Wednesday
Wednesday
The Steadfast Love of God
I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, … 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 8:38–39
Romans 8 is without doubt one of the best-known chapters of the Bible, especially its last twelve verses. Here the apostle soars to sublime heights. Having described the chief privileges of justified believers—peace with God, union with Christ, freedom from the law, and life in the Spirit—Paul’s great Spirit-directed mind now sweeps over the whole plan and purpose of God from a past eternity to an eternity still to come.
He begins with five unshakeable convictions (v. 28)—that God is at work in our lives, that he works for the good of his people, that he does it in all things, for those who love him, and have been called according to his purpose. We know these five things, Paul writes, even though we do not always understand them. Next come five undeniable affirmations (vv. 29–30), which elaborate what Paul means by God’s “purpose.” They refer to God’s people whom God foreknew (meaning that he set his love on them), whom he predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, whom he also called to himself through the gospel, whom he justified, and finally whom he glorified. Our glorification is expressed in a past tense, because of its certainty, even though it is still future. Thus Paul moves steadily on from stage to stage. Finally come five unanswerable questions:
Question 1: “If God is for us, who can be against us?” (v. 31). Question 2: “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?” (v. 32). Question 3: “Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies” (v. 33). Question 4: “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” (v. 34). Question 5: “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?” (v. 35).
Here, then, are five convictions about God’s providence, five affirmations about his purpose, and five questions about his love, which together bring us fifteen assurances about him. We urgently need them today, since nothing in our world seems stable any longer.
For further reading: Romans 8:28–39