romans 8:35, where “Who” refers to seven things: (1) “tribulation” (v. 35): It refers to “the tribulum” (a threshing machine) used for threshing grain in Roman times. In Korea, there was an agricultural equipment called ‘a flail’, which was used to shake grains of ancient food such as beans and barley. When we think that such a threshing machine is beating us who believe in Jesus, not the grain, that is the “tribulation”. The Bible tells us that we must go through many tribulations like this. Look at Acts 14:22 – “strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying, ‘Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.’” This verse is the word of the Apostles Paul and Barnabas when they returned from their first missionary journey, and they stopped by the church of Antioch and exhorted the disciples. This exhortation says, “Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.” Jesus said this: “… In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world” (Jn. 16:33). (2) “distress” (Rom. 8:35): Here, “distress” refers to mental suffering. (3) “persecution” (v. 35): Look at 2 Timothy 3:12 – “Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.” (4) “famine” (Rom. 8:35): Here, “famine” refers to hunger. When we are subjected to tribulation, distress, or persecution, we may go hungry and suffer hunger. (4) “nakedness” (v. 35): Here, “nakedness” refers to being naked. Because Jesus was crucified naked, we, His disciples, will also be persecuted naked. (5) “peril” (v. 35): The apostle Paul faced many perils. Look at 2 Corinthians 11:26 – “I have been on frequent journeys, in dangers from rivers, dangers from robbers, dangers from my countrymen, dangers from the Gentiles, dangers in the city, dangers in the wilderness, dangers on the sea, dangers among false brethren.” Just as the Apostle Paul faced various dangers during his mission, many missionaries who work hard in the mission field for Jesus Christ and his gospel are also facing various dangers today. (6) “sword” (Rom.8:35): Here, “sword” refers to a long sword. And that long sword refers to a knife used to cut a person's throat. Therefore, the “sword” here symbolizes death. The Bible tells us that the first apostle who was killed (martyred) with the sword was the Apostle James, the brother of the Apostle John. King Herod killed John's brother James with the sword (Acts 12:1-2).
After all, the Apostle Paul says in Romans 8:35 that neither tribulation nor distress nor persecution nor famine nor nakedness nor danger nor sword can separate us from the love of Christ. The reason is because God has chosen us and justified us, and Christ Jesus intercedes for us at the right hand of God (vv. 33-34). So, these seven things [“Who” (v. 35)] are saying that they cannot separate us from the love of Christ.
“The Book of Romans” was written by the Apostle Paul to the Roman church saints. In less than 10 years, the Roman Church saints suffered these seven persecutions from the Roman Emperor Nero. So many were killed (many saints were martyred). Looking at this age, we can see that the day of the Lord's return is near. Before that, the great tribulation will come. No matter when, we should not fear, with the assurance that Christ loves us and that no one can separate us from His love. Even if we have tribulation, we must be courageous. The reason is because Jesus Christ has overcome the world (Jn. 16:33b). When the Lord returns to this world, I hope and pray that we will all be able to welcome Him as the Victor.