Monday, July 3, 2023
Confidence in Him by Kay Crumley
What, then, are we to say about these things? If God is for us, who is against us? He did not even spare his own Son but gave him up for us all. How will he not also with him grant us everything? Who can bring an accusation against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies. Who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is the one who died, but even more, has been raised; he also is at the right hand of God and intercedes for us. Who can separate us from the love of Christ? Can affliction or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: Because of you we are being put to death all day long; we are counted as sheep to be slaughtered. No, 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 rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:31-39
The focus verses for this devotional are verses 37-39. However, to get an understanding of what led to this declaration we need to look back a few verses. Paul has been telling the readers that God has done much to ensure we can have salvation through Christ. ‘These things’ in vs 31 refer to all that Jesus sacrificed on the cross and that God ensures that we have Him working things out for our good if we are called by Him as His children, His sheep. He is our good Shepherd. The conclusion is that He must be for us. He gave Jesus, His one and only Son, to pay the penalty of death we earned by our sin. Jesus had no sin, yet He took our sin, our guilt, our punishment so that we can be members of His family, build His church.
Since the penalty was paid, we cannot be condemned. We cannot be found guilty since the debt was paid in full by Jesus. Jesus died for our sins and was raised to life as our intercessor, to ensure our relationship with God. The result is that NOTHING and NO ONE can separate us from Him, His love, His protection. Even in the most horrific circumstances as described in verse 36, the fact remains that we are His, in His hand and cannot be separated from Him, from His love.
We are conquerors, victorious though Him. Not because of our own power or worthiness, but because of Jesus Christ. Nothing can take us out of His control, His love. There is no created being, no situation, that will separate those who are in Christ Jesus from His love. Even the powers of evil, demons in the heavenlies, have no power over God. He is the sovereign power over all. He is creator. He is GOD.
Who are the beneficiaries of this promise, this declaration of confidence in our triumph? Those who are in Christ Jesus. Jesus died and was raised from the grave so that we can have the penalty of death we earned forgiven. He paid for our sins. He offers that gift freely to all who will believe and commit their lives to Him. God loves His creation and wants a relationship with us. But we must accept that gift by committing to being obedient to Him. If you are ready to make a decision to let Christ be your savior, find a believer and talk to them about the next steps toward living a confident, triumphant, life in His care and protection.
