THE LOVE OF CHRIST, NOTHING CAN SEPARATE US…

“MANY WATERS CANNOT QUENCH LOVE; rivers cannot sweep it away. If one were to give all the wealth of one’s house for love, it would be utterly scorned.” (Song 8:7) Christ’s love for us is as “strong as death,” for it broke through death itself.“He loved us, and gave Himself for us.” (Eph. 5:2). The love of true believers to Christ is “strong as death”, for it makes us dead to everything else; it even cuts between soul and body, while the soul soars upward to heaven on wings of earnest affections, forgetting that it is still clothed with flesh. Paul, in the delight of this love, did not know whether he was in the body or out of the body. By this amazing love, we as believers are crucified to the world! “…in all these things we are MORE THAN CONQUERORS through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able TO SEPARATE US FROM THE LOVE of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Rom. 8:37-39) Paul says: “What shall we then say to these things?” What shall we think of all that has been said? He speaks as one amazed and swallowed up with the observation and admiration of the love of Jesus, pondering the height and depth, and length and breadth, of the love of Christ, which surpasses knowledge. Our life is different, we long to do things that would please our Abba Father, and we now desired to do what is right before God! “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to OFFER YOUR BODIES AS A LIVING SACRIFICE, holy and pleasing to God–THIS IS your TRUE AND PROPER WORSHIP. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but BE TRANSFORMED BY THE RENEWING OF YOUR MIND. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is–His good, pleasing and perfect will.” (Rom. 12:1-2) About our duty to God, we see what godliness is, it is to surrender ourselves to God so we can lay a good foundation. We must first give our own selves to the Lord. Our bodies must be presented to him as living sacrifices, presenting them means a voluntary act, this must be a free-will offering. Secondly, we must involve our bodies in the duties of immediate worship, and in a conscientious attendance to our specific callings, and be willing to suffer for God with our bodies, when we are called to it. “We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us… If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, LIVE AT PEACE WITH EVERYONE.” (Rom. 12:6, 18)

WE WILL BE TRANSFORMED BY THE RENEWING OF OUR MINDS!

-Bill Stockham