無條件的保證
羅馬書八章31至39節
31既是這樣，還有甚麼說的呢？神若幫助我們，誰能敵擋我們呢？
32神既不愛惜自己的兒子為我們眾人捨了，豈不也把萬物和他一同白白地賜給我們嗎？
33誰能控告神所揀選的人呢？有神稱他們為義了（註：或作“是稱他們為義的神嗎？”）。
34誰能定他們的罪呢？有基督耶穌已經死了，而且從死裡復活，現今在神的右邊，也替我們祈求。（註：“有基督云云”，或作“是已經死了，而且從死裡復活，現今在神的右邊，也替我們祈求的基督耶穌嗎？”）
35誰能使我們與基督的愛隔絕呢？難道是患難嗎？是困苦嗎？是逼迫嗎？是飢餓嗎？是赤身露體嗎？是危險嗎？是刀劍嗎？
36如經上所記：“我們為你的緣故終日被殺，人看我們如將宰的羊。”
37然而，靠著愛我們的主，在這一切的事上已經得勝有餘了。
38因為我深信無論是死、是生，是天使、是掌權的，是有能的，是現在的事、是將來的事，
39是高處的、是低處的，是別的受造之物，都不能叫我們與神的愛隔絕；這愛是在我們的主基督耶穌裡的。
信息分享
有時，我們發現保證書只能提供特定方面的保證，並不全面；而且，人的保證也不長久。
可是，保羅在第八章的最後一段經文，卻為我們在基督裡獲得完全安穩的保障，提供了無條件的保證。讓我們再讀一遍38-39節。
當羅馬基督徒讀完保羅這封書信不久，他們便遭遇嚴峻的逼迫。保羅可能預料到逼迫的發生，便提醒他們作好準備，並在信仰上堅固他們。按照人的本性，當我們遇到逼迫的時候，往往會對神產生質疑。在這個時刻，我們就特別需要神的話語來堅固我們的信心。保羅在此向我們清楚展示，神對我們的愛能經得起任何考驗。
許多東西（或者人）都會威脅我們在基督裡的安全感。但保羅說：「神若幫助我們，誰能敵擋我們呢？」對我們構成威脅的東西，難道比我們的神更偉大嗎？
我們很容易被環境因素影響，失去安全感。但保羅在此重申，真的沒有任何東西能叫神的保證無效。「無論是死，是生……」無論是目前的境況，或將來發生的事，都不能使神在基督裡的保證失效。
對於你在基督裡的身份，你還需要進一步的保證嗎？請翻看約翰福音十章27至30節，看看基督說的甚麼。相信它！信靠它！在基督裡重新立志信靠。由此刻至永恆，你在祂裡面已得著完全的安穩。
牢記的經文：請讀希伯來書六章19節。
AN UNCONDITIONAL GUARANTEE
Romans 8: 31-39
31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?
32 He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?
33 Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies.
34 Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.
35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
36 As it is written:
“For Your sake we are killed all day long;
We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.”[c]
37Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.
38 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come,
39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Message
Sometimes we discover the warranty covers only certain items. No human guarantee will last forever.
But in these remarkable closing verses of chapter 8, Paul gives us an unconditional guarantee of our security in Christ. If you have J.B. Phillips “Letters to Young Churches”, it would worth stopping right now to read his thrilling paraphrase of verses 38 to 39.
Not long afterwards, severe persecution broke out against the Christians in Rome. Paul might have anticipated this so he warned them about this possibility and encouraged their faith. Often we ourselves tend to doubt and we need the strong reassurance of God's word. Paul gave that to us in these great words concerning the enduring strength of God's love for us.
Many things (even personalities) may seem to threaten our security in Christ, but Paul said, “If God is for us, who can be against us?” Anyone who threatens us will have to be bigger than God.
Often circumstances might threaten our security, but again Paul stated that nothing, absolutely nothing could ever break God's guarantee. “Death can't. Life won't.” Neither the circumstances of the present, nor anything which may happen in the future can break the terms of God's guarantee which is Christ Himself.
Do you need any more assurance of your position in Christ? Turn back to John 10:27-30 and read what Christ said. Believe it! Trust it and put your faith afresh in Christ. You are as secure as He is, now and for all eternity.
A VERSE FOR TODAY: Read Hebrews 6:19.