UNIQUE EXPRESSIONS AND 
GREAT TRUTHS FROM THE APOSTLE PAUL
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Part Two of Article:
—III—
 "Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us" (Romans 8:37).

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"More Than Conquerors"
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 This verse brings us to some of the most reassuring truths in the New Testament expressed by the apostle Paul in wording that is unique and superlative. He declares, "We are more than conquerors through him that loved us." "More than conquerors" is the translation of a single Greek word that some think Paul may have even coined. The word simply means super-victorious, over-victorious; hence, "more than conquerors." A holy arrogance is displayed in the face of the things named here.

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The Immediate Context
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 To appreciate what is said by Paul, the whole context in the 8th chapter of Romans must be read, and especially the immediate context, Romans 8:35-39. Here we find what Paul had in mind when he said, "we are more than conquerors." The question was asked in verse 35, "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?" His question is expanded beyond who, to ask what might possibly separate us from the love of Christ. "Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?" However, the "what" would be instigated by the "who." Then he illustrates with a scripture from the Psalms about being "killed all the day long." At the conclusion of all the trials would be death. Death is usually looked upon as ultimate defeat. But that is when Paul declared that in all of these things we are "more than conquerors." We are over-victorious. Then from his own personal experience, he could unhesitatingly affirm, "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." In all of these things, we are "more than conquerors" through God’s love.

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Preliminary Thoughts
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 Before saying more about Romans 8:35-39, let us take note of some of the preceding thoughts that lead up to this grand climax, starting with 8:26. 
  • We don’t know how to pray as we should many times, but the Holy Spirit takes over and makes intercession for us, wording our deep feelings to God; thus, He knows our needs (8:26,27). 

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  • "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose" (8:28). (What a wonderful truth for Christians!). 

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  • In 8:29 and 30, notice the words "foreknow," "predestinate," "called," "justified," and "glorified." One follows the other in sequence. It is like a time line spread out before us. God knows all things from eternity, and in one panoramic view sees the end from the beginning. Before the "foundation of the world," He foreknew everything, including those who would have good and honest hearts in reference to salvation. Thus, as such, they are predestinated (not Calvinistic predestination; the foreknowledge comes first), called, justified, and finally glorified in eternity. God sees it all as if it has already happened. How amazing that God knows everything about us, and how reassuring! 

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  • With all of this in mind, he asked the question, "If God be for us, who can be against us?" which is followed by a series of questions that are answered in the light of this question (8:31-34). God is for us---His son was delivered up for us all, the ultimate evidence of this, so he will freely give us "all things that pertain unto life and godliness" (8:32; II Peter 1:3). (Who can be against us?) God is for us---no one can lay a charge against us (8:33). God is for us---no one can condemn us; Christ is making intercession for us (8:34). (Who can be against us?)
The Scope of Paul’s Persuasion
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 All of these exhilarating truths are preliminary to 8:35-39. They fittingly lead up to this section we have noticed where he concludes with the words, "In all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us." Paul continues with even more expanded thought as he gives the scope of his persuasion about the matter. Perhaps he is simply stressing the boundlessness of God’s inseparable love, rather than it being intended for us to examine each particular. But some parallel things are listed in I Corinthians 3:21b-23. "For all things are yours; Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are yours; And ye are Christ’s, and Christ is God’s." Therefore, let us comment on some of these things briefly.
  • "Neither death, nor life" is "able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." Christ conquered death, and now we can live (now and forever). In I Corinthians 15, beginning with the last part of verse 54, Paul states, "Death is swallowed up in victory." Then he continues, "O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord." In Philippians 1:21, Paul said, "For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain." There is no way that a true Christian can lose, short of apostasy itself.

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  • "Nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers"—here he seems to go beyond this life, through death, into the spirit world. Angels, as such, are not able to separate us from God’s love. Colossians 2:15 tells us that Christ "having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it." Again, we are more than conquerors through the resurrection of Christ.

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  • "Nor things present, nor things to come"—Paul listed these things, as well as others in I Corinthians 3:22, as belonging to Christians.

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  • "Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature"—The 139th Psalm pictures God as being anywhere that man can go. Christ is presented as a victorious warrior in the quotation found in Ephesians 4:8, "When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men." His victory is our victory. We are "more than conquerors" with him.
Dealing With Misunderstanding
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 Before leaving this great section of Scripture, perhaps a word needs to be said to counter a misunderstanding. Calvinists see their doctrine of "once in grace, always in grace" (or the impossibility of a person being lost after having entered into salvation) in these words of not being able to be separated from the love of God. But notice. Paul starts by asking, "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?" The "who" is distinguished from "us." No person externally, or thing per se, aside from us can separate us from the love of God. It is ever there. God never forsakes us. The factor of "us" forsaking God is not dealt with in this Scripture. We can forsake God, and no longer abide in His love.

 
 What John has to say should settle this misunderstanding. He quotes Jesus, saying, "As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love. If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love" (John 15:9,10). So, there is the possibility of abiding or not abiding in the love of Christ. By not keeping his commandments we do not abide in his love. But we assuredly abide in Christ as we keep his commandments and abide in his love. Then John 15:6 reads, "If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned." The branch had been part of the vine but was no longer a part by not abiding in him. This runs counter to the Calvinistic doctrine named.

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—IV—
 "And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:7).

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 Our crescendo of thought now brings us to the last of Paul’s great and unique expressions of truth that we will consider in this article. And perhaps what he has to say here is a by-product of all of the other things we have studied. At least they have a direct bearing upon it.

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Peace That Passes Understanding
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 "Peace…that passeth understanding"—what a statement… what a thought…what a possibility (in the kind of world in which we live)! It’s not just peace, it is the "peace of God." This indicates source. Getting ready to leave his disciples, the Lord Jesus said, "Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you…" (John 14:27). In the salutation of all of his epistles, repeatedly the apostle Paul writes, "Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ" (Romans 1:7; I Cor. 1:3; II Cor. 1:2; Galatians 1:3; Ephesians 1:2; Philippians 1:2; Colossians 1:2; I Thess. 1:1; II Thess. 1:2; I Timothy 1:2; II Timothy 1:2; Titus 1:4; Philemon 3). Grace and peace are interwoven. (Read on) Romans 5:1ff states, "Therefore being justified [from our sins] by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand…" The Bible says that "the wicked are like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt. There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked" (Isaiah 57:20, 21). Man is not right until he is right with God. There is no true peace until we have truly made our peace with God. Then we have peace with ourselves, and we can live in peace with others. This calm repose is a by-product of God’s grace and the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22). It is a peace that is beyond our human understanding.

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"Why Worry When You Can Pray?"
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 Paul tells us in Philippians that this "peace…which passeth all understanding" will "keep [guard] your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." In his admonition in the verse before we see how this is brought about. He says, "Be careful [full of care, anxious] for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God." When we do this, the peace of God part comes into play. The apostle Peter also wrote, "Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you" (I Peter 5:7). Someone has wisely said, "Why worry when you can pray?" If a matter is not serious enough to pray about, then it is not serious enough to worry about. And if it is serious enough to pray about, and we have prayed about it, then there is no need to worry about it. It is in God’s hands. Why be anxious?

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 In the praying that is to be done, with the supplication, giving of thanks is enjoined (Philippians 4:6). Thank God in anticipation of new blessings. Also, "Count your blessings, name them one by one; count your blessings, see what God has done." It will help us trust God more and appreciate Him. We have so much to be thankful for, both physical and spiritual. Consider what the Lord said in the Sermon on the Mount, Matthew 6:25-34. Then Paul said in I Timothy 6:6-8, "But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and raiment, let us be therewith content." Let us trust God, and be thankful for what we have. The thankful person is a happy person, and peace rules in his heart.

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The Peace of God
Guarding Our Hearts and Minds
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 The heart, spiritually speaking, is the inner man; the mind accesses this inner person. The peace of God stands guard here that all may be well with our souls. Paul admonished the Colossians to "let the peace of God rule in your hearts" (Colossians 3:15). The word "rule" here means to arbitrate, to govern, to umpire. As the peace of God guards our hearts and minds, it will arbitrate on the side of what is right, and what makes for peace, in reference to questionable things. The verse that follows Philippians 4:7, verse 8, shows how the peace of God is at work, guarding our minds and ruling on the side of peace. It reads, "Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest [honorable], whatsoever things are just [right], whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report: if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise [if it is praiseworthy], think on these things." These are all positive and good things. These kinds of thoughts should fill our minds. Positive thoughts produce positive results. But negative thoughts produce negative results, causing the peace of God to dissipate. Questionable things drag us down and disrupt our lives spiritually. Paul said to the Romans, "For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace" (Romans 8:6).

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The God of Peace with Us
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 The verse following Philippians 4:8, verse 9, although different, still has to do with the "peace of God." Paul admonished, "Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do; and the God of peace shall be with you." The God of peace is with us when we do that which is right, and peace of mind is further experienced in our lives (I John 3:19-21).

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 AS WE CONCLUDE this article, we are thankful to the apostle Paul for these great and affirmative truths we have examined. He has used words refreshingly unique and superlative that captivate our attention. These superlative truths are most reassuring. Let us fully imbibe them and be filled with their fullness. There is nothing boring about Christianity and all that it entails. And with Paul we say, "Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost [Spirit]" (Romans 15:13). Amen!
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