Lesson 40d

We were getting into principalities and, oh, I actually just note for the tape, this is, yeah, the Romans class, lesson 40, and going through the last verses of Romans 8. And again, now, this is, let me see what question this is still. We're just finishing up question 7.

So we went and we were kind of kidding around that Newell, in this question about the principalities, Newell comes down pretty hard on it. And I hadn't really even thought about this with principalities. We talked about it last week, the knocking on wood, the wearing of a jersey, or doing superstitious things that make your team win, or all these different things. And what you're doing by that is you're saying there's another power that will make things go well, or your team will win, or if you walk under that ladder you're going to have bad luck, There are all sorts of things that people do that, when you think about it, it's negating the power of God and that I'm relying upon what? I mean, you break a mirror and you have, what, 70 years bad luck. Mostly a black cat. Black cat, that was the other one. You wear a plaid shirt. Yeah, that's horrible.

So, all these things are, you know, things that, when you really think about it, what are you doing? Putting your faith in something else. Something else. Yeah. You know, pretty much demonic type stuff. Yeah, I mean, when you think about it, what else are you saying if you aren't relying upon God? You're relying upon self or, well, but in these cases it's almost you're coaxing a different, you know, force or spirit or something.

You know, and it was really, when I read Newell in this section, I was like, huh. You know, I've done that a few times. Sometimes I've worn that Broncos jersey that they won last time on because I was wearing that jersey. You know, there's some things when you think about it, you do some of these things.

Or, you know, like I said, the broken mirror or walking under a ladder, the black cat, all these things that we do, and it's really, when you think about it, that is negating or relying upon some other force or power or something. You're diminishing the sovereignty of God. That's exactly right. Something else has power to make your team win or to keep that bad luck away from you. It's not unlike the Israelites when they always turned to idols. Oh yeah. They made their images and stuff like that and I believe a lot of times, if not all the time, a demonic power was swaying those people away from God.

If not, it's the flesh, it's man trying to do something. If I do this, what's the same old logic? If I believe this, or if I knock on wood, I will get that whatever I do will occur. It's the old man and the law. It's the old method. If I do this, this will happen. you know, what is it, spill salt, you throw it over your shoulder?

I'm trying to think of all those things that we do, or we, that people do, that, you know, it's basically, if I do this, you're going to have me lucky, or whatever. So, all of those negate the sovereignty of God. You're saying something else is more powerful than God, because if I do this, then I get this. So again, it's really, I think, it's whether it's demonic or just the flesh. the fleshes rely upon itself or something else rather than God. Can you relate that to the belief that some people have?

You can name it and claim it. Oh, yeah. Same thing. Oh, yeah. You know, they've forgotten that God's will. You know, name it and claim it. You're doing it. And God will because I did this. So it's the same thing falling right back into, if I do this, God you will do this. law-based.

And if it don't happen, then you didn't have enough faith. Yeah, I mean, you can fall into that, that you didn't have enough faith, or God didn't love me. What are the verses we're looking at? God didn't love me enough to give me that whatever, you know, the million dollars that I asked for yesterday, He didn't give it to me. Why didn't He? He doesn't love me anymore, you know.

You can fall under a real trap, but it still falls back, I think, not as much demonic as it's still the flesh, and that if I do, fall right back into law, not a grace-based system. It's a matter of control, isn't it? We always like to be in control. Who likes to be in control?

The flesh. The flesh. That's exactly right. So, again, you kind of fall into that whole thing when you do that. It's harder to depend on God and just trust in Him. It's easier when I can do things and touch things and control them, bend them to my will. What does that also negate? God's power. Faith. By seeing and doing, you negate faith. Well, it's faith. It's a type of faith. If you have to see it, what about Thomas? I always go back to Thomas on that one. Everybody else, you know, Thomas wasn't there to see it. Did he believe it? No, I need to see this.

If you can't see it, you don't believe it. And what did he say for those who, who, yeah, yeah, you know, he kind of said, look, what about those who, you know, kind of He poked at Thomas a little bit. Blessed are those who see and don't see. Right, and don't see and believe. So it's kind of his little poke at him that said, look, I'm showing you, but those people who believe by faith.

