GOD'S EVERLASTING LOVE "Yet IN all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us." (NKJV) YET The KJV reads, "Nay . . . " instead of "Yet," as the NKJV reads. The NASB reads "But." The NIV and NRSV read, "No . . ." The word here translated "yet," "nay," "but," and "no," by the various translations, introduces a contrast to what has been said before. It prepares us for what will now be said about tribulation, distress, persecution, famine, nakedness, peril, and sword. It is the Spirit's reply to what has been said about being subjected to death all day long, and being counted as sheep for the slaughter. IN "THESE THINGS" Here is a facet of salvation that is essential to see. We must not allow the devil to deceive us into thinking God's greatest and most productive work only takes place in peaceful environs, where all is going well for the believer. Many a soul has stumbled at this, imagining that opposition and hardship meant they had been abandoned by God. It is one thing for Job, without the Law and without a Bible, to conclude such (Job 23:3-5). It is quite another thing for those who have been "illuminated" and "tasted of the heavenly gift" to assume such folly (Heb 6:4-6; 10:32). "IN ALL THESE THINGS!" "ALL" these things must be seen as meaning every one of them, and in every kind of them. It is all of them, whether experienced one at a time, in oppressing clusters, or all at once. It is true of each individual difficulty, or all of them collectively. – Tomorrow:
"Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written: 'For Your sake we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.' Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8:35-39, NKJV)
This statement is given in answer to the rhetorical question of verse 35: "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?" Do any or all of these things have the power to force us apart from Christ's love? Can these most difficult of all circumstances cause Christ's love toward us to diminish, or move Him to cease to uphold and succor us? Does hardship equal abandonment? Does fierce and seemingly effective opposition mean we are no longer in fellowship with the loving Christ? When out opponents gain the upper hand, does it mean we are no longer being upheld by the Lord?
To put it another way, when Christ's love is focused upon us, does that mean we will no longer have problems? Does it mean our enemies will be utterly powerless against us? When Jesus is lavishing His love upon us, do our enemies lose all of their power? Does tribulation suddenly cease? Do we stop experiencing distress and persecution? When Jesus is in the process of loving us, do famines cease? Do we discontinue to be subjected to nakedness, peril, and sword? Does prosperity always confirm Divine love? And does opposition indicate that love, for some reason, has diminished? That is the question before us!
From what is represented by a lot of contemporary Western Christianity, you would think the above suggestions are all to be answered in the affirmative. Successful churches are held before us as those who roll over the opposition, flourishing to the amazement of all about them. Is this all undeniable evidence they are being loved by Christ? Blessed by Christ? They do not appear to be opposed at all, and are even received by their communities. And what of the religious entertainers who have become independently wealthy by hawking their religious music to the multitudes. They certainly do not appear to be experiencing much opposition. Is it because they are loved more?
First, that the church can flourish under the mighty hand of God is not to be denied. In the first few chapters of the book of Acts we read of 3,000 receiving the Word with all gladness, and being baptized (Acts 2:41). Later, 5,000 men believed (Acts 4:4). In the fifth chapter "believers were the more added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women" (5:14). In the eighth chapter, the entire city of Samaria believed, and "there was great joy in that city" (8:5-8). That was surely an evidence of the love of Christ.
Yet, severe persecution also broke out against believers, and they were scattered abroad (8:1). Did that mean there had been a deterioration of the church's commitment to Christ, or a diminishment of His love?
The verse we are considering is confirming there are overriding advantages given to us in Christ Jesus. Some of these advantages have already been declared.
1. God is working everything together for our good (v 28).
2. God has predestinated that those who are justified will be glorified (v 30).
3. If God is for us, no one can effectively be against us (v 31).
4. Through Christ, God will freely give us all things, even in the midst of seemingly impossible circumstances (v 32).
5. No one can lay an effective accusation against those God has justified (v 33).
6. No one can condemn those for whom Christ has died (v 34a).
7. No one can condemn those for whom Jesus is presently interceding (v 34b).
8. No earthly circumstance, regardless of its intensity and duration, can cause God to cease to love us through Christ (v 35).
Because a peaceful and tranquil social environment has proved to be the exception rather than the rule, the words that follow are declared to those in the midst of an oppressive battlefield. These words are not spoken to those reclining on "beds of ivory," and reposing on "couches" of ease (Amos 6:4).
What will now be affirmed takes place IN tribulation! It is experienced IN distress! It is something that occurs IN persecution! This is our heritage IN famine! Here is what God gives His people IN nakedness. It is what happens to them IN peril. It is their lot IN opposition by the sword!
PRAYER POINT: Father, in the name of Jesus, help me to see more clearly, and to hold more firmly, that trouble is really the crucible of perfection.