" For I Am Persuaded "

PERSUADED,  ABSOLUTELY ! ! !

Romans 8:38-39   " 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 creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of GOD, which is in CHRIST JESUS our LORD."

     One does well to lay to heart one particular word in verse 38: "Persuaded." This word is a heart word. In the Greek text, it is in the perfect tense and signifies,  "I have come through a process of persuasion to a settled conclusion."

     There is a difference between knowing a truth and being heart-persuaded of it as born out in Romans 14:14: "I know, and am persuaded by the LORD JESUS . . ."  To know a Bible truth, one has only to read it. However, to be persuaded of it involves the fact that, first of all, the truth in question touches your own personal safety before GOD and, second, your heart has been so enlightened by the HOLY SPIRIT and you are so won over (persuaded) that confidence, heart-satisfied persuasion, results. Now, Paul says in Romans 8:38, "I am persuaded."  Paul had passed through all the terrible things mentioned a few verses earlier. Look at the scars on his body (2nd.Corinthians 12:9; 13:13). Assurance ?  He had it !  Confidence ?  Listen to his last epistle (2nd.Timothy 4:18).  Persuaded ?  His mind, conscience, and heart were sublimely committed to what he was about to say.

     Many often misquote this verse (v.38), putting it according to natural thought: "neither life nor death."  But GOD says,  "Neither death, nor life."  To the instructed believer, the fear of death is gone (see Hebrews 2:14-15). CHRIST partook of it. But life ! Ah, life is so much more difficult than death - life with its burdens, bitterness, disappointments, uncertainties, often with physical miseries. As Job said,  "My soul chooseth strangling, and death rather than my life" (Job 7:15). Just as death cannot separate us from the unchangeable love of GOD in CHRIST, neither can life's circumstances separate us. JED

Your servant in CHRIST,

Julie

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