So basically the question was, do any of these show that God is sovereign and works all things after the counsel of His will? Any of those superstitions or anything like that? None of them do that. And you see this in Ephesians 1.11, everything according to His purpose who works all things, all things after the counsel of His will. This is right in falling with what we're doing. He uses all things together.

This we learned earlier in Romans 8. This is another expansion of it when we get to Ephesians, when Paul writes the Ephesians. So it's according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will. Now it's saying in Romans 8, it's about He works all things. But now it even adds in Ephesians, after the counsel of His will. It's again, just kind of a nuance there, but again the expansion of what we're learning right here in Romans 8. So continuing on, I should go back to the beginning of this, just for the We're going over all the different things in verses 38 and 39.

For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing will be able to separate us from the love of God. So we've gone through the principalities, and so let me get down there again.

We are nor height, nor depth. So what does that mean? Nor height, nor depth can separate us. The big wall. Large hole. Is he talking about principalities there? No. Nor height, nor depth. What do you think those would be? There's not anything that we can name that would separate them. We'll get to that at the very end. That's kind of the catch-all. But what's right here? What would be height? It's a meteor that's heading right for Denver. Don't say that. Erica was coming home last night late. She went to the CSU game and came back and actually it was strange.

Neighbors horses got out. So I was at one o'clock hunting horses down. But Erica came by and found the horses actually on her way in. But then there was a huge shooting star that went by. I mean like for three to five seconds went this huge green thing. She said it hit in our neighborhood next door. She was worried about the neighborhood next door. No, it is not. It is not meteor.

Height. What would height be? What's the highest thing you can think of? Heaven? Bingo. Heaven. What's the highest thing? Heaven. It's the highest. So what would depth mean? So heaven or hell cannot separate us from the love of God. Nor height, any heaven or depth in hell can separate us from the love of God. What's that?

The abyss. The abyss. So it's basically, he's now going, you know, this is almost like the east is far from the west. This is now height from the depth. He's going vertically now. It's from heaven to hell, nothing can separate us from the love of God. So, now, this is getting kind of to Cheryl.

Continuing on, nor any other created thing So what does this last condition bring? Nor any created thing? I'm glad he didn't say anything spiritual. Boy, that would be scary. Well, he's kind of done that in the, we just talked about in depth, you know, but all of these, but what is this kind of, this last thing on his list?

This has encompassed everything. There isn't anything in the whole universe that's outside of God's control. He's covered it all. You can't find anything else. This is, if you had any doubt on all the other things that I've just listed, this is anything, anywhere, anywhere, anything created. Anywhere. This is the sweep of it all up.

If you had any doubts about any of these things that I've just listed, Paul listed, this is now Anything created, anything created can't separate us from the love. So this is the final sweep up on all of these conditions that says there is nothing, nothing, anywhere, high, low, left, right, anything created. Death, remember we started with death, death can't separate us. Life can't separate us.

All of these things, and now he's saying anything created can't separate us from His love. So, the question I have, are you getting this yet? About God's love in us as believers? You kind of got this now? Is there anything, any doubt in your mind, in any trial, in anything you go through, that God will separate you from His love?

There is nothing. Nothing. And so we'll get to this as we get down to the bottom questions. I noticed that he covers even me when he says, for I am persuaded. We're getting to that. Question 8. Question 8. At 38 states, are you convinced or persuaded that you cannot be separated from God's love? So it says in the beginning of verse 38, For I am convinced, or persuaded, that neither death nor life, nor range of principalities, nor things of that kind, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. So, are you persuaded? Are you convinced? He's given us all these things. So, let's look back at who wrote this.

Paul. Why was he convinced or persuaded about God's love? Look at Paul's life. I forget which one of the epistles he kind of lays out. Is it Corinthians? Where he says, I've been shipwrecked three times, I've been stone-whipped, beaten, without food, yada, yada, yada, yada. He's the guy who wrote this.

Right, it never stopped. He is convinced, even through all of what he's done, he's saying, I am convinced, even through all of these things, that I cannot be separated from God's love. So he's convinced, how come I'm not? And what is the answer to that? You don't believe it. And that's why, you know, That's why I think these are such critical verses and why they're positioned where they're at right now. And we'll get to that in the last questions. I think I have to disagree with, I don't believe it. Because Romans, Hebrews chapter 11 verse 1 gives me the definition of what faith is.

