https://soundcloud.com/antioch-church-325593234/no-separation-from-the-love-of-god
No Separation from the Love of God
Romans 8:28-39 (Pastor Heo)
28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. 29 For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. 30 And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.
More Than Conquerors
31 What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? 33 Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. 34 Who then is the one who condemns? No one. 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. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 36 As it is written: “For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” 37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
- Romans 8 opens with: No condemnation in Christ (v. 1)
- Romans 8 closes with: No separation from the love of God
Romans 8 is the Christian’s proclamation of freedom in Christ
- Freedom from condemnation
- Freedom from defeat
- Freedom from discouragement
- Freedom from fear (today)
- There is no judgment because we have the righteousness of God
- There is no defeat because we have the Spirit of God
- There is no frustration because we share the glory of God
- There is no separation because we experience the love of God (v. 35)
v. 35 “35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?”
v. 38-39 “38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
v. 28 “28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”
What is important is: Do you love God?
If you love God: then you are “called according to His purpose” – AND in all things, he works for your good.
Just remember, because of our limitations in knowledge, wisdom, understanding, faith, we may many times feel like saying, “Everything is going AGAINST me!” – but actually, “Everything is OK with me.” This is due to my own limitation.
Example of Jacob:
Once he said, “Everything is going against me” – but actually, everything was going well with him.
- Jacob thought his dearest son Joseph was killed by wild animals.
- Another time, there was no food – famine – so he sent his 10 sons (except Benjamin) to Egypt for food. Only 9 returned (not Simeon).
- Sometime later, there was no food again, so he had to send 9 sons – but they said, “We must take Benjamin! Or we cannot get food!”
- Jacob said, “No! Why? Everything is against me! Joseph and Simeon are no more. Why are you taking my last, dearest son?” Jacob shouted like this.
But the truth was the opposite. Joseph was the Prime Minister in Egypt. And Simeon was with him, in the rich land of Egypt – filled with food. And they waited for their whole family to come.
We also can be like Jacob. So, we must be faithful to remember that GOD is faithful – not only with our words “God is good, all the time” – but also with our actions – our daily, practical lives.
“In ALL things, God works for the good of those who love him and have been called according to his purpose.”
The Golden Chain of God’s full salvation
v. 29-30
“29 For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. 30 And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.”
- Foreknew
- Predestined
- Called
- Justified
- Glorified
#1. Foreknowledge
God is infinite in wisdom, knowledge, understanding, nothing is hidden. But what does THIS mean?
Matt 7:22 “Jesus: ‘On that day, many will come to me and say to me, “Lord, we did much in your name” but I will say to them, “I never knew you.”‘”
Jesus saying “you are evildoers” means he knows what kind of person they are – but this “knew you” = have a personal relationship with you
The meaning of God’s “foreknowledge” = has a relationship, plan, purpose for you.
#2. Predestined
God ordained, determined, decided, in advance to save you and me – before we were born – even before the Creation of the world.
Eph 1:4-5 “God chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight, and God predestined us to be adopted as his sons and daughters through Jesus Christ in accordance with his good pleasure and purpose.”
#3. Calling
For an active relationship and communication, calling is very essential. You call your children, for example. This same God who called Moses, Abraham, etc, is still calling his people today.
There are TWO callings – and we must respond personally, individually by faith, not sight:
- Calling for salvation
- TO Christ
- OUT of this world – to be holy, separate, different from the world
- Calling for blessing
- INTO this world – to be a herald of Christ – a transformer of the world – we serve them with the message of the gospel
Are you hearing this calling? God is calling us all the time.
#4. Justification
5:1 “Since we have been justified by faith in Christ, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Justification = the act of God – where he declares (as highest judge) – “you are innocent & righteous” simply because you put your trust in Christ as Savior and Lord.
This is a declarative word of God – not an action in us.
#5. Glorification
(Wait… is that PAST tense? – but glorification comes in the FUTURE, right?)
In the Greek Bible, the tense is “Past Perfect” = ONCE, done, for all.
Are you Christians?
Our final glorification is to be like Christ perfectly.
v. 29 “29 For those God foreknew he also predestined *to be conformed to the image of his Son*, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.”
