January 16 Daily Devotional

Bible Reading

Romans 8:35–39

Devotional

Paul asks the question, “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?” The implication is that nothing can do this. Therefore, the consequence is that there will be an everlasting union between Christ and His people. These are everlasting bonds. This implies that the love between Christ and His people will be eternal, without end. Nothing can separate God’s children from the love of Christ, not even eternity. There are everlasting bonds between the Lord and His people.

The little word “us” must also be emphasized. This indicates that His church also cannot be separated from itself. The church of Christ cannot crumble to pieces for there is one bond, one faith, one hope, and one love. When people are united to Christ there is never a separation from one another. There are everlasting bonds between God’s children. There may be a distance, but never a farewell. Every farewell or goodbye is only temporary. Having to say goodbye, however, can still be painful because there are spiritual ties of the soul. But still the bonds will last. Stones can never fall apart for good if they are grounded on Christ as the foundation. That is the only comfort for God’s church. The assurance of unity is our everlasting hope and comfort when we have to say good-bye.

“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?” Happily the answer is that nothing can separate us from His love. The issue for all of us is whether we personally are woven into these everlasting bonds. We must have God’s declaration that what we have left is eternal when all the temporary bonds are severed.

Furthermore, we need to acknowledge the separation from God that we experience due to our sin. We need to weep because of the breach that has come between God and our soul. Then, too, the sinner has to understand the means by which communion with God is restored. Only prodigal sons who return in sorrow to the Lord can be restored to communion with God. If repentance has not taken place, we will one day be separated from God forever and from fellowship with one another. We must realize that union with Christ is the only source of real everlasting bonds between God and man and between man and man. Only Christ can restore bonds.

By nature we are stubborn. We hold on to temporary bonds. We bind ourselves with provisional bonds. We build our hope on things that we will have to leave. When one ship is sunk, we step over onto another one. Let us take no rest until we have found rest in the Lord alone.

 

From The Everlasting Word by Frans Bakker, compiled and translated by Gerald R. Procee. Reformation Heritage Books and Free Reformed Publications, 2007. Used by permission. For further information, click here.