But then the second verse says that by it, what happened? The elders were given witness. The persuasion has to come from the Holy Spirit. I can generate, as best I understand, I believe what God is telling me. Persuasion is a different thing. You're looking at it in the process, though. The Holy Spirit is doing that at all times. But it's ultimately, from this, conditionally, and we're looking conditionally, it's you believing that.

So, is it more that I believe what He's telling me, or more that I believe who's telling me? That's always the basis of faith, is who. But, in the who, it's explaining all this. It's His love. And we'll get a little bit into this, God loved us first. The reason I bring it up, I've had people come to me and say, well, the verse I operate by is, I believe, help me with my unbelief.

And I say, God isn't about to help you with your unbelief. Your job is just to trust Him. Well, I can't. You get every excuse in the world, but the point is, there comes a time when you trust him because he's proven himself faithful to you, not because you were faithful to him. It's never on our side. It's always on his. I mean, if you're relying upon yourself, you're on shaky ground to begin with. That's never where he should be. It's always faith in the object of this, object of the love which is God. That's where the veracity of these statements come from.

But again, conditionally, this is where I think he's talking conditionally to us, and positionally. I mean, positionally we can never be separated, but I think conditionally he's talking to us. As we go through life, nothing can separate you, even with all these things. And I'm in control of it all, but I still love you.

And that's ultimately, I think, The Holy Spirit has to convince you of these things. It's like when I feel like I've got it mastered. That's usually when I realize, nope, not even close. Again, I think the spiritual growth is where the maturity and the faith come. As you mature in Christ, I think it's all by faith. You trust Him. And it goes back to knowing Him. If you know Him, you know His love. You know what He's doing. But that's in time. That's as you grow. That trust in Him.

And again, it's just by His Word and the Holy Spirit convincing you. It really helps me too, because I'll read like in Ephesians 1, 13 and 14, that I've been placed into Christ and sealed forever. And because I believe God's Word is true, I am literally sealed in Christ. I was chosen for the foundation of the world. I mean, those verses with the Holy Spirit convince me that all that is true. Makes me not like him. I'm safe in God's care always because I'm in him.

Well, as I say, you expand, Paul expands on these. What does he tell us later? The peace that surpasses all understanding. He tells us about rest. This is the foundation of that. You have the peace and rest because you know that he's in control. Well, this I think is the culmination especially of 6, 7, and 8.

Well, it goes through the whole book, but I think when you look at the co-crucifixion in Romans 6, right there, for me personally, that was the biggest change I made from a security standpoint. Once I realized I was dead, there was no coming back from that, that positionally I had been crucified. But now, this is the end of this. I'm only going to go through the verses in the last question in chapter 8, but if you look at all the things in 6, and then you look at 7, look at the end of 7, what does Paul say?

Thanks be to God. And then we have all these truths in Romans 8. But it culminates with this, because now when we move into chapter 9, who are we looking at? We're looking at the Jews. We're looking at Israel. We're looking at a lot of things that are more focused on them in the next several chapters of Romans. So this is a culmination of a lot of what the foundational belief or the foundational truths of a believer. And it culminates with this, and I don't think that's by accident. I think what you're saying is right.

It wasn't for a long time until Martin Luther realized righteousness comes by faith. And that's when he realized his Catholicism was just not working. And I had memorized Romans 6 for years. I said those verses dozens and dozens of times, but I didn't understand them until I really came and sat under your guys' teaching. Oh, absolutely. I didn't understand what they meant. keep them memorized because I just didn't understand them. Once I understood them, now I'm just a piece of cake. See, and that's the thing that boggles my mind.

You know, I was in the Brethren Church. A lot of what these truths came out were from the Brethren Church, you know, the Brethren who expounded on all this stuff. I don't know how I got through being in the Brethren Church for so long and not know these.

How did I read Galatians 2.20?

What did I do to that one? Did I skip over it? Did I block it out? What did I do? How did I do that? I somehow did mental gymnastics to change that. How did I get through Romans 6 like you? How did I get through that and not logically say, I have been crucified with Christ? You know, back to my original issue. Did you believe Romans 6 when you read it and didn't understand it?