Review:
- Foreknowledge
- Predestination
- Calling
- Justification
- Glorification
Question: How far, from first to last? How long does it take to cover ALL steps? (God is not bound by time.)
- In our experience, this process covers from ETERNITY PAST to ETERNITY FUTURE.
- On God’s part, all five are INSTANTANEOUS – immediate and perfect at once.
This doctrine, “Predestination” is a GREAT mystery, but true and real.
- Point: Predestination applies only to the SAVED people. Nowhere does it say that “God predestined some to be eternally condemned.” – Predestination only applies to the Children of God. And this should make us humble, not proud. This should make us not doubt our salvation – but provide the ground for the Assurance of Salvation. Because this is not “you and me” – but GOD who initiates our salvation.
- Another point: This is not a source for debate, but rather a grounds for praise and worship to God.
- Last point: If we really believe this doctrine, “predestination” still DOES NOT excuse us from preaching the gospel. Rather, we must preach with GREAT responsibility for the lost. We must be very careful to understand the full heart of God in this case.
Story:
William Carey – the father of modern missions (British missionary to India)
Motto:
- “Expect great things from God, attempt great things for God.”
At that time, his heart was burning for world missions. Before going to India, in his 20s, there was a very important meeting – many of the members were church elders. In this meeting, he stood up and said, “Ladies and gentlemen, we must DO world mission – we must send MORE missionaries abroad – please SEND ME!”
At that time, the Chairman said, “Hey! Sit down! You don’t know, God is Almighty, Omnipotent, can do ALL things. If God wants to save them, he can save them even if you do not go. But if God does not want them to be saved, he will not save them EVEN IF you go.'”
They understood only the “doctrine” of Predestination – but not the HEART of God.
Predestination means “God wants to save those he wants to save THROUGH OUR WITNESS.”
In the Bible, who uses this term “predestination”? Paul. (In Romans, in Ephesians)
This man who made the doctrine of Predestination clear confessed: 1 Cor 9:16 “Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel of salvation. Even though I preach, I have nothing to boast. I’m forced to preach the gospel.'”
This is a REAL understanding of the Doctrine of Predestination.
This is the last review:
- Foreknowledge
- Predestination
- Calling
- Justification
- Glorification
If we believe this full course of our salvation, then we can SHOUT five things (with questions):
These are all rhetorical questions (spoken for emphasis): “Who knows” = “nobody knows”
1. (v. 31) If God is for us, who can be against us?
NO ONE
2. (v. 32) -how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?
HE WILL GIVE US ALL THINGS – (what does he spare if he did not spare his own Son)
- Phil 4:9 “My God will graciously meet all your needs”
- Ps 23:1 “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want”
3. (v. 33) Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen?
NO ONE
(But, actually, others may accuse us, even I can accuse myself – Satan always accuses us, prosecuting us – BUT all accusations against us are rejected and dismissed by God because HE has chosen us. For God to accuse us, it would mean his salvation job was a failure. Jesus already paid all penalties on the cross)
4. (v. 34) Who then is the one who condemns?
NO ONE
v. 1 “There is now no longer any condemnation in Christ” – there are 4 points:
- Jesus died for us
- Jesus rose for us
- Jesus is still alive for us
- This same Jesus is interceding for us at the right hand of God (dual intercession):
- Holy Spirit also intercedes for us (v. 28) and
- Christ intercedes for us at the right hand of God
- Hebrews 7:25 “Therefore, Christ is able to save completely those who come to God through him because he lives to intercede for them.”
5. (v. 35-39) Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?
35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 36 As it is written: “For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” 37 No, in all these things we are **more than conquerors** through him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
- “I’m a Super Conqueror in Christ.”
- “We are more than conquerors.”
In Christ,
- We are COMPLETELY victorious – because Christ paid the penalty and we enjoy his righteousness.
- We have freedom from defeat because Christ lives in us and we have his life.
- We have freedom from discouragement because Christ is coming soon and we will reign with him.
- We have freedom from fear because Christ is interceding for us and we cannot be separated from the Love of God.
- Romans 8 opens: NO condemnation
- Romans 8 closes: NO separation
“If God is for you, who can be against you?”
Let’s pray.
