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Appearances can be very deceptive.  Sometimes we think we have understood a situation well yet subsequent events have shown that we were entirely wrong.  The surface appearance can be completely different from the underlying reality.  The same applies to how onlookers evaluate the life and experience of Christians, and even how we think of ourselves.

1.  The threatened separation

Paul asks a rhetorical question: ‘Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?’ (v35).  This can be a real issue for believers that stirs doubts and struggles.  Paul offers biblical realism – listing a wide variety of trials that believers may have to face.  In one way or another, all of God’s people will have to face some of these issues – they are not immune to suffering or hardship in this fallen world.  Paul himself knew what it was to endure hardships – see eg 2 Corinthians 6:4-5.  Such experiences may shake confidence in Christ’s love for us and the world looking on may mock suffering Christians’ talk of God’s love.  But these experiences are to be expected: Paul quotes Psalm 44:22 in v36.  The verse speaks of the suffering of the righteous, who are not suffering for sin or unfaithfulness to God.  They are faithful to their covenant Lord, yet ‘all day long’ they suffer.  This is not a sign that Christ’s love has failed.  The psalmist appeals to God’s ‘unfailing love’ (Psalm 44:26).

2. The overwhelming victory

Scripture shows that Christians’ sufferings are real and Paul makes no pretence, yet if that is all we see, we are not seeing things as they really are.  Paul answers his question with the ringing affirmation of v37 ‘No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us’.  Far from being defeated by the sufferings Paul has listed, believers triumph completely.  Not only do they stand fast in faith, they also emerge stronger in faith, with a deeper knowledge of the Lord.  What was designed by the enemy to break them, in fact makes them stronger.  This does not happen because of strength of personality or will-power, but only ‘through him who loved us’.  It is the saving work of Christ that is the secret of victory.  Having bought us with his blood (Galatians 2:20) he will not allow us to go down to final defeat.  He enables us to share in his victory over the powers of evil.  Apparent defeat at the cross was in fact overwhelming victory: ‘It is finished’ (John 19:30) expresses triumph.

3. The unbreakable bond

Paul sums up the Christian’s security with absolute conviction.  ‘I am convinced’ (v38) – he has been persuaded and remains persuaded.  This is a matter of ‘the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord’.  The Father’s love in giving the Son (v32) is inseparable from the Son’s love in giving himself.  This love is manifested in God’s making a covenant with his people (see Leviticus 26:12).  The covenant bond is sealed by the blood of Christ (Mark 14:24).  This is the basis of Paul’s confidence.  He surveys the entire universe for things that might seem to threaten that bond, including spiritual powers (angels, etc), time (present, future), space (height, depth), ‘nor anything else in all creation’.  Nothing ‘will be able to separate us’ because Christ Jesus is ‘Lord’ over every threat and so we are secure.

Psalm 30 : 1-3
Psalm 84A : 7-10
Psalm 119 pt 2A : All

Psalm 107 : 1-6
Psalm 81 : 4-8
Psalm 78A : 8-10

Psalms
Psalm 136 : 1-3, 11, 12
Psalm 103 : 7-11
Psalm 36 : 6-9

Psalms
Psalm 34 : 1-5
Psalm 77 : 1-4, 9, 10
Psalm 40 : 1-5

It is a dramatic moment as Joseph faces the brothers who sold him into slavery when he was a young man.  Their father is dead and the brothers are afraid Joseph will take his revenge on them (v15), but his response is very different.  His words in v20 raise profound issues about God’s sovereignty and human freedom.  Consider Genesis 50:20 The mystery of providence.

1. Human responsibility

Although the Bible says much about God’s sovereignty, it never minimises human moral responsibility.  ‘You intended to harm me’: Joseph does not say that their plan was anything less than evil.  They are morally responsible for what they did.  In one sense he was harmed as were others in the family.  The brothers acted freely, making choices in harmony with their (sinful) natures.  We too are morally responsible for our actions freely performed.  We act in accordance with the nature we have, unconverted or converted.  We are not forced to sin against our will.  Our actions are rooted in out inmost being – Mark 7:21.

