WE WERE CONSIDERED AS SHEEP TO BE SLAUGHTERED.”
37 But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us.
38 For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers,
39 nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:35-39.
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As glorious as this summary and conclusion is to Romans Chapter 8 and all the wonderful promises of God that we already covered, the temptation is to nevertheless focus on the tribulation, distress, persecution, famine, nakedness, peril, and sword. Furthermore, the temptation is to consider “the love of Christ” as just a feeling of God, and not properly as the effective power of God to work all things for our good.
But, let us remember the context of today’s Scripture. Today’s Scripture does not intend to negate or cause us to forget all that was previously stated in Romans Chapter 8. Rather, today’s Scripture describes the work of God previously stated in Romans 8 as “the love of Christ” and that nothing will interfere with that work.
Here is “the love of Christ” that is the effective power of God to work all things for our good:
“For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death.” Romans 8:2.
“For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh, so that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.” Romans 8:3-4.
“If Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, yet the spirit is alive because of righteousness.” Romans 8:10.
“But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you. Romans 8:11.
“For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.” Romans 8:14.
“In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words;” Romans 8:26.
“And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” Romans 8:28.
“For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified.” Romans 8:29-30.
“What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us?” Romans 8:31.
“He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things?” Romans 8:32.
“Who will bring a charge against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies; who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us.” Romans 8:33-34.
So, here is what we say to all those tribulations, distresses, persecutions, famines, nakednesses, perils, and swords, that we may (not necessarily) experience: “Whatever!”. “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us.” Romans 8:18.
We exult: “But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us.” Romans 8:37.
Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions 