The Power of The Love of God

By:  Dale Weckbacher

Romans 8:35-36

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36 As it is written:

"For Your sake we are killed all day long;

We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter."  

NKJV

We must not forget those around the world that suffer persecution and risk their lives for expressing their faith in The Lord Jesus Christ.  This is especially true for those ISIS is slaughtering in Iraq.  (1) (2)  Jewish people are also suffering persecution at the hands of Hamas who have as their expressed goal the total elimination of the Jews.  (3)

However, even in the middle of great tribulation, persecution, and risk of live, God’s people have the assurance of Romans 8:35 promising that these horrific things will not separate us from the love of Christ.  Even in death, we have the assurance that we will be in the presence of the Lord (2 Corinthians 5:6-8).  Even Stephen, the very first Christian martyred for his faith said, "Look!  I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!"  (Acts 7:56, NKJV). 

Citizens of the United States have escaped physical persecution and risk of loss of life because the Constitution protects religious liberty in the First Amendment.  However, even though citizens of the United States do not risk loss of life for their faith, they do suffer persecution in the form of the risk of losing friends, alienation by family members, of having to go to court to be able to waive government mandates that violate someone’s faith as Hobby Lobby recently had to do.  Even though these forms of persecution do not cause one to risk their lives, they do cause mental, emotional, or financial risk. 

However, whether our persecution comes in the form of physical, mental, emotional, or financial risk or loss, it will not separate us from the love of Christ.  Because of the love of Christ we have,

1)      Eternal Life (John 3:16) – Every person has an eternal destiny, with Satan in hell or in the presence of God.  God, in his infinite love for mankind, sent his only son to die for all mankind however, God honors our right to choose.  We therefore must choose God’s gift of eternal life by believing in God’s son Jesus Christ in order to enjoy eternity in the presence of God. 

2)      A ticket out of the Great Tribulation coming upon this world (1 Corinthians 15:50-58) – The world has always suffered tribulation of some form.  However, there is a time of Great Tribulation coming upon the world.  This is the period of time spoken of in the Book of Revelation.  This will be a time of great famine, pestilence, earthquakes etc.  However, those choosing to believe in God’s son will be among those spoken of in 1 Corinthians 15:50-58 that will be changed and caught up or raptured at the sound of the last trumpet. 

3)      Peace and confidence even during these chaotic times (John 16:33) – Once again in John 16:33 Jesus reminds us that tribulation is a part of life in this world but Jesus also reminds us that He has overcome the world.  The greatest threat to anyone’s life is death but when Jesus rose from the grave, he overcame death and with His resurrection, every potential obstacle that could stand in the way of mankind has been overcome.  We can therefore enjoy peace and confidence knowing that our current tribulations and persecutions are temporary and will end when Jesus returns and establishes his kingdom on earth. 

I urge everyone reading this to pray for those suffering persecution in places like Iraq where being a Christian means risking one’s life.  We also must continue to petition our government leaders in the United States to do whatever is necessary to stop the murdering of these people.  After all, our government abandoned them by pulling out of Iraq before the job was completed. 

We also must pray for peace for the Jews, Gods chosen people, for God has plans for them in his kingdom as well.  We also must pray that mental, emotional, or even financial persecution and tribulation does not slow or stop the spread of the Gospel.  In our chaotic world, the only stability is a relationship with Jesus Christ and it is our duty to share the Gospel with everyone so everyone has an opportunity to have that stability in his or her life. 

Persecution and tribulation are a part of this fallen world we live in but Jesus has called us to come out from the world and be different (2 Corinthians 6:17).  In doing so, we become a light in this dark world, a light that exposes their sins and points them to the source of eternal life and stability on their lives, Jesus Christ.  When we find ourselves suffering any form of tribulation or persecution, remember that no matter how bad it gets, even if it means death, abandonment, or financial bankruptcy, it cannot separate us from the love of God. 

May God bless you all.

1. Wilde, Robert. SEBASTIAN GORKA: CHRISTIAN HOLOCAUST UNDERWAY IN IRAQ, USA AND WORLD LOOK ON. www.breitbart.com. [Online] Breitbart News, July 19, 2014. [Cited: August 12, 2014.] http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Peace/2014/07/19/Christian-Holocaust-Underway-in-Iraq-as-USA-and-World-Looks-On.

2. Shapiro, Ben. OBAMA'S ISLAMIST SPRING LEADS TO CHRISTIAN WINTER IN THE MIDDLE EAST. www.breitbart.com. [Online] Breitbart News, July 22, 2014. [Cited: August 12, 2014.] http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Peace/2014/07/22/OBAMAS-ISLAMIST-SPRING-LEADS-TO-CHRISTIAN-WINTER-IN-MIDDLE-EAST.

3. Information Division, Israel Foreign Ministry - Jerusalem. THE COVENANT OF THE HAMAS - MAIN POINTS. fas.org. [Online] Israel foreign Ministry - Jerusalem. [Cited: August 12, 2014.] http://fas.org/irp/world/para/docs/880818a.htm.