Paul's
Shout of Victory
Who
shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or
persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? . . . Nay, in all
these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. Rom.
8:35-37
Paul suffered for the truth's sake, and
yet we hear no complaints from his lips. As he reviews his life of toil and
care and sacrifice, he says, "I reckon that the sufferings of this present
time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in
us." The shout of victory from God's faithful servant comes down the line
to our time: "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall
tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or
sword? . . . Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him
that loved us. 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."
Though Paul was at last confined in a
Roman prison--shut away from the light and air of heaven, cut off from his
active labors in the gospel, and momentarily expecting to be condemned to
death--yet he did not yield to doubt or despondency. From that gloomy dungeon
came his dying testimony, full of sublime faith and courage that has inspired
the hearts of saints and martyrs in all succeeding ages. His words fitly
describe the results of . . . sanctification. . . . "I am now ready to be
offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I
have finished my course, I have kept the faith: henceforth there is laid up for
me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me
at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love His
appearing."
The wounds and scars of our warfare will
be to us, as to Paul, the trophies of victory.
From My Life Today - Page 326
