"What Or Who Shall Separate Us?"

“What (or Who) Shall Separate Us?”

Text; Romans 8:35-39

Introduction:

The city of Rome was one of the most beautiful cities of the known world. During the days of Paul, it had a population of about one million people. It was and is often called; “the city of love.” It is where Venus, the goddess of love, and Mars, the god of war, were worshipped. It was a city that had sunk very deep into sin, for the people had stopped worshipping the Creator, and started worshipping the creation. The Romans had corrupted themselves after the same manner that cities of Sodom and Gomorrah had. Paul wrote to them in chapter 1:26-27; “For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections; for even their women had changed their natural use unto that which is against nature: and likewise also the men leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another, men with men, working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves the recompense (reward) of their error which was meet (due).”

In Romans chapter 8, Paul was preaching to them about Christ and His forgiving Grace, telling them that even though they had stooped so low into sin, Christ loved them and would forgive them their sins.

Paul told them how the Spirit delivers from the powers of the flesh, how “the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made ….(us) free from the law of sin and death…that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.”

Paul; went on to say in verses 13-14; “For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die; but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the Sons (and Daughters) of God.”

Paul told how the Spirit bears witness with our spirit that we are the children of God (v. 16). Then in the verses following, he lets them know that the Spirit assures them of a future in glory. He told how they have a hope and that hope is steadfast and sure.

Paul further explain that the Spirit assures them of a final victory, he says; “What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?” Then in verse 35, Paul asked the questions that I want to ask you this morning: What ( and I say Who) shall separate us from the Love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?

Can Tribulation, or Persecution, or Peril separate you from the Love of Christ?

1) Tribulation:

The Bible tells us that as long as we are in this world, we are going to have trials and tribulations. Hear this; Satan does not like you, and he is going to do whatever he can to try to get you to fall be the wayside. He will bring many and all kinds of trails and tribulations upon you as long as there is life in your body. Even while you are dying, he will be right there by your bedside trying to get you to fall. If by no way else, trying to get you to charge God foolishly.

Jesus tells us in John 16:33; “In the world, ye shall have tribulation, (but I have overcome the world).” James 1:2 tells us; “My brethren count it all joy when you fall into divers temptations.” So as long as we are in this world, we are going to come face to face with trails, and temptations.

Job was one of the richest men of his time, He was blessed with seven sons and three daughters. He had large herds of oxen, donkeys, sheep, and camels, and he had many servants to do all the work that needed to be done.

Job 1 tells the story; “There was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan came also among them. (6)” The Lord asked him; “Satan, whence comest thou?” He answered; “From going to and fro in the earth, and walking up and down in it.” (7). Listen now church, you have heard this many times, but hear it again; Satan cannot be everywhere at the same time. He is limited to walking the earth seeking who he can devour. He accuses us before God and then accuses God before us.

God asked him; “Have you considered My servant Job? Satan replied, “Does Job fear God for nothing? Have you not put a hedge around Him?”

In other words; Satan was saying that if God would just take down the hedge and let him bring tribulation his way, then Job would curse God to His face. So than God told Satan; “All that he hath is in thy power, only upon himself put not forth thy hand.” You can’t take his life!