Romans: Session 12 – Nothing Shall Separate Us from the Love of Christ

Notes:

Nothing Shall Separate Us From The Love Of Christ – Rom.8:28-8:39    See Session Slides Here

Rom. 8:28. Contrast: “We know” (v.28) with “we know not” (v.26). We might not be certain about the immediate, but we are certain about the ultimate. For Christians, all things work together for good.

  • We have been “called according to His purpose”. God has a definite purpose with regard to salvation. 2 Tim.1:9. This is the Bible’s central message. 1 Pet.1:10-12; Eph.1:5,9,11.
  • God is right now revealing this purpose to the principalities and powers through the Church.
  • His love is a purposeful love – Eph.5:25-26.
  • This purpose is God’s supreme will, to which all other things are subordinated and by which all opposition is overthrown.

Rom. 8:29-30. In these two verses there are 5 important words concerning our salvation which are links in a chain; and each link can only be understood in their relationship to the other links in the chain:

1) Foreknowledge

  • His foreknowledge is of persons; not their conduct; it is not ‘what’ but ‘whom’ He foreknew.
  • When this word is used of God it means that God has foreordained something according to His purpose, or determined it according to His counsel (Acts 2:23; Rom.11:2;  1 Pet.1:2&20).
  • Foreknowledge has to do with more than prescience. It means fore-ordination.
  • It is inconceivable that those who are a part of God’s eternal purpose should be finally lost.

2) Predestination

  • Those whom God foreknew He has predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son.
  • The ultimate proof of our glorification is that the glory of Jesus depends upon it.

3) Called

  • This calling is not just an invitation; it is much more. God not only calls us, but He enlightens and quickens us so that we are able to believe, (Jn.6:44; Acts 16:14;  1 Thes.1:5).

4) Justification

  • We are given a new and permanent standing of righteousness with God.

5) Glorification

  • Our glorification concerns what God is going to do in restoring us to that original glory and surpass it by filling us with His own glory.
  • Yet it is spoken of in the past tense. Once the first link has been established in these 5 stages, the chain process takes place and produces the certainty of our glorification.

Rom. 8:31-39. What shall we say to these things? 5 questions:

i)  Rom. 8:31. “If God be for us, who shall be against us?”

ii)  Rom. 8:32. “He that spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?”

iii)  Rom. 8:33. “Who shall lay anything to the charge of God’s elect?” “

iv)  Rom. 8:34. “Who is he that condemns?”

v)  Rom. 8:35-39. “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?” But what if we should fail as a result of suffering, etc? Our salvation is not based upon our love to Him, but upon His amazing and unconditional love to us. Conclusion: I am persuaded…are you?


# Answers to this quiz are found in the notes above. Click on quiz to commence. Only correct spelling is recognised. A minimum 70%  correct is required to advance to the next session.