2. Divine sovereignty

 Note‘but God intended it for good’ – the same action is viewed from a different perspective.  God was at work in and through the action of Joseph’s brothers.  He had a good goal in mind – ‘the saving of many lives’.  God so directed events that his good purpose was carried out.  The brothers did not consciously do what would fulfil God’s plan, yet that was the result.  Throughout the Bible God is portrayed as being in full control and as accomplishing what he plans.  The actions of evil people do not frustrate his plan but in mysterious ways advance it.  All events (often in ways we cannot fathom) contribute to fulfilling God’s plan.  Only in looking back could Joseph discern God’s sovereign hand in what he had experienced.

3. The big picture

God’s sovereignty is not confined to the details of individual lives: those lives are linked in innumerable ways.  His sovereignty relates to the ‘big picture’ – here, ‘the saving of many lives’.  Scripture shows that God is sovereign over:

1.  The natural world.  Genesis 1-2 shows him as the Creator, and he has not left the universe to run itself.  All things are in his hands – see Job 38-39.  He provides for his creatures – Psalm 145:15. 
2.  The nations.  Prophets could speak of the fate of nations because it is God’s plan that governs them – Proverbs 21:1.  This is a truth full of comfort for believers.

4.The supreme example

The supreme illustration of God’s sovereignty embracing human responsibility is the death of Christ.  See Acts 2:23.  On the one hand it was the result of the actions of ‘wicked hands’, with Jew and Roman fully responsible. Yet on the other hand it took place by ‘God’s set purpose and foreknowledge’.  It was the climax of his plan of salvation (1 Timothy 1:15).  Through the actions of those who wanted to destroy Jesus, God provided our salvation.

No book has been more vigorously attacked throughout history than the Bible, both from outside the Church and from within by sceptical scholars.  The faith of God’s people has sometimes been severely shaken by such attacks.  We need to be clear as to what we believe about the Bible.  Consider II Timothy 3:16-17 God-breathed Scripture

1. The source of Scripture

Our fundamental belief about the Bible is set out in v16 ‘All Scripture is God-breathed’ – familiar from the AV as ‘inspired by God’.  Here is the root of the authority and power of this book: it is God’s word to his people.  The word often translated ‘inspired’ literally is ‘God-breathed’ (as in NIV).  It is more than the ‘inspiration’ of writers and artists – we are to think of the Bible as God’s speech.  What Scripture says, God says.  How did God use the writers?  2 Peter 1:21 ‘men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit’: the mysterious, miraculous, sovereign working of the Holy Spirit.  This was not simply divine dictation (although sometimes God did give a message word for word), but God used the different personalities, etc, of the writers, including e.g. Luke’s research (Luke 1:3).  Inspiration does include the words used – ‘Scripture’ is written.  God did not merely give ideas that the writers were to express in their own fallible words.  Note 1 Corinthians 2:13 ‘words taught by the Spirit’.  This is ‘verbal inspiration’.  Note ‘All Scripture’ – the OT and also the NT which was beginning to be written.  1 Timothy 5:18 shows that Luke 10:7 was already regarded as ‘Scripture’.  Under the guidance of the Spirit the Church came to recognise the books that were ‘God-breathed’.  It is the Spirit who opens our eyes to see the true nature of the Bible.  Accepting inspiration is part of the conversion experience.  Inspired Scripture is without error in all it teaches: ‘your word is truth’ (John 17:17).  We stand under the authority of God and of his Word.

2. The usefulness of Scripture

Scripture is ‘useful’ – it is to have life-changing effects.  It is ‘able to make you wise for salvation’ (v15).  The Bible contains everything we need to begin and continue on the Christian way.  Its usefulness is comprehensive:

            (i) Teaching:  true knowledge of God’s truth is essential for spiritual health.

            (ii) Rebuking: The Spirit uses Scripture to expose our sin and stir repentance.

            (iii) Correcting: offering the positive answer to sin, setting out the right path.

            (iv) Training in righteousness: guiding us to growth in likeness to the Lord.

Used as God intends, the Bible transforms us into his image stage by stage.

3. The goal of Scripture

The goal of Scripture is set out in v17 – ‘that the man of God may be competent’ (ESV.  NIV omits).  The word means complete, capable, in fit condition.  The Bible is sufficient to equip the people of God for whatever work he assigns them.  Bible study is to prepare workers, doing the ‘good works’ (Ephesians 2:10) God has prepared.  We must always approach the Bible in dependence on the Spirit, seeking edification and transformation.