KEPT BY THE POWER OF GOD PART 2.
God has bonded Himself to His people with an everlasting agreement. ‘I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from them from doing them good; but I will put My fear into their hearts so that they will not depart from Me.’ (Jeremiah 32:40) While ‘A gentleman’s word is his bond’, the eternal God has fortified this agreement or treaty that he would never turn away or abandon His people. He would accomplish this by instilling Godly fear in our hearts that we would be constantly devoted to HIM. We are secure in God’s unchanging character, while the pact is Scripture-recorded for each generation.
God completes what He has commenced. Paul is confident of ‘This very thing that he who has begun a good work in you will complete in until the day of Jesus Christ.
(Philippians 1:6) Our salvation is such a good thing, that the Lord will complete it to His glory. An artist delights in finishing his painting or sculpture, and then unveils it. An engineer rejoices when the bridge is functioning or the building is occupied. How much more when our Lord Jesus saved you, He yearns for the moment when He will complete or perfect your great salvation. He has kept you for that day- and joy reverberates through heaven when He presents you perfect before the Father.
Romans 8 convince us that the Lord’s preserves His own. If God be for us, who can be against us? ‘If our Creator strives for us, no creature can withstand Him. If the eternal lover of our souls contends for us no one can woo us from His care. Let me tell of the mighty transactions in verses 29, 30. ‘He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him freely give us all things.’ God’s unlimited love for us surrendered His only treasured Son for our salvation. That’s a further reason why He keeps you by His infinite power. He will freely give us all things including the security that we yearn for.
Paul identifies satan in accusing the child of God, enquiring ‘Who is he who condemns? He responded, ‘Christ died, and furthermore is risen, who is even at the right hand of God, Who also makes intercession for us.’ He cited the three great redemptive truths; namely, the atoning death of the Lord; His glorious resurrection from the dead; and His unbroken mediation for nearly 2,000 years for us. Are you slandered or belittled for your faith in your Lord? Then be reassured with the comforting truths Paul stated.
Paul challenged again, ‘Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?’ ‘Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword.’ The Amplified New Testament varies it: ‘all suffering, affliction or tribulation. Or calamity and distress. Or persecution or hunger or destitution or peril or sword?’
Many nations have afflicted God’s people, especially North Korea, Saudi Arabia, Myanmar, Vietnam, China, and Eritrea who have persecuted the people of God. Saints personally testify that no such trials will distance them from Christ’s love, though tortured, imprisoned, often in agony, yet they speak of Christ’s real love.
Paul added, ‘we are more than conquerors’ ‘and gain a surpassing victory’ ‘AMP adds. (v37), through Him who loved us.’ The human heart longs for victory over temptation and trials. Here, the love of our Lord, which took Him to Calvary for our salvation, ensures our conquest. The Lord has given a super triumph to all who trust in Him. Have you enjoyed this extraordinary mastery? It is in Christ.
Paul appreciably supported his claim, ‘ For I am persuaded (beyond doubt) that neither death nor life, nor angels, nor principalities and powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.‘ (8:38, 39) These formidable factors may separate some from the eternal One- but not when our faith is firmly fixed in Him. For example, death following weakness, pain, frailty, and suffering may rob our life, until we realise that the Lord has stripped death of its sting. Life, also, with compelling allurements and sore testing’s may charm us, until we hear our Lover’s tender voice. We can say like Paul, ‘I am persuaded.’
Additional consolation is found that Angels, (that vast army of ministering spirits sent forth to minister to the heirs of salvation), principalities (that huge array of fallen demonic powers, territorial or personal), and powers, (all forces arrayed against us) are not able to drive a wedge between us and our beloved Lord. God’s word reaffirms you are perfectly secure in Him. Paul, lists the heights, (man’s greatest achievements in many realms) or the depths (man’s record weaknesses and abject failures) or any of God’s marvellous works (among His created thing) will be able to detach us from the love of God which is centred in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Surprisingly, the letter of Jude, the Lord’s servant and brother of James has strong, consoling promises. He commences ‘To those who are called, sanctified by the God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ: mercy, peace and love be multiplied to you. (v2) We are secure in that God has called, He has sanctified us (set us aside for a holy purpose) and He has preserved us in our beloved Lord. As a young man the Lord directed me to a medical unit during WW11. He called me: I obeyed, and then set me aside for His strengthening work. Oh, how the Lord graciously preserved during tough years, separated from my beloved wife and little daughter.
I could not have envisaged that 60 plus years later, our web site would reach out to many parts of the world. Truly, He preserves- and guards His children.
From our jungle hospital in Papua New Guinea I memorized Jude 24. Oh, it became of priceless value to me. Still is! ‘Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy. To God our Saviour, Who alone is wise, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and forever. Amen.’ (v24) We must know that our God will hold our hand so that we do not lose our footing; and at that great day will present us spotless before the throne of God; filling us with His joy. The Father’s wisdom, His glory and majesty guarantee His preserving power. Ensure you are safe in His secure grasp. Leave the rest with HIM: confidently