What can we say about all this? If God is on our side, can anyone be against us? God did not keep back his own Son, but he gave him for us. If God did this, won’t he freely give us everything else? If God says his chosen ones are acceptable to him, can anyone bring charges against them? Or can anyone condemn them? No indeed! Christ died and was raised to life, and now he is at God’s right side, speaking to him for us. Can anything separate us from the love of Christ? Can trouble, suffering, and hard times, or hunger and nakedness, or danger and death? It is exactly as the Scriptures say,
In everything we have won more than a victory because of Christ who loves us. I am sure that nothing can separate us from God’s love—not life or death, not angels or spirits, not the present or the future, and not powers above or powers below. Nothing in all creation can separate us from God’s love for us in Christ Jesus our Lord!“For you we face death all day long. We are
like sheep on their way to be butchered.”
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
A Facebook friend posted today that 16 years ago, a high school classmate of hers was involved in an accident that ultimately took the life of a pedestrian. It was dark…the intersection was poorly marked and dangerous…and a man stepped out into the path of this girl’s car. Some 29 years later, the man’s daughter sent this driver a scathing “anniversary message” to tell her that she caused the man’s death. In the most vile language possible, this daughter wished the driver a life of misery and condemned her for the incident that occurred nearly three decades ago.
In the comments to this post, another friend noted that her father died seven years ago, after his motorcycle hit a deer. It was night time, the man was wearing rain gear, and a nursing student mistook him for a garbage bag…and subsequently ran over him. At the memorial for this man, his wife invited the driver to share Thanksgiving and Christmas with her family. One of these families fully understands and embraces this passage in Romans 8…the other has a long way to go.
A couple of weeks ago when the Supreme Court issued its ruling on same sex marriages, many people changed their avatar on Facebook to have a rainbow overlay. The White House was illuminated in multi-colored lighting. This signified that the long fight for same sex couples was over…that they can now enjoy the same rights as heterosexual couples, including shared health care and death benefits, the ability to qualify for public housing, the right to joint adoption, and much more.
For those of us who have gay loved ones and friends, this was indeed a day to celebrate. Perhaps you disagree…and that is your right. But a day or two after this ruling, I was with a group of Christian women who declared that “It’s God’s rainbow, and we want it back.” I cannot tell you how devastating this comment was to me…and to others. And I’ll admit – I am struggling against passing judgment on those who spoke it. Clearly some of us have embraced the words from the Apostle Paul…while others are still works in progress.
For countless Christians who happen to be gay, this type of talk from brothers and sisters in Christ is dumbfounding. It goes against everything Paul is telling the Romans in these verses. If we are God’s children…His chosen ones for whom He sent Jesus to die on a cross, how can any fellow Christian fail to accept us? I say this on behalf of not only those whose sexual orientation is different from ours…but also for those whose politics are different, those who choose to look and dress differently, those who don’t make as much money or live in a neighborhood as nice as ours - or drive a car as big and expensive as the one we drive.
I say this on behalf of those whose skin is a different color, or those who come from a different country and may speak with an accent. I say this on behalf of those whose ethnicity is different from ours. I say this on behalf of devastated people who have had to grapple with the aftermath of tragic accidents – including the pain and bitterness of victims’ families.
We are called to love all people…those who believe as we do – and those who do not. Why? Because this is how God loves us! Nothing can separate us from God’s love. It is His utmost desire that all who He created come to know Jesus. How will we ever manage this if we show such disdain and disgust toward others?
I am not asking you to change your opinions about gay marriage…people of other ethnicities, races and religions…or your politics. I am not discounting pain and suffering…or the feelings of those who feel victimized. As I pointed out to Timothy recently, we have freedom of choice. Judgment of others’ decisions is not ours. Leave that to God.
I echo the words of the Apostle Paul…“If God says his chosen ones are acceptable to him, can anyone bring charges against them?” Who are you judging…and in doing so, who are you mistreating? It is God’s rainbow…but He shared it with all.of.us! His gift of Jesus was for everyone who will accept Him. It’s time we started honoring God’s gifts instead of using them to discriminate and disparage others. “In everything we have won more than a victory because of Christ who loves us.” Is your conduct reflecting this victory - and more? Don’t you think it’s time it did?
©2015 Debbie Robus
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