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January 2008, Page 2.
Index of articles:
by subject,
by date.
In this issue:
(January 2008)
Hope Bradford,
Hymn,
A will.
Being certain of God's promises
If God is on our side,
then who on earth can be against us?
If he gave Christ, who died
for us, then surely he befriends us?
Who can bring any accusation
that will mean our condemnation?
We have God who justifies us,
we have Christ who died and is risen:
Nothing now can separate us
from the love of God
in Jesus Christ our Lord.
If trouble comes our way,
how can it ever separate us
from all God's love today?
No heav’nly being can berate us,
no pow’rs of hell, nor earthly glitches
can remove us from God's riches.
We have God who sanctifies us,
we have Christ who strengthens his children:
Nothing now can separate us
from the love of God
in Jesus Christ our Lord.
If Christ has died for sin,
this is the end of condemnation.
If we have him within,
this is our full complete salvation.
Shall persecution make us doubt him?
No! We'll never live without him.
We have God who glorifies us,
we have Christ who leads us to heaven:
Nothing now can separate us
from the love of God
in Jesus Christ our Lord.
Words and tune copyright © John Hartley 2007.
Based on Romans 8:31-39
In his book “Wrestling with Romans”, John Robinson says the end of chapter 8 is the high point of the New Testament, and either you get it or you don’t. “All commentary is bathos - like trying to describe the Ninth Symphony in words." So, while I was supposed to be wrestling with a sermon, I wrestled with a song instead.
What is it that makes Christians, people who have given their lives to Jesus and welcomed him within, doubt whether they’ll finally make it into heaven and be with God for ever? Paul runs through many things: the fear that our wrongdoings will catch us out, a sensitive conscience, other people and Satan who try to knock us off our perches, the realization that we are still sinners, the bad things that happen in our lives. All these can conspire to undermine our confidence. But Paul’s great secret is this: our salvation depends on Christ alone, so if we are his, then we can be rock solid sure.
John Hartley