Studies in Romans

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Mountain View, California · Jun 17, 1908

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 34, No. 25.

Studies in Romans

No Power Can Separate Us from His Love.

‘And we know that to them that love God all things work together for good, even to them that are called according to His purpose. For whom He foreknew, He also foreordained to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the first-born among many brethren: and whom He foreordained, them He also called; and whom He called, them He also justified; and whom He justified, them He also glorified.’

‘What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us? He that spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not also with Him freely give us all things? Who shall lay anything to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth; who is he that condemneth? It is Christ Jesus that died, yea rather, that was raised from the dead, who is at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or anguish, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? Even as it is written:’

‘For Thy sake we are killed all the day long.’

‘We were accounted as sheep for the slaughter.’

‘Nay, in all things we are more than conquerors thru Him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, 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.’ Rom. 8: 28-39.

‘We know that to them that love God all things work together for good, even to them that are called according to His purpose.’ This is a most comforting statement. According to this text there are no mere happenings that cross the pathway of the Christian to work harm and evil to him. ‘All things work together’ for his good. Everything that passes into the life of a Christian is working for his good. Every trial, every hardship, every suffering, indeed ‘all things’ that the Christian will ever meet in all his life are so woven into his experience that he comes out of the ordeal a stronger and better man. This, of course, does not apply to mere professing Christians; they who actually love God are the persons spoken of in this text.

‘For whom He foreknew, He also foreordained to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the first-born among many brethren.’ Many people read this text in order that they may formulate some new quibbles or arguments about the old doctrine of foreordination. But in all your studies of the subject of ‘foreordination’ had you observed that God has foreordained that those who accept Him are to be conformed to the image of His Son? By the power of His word the divine Father has spoken worlds into existence, and with the same power He has decreed or foreordained that His believers shall be conformed into the image of His Son. This mighty work can not be accomplished without the co-operation of the believer; it can not be done against his will. But, praise the Lord, it has been foreordained that every one who will cooperate, every one who will accept Christ, every one who will have faith in the Saviour of the world, will also be conformed into His image.

Then there can be no doubt or uncertainty in regard to the salvation of the one who places his trust in Jehovah. The all powerful decree has been issued that will produce the image of the perfect Christ in every life that is surrendered to Him. It is not a question that hinges on human weakness; salvation rests upon the solid foundation of omnipotent power, and therefore it can not fail.

All this being true, let the apostle’s question ring out: ‘What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us? He that spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not also with Him freely give us all things?’ Since God is for us; since God has decreed that we shall be conformed into the image of His Son, and thus have perfect characters; and since, as learned in former studies, we are to be joint heirs with Christ Himself, who can stand against us? Where is there a power that can overthrow us? Where is there a power that can cope with the mighty power of Him who loves us, and has given His Son to die for us in order that He might convince us of that love? Our God is seeking to impress us with the mighty fact that He is an impregnable fortress.

‘Who shall lay anything to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth; who is he that condemneth? It is Christ Jesus that died, yea rather, that was raised from the dead, who is at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.’ Does any one seek to lay something to our charge? Our reply is, It is our God that justifies, or makes us righteous. The workmanship is His. We have placed ourselves in our Father’s hands, and He has undertaken our salvation; and now if any one has any charges to make, he will have to prefer them against the great God Himself. He is the One that will have to be met with the complaints and charges. The Lord Jesus is our Advocate before the Father’s throne, and He is the Mighty One who pleads our cause. With all these powerful influences working in our behalf, what can possibly affect us? Surely we have a fortress that no enemy can ever break thru.

Then, since the Lord has manifested His love toward us so abundantly, may we not say with deep earnestness and gratitude, ‘I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, 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’?