More Than Conquerors
(Romans 8:28-39)
“Who will separate us from the love of Christ…?” – Romans 8:35
We have confidence in our salvation. God has promised us that acceptance of the sacrifice of Jesus is the complete and final payment for our debt. We incurred that debt by our attitude of pride and rebellion we express toward God. It is a debt of disrespect for the Father. We would rather listen to the serpent than the all-knowing, all-powerful Creator.
Dreaded and conniving Satan works both sides of our emotions and intellect to keep us separated from the relationship the Father has meant for mankind from the beginning. Satan tells us we are good enough; that we do not need to be forgiven, we aren’t so bad, if bad at all. And at any rate the not good things we do are not our fault. Society is to blame.
When we come to our senses, realizing we are indeed far from good, Satan changes the approach. He says to us, “You are not good enough to be near God. How could God forgive you for what you’ve done?” It’s so easy for Satan to stay a step ahead of us; as long as we are listening to him instead of Father God.
God says, “Who will lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is he that condemns?-- It is Christ who died, yea rather, who is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?” (Romans 8:33-35).
We need to listen to God, not Satan. The battle for heart and soul continues even after we accept Jesus. The victory is already won, but Satan does not surrender.
We have God’s Word, the Scriptures, to guide our days. Through the apostle John, God says, “These things I have written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.”(1 John 5:13). We believe, and continue to believe, because we listen to the Father.
– Mel
Preparation for Next Week – Living Under God’s Mercy – Romans 9:6-18
(Scripture Readings taken from the International Sunday School Lesson Plan, Standard Publishing)
Monday – Reproach and Mercy – Deuteronomy 3:22-29
Tuesday – Sovereign Mercy – 2 Samuel 7:20-29
Wednesday – Awesome Mercy – Psalm 68:20-35
Thursday – Hopeful Mercy – 1 Peter 1:3-9
Friday – Wise Mercy – James 3:13-18
Saturday – Patient Mercy – James 5:7-12
Sunday – Children of Promise – Romans 9:6-18
Mel Johnson