My Real Joy Part 5

Since we have looked at the fact that God is for His own, we should also consider the fact that we have many adversaries. Satan and the world are formidable in their opposition to the christian."Paul was not ignorant of Satan's devices, but we are not so wise. Among his most successful devices today are these: exalting tolerance above truth; emphasizing the head more than the heart; making size more important than sort; stressing the positive to the neglect of the negative; putting happiness above holiness; majonng on this world instead of the next.(Pepper "n" Salt, Vance Havner)

There are others that enter that adversarial relationship.The question then comes,who shall separate us from the love of Christ"? I love the way Paul not only asks the question, but exhausts the adversaries in proving that there is nothing in time, space, or eternity that can separate us from Christ. There is a marvelous trilogy here, no one can issue a charge against us, no one can condemn us, nothing can separate us from Christ.To put it in perspective, in response to any charge, it is God who justified the sinner, in response to one condemning, Christ has paid the sinner's debt so there is now no condemnation, in response to fear of separation, nothing in time, space, or eternity can accomplish that. A.T. Robertson in his Word Pictures makes this observation,"Can any one put a distance between Christ’s love and us, can any one lead Christ to cease loving us?

Now, consider some of the adversaries with which we struggle. The Greek word,"thlipsis", means pressure but also carries the meanings anguish, persecution, tribulation. Adam Clarke refers to it as grievous affliction, or distress of any kind
Albert Barnes says "the word properly refers to pressure from without; affliction arising from external causes. It means, however, not infrequently, trial of any kind".

The next adversary is distress Of this word, Barnes says,"this word properly means "narrowness of place;" and then, great anxiety and distress of mind, such as arises when a man does not know where to turn himself or what to do for relief. It refers, therefore, to distress or anxiety "of mind," such as the early Christians were often subject to from their trials and persecutions".

The next one is persecution. "It signifies such pursuing as an enemy uses in order to overtake the object of his malice". (Adam Clarke) Famine carries with it the idea of being destitute, scarcity of food, hunger. Nakedness needs little explanation, simply being without clothing.
 

Peril

is described by Adam Clarke as a state of extreme and continued danger, perplexing and distressing with grievous forebodings and alarms. John Gill adds,"dangers from different quarters, by different persons and ways. Sword carries the thought of the authority and power of judicially terminating life; i.e. of inflicting capital punishment. All of these constitute a formidable array of adversaries and there are more.

Why can these not separate us from the love of Christ? John Gill says it best,"That Christ does love the elect of God, who are the persons here spoken of, is evident from his undertaking for them, espousing their persons, assuming their nature, dying in their room and stead, paying off their debts, and redeeming their persons, by going to prepare a place for them, by interceding for them, by supplying them with all grace, and using them in the most free and familiar manner; which love of his is wonderful, matchless, and inconceivable, special and peculiar, free and undeserved, exceeding affectionate, unchangeable, durable, and for ever. This is the bond of union to Christ; and the union which is made by it is exceeding near and close; it is real; perfect, and indissoluble, nothing can separate from it.

This will make any day a New Day,

SWORDMAN