Did you believe Galatians 2.20 when you read it and didn't understand it? So if you say to me, well, it's faith. I say, wait a minute. I read that, and I believe God. I'm a believer, but I don't have any idea what he's talking about.

And the reason I say that is that if you go through from Romans 5.12 to where we are today, Paul uses terms like knowing, coming to know, reckon. And finally he gets to this really cool word right here where he says, I'm persuaded. How did he get persuaded? Because he read a lot? Because he had visions a lot? How did he get persuaded that this was it?

But see, I think it's the end process. It's the facts and the tracks or whatever. It's the facts, but understanding it. Who makes you understand that? Who makes you? That's my point. Yeah, but that's ultimately then the last point of that is you believe it. So you're the intermediate spot of the Spirit is the one doing it, absolutely has to do it, otherwise you're not on any foundation. Yeah, I think that there's a persuasion process that goes on daily, all the time, about about things you don't even understand, that you take a second look at, or you think about, or like Jim's talking about, well, I memorize it, I believe it, that's God's Word, but... No understanding of it.

What does it mean? But see, what did we read about? What does God do? He searches the mind of who? The Holy Spirit in me knows what I need. Sure. That's what that means. is that for me, for you, for whoever, I read it, I don't understand it, what's the Holy Spirit doing?

He's going to work it into me to understand that and ultimately, by faith, believe it. And you can believe in things, and I think there's some peace in that. Yeah, I understand that and I believe it. I don't truly understand it, but I believe it. I think there's peace in that, but the true understanding of what He means will come later. You have peace by knowing that God's in control of all things. But what does that mean? And He'll take you through 20 things before you realize, okay, I understand that now, or better. That's growth. That's what growth is. That's what I was trying to get at. As you mature, what do you do?

You rest more in Him. This goes, and another pat on his back, which he just inflates like crazy. When I first came here, it's just read the scripture. Don't study it, just to know Him. And that helped more than anything, is that just to read it, to know Him. Why? Because if we know Him, who do we know? Us in Christ. And so I go through just a daily reading one chapter from John through up to Revelation every day and just read it. I don't study it. I just read it.

And I know, you know, it's amazing how much pops out about Him, Christ. And just knowing him, well once I know him, can I trust him? Absolutely. That's the spiritual growth. As I grow my trust and faith in him, in him, not all the other peripheral stuff, but him, everything else then falls from that. So, alright. Can I ask you one real quick thing? Yeah.

Like there's a scripture somewhere that talks about If they don't have a teacher, how will they understand? I think teaching is a part of it. Oh yeah, and it's all. Even the assembling, the Acts 2.42, where the fellowship and the teaching and the prayer are the four things. That's part of this, is the teaching and the fellowship. I think that's all part of the Holy Spirit working in us these truths. So I just went through some of the things Paul had gone through, why he's convinced or persuaded.

Again, Romans 8.18, For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us. So Paul considers these conditions not even to be worthy of consideration when compared to the glory to be revealed. And now in these verses he states that even though he'd been through all these things, he is still convinced or persuaded that he has not, nor is, nor will ever be separated from God's love.

He's convinced of that. He's persuaded. Because even throughout all this, he knows God loves him. And it's the Holy Spirit working on him, too. Convincing him of that. So, now back to the question. With all that has happened in your life, or is going on in your life, or what you see ahead in life, are you convinced or persuaded that you have not been, nor are or will ever be separated from God's love? I think the question to us is, are we convinced of this, too? After all that we're studying, are we convinced? And that's the Holy Spirit working on you. You're not going to be convinced today or tomorrow. It's the growth. You'll be convinced as you grow in the Lord. That's how you're convinced or persuaded. More time knowing Him.

2 Peter 3.18, growing in the grace and knowledge of Him. Grace and knowledge. In the operating system you're at, grace and the knowledge of Him. Again, the revelation as Paul puts out these epistles. knowing grace, the operating system you're in, it's nothing that you do, it's all by grace, and the knowledge of Him.

That's how we're convinced and persuaded. Alright, question nine. Where is the love of God found? What? In Christ. In Christ. End of the verse there. So, no other created thing will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus, our Lord. It's in Christ! Where are we? Pretty good position to be in, I think. I like how Noah puts this.

