God Conquers Evil

MEMORY VERSE: “In all these things we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us.” —Romans 8:37

ROMANS 5:1-11

IN FIRST Corinthians 15:25 Paul informs us that Christ must reign until he has put all enemies under his feet, and that the last enemy to be destroyed is death. Thus, as the caption of our lesson states, through Christ God will indeed conquer all evil. But the destruction of death and other evil as mentioned by Paul must wait for the messianic kingdom reign; evil is not being destroyed today.

However, the entire present age is set aside in the plan of God to prepare the agencies for the future work of destroying all that is out of harmony with God, including death. Jesus’ death as the Redeemer of the world was in preparation for that work, and since his first advent he has been selecting from mankind a “little flock” to be associated with him in the kingdom, their test of worthiness for this exalted future work being their willingness to sacrifice their earthly lives following in the footsteps of Jesus.—Luke 12:32

Being members of the fallen and dying world, these could not offer acceptable sacrifice to God, except that he has made provision to impute the merit of Jesus’ perfect sacrifice to them, and it is through this merit that they can offer themselves to God with the assurance that they will be acceptable to him.—Rom. 12:1

Our present lesson pertains to this “little flock” class, and verse 1 declares, “Being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” The world of mankind in general is alienated from God as a result of original sin. But those who are drawn to Christ by the Heavenly Father and consecrate themselves to do his will are no longer alienated from him, but are at peace with God. They are justified, or made right with God, through the merit of Jesus’ shed blood.

It is also through Christ that we have been given access to a further position of grace, or favor, which is the hope of sharing the glory of God. (vs. 2) Paul also speaks of this as being “heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ.” (Rom. 8:17) It is quite beyond our finite minds to understand just what is involved in sharing the glory of God, but the Scriptures make it plain that this is one of the future rewards of those who will live and reign with Christ.

But to cherish an abiding hope of such a future glory one must be tested—thoroughly tried—as to his willingness to submit to the experiences which the Lord sees needful to prove his love and devotion. The Diaglott translation of verses 3 and 4 reads, “And not only so, but we triumph also in afflictions, knowing that affliction works out endurance; and endurance, approval; and approval, hope.”

Here is a wonderfully assuring sequence of thought! The fully dedicated who have peace with God are tested by affliction, but they are not turned aside by this experience, for they know that affliction calls for endurance, and that only those who endure can really hope to attain the glory of God.

And, as the Diaglott further explains, endurance leads to approval—the approval of God, of course, for God will not exalt to heavenly glory any who do not endure the tests which he permits to come upon them. Thus, as the text further explains, those who do endure have a genuine, an unshakable hope. They were given a hope before, based upon the promises of God, but now that they have met the conditions of these promises their hope is confirmed—not something which they merely read about in the Word of God.

This is a hope that “maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit which is given unto us.” (vs. 5) We see God’s love and the workings of the Holy Spirit even in the trials of the narrow way, and these bear witness with our spirits that we are the children of God, and we know that we will never be ashamed or disappointed in our hope of the glory of God.

Paul assures us that God showed his love for us even while we were yet sinners by providing redemption through his Son; and how great is our rejoicing “in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received our reconciliation”—“peace with God.”—vs. 11, RSV

QUESTIONS

What does it mean to have “peace with God”?

What further favor belongs to those who have this peace?

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