Paul Summarizes the Love of God to and for His
Children (Introduction)
Romans
8:31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can
be against us? NKJV
Paul is so moved and overwhelmed with all that he
has written that he now begins what I call a praise-a-thon in the remaining
verses of Scripture in this Chapter 8 of Romans. Today we see many of the
well-known Christians Television stations suspend their regular programming and
invite in Gospel Musicians, Pastors, Evangelist, and others that may be also
well-known in the visible Christian Church. Paul, however, was in Macedonia and
Achaia soon to journey to Jerusalem to deliver a free will gift to that church
that was struggling (Romans 15:22-33).
This praise-a-thon that Paul writes about now was not done to collect the
monies he received from the brothers and sisters in Macedonia and Achaia (their
offering to the Jerusalem Church was out of love for them) for they were not
even aware of what God the Holy Spirit was writing through Paul at that time.
Paul was so in the Spirit that he saw this graphic word picture of how the
Father viewed him despite the many perils he found himself in over the years as
he made known the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Paul, being the transparent man that he was, opened
up to all some of the things that happened to him in his 2nd letter
to the Corinthian believers as he was being attacked by false apostles who
claimed that Paul was not a true Apostle of our Lord Jesus Christ here is what
he said, 2 Corinthians 11:23-28 Are they
ministers of Christ? --- I speak as a fool --- I am more: in labors more
abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequently, in deaths
often. From the Jews five times I received forty stripes minus one. Three
times I was beaten with rods; once I was stoned; three times I was shipwrecked;
a night and a day I have been in the deep; in journeys often, in
perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils of my own
countrymen, in perils of the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in
perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among
false brethren; in weariness and toil, in sleeplessness often, in hunger and
thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness --- besides the other things,
what comes upon me daily: my deep concern for all the churches. NKJV These
were not things done to this man because he was the arrogant, proud Pharisee,
hateful, insolent, and murderous man that he was before his conversion to
Christ (1 Corinthians 15:9 &
Galatians 1:13), but on the contrary these things were done to him and he
experienced these things now because he was the bondservant of Christ (Romans 1:1) and loved our Lord Jesus
and was obedient to Christ will.
Paul knew more than many what it meant to be
appointed to suffer with our Lord Jesus Christ, but he also learned and experienced
over the years how our Lord Jesus Christ was always with him every step of the
way in every place Paul sojourned. Paul discovered and learned contentment (Philippians 4:10-13) and walked through
every horrible, hateful, and heinous event that occurred on his journey in the
new life he received from being joined and knit together with our Lord Jesus
Christ able to be sorrowful and rejoicing all at the same time knowing that our
Lord Jesus was the One in control and nothing he encountered, endured, or
experienced could ever change that fact, reality, and eternal truth. Paul knew
he was marching in victory as he walked and made his way to his eternal home as
the Fathers elect son chosen before he ever made anything to be the new man
that he was then and would be forever in our Lord Jesus Christ presence in
Heaven. Paul had already been killed and died for a while when he was stoned to
death outside one of the cities and our Lord Jesus brought him up to His Throne
in Heaven to let Paul see and hear what awaited him when our Lord Jesus was
finished with him on earth (2
Corinthians 12:1-4). Paul knew well what it meant to face opposition to the
message of salvation only in our Lord Jesus Christ and by grace through faith
and that no man or woman could do anything to contribute in any way to their
salvation. Paul ran head on into a world full of religion and spirituality that
had its rituals, dogmas, mantras, methods, practices, and beliefs (though false
beliefs) and he encountered fierce opposition to the message of grace from his
fellow Jewish brothers and sisters as well as those pagans in the Gentile world
of nature worship and other satanic spirituality.
Paul knew that his opposition was not from flesh and
blood but the devil and his principalities that worked through the natural man
to oppose the truth in order that the natural men and women our Lord Jesus wanted
to free from their sin would remain bound in their sin with His wrath upon
them. Paul saw the hand of our Lord Jesus working through the words given to
him to speak and write change the hearts and lives of countless godless men and
women and bring them out of darkness into the light of the world Jesus Christ (Colossians 1:13-14). Therefore, Paul no
doubt drawing upon all these images in his heart/mind now goes all the way back
to Romans 5 and begins to sum up the
Great Love God the Father has for His Beloved adopted sons and daughters. Paul
asked this first question and answers it with another question that really is a
summary of the life of faith lived by the Apostle himself. Paul had undergone
much hardship and encountered strong satanic opposition, but he knew that there
is nothing or no one on earth or in the spirit world that can overcome the
eternal purposes of Almighty God.
Paul saw this truth even just days after his
conversion as the Jews who he formerly persecuted Christians with now tried to
murder him, but God delivered him from there plot to kill him and so did He
deliver Paul from every evil work that came against him. Paul summarized this
Great Steadfast Love that God demonstrated to him with these words he spoke to
brother Timothy when he said, 2 Timothy
4:16-18 At my first defense no one stood with me, but all forsook me. May it
not be charged against them. But the Lord stood with me and strengthened me, so
that the message might be preached fully through me, and that all the
Gentiles might hear. Also I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion. And the
Lord will deliver me from every evil work and preserve me for His
heavenly kingdom. To Him be glory forever and ever. Amen! NKJV Paul
was conscience of our Lord’s Presence with him at all times and knew that it
was Him who worked out all things to the counsel of His will and purpose. Paul
knew that no one or nothing could come against him successfully in any manner
to rob him of the eternal inheritance that awaited him and with that assurance
and confident expectation Paul could ask this question already certain of the
answer.
Psalms
118:6 The LORD is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me?
NKJV
Jeremiah
1:19 “They will fight against you, But they shall not prevail against you. For
I am with you, says the LORD, ‘to deliver you.’” NKJV
Jeremiah
20:11 But the LORD is with me as a mighty, awesome One. Therefore my
persecutors will stumble, and will not prevail. They will be greatly ashamed,
for they will not prosper. Their everlasting confusion will never be
forgotten. NKJV
Isaiah
27:3 I, the LORD, keep it, I water it every moment; Lest any hurt it, I keep it
night and day. NKJV
1
John 4:4 You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He
who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. NKJV
“While God is for us, and we keep in His love, we
may with a holy boldness defy all the powers of darkness. Let satan do his
worst, he is chained; let the world do its worst, it is conquered:
principalities and powers are spoiled and disarmed, and triumphed over, in the
cross of Christ. Who then dares fight against us, while God Himself is fighting
for us? And this we say to these things, this is the inference we draw from
these premises.” Matthew Henry
“Seeing that I have done nothing to deserve or earn
my election by God as His adopted son, then why in the world would I ever fear
that any person or creature anywhere in the Universe can snatch me out of His
Eternal All Powerful Loving Hands (John 10:29).”
Clifford D. Tate, Sr.
If you do not
know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray this from your
heart to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus,
I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You
shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead
proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn from my
sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart and take control of my
life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen...
Sincerely
in Christ,
Clifford
D. Tate, Sr.
Author
of “Silent Assassins of the Soul - Are you Broken by Pornography and
Masturbation? You can be Restored by the Lord Jesus Christ and brought into
Deliverance, Freedom, and Victory! A Guide for Men and Women in the Enemy’s
Crosshairs” e-book available now @ Amazon Kindle, @ Apple I Bookstore for IPod,
Barnes and Noble for Nook, Reader Store for Sony Reade, Kobo, Copia, Gardners,
Baker and Taylor, and eBookPie…
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