Notice that the love of God is in Christ Jesus, our Lord. Why God set His love upon us, we cannot tell. Why He chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world, connecting our destiny eternally with Christ, his beloved Son? We cannot tell. But, whatsoever Jehovah doeth, it shall be forever. We can't explain a lot of this, but whatever God says, it's eternal. And so, we find the love of God in Christ. That's where it is.

And then, I like it This is the corollary with Colossians 3.3, which I always like. Because this is like, what's a better place to be? We're in Christ, where the love of God is.

In Colossians 3.3, for you have died and your life, your life is hidden with Christ in God. Better place than that? Tahiti, right? It's better than that. no better place to be in Christ. That's where God's love is and where Christ is.

He's hidden in God. Not bad, not bad. Alright, question 10. Well, I just kind of answered it. Where are we with respect to God's love? You answered it. Where are we? In Christ. Where is God's love? In Christ. So, can we ever be separated from being in Christ? Can you ever be separated from being in Christ? So, what's the logical corollary to that? We can never be separated from His love. We can't be separated from Christ. Where is God's love? In Christ. We can't be separated from Christ. I'm an engineer. Corollaries. If this, then that. So, if we're in Christ, that's where God's love is. Christ is hidden in God. Our life is hidden in Christ, in God. Not bad. So, can we ever be separated from God's love based on just that, that we're in Christ? Never. Never.

So, I like this in John 17, 22, some of my favorite passages of John 17. The glory which you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one, just as we are one, I in them, and you in me, that they may be perfected in unity, so that the world may know that you sent me, and love them even as you have loved me."

So this isn't a second-class love. This is the same love that he loved his son. He loves us with that same love. And again, why? We're in Christ. Same love. Father, I desire that they also whom they have given me be with me where I am, so that they may see my glory which you have given me, for you loved me before the foundation of the world. O righteous Father, although the world has not known you, yet I have known you, and these have known that you sent me. And I have made your name known to them, and will make it known to them, so that the love with which you love me may be in them, and I in them." Sound familiar? When he says that they may be with me where I am, where is he talking about? Commerce City, I think.

No, seriously, where is he talking about? In heaven. No. Well, in him. No. Where is Christ? Seated at the right hand of God. He's in the Father. Well, yeah, I mean that one. I think that's what he means. Yeah, I mean... Because you think about the triune God, the Trinity.

They're separate persons, but they're one. And they're in each other, in a sense. And there's a flow of this life and love amongst them, through them. And I think that's where we've been placed, because we're in Christ. Maybe, but my brain can't handle that. You know, because he's seated at the right hand of God. Because he's a human being. But yeah, so, I mean, yes, but the triune is one. But in his godhood, he is... His deity? His deity. Yeah.

No, we're not. We're not part of the deity, but yeah, I mean, so maybe that's our separation, the deity part. Physically. Yeah. Well, he talks, that's why in John 17, it's so... that he may be one, that we may be one. I am one with you, Father. That they may be one in us. Well, they may be with me where I am. Well, where am I? Oh, yeah. As a father. These are those ones, boom. You know, I am them. I mean, he goes through all that, I am them. But, you know, focusing on the love aspect of it, where is love? It's in Christ, in God. Or Colossians, my life is hidden in Christ, in God. There's that, what you're talking about. Well, if you think about it, our frame of reference here is dualism, like you're there and I'm here.

And for Christ to say, well, Father, I want them to be one, as you and I are one, they may be separated by physical distance, But there's still I know I yeah, go figure that one out. I'm that's way past my paygrade Yeah, send me the give me a flowchart on that one. Give me a flowchart. I'm really good in it that goes along with John 10 28 and 29 That used to be my my rock-solid when they realize it's one where you're in you're in God's hand and you can't get out of God's hand That to me that to me that's that to me is That used to be my rock. Whenever I doubted my salvation, I'd go, oh man, I was hoping to get through this lesson, but Brian's getting up.

You know, that still is kind of almost separated. When you get to Romans and our co-crucifixion and placed into him and all those different things, that's different than being in his hand. And that's where it's completely different to me. And that's made a 180 degree change in my my life as far as security in Christ and all that. Can we do this? But this is important. I don't want to race through this too much.

