Dave Stephens
We learned from scripture last week that we can be assured of God’s love.
- “He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?”
We also discussed that no one can condemn us for our past because Jesus is our defender. He has justified us!
Who can separate us from the love of Christ?
No matter what external situation you can think up, even one that is literally from another world or dimension (Romans 8:38), it still isn’t powerful enough to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus.
- “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? … For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
(Romans 8:35-39)
Paul concludes with a really strong declaration. Nothing can separate us from God’s love.
- He lists potential separators—trouble, hardship, persecution, famine, nakedness, danger, sword—represents extreme adversities. Paul is asserting that even your most severe trials cannot separate believers from Christ’s love.
Not only do we have a love that protects us to this extent, Paul goes on to quote Psalm 44:22 in Rom 8:36.
- “Yet for your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”
Two Important Theological Understandings:
Though God is love and loves all people, He cannot turn a blind eye to sin.
1. Salvation is an ongoing
(Romans 1:32; 1 Corinthians 3:1–3, 5–8; 5:9–13; Hebrews 3:12–14; 12:1; 1 John 1:8; 3:8)
- “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.”
Hebrews 12:1
“The one who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work”
1 John 3:8
For us to grow spiritually we must be committed to following Christ in lifelong obedience to His teachings. The New Testament places great emphasis on faithfully walking through the tests of life and persevering in faith to the end of life.
- “The seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop.”
Luke 8:15
“…the testing of your faith produces perseverance.”
James 1
“These [trials] have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith… may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.”
1 Peter 1:7
“You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised.”
Hebrews 10:36
Being secure in our salvation, then, comes through faith, both in the receiving of the cross of Christ and in continuing fellowship with Christ by His Spirit.
2. The believer’s salvation may be
(John 17:12; 1 Timothy 4:1; 5:12, 15; Hebrews 6:4–6, 10:26–27, 38; 2 Peter 2:20; 1 John 5:16).
God, as a loving Heavenly Father, does not desire that any person fall away from the salvation He has graciously provided in Christ.
- “Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.”
2 Peter 3:9
- “They believe for a while, but in the time of testing they fall away.”
- To believers:
“…who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age and who have fallen away.”
Hebrews 6:4–6
Luke 8:13
John confidently repeated in his later epistle,
- “No one who is born of God will continue to sin.”
1 John 3:9
- “No one who lives in him [Christ] keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has either seen him or known him.”
1 John 3:6
Believers cannot keep on sinning the way unbelievers do. Continuing sinful practices will adversely affect the believer’s faith, and, if they are not repented of, will eventually destroy faith.
- “If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God.”
Hebrews 10:26-27
“The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons.”
1 Timothy 4:1
“Thus they bring judgment on themselves, because they have broken their first pledge.”
1 Timothy 5:12
“Some have in fact already turned away to follow Satan.”
1 Timothy 5:15
The Bible clearly warns against the possibility of forfeiting or abandoning salvation, but it never ceases to offer hope for anyone who will respond to the appeal of the Holy Spirit.
This applies (not just to pre-christians) also to every Christ-follower:
- “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”
(1 John 1:9)
Paul’s words remind us of God’s unwavering commitment that
- “…he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”
Philippians 1:6
Conclusion: God’s love is unwavering, our justification is secure, and nothing can separate us from His love. There is nothing to fear if you’re walking with Christ…if you’re allowing Him to transform your life.
Live in confidence of your salvation!