October 24, 2015 WHAT SHALL WE SAY
Romans 8:31: “What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?
Romans 8:28-29: “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the first-born among many brethren.”
In Romans chapter eight, Paul is conveying in detail just how great and awesome is the salvation that God brought about through Jesus. Even before we were born, God knew us, He loved us and He predestined that we would come to know Christ and be conformed to His image. Because God loved us, He did not spare His own Son, but gave Him up for us that we might be joined to Him (Rom: 8:32). Because we are the elect of God; who are what will bring a charge against us? Who is there to condemn us? (vs.33-34) God is the one who saves and the one who justifies and the one who reigns supreme. In light of all that God has done, in verse 35 Paul makes his point by asking: “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril or sword?” When we begin to get this truth deep within our mind, spirit, and heart, our lives are transformed-there is nothing more powerful and life changing than to know that nothing can separate us from the love of God. We will without a doubt encounter various trials and tribulations in life, but nothing we encounter has the power to sever us from the love of God. Some difficulties come as a result of our bad decisions and actions, while some come in the form of persecution because of the expression of our faith. However, even in the difficulties of our own making, God is at work conforming us to His Son, and it is for our good that we yield to what He is doing in us, and even desire that He be about changing us. To think that we will not experience some difficulties is an erroneous thought, and it will cause us to be confused or defeated when the trials do come. The salvation of God enables us and equips us to overcome and not be defeated by anyone or by any circumstance in which we find ourselves. It is God’s intent to conform us to the image of His Son-for us to become “like Christ.” Really? Me be like CHRIST? For us to become like Christ may sound pretty unrealistic, and indeed it is in our own strength. The promise to us is that God will work in us, bringing about a transformation that will conform us to the image of Christ. Once we understand this transforming process that God is doing, every aspect of our lives is involved in the process. God’s desire, and plan, is that the thoughts we have, the motives of our hearts, the words we say, the actions we take, how we relate to people, how we respond, and the things we believe, will all resemble Christ. The critical thing for us to know is, that we can work with Him as He is in the process of transforming and molding us into the image of Christ; or we can resist His work in us. If we allow ourselves to get into spiritual “neutral”, just coasting through life, we will hinder the transformation process. Becoming like Christ becomes evident to ourselves and to others-it affects how I relate to my wife, to my family and friends, it affects my attitude, my outlook, my countenance, the words I speak-it affects everything about us. Let us look again at the life of Christ, knowing that He is our example, and knowing that God is in the process of transforming us so that the life we live will look like Christ. “What shall we say to these things?” Wow!
Hebrews 2:1-3a: “For this reason we must pay closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it. For if the word spoken through angels proved unalterable, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense, how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation?”
2 Corinthians 3:18: “But we all, with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.”
Romans 12:2: “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.”
Blessings,
Buddy
Romans 8:31: “What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?
Romans 8:28-29: “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the first-born among many brethren.”
In Romans chapter eight, Paul is conveying in detail just how great and awesome is the salvation that God brought about through Jesus. Even before we were born, God knew us, He loved us and He predestined that we would come to know Christ and be conformed to His image. Because God loved us, He did not spare His own Son, but gave Him up for us that we might be joined to Him (Rom: 8:32). Because we are the elect of God; who are what will bring a charge against us? Who is there to condemn us? (vs.33-34) God is the one who saves and the one who justifies and the one who reigns supreme. In light of all that God has done, in verse 35 Paul makes his point by asking: “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril or sword?” When we begin to get this truth deep within our mind, spirit, and heart, our lives are transformed-there is nothing more powerful and life changing than to know that nothing can separate us from the love of God. We will without a doubt encounter various trials and tribulations in life, but nothing we encounter has the power to sever us from the love of God. Some difficulties come as a result of our bad decisions and actions, while some come in the form of persecution because of the expression of our faith. However, even in the difficulties of our own making, God is at work conforming us to His Son, and it is for our good that we yield to what He is doing in us, and even desire that He be about changing us. To think that we will not experience some difficulties is an erroneous thought, and it will cause us to be confused or defeated when the trials do come. The salvation of God enables us and equips us to overcome and not be defeated by anyone or by any circumstance in which we find ourselves. It is God’s intent to conform us to the image of His Son-for us to become “like Christ.” Really? Me be like CHRIST? For us to become like Christ may sound pretty unrealistic, and indeed it is in our own strength. The promise to us is that God will work in us, bringing about a transformation that will conform us to the image of Christ. Once we understand this transforming process that God is doing, every aspect of our lives is involved in the process. God’s desire, and plan, is that the thoughts we have, the motives of our hearts, the words we say, the actions we take, how we relate to people, how we respond, and the things we believe, will all resemble Christ. The critical thing for us to know is, that we can work with Him as He is in the process of transforming and molding us into the image of Christ; or we can resist His work in us. If we allow ourselves to get into spiritual “neutral”, just coasting through life, we will hinder the transformation process. Becoming like Christ becomes evident to ourselves and to others-it affects how I relate to my wife, to my family and friends, it affects my attitude, my outlook, my countenance, the words I speak-it affects everything about us. Let us look again at the life of Christ, knowing that He is our example, and knowing that God is in the process of transforming us so that the life we live will look like Christ. “What shall we say to these things?” Wow!
Hebrews 2:1-3a: “For this reason we must pay closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it. For if the word spoken through angels proved unalterable, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense, how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation?”
2 Corinthians 3:18: “But we all, with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.”
Romans 12:2: “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.”
Blessings,
Buddy
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