How do the verses in 35 and 39 fit with the rest of chapter 8, or even 6, 7, and 8? I was looking at this. Verse 1 of chapter 8 could be followed immediately by 38 and 39. Any of them could. There's no condemnation of them, they're in Christ Jesus, for I am convinced. I'll get through this.

We've spent weeks or months in Chapter 8, so it may be a little foggy in what we've learned throughout the chapter. The truths of Chapter 8, combined with those of Chapters 6 and 7, form the foundation for a believer in our identification with Christ. So as a bit of a review of this chapter, here are some of the highlights. And that's exactly 1 and 2, Romans 8, 1 and 2. Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, for the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has what set you free from the law of sin and death.

So what was the basis for this? What's behind all of that? What's the basis? Christ's work on the cross. Yeah, even before that. God so loved the world. Love? He loved us so much, and that's why I go back to chapter 6, where He gave up His Son, crucified Him. What was the basis of that? God first loved us. He gave us His Son.

So the basis of all this is still what's the end verses here. That's why I think it's so important why we end on this. It's all based on His love. The root of all these different things is still based on His love. You know, if you look again in Romans 6, He gave us His Son. What is the ultimate demonstration of love? Giving Christ for a bunch of sinners like us. It's all based on love.

Now, based on His love, we now have no condemnation. We've been set free. So, what about Romans 8 and 9? However, you are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if or since, indeed, the Spirit of God dwells in you." It's based on God's love. Yeah. How did we get this? How did we get the indwelling? He graciously, lovingly, gave us salvation and placed us into Christ.

The basis is still love. That's why your little circle, God first loved us. And you go around. But it always starts with His love. That's why I think these are critical verses at the end of this whole section before we jump into the Jewish section or the Israeli section. This is believers. And it's so critically important to understand that.

Romans 8-11. But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you. Not bad. Romans 8.15-17. For you have not received a spirit of slavery, leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons, by which we cry out, Abba, Father, Daddy. Kills me.

The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God. And if children, heirs also, heirs of God, and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with him, so that we may be glorified with Him. He loved us so much that He placed us into His family. We are children of God. We can call God the Father, Daddy, because He loved us.

Let's see. 18 and 19. For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us. For the anxious longings of creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God." So again, can it be compared to what the glory is? He lovingly gave us that.

Romans 8, 26 and 27. In the same way, the Spirit also helps our weakness, for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And he who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because he intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. We have the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, and the God the Father searches the mind of the Holy Spirit indwelling us for what we need, for what the will of God is for us, because he loved us. Romans 8, 28 and 30.

And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren. And those whom He predestined, He also called. And those whom He called, He also justifies. And these whom He justified, He also glorified. He is conforming us to the very image of His Son. He loved us.

8.31-35 What shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things? Who will bring charge against God's elect? God is the one who justifies. Who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died. Yes, rather, who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us. Right now, Christ is interceding for us. With all these truths combined, and what he brings out in passages 35-35, all of this revolves around what? God's love.

God first loved us, 1 John 4.19. And we can never, ever be separated from His love, which is centered in His Son, Jesus, which is where we are placed for an eternity. Again, all these things that we just read through, it's based on His love. And that's why He ends with this. We cannot be separated from it. We're placed into Christ. We can never be separated from Christ. God's love is in Christ. Are you convinced or persuaded? Alright, let's pray. Heavenly Father, we thank You. We thank You for this day. We thank You for this time and these truths. These are incredible truths for us.

As we grow in the knowledge of your son, we realize again your love, because that's where your love is centered. And we just thank you that you first loved us and how important that is, and that you have an eternal love for us. It didn't end. Once we're in Christ, that love will never end.

And we thank you for that. We are so thankful for that position that you have us in. And conditionally, as we realize that the truths of The love that you have is eternal, that we can't be separated from, no matter what. There is nothing that can separate us from your love. And what peace, rest, and joy we have knowing that fact. So we just thank you again for this time. And as we move into the next meeting, just that all is said and done, we'll honor and glorify you. And it's in Jesus' name we pray. Amen.