-THIS IS OUR HOPE-
{and we know that all things work together
for good to those who love God, to those who are the called
according to His purpose}
so many words we take for granted in our English vocabulary. words like will and all and shall and in this case even know. solid words. there's probably an actual term for these words but i can't think of it... but the point i'm trying to make is that in this world we use these words flippantly and they don't always mean will they can mean maybe or hopefully or we'll see. But in the bible when these words are said, they are meant. so when God tells us that ALL things work together for GOOD this is His promise. And because we are those who love God, this is our hope.
{for whom He foreknew, He also predestined,
to be conformed to the image of His Son,
that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover, whom He predestined, these He also called,
whom He called, He also justified;
and whom He justified, these He also glorified.}
foreknew. predestined. called. justified. glorified. He knew us before we even existed. He chose us while He knew us--as sinners. we were predestined to be His before Christ even took our place on that tree and cleansed us of our sins before His sight. but it doesn't end there. we were then called. we were then justified. we were then glorified. this is my favorite part: the Creator of the universe, the King of Kings, Almighty God, the One we seek to glorify with every part of our beings, glorifies us. this seems a little weird to me. not right almost. blasphemy even! but that's what it says! we are so unworthy to even glorify Him, yet that is all He asks of us when He calls us, and then He justifies and glorifies us. we are foreknown, predestined, justified, and glorified. this is our hope.
{what then shall we say to these things?
if God is for us, who can be against us?
He who did not spare His own Son,
but delivered Him up for us all,
how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?
who shall bring a charge against God's elect?
it is God who justifies.
who is he who condemns?
It is Christ who died, and furthermore is risen,
who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.}
this is the God we have. the God we know. this is the God who gave up His own and only Son for us. it is Christ who died. for us. so we can be His. we are His. since we know all these things, which are true always, who is there that is able to go against us, against God? who can condemn us, condemn God? no one. this is our hope.
{who shall separate us from the love of Christ?
shall tribulation,
or distress,
or persecution,
or famine,
or nakedness,
or peril,
or sword?
As it is written:
"For Your sake we are killed all day long;
We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter."}
for His sake we are killed all day long. we go through tribulation. we go through distress. we go through persecution. famine. nakedness. peril. the sword. but none of this will not separate us from the love of Christ. this is our hope.
{yet in all these things we are more than conquerors
through Him who loved us.
for i am persuaded that neither
death
nor life
nor angels
nor principalities
nor 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.}
again. we list everything that can't and won't separate us from the love of God. even angels, powers, the future, the past, anything that was created has no power over God and His love for us. in these things we are more than CONQUERERS. this is our hope.
all things work out for the BEST for us who love Him. He foreknew, predestined, called, justified and glorified us. and no one and nothing can separate us from these truths--from these promises. from His love. from this hope.
He is our Hope.
