Monday, 5 August 2013
For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come,… Romans 8:38
This is the first half of a two-part thought which sums up Paul’s thoughts in Romans 8. Paul, whose credentials were well known at the time of the writing of this epistle (for example, please refer to Philippians 3:4-6) looked at the world around him, both the spiritual world and the physical world, and compared it to his position in Christ. In his joy and in the surety of his salvation, he wrote words which are as true to us as they were to him.
“I am persuaded…” In essence, he is saying, “Based on everything I know and how it relates to my position in Christ, I will submit the following. I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor power, nor things present nor things to come…”
None of these things have the power to interfere with what will be stated in verse 39. All of these things are found in creation and therefore are under the control of the Creator. All of these are found also within the stream of time (which is itself a part of creation) and therefore, from the beginning to the end, nothing has the ability to affect that which Paul will reveal in the next verse.
Life application: God is the Creator of all things. The creation consists of temporal things such as time, space, and matter. It also consists of spiritual things such as angels and the realm in which they exist. If you are in Christ, then you are secure apart from these things. Have faith that your security is beyond the grasp of anything in creation.
Glorious God, you have sent Your Son into the world as a way for us to understand You intimately. What was once beyond our grasp, can now be understood. What was once unseen, is now visible. Before what was something we could only speculate on, is now written in Your word for us to know with certainty. Thank You for the surety You have given us because of Jesus. Amen.