BEING ENVELOPED AND ELEVATED BY LOVE

God is love and love defines the relationship God has with man. God cannot but love all people because he has created every one of them. There is a difference though between feeling God’s love and being enveloped by it. When you are hot and sweaty, there is a difference between dipping your toes in the inviting waters and diving into the waters for a swim and being enveloped by the refreshing waters. Likewise, for man to become enveloped in God’s love requires him to move to the center of God’s love which is confirmed by faith in His only Son, Christ. Paul affirms this by stating,

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. (Romans 8:38,39)

In the preceding verses, Paul explains how being enveloped by his love also elevates man to the highest possible level and in different ways.

1. From despair to glory-

For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified. (v29,30)

The condition of man in this world is pitiable- one of being trapped in a body with limitations, and having to toil through life in a world that more often than not is unfavorable to him. Despite the transient pleasures that life throws at man, the overall message life shouts at man is one of mocking triumph, wherein death defeats all and renders everything meaningless. It is in this backdrop, that Christ appears with the sure message of salvation and man finds it possible to move away from despair to one of eternal glory.

2. From poverty to abundance-

He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? (v32)

In dealing with God, man finds not a stingy giver, but One who freely gives and did not even hold back his own Son to be given as a sacrifice on the cross for mankind. And in dealing with man here on earth, God does not hold back unless what man desires would bring him eternal harm. Life becomes no longer one of meager pickings, but one of living in abundance when man embraces union with the will of God.

3. From condemnation to justification-

Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. (v33) 

Condemnation is written in the DNA of interpersonal relationships. And it all originates from Satan, whose primary hobby is to condemn man and accuse him. When someone including Satan condemns another, he is in fact endorsing the rule of God, because unless there is at least an unwritten law, there would be not be a basis for condemnation. While condemnation is real, in Christ, man finds justification- no matter how far one has gone away or erred, God forgives and gives man a clean plate and a new start.

4. From suffering to conquest-

As it is written, “For your sake we face death all day long;
we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. (v36,37)

Christian life appears to be one of suffering, giving up one’s privileges and one of being abused by people and circumstances. But in reality, while submitting to God and outwardly embracing such a lifestyle, a disciple is in fact embracing the conquest that is intrinsic to God’s nature. He cannot be defeated and in Christ, man finds the ability to ride with him to conquest.

How incomparable is the love of Christ! Yet, unless one receives Christ in faith and accepts Him as his Savior, he cannot be enveloped and elevated by his love.

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